Nathaniel Dett Chorale at Sounds of the Season
It’s like the official start of the festive season, at least for me. CBC Radio One holds its “Sounds of the Season” event at the Glenn Gould Studio, where several Toronto-based programs either broadcast live or tape their show in front of a live audience. Special musical guests abound all day long, and it’s a rare chance for faithful listeners and the radio personalities to meet and interact, as well as to come together as partners to help the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Jill Dempsey tells a story
And there’s just nobody like CBC Radio listeners to fill the void when the Food Bank needs help, in this year of dwindling jobs and an ever-rising need for rescue services. With cash and food donations, they meet and exceed the set goals every year. But outright donations are not the only option; the radio personalities themselves donate things that listeners can buy or bid on, and those proceeds also go to the Food Bank. And this year, Toronto artist groups donated art works as well, to auction for still more money. The Toronto Musicians Association and ACTRA both contributed, and supported this CBC event.
I’ve been meaning to come to this special day for many years. Usually, though, I was working, and couldn’t manage to get away even for part of the day. But today, at last, I made it. Though I still couldn’t – just couldn’t – get up early enough to see the entirety of my favourite show, Metro Morning, which starts at 5:45 a.m. (I don’t even know how they get up early enough every day, frankly.) I did make it for the last half hour, though, and then watched the taping of Big City, Small World as well.
Garvia Bailey prepares for taping Big City, Small World
One woman in line with me in the CBC Shop later remarked that it was just like being at home in the morning: sitting in the chair sort of dozing while Jill Dempsey gives you a news update, Scott Regehr recounts sports highlights, and Jim Curran warns of traffic snarls. Except that we could watch them as they did it, and watch Jane Hawtin guide the proceedings under the watchful eye and ear of the producers and camera and sound people. Everyone was in a happy, festive mood (despite the hour), and the music was wonderful.
It was wonderful all day long, with singers like Jackie Richardson, Mark Nadjiwan, and Sarah Slean, and groups like the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, the Barenaked Ladies, and several “house bands.”
Kevin Sylvester - "I can get up any time I want to"
We could mingle in the lobby and chat with various CBC personalities between tapings. Passing by Kevin Sylvester, the former national and Metro Morning sports guy, who still drops in to the CBC as a fill-in host while pursuing a freelance art career, I heard him telling someone, “I don’t work here any more so I can get up whenever I want.” But he seemed quite happy to have gotten up early today, to help Jane Hawtin on Metro Morning in regular host Andy Barrie’s absence.
The event was an immense success, as always, with Radio One listeners being their usual remarkably generous selves, and Radio One personalities rewarding all of us with great music and programming.
I may just find a way to get there by 5:45 a.m. next year. It was that much fun.
(Followup note: CBC has a slideshow from the day’s events. And the latest count posted on the “Sounds of the Season” site has the total raised for the Daily Break Food Bank at $277,590 and 8500 pounds of food. Hurray!)
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