FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Toronto, ON June 08, 2009 –

Mary Kenedi is seeing monsters!   The respected Canadian pianist, educator and founder of the North Toronto Institute of Music will present a Monster Concert at Massey Hall at 3:00pm on Halloween, Saturday, October 31st, 2009. This not-to-be missed concert extravaganza features popular works by Gottschalk, Rossini, Liszt, Saint-Saens and Bizet performed simultaneously on 10 Steinway grand pianos by 20 professional pianists alongside 30 North Toronto Institute of Music students ranging in age from 8 to 16.  The always entertaining Luba Goy, star of the much-loved CBC comedy series Royal Canadian Air Farce is slated to host the Halloween themed fundraiser.  Tickets for the family-friendly event are now on sale with all proceeds going to support SickKids Foundation. 

The North Toronto Institute of Music’s Monster Concert continues the long-standing fundraising tradition begun in the 1830s by the composer Czerny and features multiple pianists performing solos, duets and ensemble works. The first known Monster Concert held in Toronto took place in 1931 and was orchestrated by influential pianist and teacher Mona Bates to raise funds for the underprivileged. The ensemble was comprised of the best-known Bates pupils and was conducted by Bates herself.  Mary Kenedi, a noted student of Mona Bates’ famed Jarvis Street music school, is dedicating the concert to the memory of her mentor.  The October 31st tribute also marks the 120th Anniversary of Bates’ birth in Burlington, Ontario.   

Tickets for the North Toronto Institute of Music’s Monster Concert are $45.00 to $25.00 and are available in person at the Roy Thomson Hall box office, 60 Simcoe St., by calling 416.872.4255 or online at www.masseyhall.com.  

Tags: concert, family-friendly event, Halloween, Massey Hall, North Toronto Institute of Music, SickKids Foundation fundraiser, Toronto