Admit it. Halloween is not your favourite holiday. But what worries you most about it?
That the neighbours in your suburb have decorated their housefronts with draperies, gravestones, witches that move and cackle – while rolling their eyes at your miserable single pumpkin on the porch?
That you’ll run out of candy early- and some irrepressible toddler will peer through a crack in your drapes and yell, “They’re in there!!! I can see them!” to the horde following?
That your teenage children claim they’re just going out for nostalgic fun- but their goodie bags clink oddly when they return home … late …
The solution to every Halloween worry has been provided this year by the talent and imagination of Scott Good! Scott is the local genius who dispenses music as the Composer-in-Residence of London Symphonia.
(Pictured: Dr. Scott Good, Composer-in-Residence of London Symphonia.)
I hope you’ve met Scott- and even heard some of his compositions, but he keeps pretty modest about being “a composer, conductor, concert designer and trombonist whose music is driven by the desire to create beauty, evoke emotion, and play with groove. With a belief in the power of art to enable cathartic events, he has worked with a rich community of musicians, orchestras, ensembles, choreographers, actors, and artists to create intense, emotional, live performance experiences.” I Googled that
And his latest stroke of genius? Creating a score for a 1924 silent movie, the classic The Hands of Orlac. The “creepy movie” leaves ample space for the composer to utilize dissonant and esoteric sounds. With soloists Greg Oh and Stacie Dunlop, and strings from the incredible YAPCA school, our composer’s imagination has run wild! Scott has mixed in local and Toronto artists who play accordion, saxophones, trumpet, trombone, and harp – as he calls it, a dream band of over fifty live musicians!
And the movie that’s on the screen at The Met? Movie buffs praise it as a psychological tour de force. Paul Orlac, a concert pianist, loses his hands in a dreadful train accident, but a clever surgeon replaces them with the hands of an executed murderer (Oh, how I wish Marty Feldman could have done the fetching.). Director Robert Wiene, after the success of his The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), created this masterpiece of “body horror” just waiting for London’s composer and musicians to make this silent film scream again.
Underscoring – see, I did a “music” there – the actions are groundbreaking ideas familiar today. Body identity, medical transplant science, expressive and unsettling visuals that prefigure psychological thrillers on Netflix.
So, how could attending this cathartic experience on October 31st be perfect? Why not unleash your own creativity and bring a Goth element to the audience? You may be too old to go trick-or-treating, but why not trick yourself out to make the event totally immersive?
Remember the basic canon of Goth fashion –
BLACK is essential.
Layer on the textures- lace, leather, velvet
Chokers, heavy necklaces, an abundance of bats…yes, bats
Chains wherever you can tuck them.
Dramatic makeup – eyeliner, dark shadow, bold, deep lipstick
Hair that’s dyed or streaked, backcombed from roots to ends.
The Globe and Mail has described Scott Good’s music as having “a kind of majestic bestial reality.” When will you ever get a chance to be part of a really majestic and bestial concert experience like THIS, again?
If You Go:
What: Forest City Film Festival presents The Hands of Orlac – A Gothic Experience
When: Friday, October 31, at 8:30pm
Where: Metropolitan Church, 468 Wellington St, London, ON
When I agreed to start doing reviews for The Beat Magazine, I knew that I wanted to review some new up-and-coming bands’ records in the future, but I also knew that some had been out for a while, and that I felt needed more attention. So, in the future, you can expect a mixed bag. All of the reviews will be local within a certain catchment, which basically means bands that you can expect to see live in London regularly.
As a musician and sound guy, most of these people are friends and colleagues of mine, so there will be some bias, but I am here to promote and not to tear down. When I wrote for ID magazine (Guelph) in the 1990s, I admit, I could be a scathing critic, but that is no longer part of my voice as a writer. My job is to make you aware of local music you may not have heard about yet and give you a reason to discover it for yourself. If you want to criticize after that, well, you’re on your own. The following review is for someone I consider a dear friend, if not a “brother from another mother”, Brent Jones, and his latest album, The Truth Window.
(Pictured: Brent Jones. Photo Credit Belinda J. Clements Photography)
Brent Jones is well-known in the London area as a singer-songwriter, session musician (piano), engineer, and producer. In recent years, he has transformed his family’s old barn into a unique multi-purpose venue that he shares with the community at large. Over this past year, he has been releasing and promoting his newest project, which has been touted as part 2 in an eventual trilogy of releases.
A conceptual six-song piece with a total run time of 36 minutes, The Truth Window contains themes of war, revolution, death, destruction, rebuilding, healing, and ultimately, the value of love. The recurring mentions of soldiers and battles are likely metaphorical references to the cycle of life itself, which would seem natural to the author, who spends a large part of his time on the family farm.
The lyrics throughout the album are cleverly disguised references to life experience and personal growth, throughout the good and bad times in our lives, as well as the idea that we never go through these “battles” truly alone. From the first song, “Turbulent Flow” which may describe family that grows and falls together through the seasons of our existence, to the very last strains that ask, “What if loving was the key to our survival?”, The Truth Window feels like the original revelation, down to the final resolution of a personal epiphany for the artist in question.
There are lines all over this record that read like ancient quotes from the greatest philosophers and theologians alike, for example, “The space of history will turn the lens a shade of rose” or “Don’t you know that the smell of victory is sweeter with a bloody nose?” both from “Good Soldier”. I have to wonder also if the title “Alms of Harvest” may be tied to the scriptures of Leviticus 19:9-10, which commands the leaving of the edges of your farmers’ fields to the poor and the travelers of the world and neighbouring communities (described in the texts as aliens or foreigners).
***
9 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.
***
The Truth Window almost feels, at times, like an autobiography for Brent. Here’s a man who has the privilege of watching the cycle of life on an annual, if not daily, basis. The song “October Surprise” feels like the most personal statement on the album when it says, “You better make it count, boy!”, as if Brent is reflecting on the gifts he’s been given and how he can give back to the universe. Just how has he given back? Well, he created Quiet Earth, which is the venue on the farm that hosts concerts and weddings, plus a wide variety of other community-minded events that give, in the songs’ refrain, “Voices to the voiceless, choices to the choiceless, [and] noises to the noiseless.”
We live at war with time, and it is not always about how we approach the battles as much as who we approach them with. I personally have a unique perspective on this, having been a past band member with Brent (Pete Denomme and the Cosmic Cowboys), as well as having been involved with production for shows at Quiet Earth. I’ve discovered that every single show always begins and ends with the same thing. Love.
By that I mean love of self, love of friends, love of family, love of music, love of life, but ultimately the love of community. The Truth Window encourages us to not just look out our windows at the world by itself, but also to see our own reflection as it blends in with the images we see in the passing seasons. It encourages us to not look at the barren fields in winter with a sense of mourning but with love.
The album was recorded partly in the UK at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, which inspires awe and envy in most musicians I’ve ever told that to, as well as being recorded here in Canada at Brent’s home studio in Dorchester, Ontario. It was mixed and mastered by the award-winning engineer/producer Stuart Bruce (Loreena McKennitt and more) and features vocals by his life partner and collaborator, Jennifer Crook. Another notable contributor is popular Canadian singer/songwriter Emm Gryner, as well as a diverse cast of musicians from the London, Ontario area.
While this music has been publicly available for almost a year to the day of this writing, the actual vinyl LP was released this past summer (June 29th, 2025) with a theatrical and musical performance at Quiet Earth, directed by London’s John Pacheco with a four-person crew of regional actors.
Now this is where the bias comes in, I FREAKIN’ LOVE this album! From the moment Brent put the CD in my hands, I knew so much about the process to that point that I was convinced it would be a masterpiece, and in my mind, it is nothing short of that. It is never overbearing in its messaging or arrangements and production. There is enough air between the words and notes that allow you to experience your own emotions and never force feeds you on how to feel. When its last notes ring out, all I can feel is that which can never be overstated, an overwhelming sense of love.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars. Be sure to listen to it as a full album for full appreciation. It is a complete piece of art! Recommended if you like progressive pop like Peter Gabriel, Elbow, Tears for Fears, Kate Bush, and more.
by Richard Young, Publisher & Content Manager, The Beat Magazine 2025
What follows is a Beat Magazine Q&A Interview with Nashville Artist Manager, Jordyn Elliott, who got her start in the music business in the London area.
Q. For the benefit of readers who may not know, what is an Artist Manager? What do you do for the artists you represent?
An Artist Manager looks after all aspects of a musician’s career including but not limited to signing them to record deals, publishing deals, coordinating with team members like booking agents, business managers, record labels and negotiating contracts for shows and any live appearances. As well managers are the liaison for all correspondence with the artist and over sees all budgets and music releases.
Q. I understand you are originally from the London area. Can you tell me a little bit about your upbringing in Southwestern Ontario?
I was born in Clinton, Ontario, and at the age of four years old, I moved to Mount Brydges. My family owns the funeral home in the small town. I attended public school there and went on to high school in London at St. Thomas Aquinas and then on to Fanshawe College. I graduated from college in a two-year program for Event Management and jumped right into the workforce. I had my first real job when I was eighteen, selling merch for a local band in London.
Q. What motivated you to get involved with the music industry while you were still in London? I think you told me you worked for Brad Jones and Rock The Park. Can you tell me about that?
I come from a very musical family. My grandma was a music teacher for years, and my mom sang along with my aunts and uncles. I always loved music, and I actually sang until the age of sixteen, but experienced anxiety and stage fright, so I decided it was not for me. I did work for Brad! He was a great manager/boss. I helped on the day-to-day activities in his office at Centennial Hall and his yearly festival, Rock The Park. The year I was present, Alice Cooper, Peter Frampton, and Heart played. Such a cool experience. It was that job that I really got excited about management, watching Brad and how successful his company was.
Q. What drew you to the role of Artist Manager? Any mentors, other than Brad Jones?
I have had a solid mentor since the age of twenty-one. I met this rock producer Brian Howes (Skillet, Hinder, Daughtry, and Nickelback) and he kind of took me under his wing. I still collaborate with him on projects to this day. I actually share in three gold plaques for artists we have worked on together. I think artist management is a calling. It wasn’t something I could just learn, it was a feeling, and I really love the development portion of an artist’s career and watching them grow and be successful.
Q. Can you describe a typical day in your life as an Artist Manager?
I usually start my day with answering emails from promoters, agents and label representatives. Usually, I have weekly calls with all team members to strategize for the upcoming week. I attend content shoots for social media, coordinate budgets and approve all assets for releases. I usually have little time to eat ha! I end my day around 7:00 or 8:00 pm unless I have a show then I attend to represent the artist.
Q. What brought about your relocation to Nashville, Tennessee? How long have you worked out of Nashville?
The country music scene was really appealing to me when I met artist Canadian country pop singer and songwriter, Eric Ethridge. I managed him for years, and he was rapidly growing, and we would make trips often to Nashville. Nashville is such a community city, and I was told there are thousands of hit songs written here daily. I was having some really great success with Eric and Sirius XM The Highway. I also signed Eric to his record/publishing deal in Nashville. I have been here since 2020.
(Pictured: Eric Ethridge, cover of California.)
Q. Can you identify some of the acts and artists you have represented since moving to the US? Do you represent any specific genre of music? Do you represent any Canadian acts?
Currently, I manage country artist Shaylen, who is signed to Big Machine/ Nashville Harbor. I also manage British pop artist Karl Michael, who is signed to Peer Music here in Nashville. I have mainly been a manager in the Pop and Country genres. I am developing a country artist from Canada, Sean Michael Ryan.
(Pictured: Karl Michael. Photo Credit Sean Hagwell. )
Q. Could you give me some highlights of your career to date? Can you share a success story or major milestone you helped an artist achieve?
I have been fortunate to have some really cool wins with some great artists like Eric Ethridge. I have two gold singles with If You Met Me First, California, and Eleven Past One. I have a gold single for their song The World is Ours. I was also a part of getting Shaylen her Opry debut in October 2024. So special.
(Pictured: Shaylen. Photo Credit: Sean Hagwell. )
Q. Artist Managers and Promo representatives sometimes get a bad rap in the music industry. How do you respond to this?
That is unfortunate to hear. I consistently deliver high-quality work for artists, demonstrating my loyalty and dependability in every collaboration. I really build my relationships in the industry on trust, and I never make promises I can’t keep. There will always be bad eggs in any type of business, but I really want to be known as fair and competent, and I appreciate anyone willing to give me the opportunity to work with them.
Q. What are the biggest, most fundamental challenges or opportunities for emerging artists in the music industry right now?
Social Media! Artists have to constantly be relevant on there. They have to post at least two to three times a week to keep up with their audiences. I also feel like a lot of newer artists have to fund a lot of the marketing assets and productions, and it can be very costly to compete with artists on a label level. A lot of artists work a side job or hustle to make ends meet while they are doing music.
Q. Is there anything else you think our readers should know about Jordyn Elliott, the Artist Manager, and Jordyn Elliott the person?
I want to tell anyone out there who wants to try their hand at management that consistency and networking are the keys to building those contacts. Hands-on experience is the best way to learn! I love my job, and I couldn’t think of anything else in the world I would want to spend my time doing. You have to love it and be passionate because it’s a long road, but the payoffs are worth it!
Q. Do you have any plans to visit Canada at some point in the near future?
Yes! I will actually be back next week to visit family for a few days and again at Christmas.
by Richard Young, Publisher & Content Manager of The Beat Magazine 2025
There’s a new community choir in town called The Bohemians, and it has a well-articulated mission.
“Our mission is to bring people of all ages together and through the joy of singing, create a welcoming, supportive, and non-competitive choir community that nurtures connection, learning, health, and happiness,” says Lesley Andrew, the choir’s Artistic Director and Conductor. “Our mandate is to perform at community fundraising events. All ages and vocal abilities.”
The choir was formed by Lesley in response to Art Fidler’s call for acts to perform at the Groovin’ for Good London Food Bank fundraiser in September at the Palace Theatre. Consisting of Silver Spotlight Theatre and The Artful Players members, the choir performed Queen’s epic tune, Bohemian Rhapsody.
“At the request of various choir members, we have kept the group together,” says Lesley. “One member, Carol Wilks, thought of the name, and it stuck. It suits our repertoire and our musical philosophy. We have opened membership to include people of all ages. We are now an official choir.”
Lesley brings some very impressive credentials to his position.
She performs everything from opera to jazz, oratorio to musical theatre, and has made soloist appearances with orchestras around the world. An active performer, Lesley is also in much demand as a voice and drama instructor through her studios, Dream In Progress Productions. Her theatre/television credits include the Stratford Festival, Windsor Lite, Huron Country Playhouse, the Guelph Spring Festival, The Tonight Show, Oprah, Donny and Marie, and much more.
(Pictured: Lesley Andrew, Artistic Director and Conductor of The Bohemians.)
“Lesley is the heart of this choir. We are in the unique position to have a leader who is also a professionally trained singer, has been on world tours, and has her own records. It is a unique position for our choir, as we will have the opportunity to perform with Lesley and learn what it is like to sing with a professional,” says Dawn White, the choir’s President. “Members of the choir also have the opportunity to sing duets with Lesley, which will also be an amazing experience.”
“Beth Zuwala, our Assistant Director and Conductor, and media guru, is also an incredible talent who is highly trained with the voice of an angel, and she will also provide some great experience for choir members who want to sing with a partner during our concerts, if the occasion arises! The choir will then be provided with a myriad of experiences to learn from, and it will elevate our performances and fun, and allow us to sing a variety of music under Lesley and Elizabeth’s tutelage,” Dawn adds.
Currently, the choir has approximately thirty members, although a few have had to take a brief leave of absence until after Christmas, as they are in various theatre productions that are quite time and energy-demanding.
“We are hoping to get entire families involved, “ says Lesley. “Our members range in age from twenty to eighty and come from all walks of life. For some, this is their first time singing in a choir, and others have much experience with community theatre and various choirs.”
The Bohemians’ repertoire is accessible and diverse and includes pop, show tunes, folk, and rock. Selections include Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, For Good from the show Wicked, The Climb, Let the River Run, and Fight Song.
“To date, even before we were an official choir, The Bohemians have performed three times publicly to rave reviews,” says Lesley. “We’d like to perform where fundraising is needed, or at community events needing entertainment. We’ll be performing a few ‘flash mobs’ as well and will be entering the Kiwanis Music Festival.”
“We would like to consider The Bohemians as a welcoming group of musically-minded people, gathering to not only sing, but to socialize and meet new people. It’s also an awesome way to train your voice, as each rehearsal is like a group voice lesson,” adds Lesley. “Those interested in joining The Bohemians are always welcome.”
Just so you know, I took notes at a recent London Health Coalition meeting on how to reach Gen Z to persuade them that privatization of Ontario health care will hurt THEM in the future. The guest speaker, Angie Cavallin, made several suggestions to us, aged relics on ZOOM screens who can’t even recognize when we’ve muted ourselves:
Use digital platforms they favour- TikTok, Instagram, Discord, and X.
Leverage relatable memes, short videos, and hashtag campaigns (???)
Frame messaging to create clear personal stakes.
SO, I watched TikTok for a few precious hours I’ll never get back … but don’t want to put this wrinkled mug on a video selfie. “Necessity is the MoFo”… you know … so imagine this:
Baby Boomer Daina and Gen Z Madison (#2 favourite name of the generation) talking about the Jeffery Concert at Metropolitan United on Sunday, October 19th, 2025, at 3:00 p.m.
Daina: Madison, are you going to the second Jeffery concert of this season on Sunday afternoon? It’s a unique chance for Londoners to hear world-class chamber music – and if you’re still a student, your ID gets you in free at the door!
Maddie: Jeffery? What’s he play? I’m lowkey interested …
Daina: No, Maddie. He’s dead.
Maddie: Bummer.
Daina: Gordon Jeffery was one of those amazing “characters” of London. A lawyer who joined the family firm, but his heart was in music. He practised law but played the organ at St. Peter’s Cathedral. In 1947, he bought an abandoned church in East London – Beecher United – and renovated it into a concert hall and teaching studios. He even had a Gabriel Kney organ installed there. He had an orchestra, a choir, and started a Music School.
Maddie: If I WAS interested, could I see it?
Daina: Sorry, no – an arsonist set fire to it in 1968. Jeffery bought the old Town Hall further east on Dundas, renovated it as well, and called it The Aeolian Hall. He also purchased and donated countless music scores to Western, Wilfred Laurier, and Windsor. He scoured Europe for string instruments, too, now part of the Music Instrument Bank at Western.
Maddie: So, what are these Jeffery Concerts if he’s dead?
Daina: Well, as tough as it may be to understand what a “benefactor” is these days, Gordon Jeffery left a whacking sum of money to some old friends when he died – with the directive that they work to bring fine chamber music to London for the benefit of its citizens.
Maddie: Music for a small room?
Daina: Not really. Chamber music is a type of classical music designed for a small group of musicians—usually two to eight players—who each play unique parts. Because of its small size and close communication between players, chamber music is often called “the music of friends,” resembling a musical conversation where each instrument takes turns sharing and responding to ideas. This intimacy allows listeners to feel more connected to the performers and the music itself.
Maddie: I’m shook. And these friends did that in London for FREE?
Daina: That’s the mission of not-for-profit organizations – and the board of today’s Jeffery Music Foundation continues to create an annual series of world-class chamber concerts at very low prices – and free for students.
Maddie- So if I show up on October 19th … what am I going to see? – a classical concert. Yeet!
Daina: Well, this one is officially called “Accademia de Dissonanti and Elinor Frey, cello with Joseph Lanza, violin and Mélisande McNabney, harpsichord.”
Maddie: “Dissonan …” Did you mean they don’t sound good together? Big Yikes!
Daina: Not at all. Their brilliant co-ordinator, Elinor Frey, decided to call her group that because of a historic connection: Accademia de’ Dissonanti refers to the learned society of the same name founded in Modena, Italy, in the early 1680s. Its meetings stimulated discussions on music, poetry, and other subjects connected to the d’Este family.
(Pictured: Elinor Frey)
Maddie: And this Frey lady? What’s her fire?
Daina: She’s a phenomenon! Or … she has RIZZ! She was born in Seattle but now makes Montreal her home base. She’s a cellist, does major research, and is a “gambist.” She’s performed all over America and Europe and received dozens of grants and prizes for her work- including a Fulbright. She’s got degrees from McGill, Mannes, and Juilliard.
And at THIS concert, she’s including a few beloved local guys – Joe Lanza on violin and Joe Phillips on double bass. Both are world-class musicians!
Maddie: But am I going to LIKE any of this Broke stuff? Any season from Vivaldi?
Daina: Yes- but no season. You’ll hear TWO concertos by Vivaldi – one in D Minor and the other in G Minor. The Big Viv taught music in Venice- and wrote those as delightful stuff for his students- full of in-jokes and amusements. There is also a harpsichord toccata- yes, the tinny piano – by JS Bach and a cello concerto by CPE.
(Pictured: Antonio Vivaldi, 1678–1741)
Maddie: And they’re not going to be boring?
Daina: How could CPE Bach be boring? That cello concerto … C.P.E. Bach’s Cello Concerto in A minor is a significant work characterized by its blend of Baroque and Classical styles, with an overall tone of emotional intensity and dramatic flair typical of the Sturm und Drang movement. It features a powerful, virtuosic first movement in 3/2 time, a deeply moving and introspective slow movement in C major (6/8 time) with a dramatic dialogue between solo and orchestra, and a finale that is a fast, energetic march. The concerto showcases the cello’s full range and expressive capabilities, with frequent shifts between turbulence and lyricism. Sorry … I got carried away …
Maddie: Touch grass, lady – I’m still not sure …
Daina: Hon, I’ll get back to what you are going to experience at The Met on Sunday – a close emotional relationship with amazing chamber musicians, some real stress relief. Some brain stimulation that is guaranteed to improve your memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Just watch the musicians closely – they’re leading and following without a conductor and probably experimenting with phrasing, dynamics, and interpretation. They’re creating community- and during that concert, you’re part of it.
To purchase tickets for this concert, please contact the Grand Theatre online at https://tickets.grandtheatre.com/11649, by phone at 519-672-8800, or in person at 471 Richmond Street. Single tickets are also available at the door.
Students with a valid IDare welcome free of charge.
By Daina Janitis, The Beat Magazine 2025 Classical Music Writer
London rocker Rose Cora Perry returns home for a gig at the Palasad Socialbowl on October 24. The Beat Magazine 2025 spoke with Rose in between gigs during her international tour about her developmental years in London and her life as a musician on the road.
The Beat Magazine featured a cover story, Driven to Succeed, about Rose Cora Perry in its Fall 2012 issue.
At that time, author Bob Klanac described Rose as a “snarky punk-popper” who also modeled, wrote, acted, and hosted her own Rogers TV show entitled London Driven, a program that profiled the city’s young entrepreneurs. She was also working on an album.
A lot of water has run under the bridge since that story was published. These days, Rose fronts and tours internationally with her band, The Truth Untold.
The Beat Magazine 2025 caught up with Rose before her homecoming gig at London’s Palasad Socialbowl on Friday, October 24.
It would appear she’s still Driven to Succeed!
Q. It’s been a while since we last talked, years even. What have you been up to in the intervening years since then?
Only over a decade, but who’s counting?! Allow me to summarize. I hosted a couple of TV shows, acted in some short films, released a second solo album and toured as a singer/songwriter, wrote some columns that got published in multiple media outlets and achieved acclaim, emceed some amazing mental health awareness-raising events…and most recently I’m back where I belong: on stage fronting a rock’n’roll band called The Truth Untold.
Q. You certainly have been busy! Let our readers know a little bit about Rose Cora Perry, the musician and person. Where were you born? How old are you? How long have you lived in London?
I’m a born and raised Londoner – specifically a proud Byronite. And you should know it’s impolite to ever ask a woman her age.
Q. Was yours a musical home? Did you have any professional training, or are you self-taught? Could you tell me about your early musical endeavours as a child and teenager?
I love ‘em, but my parents have zero musical ability. They are both phenoms in their own right, however, as incredibly successful athletes and entrepreneurs.
My father is an insurance broker/financial advisor, and former World Powerlifting Champion, and my mother is a fitness trainer/guru and former Bodybuilder. I probably should’ve grown up to become an Olympian with their genetics, but alas became a depressed teenager and turned to rock to deal with my angst.
My late brother, however, was a tremendously talented natural musician who could pick up just about anything by ear – his presence growing up definitely influenced my musicality. This was supplemented by the fact that my parents, early on, recognized I liked being the centre of attention and on stage, and promptly enrolled me in classical vocal training, which I studied diligently for over a decade. When I was 15, I founded my first rock band.
Although I studied voice and theory through the Royal Conservatory, achieving my grade seven and grade two, respectively, I am an entirely self-taught guitarist, so much so that I actually invented my own tablature for the purposes of writing songs.
Q. Do you remember the moment when you decided that music was going to be a big part of your life? How long have you been playing music professionally? Do you consider yourself a full-time or part-time musician?
I don’t think I “decided” to “make” music a part of my life so much as I was “given” a gift that I don’t take for granted. There have been many times throughout my music career when I’ve felt defeated and beaten down, but then the muse once again strikes.
Any musician will tell you, you cannot simply “turn off” being a musician; it is a part of who you are intrinsically, a part of your identity.
Even if I wanted to give up touring, for example, songs just come to me – I have no control over that ability. Most of the time, I consider it a blessing…unless it’s 2:00 am and I’m really fucking tired. LOL. In those cases, it’s a bit of a curse.
However, I believe each of us is given very special gifts to share with the world, and the universe blessed me with the gift of music.
I consider myself a professional musician and gig in accordance with having a work/life balance. I have been fronting bands in a professional capacity since I was a teenager.
Q. Other than vocals, do you play any other instruments?
I do! I am well-known for my rhythm guitar prowess as a down-stroking queen. I also rock the lower clef on bass and have written/recorded bass on several albums.
Q. What have your musical influences been over the years? Songwriting-wise, I adore Alanis and Chris Cornell. My biggest influence as far as style is irrefutably Veruca Salt.
However, I have diverse tastes, and on any given day, you might catch me listening to big band/swing, metal, or pop – it just depends on my mood.
Q. Tell me about the various groups and musicians you have played with since you started playing professionally. Who are you currently playing with?
High school years: HER. Cofounded with the late Trish Doan on lead guitar. She later went on to rock bass as a beloved member of Kittie. I was the frontwoman, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist. To write and release an album with this band, I practiced six hours a day for six months on guitar, until my fingers bled, and I could competently sing and play at the same time. True story!
College years: Anti-Hero. We got signed to a major label, played some notable festivals in Canada and the US. Got to perform at Warped Tour the year that Joan Jett headlined and hang with her backstage. Swoon!
Again, I was the frontwoman, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist. Fun fact. While in the studio recording our hit single, “Unpretty”, I learned on the spot how to palm-mute; a technique which has become integral to my playing style.
Post-college: Released two solo albums in the singer/songwriter vein. Toured briefly, armed only with an acoustic guitar. HATED it. I decided to form a band again because I missed distortion and being obnoxious.
Present Day: The proud frontwoman, singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for award-winning rock quartet, The Truth Untold.
(Pictured: The Truth Untold L-R, John-William Kostecki, Steven Skrtich, Rose Cora Perry, and Jessie Taynton)
Q. Tell me a little bit about any recordings you have made in your career.
HER: Straight from the Loft (album)
Anti-Hero: Unpretty (album)
Rose Cora Perry: Feisty (demo), Off Of the Pages (album), and Onto the Floor (album)
The Truth Untold: Other Side of the Story (EP) and One Thing Left to Say (EP)
The Truth Untold is currently in the studio recording a brand new EP entitled Phoenix Rising. We’re super stoked about the new music we’ve been working on and excited to have collaborated as a band on this project.
Listen to The Truth Untold’s new single, Excuses:
Q. What projects are you currently pursuing? Do you have any gigs coming up in the next month or two you would like our readers to know about?
We are winding down our summer tour, which started in May of this year, and among its highlights were Hills & Hollers Music Festival (Pennsylvania), Fun Fourth (North Carolina), Skatepark Fest (Ohio), headlining Strummerfest (Waterloo), and opening for Big Sugar at this year’s Taste of Edmonton (Alberta).
We’re super excited to be having a homecoming of sorts on Friday, October 24, at the Palasad Socialbowl. This will be the first London gig we’ve had in two years! The last time we played locally, we opened for The Killjoys at the same killer venue.
This time around, we’re sharing the bill with Howlin’ Circle and Baby’s First Pistol. All ages are welcome. It’s a $5 cover and doors open at 8:00 pm.
Q. In addition to your musical endeavours, are you involved with any other arts organizations or activities in the London community?
I’m part of several fun meetup groups that take part in everything from hiking to board games. You’ll also see me, of course, attending concerts supporting my fellow locals.
Q. What do you do for fun/leisure when you’re not performing and/or recording?
Apparently, attempt to be witty while answering interview questions. Just kidding! I love action movies, rollerblading, and drag racing my Camaro – not necessarily in that order.
Q. Is there anything else you think our readers should know about RCP the musician and RCP the individual?
If there is, it’s probably well-documented on my website www.rosecoraperry.com, but if anyone has a burning question for me, they are absolutely always welcome to reach out.
I love connecting with fellow musicians and fans, and I appreciate all of you wonderful people for reading this fun interview.
Q. Just one last question. Do you ever smile in your promo pics?
Why would I do something silly like that when I have such a glorious, sultry pout?
Sensibilité: C. P. E. Bach and Vivaldi in the Age of “Emotional Hyperreactivity” presented by Accademia de’ Dissonanti Elinor Frey, cello and direction Joseph Lanza, violin Jessy Dubé, violin Olivier Brault, viola Eliana Zimmerman, cello Joseph Phillips, contrabass Mélisande McNabney, harpsichord
The royal courts of mid-eighteenth-century Berlin were lively crossroads for some of the greatest musicians of the time. The three cello concertos of C. P. E. Bach were composed in the early 1750s, likely for performance at one of the private academies or music societies that were popular in Berlin at the time. These tempestuous and dramatic concertos, replete with fragmented and blustery exchanges, bear witness to Bach’s vigorous imagination. A generation earlier, Antonio Vivaldi wrote highly imaginative concertos for strings at the Le Pietà conservatory in Venice. These surprising works are full of in-jokes and amusements to entertain his talented young students. In Vivaldi and Bach’s music, emotions are fleeting and instantaneous, and above all, the beauty of melody is emphasized.
The Accademia de’ Dissonanti, led by renowned cellist Elinor Frey, is an ensemble dedicated to exploring Baroque and early Classical repertoire. Under Frey’s leadership, they will bring an expressive and historically informed approach to their performance of the music of Vivaldi and C.P.E. Bach.
PROGRAM Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741) – Concerto for Strings in G Minor, RV 152 Allegro molto – Andante molto e sempre pianissimo tutti – Allegro molto J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750) – Harpsichord Toccata in D Major, BWV 912 C. P. E. Bach (1714 – 1788) – Cello Concerto in B-flat Major, Wq 171 Allegretto – Adagio (Cadenza) – Allegro assai Intermission Antonio Vivaldi – Concerto for Strings in D Minor, RV 127 Allegro – Largo – Allegro C. P. E. Bach – Cello Concerto in A Minor, Wq 170 Allegro assai (cadenza) – Andante (cadenza) – Allegro assai
If You Go:
What: The Jeffery Concerts presents Sensibilité: C. P. E. Bach and Vivaldi in the Age of “Emotional Hyperreactivity”
Who: Accademia de’ Dissonanti
When: Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 3:00 pm.
Where: Metropolitan United Church, 468 Wellington Street, London, ON
Tickets: To purchase tickets for this concert, please contact the Grand Theatre online at https://tickets.grandtheatre.com/11649, by phone at 519-672-8800, or in person at 471 Richmond Street. Single tickets are also available at the door.
Students with a valid IDare welcome free of charge.
So, I warned you in my Bio, didn’t I – I’m not an academic musician – English Lang and Lit graduate – and I’m doddering past 80 years of age. And reviews of concerts seem sort of pointless to me. If you were there, you know what it sounded like- and if you weren’t, you don’t need any shade of schadenfreude thrown at you for having missed a unique experience (although I have high praise for the crew that videotapes the London Symphonia concerts-the experience is worth trying). So, “The Husband” and I huffed up the stairs to the balcony and positioned ourselves where we could see David Jalbert’s hands on the keyboard – all of us “Displaced Persons” kids took piano lessons when our families were let into Canada… we know where to sit.
Yes, the music was spectacular – but it was only part of the experience. With London Symphonia concerts at “The Met,” you get something unique on the concert evening- something that deserves thanks and acknowledgement, while empathy, respect for diversity, and liberal education are becoming crimes and vices in the elephantine country south of us.
You know those rooms set aside for “Big Givers” in theatres and performance halls where they can get a free glass of musty Chardonnay and schmooze with others of that generosity level? AT OURMet, the London Symphonia musicians, guest artists, and the conductor are ready to chat with you and to answer any dumb question you might have.
After Saturday night’s concert, I was able to hug Ted and Renee of Serenata Music and thank them for their generosity in helping the Symphonia bring to London someone like Jalbert. I walked over to a gaggle of Western Music students who were still jumping up and down with the excitement of the music. I cornered two of them – a toque and hockey shirt on one, a BIG waxed mustache and sleeveless tee (no sombrero) on the other – to thank them for making the concert even better with their presence. I also told them I was grateful for being in Canada together- were we in Chicago or Memphis, ICE agents might have seized them both at the exit. I could tell Ben the Cello that, should I ever become deaf, I could enjoy concerts fully just by watching his face. And I could hug Cosette the Conductor, telling her how much I loved Kooba (I know, after showing the other half of my Spanish- “Ola!”). “The Husband” had to get all expert, shaking her hand and thanking her for “a wonderful master class in orchestral conducting.”
(Pictured: Cosette Justo Valdés. Photo Credit: Lia Crowe)
And the music – a totally shared experience, no matter what your level of “expertise.” Cosette the Conductor, dressed in traditional black, led the audience in singing along with “O Canada.” She had brought to the program two pieces by Cuban composers – and in the second, after she explained its inspiration – the double-bench horse-drawn carts in Cuba that haul farmers, water, crops, and appliances – every clack of Tim Fancom’s percussion brought that musical scene to life. And although Cosette said that “Canada is my home” after six years, those unmistakable Cuan dance moves enhanced her conducting of the piece.
(Pictured: David Jalbert. Photo Credit: Julien Faugère)
And David Jalbert’s performance of Ravel’s Concerto in G major? It left the audience breathless – not only for Jalbert’s genius and technical skill, but through, I believe, the musical “community” Ravel’s writing for orchestra and piano creates in the three-movement piece. The first begins with Jalbert’s hands posed in a criss-cross on the keys while a jazzy chorus of clarinet, trumpet, bassoon, and trombone joins him in some sensuous music- and that harp suddenly adds brushstrokes of mystery. Don’t even ASK about how perfect his rapid trills were! The second movement assured us that Jalbert can handle anything – a solo piano beginning that eventually is joined by the English horn and the other instruments in rising tension. And the final presto movement did what a French composer, Louis Fleury, said it should do: be “an unstoppable onslaught, spurred on by the shrieks of the clarinet and the piccolo, the donkey brays of the trombone and occasional fanfare flourishes in the brass.” How that wonderful Canadian pianist had the energy to play a Prokofiev rumble of pure delight as an encore – we OWE him!
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791)
Do you want to know about the Mozart Symphony #39 in E-flat Major? Brace yourself for more stories of musical heroes. Wolfgang died at the age of 35, and within two months of his final years, composed THREE symphonies- 39, 40, and 41. Number 39 was the introduction, so to speak, that culminates in his “Jupiter” (#41). But Wolfie- no oboes??? The London Symphonia clarinets took the limelight in the bold and heroic first movement. In the second, third, and fourth movements, the 18th-century composition took us through dialogues of instruments in our city’s brilliant small orchestra, ending in something that’s been called “the 18th-century equivalent of a hoedown”.
If you couldn’t make it- and are curious about how all of that anticipation and joy can be in one symphony – DO invest in the London Symphony “Video on Demand” concert purchase on their website. If you’re as cheap as I am, here’s a freebie from Frankfurt:
Okay for now, but don’t you dare miss the full experience of “Payadora” on November 15, 2025, in the London Symphonia 2025-2026 series.
This is one of many 2025-26 season first concerts- opportunities I hope to tell you more about soon – but this one is special. “Classical” music is my passion to hear live and to write about. Not because I’m a musician or an instructor, but because I’m committed more than ever to the shared experience of being at a concert played or sung by London’s formidable talent pool. The energy and emotion felt by the players are felt by everyone in the audience – it’s a shared experience that increases the pride and identity of our city.
Opening Night, London Symphonia
October 4, 2025, at 7:30, Metropolitan United Church
(But as Londoners, let’s call it “The Met” – The Met halfway between Toronto and Detroit)
(Pictured: Opening Night Guest Artist, Canadian pianist, David Jalbert.)
And on the program …
Augusta Holmès, La Nuit et l’Amour
Rodrigo Prats, Canta el Carretero Cuando Dan Las Seis Ravel, Piano Concerto in G Major Mozart, Symphony No. 39
First, David Jalbert- the guest artist. The Canadian is ranked “among the best 15 pianists of all time” by the CBC. Critics have strived to explain what makes him unique: “In an age of knuckle-busting keyboard technicians fixated on a single era, composer or concerto, it is a great pleasure to encounter an artist of Jalbert’s stature for whom the piano is simply a transcendent means of human expression” (WholeNote)” His recordings are already legendary- Prokofiev, Faure, the Goldberg Variations, and on Saturday night, he’s performing Ravel.
In an interview with Andrew Chung, Jalbert admits that he’s like an actor, changing characters with every composer that he plays. Ravel, to him, is an “old friend” who “never ceases to amaze”. The concerto he’ll perform with London Symphonia is only twenty-two minutes long- but it’s “an astonishing piece” with French themes, touches of flamenco, and hints of American jazz.
And I can’t omit this detail about Jalbert. In the “dark times”, when Orchestra London musicians were regrouping through “We Play On” into the stunning ensemble we know today, Jalbert offered to perform with them – refusing to take a fee!
You know by now that London Symphonia has no permanent conductor. An exciting new conductor is invited for every program- and this opening night has an upcoming young Cuban-born maestra on the podium.
(Pictured: Opening Night Guest Conductor, Cosette Justo Valdés.)
Cosette Justo Valdés has conducted in a mind-boggling number of cities around the world. She is Honorary Director still of the symphony of Santiago, Cuba where she spent nine years, but her contributions to Canadian culture through music are particularly interesting: “Through her daring, innovative programming with the Vancouver Island Symphony Ms. Valdés has quickly ignited new passion in her audiences, inspiring them to engage personally not only with living, contemporary music but also with rarely heard historical works. As an ongoing part of her artistic agenda in Vancouver Island, Ms. Valdés proudly continues to give a powerful voice to the works of women composers and composers from Native Canadian and American heritage.”
I promised myself I would not drag current politics into notices about London’s rich classical music scene – but with every new announcement and curtailing of DEI, cutting of support for the arts and education, and ridicule of “wokeness’ – I’m breaking that promise. As Thom Hartmann reminds his fellow Americans, “[The old Democrats] knew that politics is not just about what laws are passed but about what stories a nation tells itself about who it is. They knew that culture is not an afterthought; it is the riverbed through which politics flows.”
London Symphonia is one of London’s most valuable forgers of our Canadian culture. This opening night concert will add to our cultural fabric – and level up your internal immunity to the noise pollution of social media and politics.
What: London Symphonia Opening Night
When: October 4th, 2025
Where: Metropolitan Church, 468 Wellington St, London, ON
This is the nineteenth in a series of Q&A Profiles of London area theatre companies and groups. Today, we profile Silver Spotlight Theatre.
Q. When was your company founded? By whom and why?
Although the initial seeds for a senior’s theatre group were planted before the pandemic, it came to life in 2022. Art Fidler approached Rick Smith, who was then president of London’s Musical Theatre Productions, to see if MTP would take the idea under its wing. A seniors’ grant was obtained from the provincial government, and Silver Spotlight Theatre came into being.
Locally, there are a number of theatre groups that provide opportunities for both children and older youth. Many other companies tend to skew younger in their demographics, and the number of (particularly on-stage) opportunities tends to decrease as performers age. Silver Spotlight was created to provide additional opportunities to older performers who weren’t ready to be put out to pasture.
(Pictured: Silver Spotlight Theatre co-founders, Art Fidler and Rick Smith. Photo Credit: Jim Cressman)
Q. Is your company best described as professional or not-for-profit community theatre?
As a branch of Musical Theatre Productions, SST is a not-for-profit community theatre group. All members of the Silver Spotlight community are impassioned volunteers who are committed to providing opportunities for seniors to bring musical theatre to London.
Q. What venue(s) do you use to stage your productions?
To date, all of the SST productions have taken place in the Auburn Stage at the Grand Theatre. We work within the framework of MTP’s season planning process to select the shows we will produce as well as the venue.
Q. Does your company have a Mission or Statement of Purpose?
We don’t have a formal statement of purpose, but our primary goal is to provide opportunities for seniors to get involved in all aspects of community theatre, both on- and backstage. Additionally, we’re not looking just to attract people with previous theatrical experience, but also people who have no background in theatre but wished they’d had the opportunity to participate when they were younger and thought those opportunities had passed them by. Several performers in SST’s first production, Babes in Arms, had never been on stage before. Everyone who has become involved with Silver Spotlight has enthusiastically embraced the concept of a seniors’ theatre group.
Q. Does your company have a Board of Directors and paid Staff?
As a branch of MTP, Silver Spotlight does not have its own Board of Directors, but several members of the Silver Spotlight community serve on the MTP Board. We also have a small advisory group of SST members who provide guidance on future plans for the group.
Q. Tell me about your 2025-2026 Season. Does it have any underlying theme?
Presently, SST only stages one production per season. As participation in the group increases and the number of participants rises, we may look at mounting additional shows.
about it.
Q. What show will you be staging this fall (September to December)? Tell me a little bit about it.
We will be staging Showtune from December 4-14, 2025, at the Auburn Stage. Showtune is a musical revue that celebrates the music and lyrics of Jerry Herman, one of the most prolific Broadway composers of all time. A casual observer may not recognize the name Jerry Herman, but everyone has heard the songs from some of his most famous works, including Mame, Hello, Dolly!, and La Cage aux Folles. Herman was awarded the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre in 2009 and was a recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors. Auditions for Showtune have taken place, and we are well into rehearsals for the show.
Q. Do you have any thoughts about the London area theatre community and your part in it?
The local theatre community is incredibly vibrant, and London residents are fortunate to have numerous choices. From musicals to dramas to comedies, well-known titles to locally-written plays, children to youth to adults, everyone should find something that appeals to them. Silver Spotlight provides additional opportunities to senior performers, many of whom have been involved in the local theatre scene for decades and all of whom feel they still have something to offer to the community.
The Beat Magazine 2025 