Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

INTERVIEW | Sufi & Symphonic Traditions Meet: Composer Rushil Ranjan Talks About The Orchestral Qawwali Project

February 5, 2026 at 1:37 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

Sufi and symphonic traditions meet in The Orchestral Qawwali Project, which comes to Toronto for the first time on February 13 - LV spoke to composer Rushil Ranjan Tabout the unique event (link in bio) #classicalmusic #sufi #indianclassical #toronto #livemusic www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026...

The Orchestral Qawwali Project, which blends Sufi poetry, Indian classical dance, and orchestral sound, comes to Toronto for the first time on February 13, 2026.

INTERVIEW | Native Earth Performing Arts’ Niimi’iwe Dance Double Bill: Composer/Sound Designer Edgar Moreno Talks About The Process

February 4, 2026 at 5:38 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

The frozen beauty of Lake Ontario #lakeontario #toronto #winter

A view of Lake Ontario from Toronto's Harbourfront Centre in winter, with bare trees and the Lake frozen over

February 1, 2026 at 3:27 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

INTERVIEW | Native Earth Performing Arts’ Niimi’iwe Dance Double Bill: Composer/Sound Designer Edgar Moreno Talks About The Process #composer #sounddesign #torontohttps://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/

Native Earth Performing Arts presents Niimi’iwe Dance Double Bill from February 5 to 8 at Toronto’s Aki Studio, with music composed by Edgardo Moreno.

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February 1, 2026 at 3:24 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

My song Mission Bell, part of my New Year's Eve set #singersongwriter #originalsong #hamiltonontario

youtu.be/HFAw3Q5v5RQ

Mission Bell by Anya Mia

INTERVIEW | Charlie Wall-Andrews Talks About Career, And Her New Release LUNAR: Brass Chorale

January 25, 2026 at 6:03 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

My interview with musician, scholar, composer & music industry executive Charlie Wall-Andrews about her new release LUNAR www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026... #newmusic #composer #classicalmusic #contemporarymusic #toronto

Dr. Charlie Wall-Andrews’ release LUNAR: Brass Chorale was launched on January 16, 2026 at the Girls in Brass Conference in Calgary.

SCRUTINY | Lisa Nasson’s Mischief Brings Larger Issues To Life Through Humour And Sympathetic Characters

January 25, 2026 at 2:17 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

My review of Lisa Nasson's Mischief, a world premiere at Tarragon Theatre, and a work that uses humour and sympathetic characters to bring larger issues to life www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026... #indigenoustheatre #theatre #toronto

Lisa Nasson's Mischief uses humour and a cast of sympathetic characters to illuminate the daily and constant injustices endured by Indigenous people.

SCRUTINY | Part Parody, Part Critique, Make Banana Cry At Buddies In Bad Times Reveals The Distance Navigated By Asians In The West

January 25, 2026 at 2:16 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

Part parody, part critique, Make Banana Cry at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre reveals the often absurd ways that Western society fetishizes and represents Asians / #theatre #dance #performanceart #MakeBananaCry #toronto www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026...

Make Banana Cry by choreographers Andrew Tay and Stephen Thompson, currently at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, blends runway aesthetics, performance, and dance.

GO Train Song by Anya Mia

January 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

A song about living with the GO train in Hamilton, Ontario #gotrain #metrolinx #singersongwriter #commuterlife

youtu.be/NV17UTmaosM

INTERVIEW | Composer-Conductor Paul Frehner & Librettist-Director Angela J. Murphy Talk About Madog, The Opera

January 12, 2026 at 1:36 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

I talked to composer Paul Frehner and librettist Angela J. Murphy about Madog, their opera about a legendary Welsh prince - the recording Horizon: Madog drops on Navona Records on January 16 www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026... #classicalmusic #opera #contemporarymusic #Wales #newmusicalert

A legendary Welsh prince and a post-apocalyptic story about environmental renewal — it’s the heart of Madog, a one-man opera by composer Paul Frehner and librettist Angela J. Murphy.

INTERVIEW | Founder Paul Field Talks About Artshine: Spreading The Joy Of Visual Arts For The Last Decade

January 8, 2026 at 12:23 AM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

Founder Paul Field talks about Artshine - spreading the joy of visual arts to kids and more regardless of means or experience www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2025... #visualarts #artseducation #toronto #novascotia

Artshine, an organization that offers visual arts instruction to children and others, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2025.

INTERVIEW | Composer Njo Kong Kie & Librettist Douglas Rodger Talk About Their Digital Opera The Futures Market

January 8, 2026 at 12:21 AM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

Composer Njo Kong Kie and librettist Douglas Rodger talk about their digital opera The Futures Market www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2025... #opera #classicalmusic #digitalperformance #toronto

Toronto composer Njo Kong Kie and librettist Douglas Rodger have teamed up for a digital opera project titled The Futures Market.

INTERVIEW | Justin Gray Talks About His GRAMMY Nominated Album Immersed

January 8, 2026 at 12:17 AM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

I talked to composer & musician Justin Gray about his release Immersed, the first Canadian album to be nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Immersive Audio Album category www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2025... #jazz #newmusic #toronto

Toronto native Justin Gray has become the first Canadian to be nominated for a GRAMMY award in the category of Best Immersive Audio Album.

Anya Mia - Prove Me Wrong

January 8, 2026 at 12:15 AM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

My song Prove Me Wrong, performed at the Laidlaw Live NYE Sober Spectacular last night (with host Sean Patrick Sullivan) #singersongwriter #originalsong

youtu.be/oUv2xdY3JoI

Anya Mia - NYE 2025 my set from the Sober Spectacular

January 1, 2026 at 10:36 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

My full set from the Laidlaw Live NYE Sober Spectacular last night (with my songs Mission Bell, Misunderstanding & Prove Me Wrong, and covers of Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House & Midnight in Harlem by Tedeschi Trucks Band) #singersongwriter #coversongs #NYE2025 #HamOnt

youtu.be/8aVc-rmuSNQ

Anya Mia - Christmas Songs (Dec 13 2025)

January 1, 2026 at 10:11 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

Happy New Year's from the cast of the Sober Spectacular ##NYE2025 celebration in #HamOnt

January 1, 2026 at 6:40 AM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

My two-song set from yesterday's 10th anniversary No Coal In Your Stocking Christmas show - with my songs Christmas Break Up Song and Everyday Is Christmas #singersongwriter #christmassongs #christmas2025
youtu.be/APl78grz8XM

SCRUTINY | Crow’s Theatre’s Rogers V. Rogers Is Both Funny And Revealing

December 14, 2025 at 4:59 PM

Anya Mia

@anyamia.bsky.social

Last night was opening night for Rogers v Rogers at Crows Theatre, a very Canadian story of generational family dysfunction, corporate greed, and a public servant who wanted to make a difference www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2025... #Theatre #toronto #review

A rebuke against corporate monopolies and greed, a clash of personalities, and a story of generational family dysfunction combine the thoroughly entertaining Rogers v. Rogers.