The Ninth Glenn Gould Prize Celebrations – Free Events

Honouring Ninth Prize Laureate, Leonard Cohen, The Glenn Gould Foundation has programmed a series of free events starting Monday, May 7, 2012 in Toronto including a display of Mr. Cohen’s own artwork, street performances, screenings and more. Click here to for full event listings and more information.

  • Artworks (May 7-19) – 40 pieces of Leonard Cohen’s visual art on exhibit at Allen Lambert Galleria, Brookfield Place
  • Street Tribute! The Glenn Gould Prize Salutes Leonard Cohen (May 11-12) – Musicians take to the streets to play Leonard Cohen’s music all over downtown Toronto
  • Make This Waltz (May 11) – Aspiring singer/songwriters from Dixon Hall and Sketch music programs work with mentors from the Songwriters Association of Canada with a special Bluebird North concert (Private Event)
  • The Three Lennys (May 12) – The Toronto Jewish Film Festival special feature of three Leonard Cohen films at Bloor Cinema

These free event celebrations culminate with The Glenn Gould Prize Gala Dinner at Arcadian Court followed by the Gala Concert in Honour of Leonard Cohen at Massey Hall on Monday, May 14, 2012.


The Tribute Concert is hosted by Colm Feore and features musical performances by Basia Bulat, Adam Cohen, Cowboy Junkies, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, James McMurtry, Gordon Pinsent with Greg Keelor and Travis Good, John Prine, Serena Ryder, and Anjani Thomas. Special guest speakers The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Alan Rickman, Michael Ondaatje, and Melissa Auf der Maur.



Mr. Cohen will be present to receive his award at this ceremony and is attending the Gala Dinner at Arcadian Court.



Purchase VIP Gala Dinner & Concert tickets online until Monday, May 7 vipgouldprize.eventbrite.com

NORTH AMERICAN DATES ANNOUNCED FOR “OLD IDEAS WORLD TOUR 2012”

Tickets for Canadian Dates Go On Sale Starting May 11 and
U.S. Dates Go On Sale Starting May 18

May 3, 2012 – Legendary singer/songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen will be gracing stages throughout the U.S. and Canada with a new live show, beginning October 31st in Austin, TX. The North American leg of Cohen’s “Old Ideas World Tour 2012” follows on the heels of his previously announced European concert dates. The tour, promoted by AEG Live and presented in Canada by CBCMUSIC.CA, celebrates Cohen’s highly acclaimed twelfth studio album, Old Ideas. The album debuted at #1 across the globe, making it the highest charting album of his career. Tickets for the Canadian tour dates will go on sale starting Friday, May 11th and U.S. dates will go on sale starting Friday, May 18th. For updated tour information visit www.LeonardCohen.com.

The “Old Ideas World Tour 2012” follows Cohen’s triumphant 2008-2010 world tour – his first in 15 years — which was met with overwhelming praise. The New York Times reported that “Mr. Cohen sang these words with a kind of gracious generosity…awash in wild applause,” while The San Jose Mercury News reported “The show underscored what his fans already know: Leonard Cohen is one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the history of popular music.” The Victoria Times Colonist reported that Cohen received “an automatic standing ovation at what was clearly the Church of Leonard.” The Vancouver Sun called the show “nothing short of a religious experience” and the Toronto Sun declared Leonard Cohen “Charming, funny, poignant, smart, sharp, sexy… he is still a ladykiller.”

In his sixth decade of producing critically acclaimed music, Leonard Cohen is arguably one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Old Ideas, released on January 31, 2012 by Columbia Records, has earned worldwide accolades for its highly acclaimed collection of new songs. USA Today raves that “Old Ideas is the work of a master craftsman,” while Rolling Stone gave the album 4 ½ stars. TIME Magazine states, “Listeners have been relying on Cohen’s heartbroken yet grinning, world-weary yet hopeful voice to get through that night for decades, and this album should continue that for a whole new batch of souls.” Newsday hails Old Ideas as “GRADE A… Stunningly simple, incredibly deep and destined to be a classic.” The Telegraph (UK) reports that “Old Ideas is an unexpected and precious gift of new gems from an old master,” and The Irish Times exclaimed that “The more you play it the better it gets.” The Times (South Africa) commended it as “an album of poetic and pared-down musical genius,” and the Montreal Gazette simply states that “Lyrically, Cohen is at the top of his game.”

“OLD IDEAS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR” ITINERARY:
October 31   Austin, TX         Bass Concert Hall
November 3   Denver, CO         1st Bank Center
November 5   Los Angeles, CA    Nokia Theatre
November 7   San Jose, CA       HP Pavilion
November 9   Seattle, WA        Key Arena
November 11  Portland, OR       Rose Garden
November 12  Vancouver, BC      Rogers Arena
November 16  Calgary, AB        Scotiabank Saddledome
November 18  Edmonton, AB       Rexall Place
November 20  Saskatoon, SK      Credit Union Centre
November 23  Chicago, IL        Akoo Theatre
November 26  Detroit, MI        Fox Theatre
November 28  Montreal, QC       Bell Centre
December 2   Quebec City, QC    Colisee Pepsi
December 4   Toronto, ON        Air Canada Centre
December 7   Ottawa, ON         Scotiabank Place
December 11  London, ON         John Labatt Centre
December 13  Kingston, ON       K-Rock Centre
December 15  Boston, MA         The Wang Theatre
December 18  New York, NY       Madison Square Garden
December 20  Brooklyn, NY       Barclays Center

(For the most up-to-date tour schedule, please see the Tour Section of this site)