Meanwhile, members of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra have joined their long-time collaborators at Opera Atelier to accompany OA’s production of Lully’s Armide at the “spiritual home” of Baroque opera – the Royal Opera House at Versailles. You can read more about just what it took to make these performances happen, here.

The Oakville Symphony, led by music director Roberto de Clara, has announced its 2012-13 season, a four-concert subscription program (featuring repertoire by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Verdi, Mozart and Dvorak) with two additional family-oriented programs. The OSO is almost always sold out on subscription – and we can see why from their program plans!

The Sudbury Symphony (under Dr. Victor Sawa) has launched its 2012-13 season, a six concert series that includes a family concert, light classics, operatic repertoire, a world premiere (by composer Jason Noble) and classical masterworks. The series showcases the talents of the SSO’s own musicians, along with guests, and will also welcome pops conductor Brian Jackson to the SSO’s podium for certain programs.

The Ontario Philharmonic, under Music Director Marco Parisotto, continues its growth with an intriguing 2012-13 season that sees two performances of each program – one at home in Oshawa, and the second in Toronto. Soloists include such greats as violinist Shlomo Mintz, pianist Anton Kuerti and Angela Meade. As well, the OP will present Handel’s Messiah with Amadeus Choir and brilliant young soloists. Featured orchestral works include Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Brahms’s Symphony No. 4, Strauss’ Four Last Songs and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4.

Congratulations to the gifted young musicians who took part in NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition this year. The big winners were bassoonist Darren Hicks, flutist Christian Paquette, clarinettist Nicholas Galuban, harpist Antoine Malette-Chénier, and trombonist Riccardo Nazario del Castello, with honourable mentions going to flutists Lara Deutsch and Graham McVeety and oboist Aidan Dugan. The NAC Orchestra Bursary was established in 1979 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and to thank the people of the National Capital Region for their support during the Orchestra’s first decade. The first competition took place in 1981. The Bursary Committee and Jury were chaired for the second year by Roderick Bell, passionate music lover, former Canadian Ambassador to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and an active volunteer at the National Arts Centre.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation has announced that Andrea Cohen, a community health services executive, has been named as its next CEO, succeeding Robin Cardozo.

At its late May concerts with pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of its association with Conductor Laureate Kazuyoshi Akiyama. Amazingly, Maestro Akiyama began his twelve year tenure as VSO Music Director in 1972.

The Calgary Philharmonic has advised that the 2012-13 season brings a promotion for Mélanie Léonard, the CPO’s Resident Conductor for the last four seasons. Effective in September, Ms. Léonard will take on the role of Associate Conductor.

Luce Moreau, President and CEO of the Orchestre Metropolitain since 2008, has stepped down from that role, effective immediately.

National Arts Centre Orchestra / Orchestre du Centre national des arts
Communication Officer / Agent(e) de communication
Application deadline/Date limite : June 4 juin 2012

Goh Ballet Academy
Business Administrative Associate & Student Affairs Coordinator
Application deadline/Date limite : May 30 mai 2012

The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, under music director Arthur Post, has announced its 2012-13 season – and it’s a busy one, consisting of 28 separate events over 5 different series (and some special events, as well.) Highlighted soloists include Yi-Jia Suzanne Hou (violin), R. Carlos Nakai (native American flute), André Laplante (piano), blues artist Matt Andersen, tenor Michael Burgess, and a special performance by Ben Heppner.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal has announced its summer season, an imaginatively laid-out program that includes a pair of free outdoor concerts, and appearances at festivals in Orford, Lanaudière and at home in Montréal. The big news in the announcement is A Cool Classical Journey, a brand-new festival at the Maison symphonique and other venues at Place des Arts, featuring 20 different 45-minute long concerts performed by international artists—all taking place on Saturday, August 11! Featured artists include the OSM (which is featured four times throughout the day), Canadian Brass, the Tetzlaff Trio, pianists Lars Vogt and Marc-André Hamelin, and many, many others.

The Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra will be showing off a recently-acquired set of timpani at its season closing concert (under the direction of new Music Director, Colin Clarke) on May 12. The timpani were donated by the Hazlewood Family in memory of Lane Hazlewood, “a passionate orchestra dad, music teacher, and active musician in the local community.” Speaking about the gift, his wife Kathryn noted that “our passion for HPYO is family-wide, so it seemed such a fitting tribute to donate instruments to a cause that gives joy to so many audiences and gave Lane his livelihood and his passion. I dedicate these timpani with joy on behalf of Lane’s daughters Debbie and Pam, Pam’s husband Tyler and their son, the grandson Lane adored.”

Tim Brady: his Short Stories/Courts métrages for electric guitar, video and orchestra, gets its world premiere on May 9 as part of a program devoted to film music, being performed by the Orchestre symphonique de Laval led by music director Alain Trudel, with the composer as soloist.

Airat Ichmouratov: this busy conductor, clarinettist and composer leads the world premiere of his own Three Romances for viola, harp and strings with I Musici de Montréal on May 16 and 17.