Symphony Nova Scotia launched its 2012-13 season last week, its . It’s the orchestra’s 30th anniversary season, and its tenth under the leadership of Music Director Bernhard Gueller. The intrepid 37-player orchestra presents a diverse season that celebrates the cornerstones of the classical repertoire, outstanding Canadian soloists, and gifted Nova Scotian and Canadian singer-songwriters.

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra announced its 65th season late last week, incorporating 7 series, 37 different programs, and 63 performances. Music Director Alexander Mickelthwate is featured, along with guest soloists Yuja Wang, Measha Brueggergosman, Ben Heppner and the Barenaked Ladies. As well, we get a tantalizing glimpse of the 2013 New Music Festival, with the news that Steve Reich’s music will be featured in early February.

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra announced its busy 2012-13 season, its 13th under the leadership of Bramwell Tovey. It’s far too large to summarize in a single paragraph, so we’ll borrow from the VSO’s own media release! “A long list of internationally-renowned guest soloists and conductors join the GRAMMY and Juno Award-winning Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in a season that features over one hundred performances of the best in classics, Symphony Pops, concerts for children and families, and special crossover concerts. In addition to core series performances in downtown Vancouver, the VSO once again visits venues around the Lower Mainland, performing in North Vancouver, Surrey, South Delta, West Vancouver, Coquitlam and Burnaby.”

Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Québec have announced the programs they’ll be presenting in Québec and Montréal in 2012-13, under the leadership of Bernard Labadie. Featured soloists include soprano Sandrine Piau, pianist Alexandre Tharaud and flutist Emmanuel Pahud – the latter featured with the orchestra in a return visit to New York’s Carnegie Hall. A special feature of the season will be Les Violons du Roy’s first-ever joint performance with I Musici de Montréal, led by that orchestra’s music director (and protege of Maestro Labadie), Jean-Marie Zeitouni.

For more information about the orchestra and its touring plans, please visit violonsduroy.com.

In the “classical recording of the year – orchestra or large ensemble”, featured nominations include recordings by Les Violons du Roy (Bonbons on ATMA Classique, led by Bernard Labadie), Orchestre metropolitain (Florent Schmitt : La Tragédie de Salomé, César Franck : Symphonie en ré, on ATMA Classique, led by Yannick Nezet-Seguin) and the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal (Beethoven: Des Dieux, des Héros et des Hommes, on Analekta, led by Kent Nagano).

In the “classical recording of the year – soloist or small ensemble”, we salute the nomination of the Quatuor Alcan, participants in the recording entitled Mathieu: Trio & Quintette; Chausson – Concert, also featuring Alain Lefèvre and David Lefèvre, on the Analekta label.

Finally, in the “classical recording of the year – vocal”, we recognize the nominations of Les Violons du Roy (Britten: Les Illuminations, featuring Karina Gauvin and led by Jean-Marie Zeitouni, on the ATMA label), and Orchestre Metropolitain (on a recording entitled Marie-Josée Lord, led by Giuseppe Pietraroia featuring the eponymous singer, on ATMA Classique).

Congratulations to Bernard Labadie, music director of Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Quebec, who will make his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra this weekend in Bach‘s St. Matthew Passion.  He will not be the only Canadian on stage, either:  celebrated contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux will be one of the six soloists for these performances.

Orchestra News was saddened to learn of the death, earlier this week, of Canadian composer Jacques Hétu.  A native of Trois-Rivières, M. Hétu taught at Université Laval, the Université de Montréal and UQAM.  His catalogue of compositions comprises over 70 works, and he has been one of the most-performed Canadian composers of works for orchestra.  We’ll not soon forget the experience of taking him backstage to meet the members of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in 2004, fresh from a performance of his Images de la Révolution:  the NYO members were as excited to thank him for the privilege of playing his work as he was pleased to meet them.

The Quinte Symphony has announced the appointment of Marilyn Lawrie as their General Manager, effective January 11.  An experienced arts professional with a strong background in theatre, opera and music, Ms Lawrie served as Concert Manager and General Manager of the Quinte Symphony from 2004-08, leaving the role to work as Director of Outreach and Production at Opera Lyra Ottawa.  Speaking about the appointment, Quinte Symphony board chair Judith Chalmers said, “we feel so fortunate to be able to work with Marilyn again at this important moment in Quinte Symphony’s history.”

Orchestra News conveys hearty congratulations to two Canadian conductors who have recently received accolades for their work in major American cities – Yannick Nezet-Seguin for his work conducting a new production of Bizet‘s Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera in New York; and Bernard Labadie, who led Les Violons du Roy and the Chapelle de Quebec in performances in New York and Los Angeles. 

You can read the New York Times review of Maestro Nezet-Seguin’s work here. You can also read an interview with him in Opera News here. You can read the LA Times review of the Violons du Roy performance here.

Congratulations also to Bernard Labadie, winner of this year’s Prix d’excellence des arts et de la culture, presented by the Fondation de l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec.  The award was presented by provincial minister of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women, and during the ceremony, Maestro Labadie was cited for his exceptional contribution to the city’s and the province’s musical landscape since he founded Les Violons du Roy over twenty-five years ago.

 
 Last week, the Canada Council for the Arts presented fine string instruments or bows to a group of exceptionally talented Canadian artists through its Musical Instrument Bank program.  Winners included violinists Judy Kang, Marie-Ève Poupart, Renée-Paule Gauthier (currently interim associate concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic), Véronique Mathieu, Caroline Chéhadé, Nikki Chooi, Andréa Tyniec, Min-Jeong Koh, Kerry DuWors, Jessica Linnebach (a member of the first violin section of the National Arts Centre Orchestra), and Jing Wang; and cellists Rachel Mercer, Chloé Dominguez, and Emmanuelle Beaulieu Bergeron. The winners were selected by a committee consisting of Peter Gardner, violinist and director of Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (St. John’s, NL); Uri Mayer, violist and conductor (Toronto); and Sophie Rolland, cellist (London, England).
   
Symphony Nova Scotia has appointed Alex Kall as its new Production Coordinator.  Alex first came to SNS as a summer marketing intern, plays bass (both upright and electric) and has a Bachelor’s degree from Acadia University in Music Technology.