Orchestras Canada

The Georgian Bay Symphony (Owen Sound, ON) has announced its 2011-12 season – its 40th! The season features five full orchestra concerts, led by Music Director John Barnum, a chamber series and a host of special events. Programs include the popular Christmas concert, a Russian Spectacular, a pops concert featuring Broadway Babes and the world premiere of resident composer Richard Mascall’s Manitoulin. Two concerts are included in the Music in the Afternoon Series. Returning this year will be the free children’s concert at Christmas time, the 13th Annual Vintner’s Dinner and Wine Auction fundraising event and the support of a local entertainment coupon book. A major market survey will be conducted in the fall to help the GBS assess how it is perceived in the local community and what barriers to attending performance might exist. For more information about the GBS, please visit www.georgianbaysymphony.ca.

The torrent continues!  This week, we salute the 2010-11 season launches of the following groups:

Orchestra London has announced its 2010-11 season, a year of transition as the orchestra quietly continues its search for a successor to Music Director Timothy Vernon.  The season includes orchestral classics, chamber orchestra repertoire and a healthy dose of pops as well.  To learn more, you can visit their website here.

The Toronto Summer Music Festival has announced its fifth season under the artistic direction of Agnes Grossmann.  The festival – devoted to the theme “Songs of the Earth” – runs from July 20 to August 13, and features an array of Canadian and international soloists and ensembles, along with dance, puppets and visual art.  As well, the festival will include the world-premiere of a new Mahler-inspired work by Glenn Buhr.  For more information, please visit  here.

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has announced its season – a dizzying array of (as the website blurb says) “classical treasures, stunning VSO Pops concerts, the very best in fun and educational entertainment for children and families, and some of the world’s greatest classical musicians” – under the leadership of VSO Music Director Bramwell Tovey.  For more information, please visit the VSO’s website here.

The Georgian Bay Symphony of Owen Sound, ON has launched its 2010-11 season – its 38th.  Music Director John Barnum has assembled a season consisting of 5 Main Series concerts and a pair of Music in the Afternoon concerts, beginning in October 2010 and ending in April 2011. The season will focus on young guest artist from the area who have or are about to launch their musical careers. Soloists include cellist Sebastian Ostertag, pianist Renee Kruisslbrink and violinist Katya Poplyansky.  For more information, please visit the GBS website here.

The Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil, led by Music Director Marc David, has announced festive plans for its 25th anniversary season. Programming highlights include a free open-air performance to launch the season, a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, and such soloists as pianist André Laplante, tenor Marc Hervieux, and violinist Jonathan Crow.  For more information, please visit the OSDL’s website here.