A number of member orchestras have announced their 2010-11 seasons, and here is a round-up of recent launches

Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony announced its 66th season recently, and its fourth under the leadership of Music Director Edwin Outwater.  Major works on the season include Holst’s The Planets, Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, and Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony, and world premieres include a new work by composer Brian Current featuring visual artist and second-generation Sufi mevlevi whirling dervish, Mira Hunter.  As well, the orchestra also announced a new social networking site for its fans: www.Kwsocial.ca, designed to connect the orchestra to its community in a new and dynamic way.  You can learn more here.

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (led by Music Director James Sommerville) has announced its 2010-11 season – a season that includes Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, along with pops and chamber programs.  For more information, you can go to their website here.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2010-11 season – its 6th under the leadership of Music Director Bill Eddins, who will conduct concerts on each of the orchestras’ many series.  Among many other highlights, the season will include the return of Late Night with Bill Eddins; The ESO Presents, a new series that invites brilliant international soloists to perform with the orchestra in the first half of the program, followed by solo recitals after intermission.  The season also includes the ESO’s annual outdoor event, Symphony Under the Sky.  For more information, you can visit the ESO’s website here.

The Orchestre symphonique de Québec has released details of its 2010-11 season, its final season under the leadership of Maestro Yoav Talmi after a highly successful 12-year tenure.  The music of Beethoven is featured extensively, with performances of all of his symphonies and major concertos.  As well, the season will feature a massive performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”.  For more information, you can visit the OSQ’s website here.

Symphony Nova Scotia has announced its 2010-11 season, designed and led by Music Director Bernhard Gueller.  Features of the season include great symphonic works, a performance of Mozart’s Requiem, and a Scandinavian festival featuring the music of Grieg and Sibelius.  Pops programming includes guest appearances by Red Green and the Barra MacNeils.  www.symphonynovascotia.ca

The National Arts Centre Orchestra has announced its 2010-11 season, its 12th under the leadership of Music Director Pinchas Zukerman.  Highlights include a Mozart-Haydn Festival, a stunning array of Canadian and international soloists, the world premiere of Malcolm Forsyth’s Ballad of the Canadian Land, and works by Peter Paul Koprowski and André Mathieu.  For more information, you can visit the orchestra’s website here.

Last week, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra announced “Hamilton’s first and only festival of new music”, What Next?  The six-event, four-concert, three-venue festival will run from January 22 to 24, and will include performances, lectures, and cross-media presentations from such composers and performers as Kelly-Marie Murphy, Samy Moussa and laptop artist Jeremy Flower. 

Highlights of the festival include: a Friday evening chamber concert with music by Bartok, Schnittke and a world premiere by John Burge performed by members of the HPO; a Saturday evening world premiere of a new piece for orchestra by Kelly-Marie Murphy; a late night electroacoustic performance by American laptop virtuoso/DJ/composer Jeremy Flower; and a lecture series called Music and Mind that explores the human response to harmony, melody, and dissonance.   Festival passes are now on sale, at a very reasonable $29/$19 for students.
 
What Next? is the creation of Music Director James Sommerville who is an advocate of new music and saw a need for a new music festival in Hamilton. “The HPO is fiercely dedicated to shining a light on living composers and helping them find their way, even as we remain true to the glory and breadth of the orchestra’s traditions and masterpieces” says Maestro Sommerville.  For more information about the festival, please visit the HPO’s website here.