Orchestras Canada

From May 19-26, the members of I Musici de Montréal will embark on their third international tour of the season with a journey to Mexico for the Festival Cultural de Mayo. They’ll be led by Richard Lee (currently resident conductor with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra) and they’ll present a program of music by Tchaikovksy and Mussorgsky (in an arrangement made for I Musici by founding music director Yuli Turovsky). The Festival Cultural de Mayo facilitates exchange between Mexican artists and international colleagues, and this year, the focus is on Quebec – with over twenty artists and organizations from Quebec representing music, film, dance, circus arts and visual arts.

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.

Rob Teehan: a new work by this Toronto-based composer is being premiered Friday, 11 May by Sinfonia Toronto, led by Nurhan Arman.

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.

It’s been a busy couple of weeks since we last reported on season launches – and we’re pleased to catch up on the latest:

The Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, under music director Jacques Lacombe, presents a nine-concert program (plus gala fundraising concert) during its 35th anniversary season. Highlights include the premiere of a new work by André Gagnon and Michel Tremblay, based on letters from Gabrielle Roy to her mother, and performed by Marie-Nicole Lemieux with the orchestra.

I Musici de Montréal released details of its first full season under the leadership of artistic director and principal conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni – 37 concerts in venues ranging from the Maison symphonique to the Salle Bourgie, featuring emerging Canadian talent, long-time artistic partners, and first-time artistic collaboration with Les Violons du Roy and the choir of the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal.

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal has launched its 2012-13 season – its fifth under Music Director Kent Nagano – and highlights include not only large-scale projects (opening the season with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and closing it with Honegger’s Joan of Arc at the Stake), but also the debut of a new chamber choir (under the leadership of Andrew Megill), twelve Montreal premieres and three world premieres, including a new Haydn-inspired work by DJ Champion.

The Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra has launched its 2012-13 season, a five-concert program that, consistent with the GTPO’s policy, is led by an array of guest conductors, each of whom brings a slightly different flavour to their chosen program.

The Victoria Symphony celebrates Music Director Tania Miller’s 10th season with the orchestra with a “blockbuster array of repertoire and stars”, including performances by James Ehnes and Chantal Kreviazuk, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin, and a New Music Festival featuring the music of John Cage.

March 21-30, I Musici de Montréal gives a four-concert tour in four American states, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Texas. The tour conductor is Aziz Shokhakimov (born in Uzbekistan in 1988) and the tour repertoire includes Yuli Turovsky’s arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition as well as works by Janacek and Shostakovich. For more information about the orchestra – and its tour – please visit imusici.com.

The Orchestre symphonique de Québec has just announced its 2012-13 season, its first under new Music Director Fabien Gabel. The program reflects the full breadth of orchestral repertoire and colour, and includes 43 programs, most packaged into one of 8 different series. As well, the OSQ will continue in its use of pictograms to help music lovers identify the programs most likely to delight them – a helpful initiative launched last season.

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.

Pinchas Zukerman, the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s music director since 1999, announced earlier this week that he will be stepping down from the role in August, 2015.  Speaking about Maestro Zukerman’s decision, Peter Herrndorf (the NAC’s President and CEO) said, “The NAC has benefitted immeasurably from his leadership on the podium, his artistry as a soloist and his deep commitment to music education. Pinchas Zukerman has made a profound contribution to the musical life of Canada and the world and has served as a transformational figure at the National Arts Centre. He will be greatly missed.”

Vancouver’s Musicfest has just announced the appointment of Matthew Baird as its new program director, succeeding George Laverock. Baird is well-known to Canadian orchestras through his many years of work at the CBC.

Orchestra News notes, with sadness, the passing of violinist and violist Eleanora Turovsky, founding concertmaster of I Musici de Montréal, a 12-year member of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and a well-known teacher at the Université de Montréal.

Last Sunday evening, the Conseil Quebecois de la Musique (CQM) celebrated both the 25th anniversary of its founding and the excellence of the musical community it supports, at the 15th annual Prix Opus Gala. We salute the following friends and members of Orchestras Canada, whose exceptional accomplishments were recognized:

Hommage prize: cellist and conductor Yuli Turovsky, founder and 30-year leader of I Musici de Montreal.
Concert of the year, Montreal: Shostakovich’s four last quartets, Quatuor Molinari
Concert of the year, modern/contemporary: Homage to Xenakis, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne
New work of the year: Mutation, by Denis Gougeon (Nouvel Ensemble Moderne)
Concert of the Year, young audiences: On n’est jamais trop classique, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Recording of the year, romantic/post-romantic/impressionist: La tragédie de Salomé, F. Schmitt, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Orchestre Métropolitain, ATMA Classique
Artistic Director of the year: Jean-François Rivest, Orford Arts Centre
Event of the year: Festival de Lanaudière, summer 2011

Congratulations to the outstanding Canadians with connections to Canada’s orchestras who were named to the Order of Canada at the end of December. They include mezzo soprano Catherine Robbin; cellist, conductor and founder of I Musici de Montreal,Yuli Turovsky; and super-volunteer Ana P. Lopes, a recent chair of the board of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

We’ve recently learned of two recently-appointed composers-in-residence with Canadian orchestras – and we’d like to welcome them to the family. Serge Arcuri is the new (and first-ever!) composer in residence with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, which performed one of his existing works on January 10, and will be giving the world premiere of a new work in February. You can find out more about him here.

Simon Bertrand, an award-winning Quebec composer (and nominee for a Prix Opus 2011) has just been appointed as composer in residence with the Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil. In this new position, he’ll be creating original compositions and arrangements for the orchestra, while working closely with music director Marc David. To share his experiences as composer-in-residence, he’s created a blog at residenceosdl.wordpress.com.

Again this week, we honour the programmers who successfully balance tradition and innovation in their seasonal concerts. Here’s a round-up of interesting-sounding programs from across the country:

December 15, 16 and 17, I Musici de Montreal (under the guest leadership of harpsichordist Joel Thiffault) presents a program of baroque and contemporary repertoire reflective of the season, as part of the orchestra’s series at Ogilvy’s. Among other delights, the program includes “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, a recent work by Michael Oesterle, and William Boyce’s Ode for the New Year 1756.

This Friday (December 16), the National Arts Centre Orchestra partners with composer/broadcaster/performer Andrew Craig, the Faith Chorale, and an impressive array of soloists that includes Jackie Richardson to present a Gospel Christmas Celebration.

This Friday night and Saturday afternoon (December 16 and 17), the Orchestre symphonique de Québec (led by Stéphane Laforest) presents La Grande Virée de Noel, featuring Gregory Charles, Marie-Josée Lord, Nicolas Pellerin and les Grands Hurleurs, and seven choirs from the region. The youth-oriented performances take place at the Pavillon de la Jeunesse at ExpoCité, and features not only seasonal carols but also a giant Karaoke and dance party with DJ Adam Doubleyou.

Saturday night (December 17), the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (led by music director James Sommerville) presents a pair of seasonal programs featuring the internationally-renowned Toronto Mass Choir. There’s a shorter 2 p.m. concert, designed for families, as well as a full-length evening concert intended for an older audience.

December 17, the Lethbridge Symphony presents a traditional Christmas program with a twist: this year’s guest performers include not only the Bridge Bells bell ringing ensemble, but also Lethbridge’s MP (and a former member of the LSO violin section) Jim Hillyer, who will re-join the violin section for the evening. Speaking about the experience, Mr. Hillyer said, “I am looking forward to playing with the symphony once again. Over the years when I performed with the LSO I felt privileged to be able to get an inside seat for some amazing world class performances,” noting Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, the Mozart Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah as particular highlights.

December 17 and 18, the Kamloops Symphony (led by Music Director Bruce Dunn) presents a pair of performances encapsulating what it describes as “a celebration of community that provides all the required ingredients for comfort and joy – stories, songs, young performers, warmth and fun!” Featured performers include soprano Carlene Wiebe (a member of the faculty of the Kamloops Symphony Music School), violist Madeleine Haynes (2011 winner of the Kamloops Symphony Award at the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts), baritone Aaron Durand, the KSO Chorus, and a number of students from the Kamloops Symphony Music School.