Orchestras Canada

On December 7 and 8, principal conductor and music director designate Jean-Marie Zeitouni will return to lead I Musici de Montreal for the first time since March, when he made his astounding debut with the group. He will lead the orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 4 and 7, and both performances will take place at the Salle Bourgie at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. As the orchestra’s media release says, the dimensions of the concert hall closely resemble those of the Eroica Saal in the Palais Lobkowitz, where Beethoven often performed – and the dimensions of the orchestra will be similar, as well!

On October 24, ADISQ (the association for music and sound recording in Quebec) will hold its “other gala” – an event to honour the outstanding non-commercial recordings and performers of the year. A number of Orchestras Canada members have been nominated for the classical music awards, and we’re proud to list them here:

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).

It’s been a big week at I Musici de Montreal. The Montreal-based chamber orchestra has announced the appointment of Jean-Marie Zeitouni as its new music director, effective June 1. He will balance this new role with duties at the Columbus (OH) Symphony, and will lead three concerts in 2011-12 and more in succeeding seasons.

At the same time, I Musici has confirmed the retirement of founding music director Yuli Turovsky, who founded the ensemble 27 years ago, and who is retiring from the role for health reasons following his last concert on May 18. Speaking about Maestro Turovsky’s retirement, IM musician representative said, “All of I Musici’s musicians observe Yuli Turovsky’s departure with great emotion: these past years under his leadership remained engraved on our hearts, a precious heritage and an ongoing source of inspiration.”

Finally, I Musici has announced the appointment of Stephanie Rose as its new directrice générale, effective April 26. A trained musician and arts administrator, Mme Rose has worked as an arts consultant and directrice générale of the Fondation de l’École nationale de cirque.

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra has announced the retirement of Lance Elbeck, its Concertmaster of 33 seasons, at the conclusion of the 2011/2012 season. The HPO will audition concertmaster candidates through the 2011/2012 season; however, Mr. Elbeck will officially remain as concertmaster to the conclusion of the 11/12 season. Speaking about Mr. Elbeck, HPO Music Director James Sommerville said, “Lance has always been the kind of co-operative and collaborative colleague that all musicians appreciate. I know his departure will be deeply felt by our loyal audience, as much as by those of us fortunate enough to have shared the stage with him over the course of his long and illustrious Hamilton career.”

The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra has announced the retirement of its long-time Concertmaster, Cenek Vrba, for health reasons. He has served in the role for a remarkable 36 years, working with five different CPO music directors through the evolution of the orchestra through that time. Commenting on Mr. Vrba’s contributions to the CPO, Music Director Roberto Minczuk said, “His command of the instrument and his musical leadership of the Orchestra clearly shows an artist who knows his craft entirely and is able to follow every gesture, every nuance in the musical score and convey it very clearly to his section and the Orchestra. “He always made music with a lot of joy. In performance, he never spared himself but always played with all of his energy and heart, in a way that I could personally identify. I will miss him greatly as one of the most important leaders of the CPO.”

Natasha Bood, former executive director of the Regina Symphony, is now Director of Administration & Operations at Toronto Summer Music and Academy.

The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra has announced the winners of its recent Young Artists Competition. Percussionist Matt Groenheide was the overall winner, and he will perform Michael Daugherty’s Raise the Roof for timpani and orchestra with the Symphony next season as part of the LSO Master Series. Sarah Viejou (horn), and Audrina Steciw (soprano), took second and third place respectively.

Congratulations to Thérèse Boutin, directrice générale of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières (and member of the Orchestras Canada board as well), who has just been re-elected to the role of Treasurer of the Conseil québécois de la musique for a second term.

We send our thanks and farewell to Brenda Sherring, who has served as Interim Executive Director of the Regina Symphony during Executive Director Natasha Bood’s maternity leave. Brenda’s last day with the RSO is October 8. Brenda notes that “Natasha will return from her leave on October 12th and will assist with the international recruitment of a permanent Executive Director. The Board expects to have their search complete, and someone in place, by the end of January. I have very much enjoyed my experience working with the orchestra. It has been both challenging and rewarding and, in that way, has kept my energy alive!”

Congratulations to conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni, appointed earlier this week as Music Director of the Columbus Symphony. Maestro Zeitouni, age 36, is currently principal guest conductor of Les Violons du Roy (with whom he has made three critically-acclaimed recordings of 20th century repertoire) and regularly guest conducts orchestras and opera companies across North America.

On August 31, Quebec’s Les Violons du Roy will release a new CD under the direction of Principal Guest Conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni . The new release (on the ATMA Classique Label) explores the music of Benjamin Britten, and features stellar Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin in Les Illuminations, along with two of the composer’s major works for string orchestra: the Prelude and Fugue, and the Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge. The recording marks the third recording collaboration between Maestro Zeitouni and Les Violons du Roy, with the first two devoted to the music of Piazzolla and Bartok.