Orchestras Canada

Conductor Alain Trudel, already serving as the music director of Orchestra London and the Orchestre symphonique de Laval and conductor of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, has just been announced as the new conductor of the University of Western Ontario Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, effective September 2012. Speaking about the appointment, Orchestra London executive director Joe Swan noted that the orchestra has always had a good relationship with the University of Western Ontario, “but this will give us a much deeper working relationship. So we’re delighted about it.”

The Regina Symphony Orchestra has announced a career transition for its long-time and well-loved concertmaster Eduard Minevich. After 13 years with the orchestra (as well as 10, 11 and 6 years each as concertmaster with the KW Symphony, Orchestra London and the Leningrad Concert Orchestra respectively), Minevich will step down as RSO concertmaster at the end of the 2011-12 season – but he will stay on with the organization, leading its new Piapot project (through which he’s teaching violin to young students, arranging music and performing as soloist at the Piapot First Nation) and exploring opportunities to expand the RSO’s education programs into more communities in future seasons.

Congratulations to Toronto artist manager Ann Summers Dossena, who has been awarded the Manager of the Year Award at the annual Awards Ceremony and Luncheon of NAPAMA – the North American Association of Performing Arts Managers and Agents – and APAP – the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The presentation was made by Robert Baird, Toronto artist manager and president of NAPAMA, at the Hilton New York. From her 1958 start in New York, through her years in Rome (1968-1977) to her Toronto base since 1977, Ann Summers Dossena has been a tireless advocate for the arts for more than five decades.

The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, Market Hall, and the Kawartha Youth Orchestra have named conductor Dina Gilbert as RBC Emerging Artist for 2012, under a newly created emerging artist apprenticeship program. Ms Gilbert holds a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the Université de Montréal. The program is a collaboration between three community arts partners, Market Hall, the Kawartha Youth Orchestra and Peterborough Symphony Orchestra. Working under the guidance of PSO and KYO music director Michael Newnham, Ms Gilbert will receive an intensive period of mentoring and gain insight into the role played by a conductor and music director of community and youth orchestras.

Every year, we are deluged with media releases about orchestras’ holiday programs. And every year, we admire afresh those orchestras that embrace the opportunity to spread holiday cheer while celebrating their communities. Here are some recent examples:

December 14, Orchestra London will team up with the Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness to present the fourth annual performance of Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol at Centennial Hall. The event features a dramatic reading of the classic tale, performed by local legal luminaries, along with sing-along performances of carols by Orchestra London (Alain Trudel, conductor) and the The London Singers & H. B. Beal Secondary School Singers (David B. Weaver, director). Proceeds from the pay-what-you-can, general admission event will support the Unity Project, an organization dedicated to providing shelter and services to the homeless, and Orchestra London.

December 2 and 3, Symphony Nova Scotia presents a one-man production of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol – featuring award-winning actor and playwright Jeremy Webb in all 30 roles! According to the media release, “Webb’s adaptation has already met with overwhelming critical and box office success across Nova Scotia, and has been performed for 80,000 audience members since the beginning of its run in 2003.” The concerts also mark the release of a new recording, featuring Webb and the orchestra in a series of new arrangements by Halifax composer Scott Macmillan.

December 3 and 4, the Windsor Symphony presents a family Christmas pops program that features a performance of Raymond Briggs’s The Snowman (complete with animated short film), along with the WSO Chorus, Windsor Essex Youth Choir, Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts Chorus, Kylee Phillips, and the Windsor Dance eXperience performing to “Skater’s Waltz” and “La Boutique Fantasque”. WSO Music Director John Morris Russell conducts. As an additional feature, the WSO will be accepting donations during intermission and after the concerts in support of Children’s Aid Society (CAS).

Orchestra London held its Annual General Meeting for the 2010-11 season on November 9 – and for the second year in a row, the organization reported an excess of revenues over expenses, growth in community-oriented programming, and strong artistic partnerships. In addition, 2010-11 saw the appointment of new Music Director Alain Trudel, who has taken on duties with the orchestra with great enthusiasm.

Speaking about the year that was, Board Finance Chair Shawn Gilhuly noted that,“over the past 12 months, the Board and staff have continued to redefine what it means to be an Orchestra. We have reached out to our community and re-engaged our patrons with a diversity of programs, ensuring we have a pipeline of appreciative audiences who share our excitement for all types of music.”

Community engagement initiatives during the season included:
• educational concerts for more than 8,000 schoolchildren;
• the 2nd annual Honours Strings mentorship program connecting professional orchestra musicians with aspiring student musicians
• partnering with UWO’s Don Wright Faculty of Music on the TD Bank Group Festival of New Music
• the Sounds of Korea community concert in collaboration with the London Korean Community
• the Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness on the 2nd annual A Christmas Carol fundraiser/concert
• partnering with General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada and The London Military Family Resource Centre on the 2nd annual Support our Troops and Their Families free community concert

For more information about Orchestra London, and to read a copy of the report provided to members, please visit orchestralondon.ca.

Congratulations to Joseph Lanza, who celebrates his 25 seasons as concertmaster of Orchestra London this year!

We’ve got a pair of recommendations this week.

The first item is a report on the education programs of eight Canadian orchestras – the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestra London, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. The evaluation was undertaken by Measured Outcome, an organization that undertakes collaborative, web-based research on the impact of charitable programs, and the process gave voice to the experiences of students, teachers and orchestral musicians involved in the programs.

Key learnings?
99% of participating adults and students found the programs valuable;
96% plan to return in a subsequent year;
61% of young people get their first (and only!) exposure to symphonic performance through a school visit, compared with 24% who attend with family and 15% who attend with friends;
Only 62% of the participating teachers make use of the Study Guide material provided, and of those, only 17% (or 10.5% of the total number of participating teachers) make use of the podcasts provided;
Teachers, students and performers consistently report that rowdy behavior by certain attendees detracts from the overall experience;
There are a number of opportunities to strengthen these already-valued programs.

The report was the subject of Orchestras Canada’s first webinar for the 2011-12 season, an event that brought together over 20 representatives from member orchestras from Victoria to Halifax. We are committed to continuing the discussion with our member orchestras, with the goal of strengthening their programming and their opportunities for collaboration.

You can view the report here.

Our second recommendation? A major new research report on arts engagement, commissioned by the Ontario Arts Council, and undertaken by Alan S. Brown of Wolf Brown and Ipsos-Reid. The report builds on Brown’s existing body of work on arts engagement, and traces the connection between an individual’s “personal artistic practice” (be it listening to music on the radio, selecting CDs to purchase or tracks to download, taking music lessons, interpreting the work of others while performing as a soloist or in an ensemble, or creating new works of music) and their attendance at live performances. There are some particularly compelling findings about the levels of cultural participation of Ontarians from diverse cultural groups.

And we can’t resist leaving you with this inspiring statement:

“Overall, 95% of all respondents are interested in doing more arts activities than they presently do.”

You can find the report here.

Orchestra London welcomes its new music director, Alain Trudel, to the stage of London’s Grand Theatre tomorrow (June 4) for a gala potpourri concert designed to showcase music from each of the Orchestra’s signature series.

As the media release says, the program runs “from the Beatles to Bartók, from Rossini to the Rolling Stones”, and features Maestro Trudel, Orchestra London, mezzo-soprano Sophie Louise Roland, and trumpeter Paul Stevenson. Trudel, in his first appearance as Orchestra London’s Music Director, will not only conduct, but will also demonstrate his well-known virtuosity on the trombone.

The concert is the public culmination of a week of meetings and work with the Orchestra, school boards and students, other cultural and educational organizations, volunteers and supporters. Says Trudel, “one of my main goals is for music to be a positive force in our community. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the Orchestra’s broad musical scope, and to meet many wonderful members of the London community.”

The Windsor Symphony Orchestra has recently announced a new partnership with TD Bank Group and two of its colleague orchestras in southwestern Ontario, Orchestra London and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. The TD MyWSO Music Pass has been designed to make music accessible to students at every level, from high school to graduate school.

The pass offers full-time students access to any Windsor Symphony Orchestra subscriber series concerts, as well as access to Orchestra London and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony to attend an unlimited number of subscriber series performances during the concert season.

The TD MyWSO Music Pass costs $65 and can be purchased from the WSO office. The pass may also be used at all series performances with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Orchestra London, increasing its value many times over.

The holiday programming announcements continue this week – and here are some highlights, from coast to coast:

The Victoria Symphony, led by Brian Jackson, will give five performances (in Duncan, Victoria and Qualicum) of My Funny Christmastime, featuring soprano Mary Lou Fallis, a guest appearance by soprano Anna Madgett, new arrangements by Howard Cable, Scott Good and Roy Kaighin, an assortment of holiday classics and a singalong. www.victoriasymphony.ca

The Lethbridge Symphony combines a pair of beloved holiday traditions by performing Bach’s Magnificat and Part I of Handel’s Messiah in a pair of performances this weekend. The featured choir is the University of Lethbridge Singers. www.lethbridgesymphony.org

The Saskatoon Symphony, led by new Music Director Victor Sawa, will present a holiday concert that features the Saskatoon Children’s Choir, John Rutter’s Brother Heinrich’s Christmas, a host of local celebrities, and a Christmas sing-along. www.saskatoonsymphony.org

The Winnipeg Symphony, led by resident conductor Richard Lee, hits the road for five holiday concerts in Steinbach, Winkler,Pinawa, Gladstone and Portage la Prairie from December 7-15. Soloist for the program is tenor Conrad Siebert, and “a local celebrity in each town will also have an opportunity to perform with the orchestra and play the bells or whip during Sleigh Ride, as the audience gets a surprise visit from St. Nick himself!” www.wso.ca

Orchestra London, led by guest conductor Daniel Warren, presents a dramatic reading of A Christmas Carol on December 15. The concert is a benefit for the Unity Project, an organization dedicated to providing shelter and services to the homeless, and Orchestra London. London’s legal community features prominently in the festivities, as five London lawyers will all take part. One week earlier, the orchestra will perform parts 4, 5 and 6 of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio under the leadership of music director laureate, Timothy Vernon. www.orchestralondon.ca

Last week, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony made news by traveling to Toronto to take part in a pair of performances of Barbie at the Symphony – a family friendly progam focused on the cultural adventures of the iconic doll. You can read about it in an article in the Toronto Star. www.kwsymphony.ca

The Guelph Symphony Orchestra, led by music director candidate David Bourque, presents a blend of classics and festive seasonal music at its December program. Featured works include Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, with the Grand River Chorus and pianist Amy Wark, along with carols and opportunities for audience sing-along. www.guelphorchestra.ca

Symphony Hamilton presents a seasonal medley at its December 12 concert, led by Music Director James Mackay and featuring mezzo soprano Sophie Roland. The program, a blend of Christmas and Viennese New Year’s favourites, will include arias by Handel, Strauss waltzes and selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet. www.symphonyhamilton.ca

In Ottawa, the National Arts Centre Orchestra Players’ Association presents a free Christmas FanFair concert on December 12 in support of the Snowsuit Fund and the Food Bank. The program will feature the musicians of the NAC Orchestra conducted by David Thies-Thompson, the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, violist Emilie Grimes (a NACO bursary winner), and the KidSingers from the Ottawa OrKidstra program. Mayor Jim Watson will also make an appearance on the podium. Christmas FanFair organizer and NACO assistant principal double bass Marjolaine Fournier says, “For many of us in the orchestra, playing the Fanfair concert has become the highlight of our holiday season. The kind and generous spirit shown by everyone, the kids, the singing, the music and the surprises just make the whole day exceptional. It saddens me that fundraisers such as this one are still needed in a beautiful city like Ottawa, but this is the best way to give: concretely, of course, by giving money and time, but more importantly, giving with our hearts and caring for one another.” www.nac-cna.ca

And if a Messiah performance is a vital part of your holiday preparations, fear not! In addition to the performances that we referenced last week, they’re also popping up in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Toronto (in at least three versions – by the Aradia Ensemble, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra), Kingston, Trois-Rivieres, and Halifax.

Meanwhile, in Halifax, Symphony Nova Scotia presents its 20th annual production of The Nutcracker, with Halifax Dance and Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, in eight performances. As ever, the production features “giant puppets, bright costumes, huge sets, and breathtaking music” – and if you haven’t seen it yet, you really must. (We speak from experience.) www.symphonynovascotia.ca

Earlier this week, Orchestra London held its annual general meeting for the 2009-10 fiscal year – and it was a good news story. The orchestra reported a $59,266 surplus on the season, expanded concert programming, increased community partnerships, and continued with the work of Project Bravo, “a collaborative effort of the Board Directors, community volunteers, musicians, staff and unions to enhance the orchestra’s artistic impact in the community, while implementing a sustainable business model”.

Orchestra London executive director Joe Swan offered some highlights from the year that was: “In December, our collaboration with the Unity Project for the reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol reflected the spirit of the season. In the spring, our “Support The Troops” Concert acknowledged and expressed thanks for the many sacrifices being made by Canadian troops and their families. Finally, bringing the whole city together to celebrate London’s Olympians was a joyous occasion. The orchestra intends to expand on these initiatives and increase its presence in the city and region during the coming year.”

The media release continues, “while implementing these initiatives, the orchestra also reduced its operating cost structure by more than $1 million per annum over the last two years. Board chair Brent Kelman noted that ‘this cost cutting entailed painful sacrifices by all musicians and orchestra staff. Their personal commitment, which enabled the orchestra’s survival through a financial crisis almost two years ago, can hardly be overstated’. With cost issues now substantially resolved, Bravo’s primary concentration has become orchestra revenues. The new focus will be on increasing ticket sales to both traditional and new audiences, as well as attracting new forms of corporate support.”

Earlier this week, Orchestra London (led by guest conductor Daniel Warren) presented a program called “The Sounds of Korea”. The collaboration featured the music of composer/arranger Serin Hong and his World Music Players, and integrated orchestral textures with traditional Korean instruments and melodies. Speaking about the collaboration, Mr. Hong noted that “it was really difficult to bring together the sounds of Western and Eastern musical styles, as almost every instrument from Asian counties is in a certain key, it was a big challenge for me to create new chord progressions and rhythms to make them harmonize. It is the Korean community’s and my honor to represent Korean traditional music which is an integral part of our heritage. I want all listeners to think about harmony mixed with oriental sounds and dynamics. I hope everyone will enjoy the performance.”