Orchestras Canada

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.”

Tomorrow night, May 15, Timothy Vernon conducts his final concert as Music Director of Orchestra London after 10 years of service.  Under the title of Music Director Laureate, he will return in June to conduct the orchestra’s opera production, Giulio Cesare, and will also lead several concerts during the 2010-11 season.  Maestro Vernon states, “This is not goodbye, but ‘until we see each other again’.  It has been a thrilling privilege this last decade to work with such fantastic, marvelous, and dedicated musicians.”

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.

Orchestra London and the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy (COAA) have just announced a partnership that will result in the continuation of an annual, fully staged annual professional opera production in London.  Together the organizations will present Georg Friedrich Händel’s Giulio Cesare June 3, 5 &6, 2010 at London’s Grand Theatre.

Orchestra London previously presented five fully staged professional operas from 2005-2009, including Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in tandem with Pacific Opera Victoria.  “The previous productions were extremely successful both artistically and with the public, with rave reviews and sold-out houses,” says Orchestra London Executive Director Joe Swan. “This emerging collaboration with COAA allows us to maintain the artistic quality Londoners have come to expect with a sustainable business model.”

The COAA is a three-week intensive opera training program based at the University of Western Ontario‘s Don Wright Faculty of Music, which recruits faculty and students from all over the world.  The Giulio Cesare artistic team will be lead by Director Timothy Nelson, COAA’s Artistic Director and founder of American Opera Theater; and Conductor Timothy Vernon, Orchestra London’s Music Director.  Starring in the lead role of Cesare is counter tenor Drew Minter, who appeared in Peter Sellars’s film version of Giulio Cesare. Italian-Canadian soprano Lucia Cesaroni, who appeared in Orchestra London’s 2009 production of The Magic Flute, stars as Cleopatra.

“We are delighted to work with Orchestra London to continue professional opera in London,” says Sophie Louise Roland, General & Artistic Director for COAA. “This is a great opportunity for COAA to contribute artistically to the project and for our young artists to receive mentoring from the professionals,” she adds.

For more information about the project, please visit here.

On March 21 – the first day of spring – Orchestra London and the London Military Family Resource Centre are collaborating on a musical salute to local troops and their families.  Admission is free, with goodwill donations collected in support of the LMFRC & Orchestra London.  The program features wartime songs, fanfares and big band numbers, and it features the orchestra along with special guests The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Band, the London Police Pipes and Drums, soprano Amber Cunningham, and orchestra members Sigmar Martin (violin), and Shawn Spicer (trumpet).

Last night, Orchestra London presented a Canadian Contemporary Music Celebration in partnership with the Don Wright Faculty of Music at The University of Western Ontario.  The program was led by UWO faculty Paul Frehner and Colleen Richardson, and the program included works by Brian Current, Michael Oesterle, Chris Paul Harman, and Frehner himself.

“Orchestra London is thrilled to join with our friends at Western on this exciting and worthy event,” says Joe Swan, Managing Director for Orchestra London.  “Part of Orchestra London’s mission is to support and foster Canadian creative musical talent, and this event is a great opportunity to showcase world-class Canadian composers.”

Orchestra London is presenting a total of five performances of The Sleeping Beauty – four for school audiences and one for a family audience – with London-area acting troupe  this week.  According to the media release, “the concerts combine a parody of the famous fairy tale with Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Suite and volunteer participation from the audience.”

This is the second annual collaborative venture for the two groups:  in 2009, Orchestra London partnered with Duffle Bag Theatre for The Adventures of Robin Hood, a production that delighted thousands of schoolchildren across the London region.

Over 2700 school children from twenty local schools will take in the weekday performances at Saunders Secondary School.  Mitch Tyler, a music teacher at Saunders Secondary School,  will conduct.

“Romantic movie music plays a large role in many films that kids enjoy (from Harry Potter to Star Wars),” says Mitch Tyler. “And the music in this production functions in a similar fashion, alternating between complete focus on the orchestral performance and the use of the music to support the stage action. Seeing the conductor using a power drill might appeal too, I would guess!”

For more information, please visit here.