Orchestras Canada

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.

We send our very best wishes to Peter Herrndorf , CEO of the National Arts Centre, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment. Mr. Herrndorf will take a planned medical leave, starting in April. During that leave, long-time Managing Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Christopher Deacon, will serve as interim CEO.

Symphony Nova Scotia has announced that Janice Fuller will be serving as Interim Director of Communications and Marketing during Heidi MacPhee’s parental leave. Janice and Heidi will work together until the end of February, then Janice takes over.

The Saskatoon Symphony has announced that long-time principal cellist Linda Bardutz is returning to her position at the SSO. In their media release, the SSO notes, “as one of our most highly accomplished musicians, the Saskatoon Symphony looks forward to Linda resuming her role as a valued member of the SSO and Saskatoon’s musical community for many years to come.”

On Saturday, November 5, Orchestras Canada executive director Katherine Carleton presented the Betty Webster Awards for 2011 for regional contributions to cellist and musician leader Marsha Moffitt at a Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra main series concert at Hamilton Place. This follows the September 30 presentation of the Betty Webster Award for national contribution to Dr. David Leighton at a concert by the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, and completes the presentation cycle for 2011.

It’s humbling to be in the presence of people who have given so much for the cause of orchestras, and a true honour to be able to thank these people in the presence of their friends and fans. Orchestras Canada would like to thank our colleagues at the National Arts Centre and the Hamilton Philharmonic for their willingness to host the presentations, and for doing so with such impeccable style:

For the National Arts Centre Orchestra:
Christopher Deacon, Peter Herrndorf, Stefani Truant

For the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra:
Annelisa Pedersen, Robin Marritt, Kari Hueber

The National Arts Centre has announced the renewal of Maestro Pinchas Zukerman’s contract as the NAC Orchestra’s Music Director for four more years, to August 31, 2015.  The decision to renew Mr. Zukerman’s contract was unanimously approved by the National Arts Centre Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of NAC President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Herrndorf.  In a statement Mr. Herrndorf said, “Pinchas Zukerman’s gift of music has delighted audiences across Canada and internationally. For more than a decade the National Arts Centre has benefitted from his leadership on the podium, his extraordinary artistry as a soloist, and his deep commitment to music education. We are thrilled this relationship will continue.”

Congratulations to Bernard Labadie, music director of Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Quebec, who will make his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra this weekend in Bach‘s St. Matthew Passion.  He will not be the only Canadian on stage, either:  celebrated contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux will be one of the six soloists for these performances.