The Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil will kick off its 25th season with an outdoor concert on August 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Parc de la Cité in Saint-Hubert – a site able to accommodate up to 20,000 audience members! The concert, led by OSL music director Marc David, will feature tenor Marc Hervieux and the repertoire will celebrate classical and popular works from Quebec and the Francophonie. As a prelude to the concert, members of the Orchestre symphonique des jeunes de la Montérégie (led by Luc Chaput) will give a short performance.

The Regina Symphony Orchestra has announced details of this summer’s outdoor concert, set to take place in Wascana Park on Sunday, August 22nd. The program, led by RSO music director Victor Sawa will feature music by Mozart, Brahms, celebrated film composers, and Tchaikovsky’s inevitable 1812 Overture, as well as an ode to the Saskatchewan Roughrider centennial! It’s an action-packed day, with pre-concert family entertainment from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the RSO performance running from 5 to 7 p.m. And this year, the event is even more special than usual, as a number of sponsors have teamed up to allow the orchestra to make the concert a free admission event. For more information, please visit here.

The brass quintet of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra continues its free concert tour of Windsor and area this August, with Quintets and Sunsets, part II! You can hear the group perform favourites from Gershwin & Berlin to Mozart & Handel on August 14 at 7 p.m. at Navy Yard Park in Amherstburg, and on August 15 at 7 p.m. at Coventry Garden in Windsor East.

The University of British Columbia School of Music is presenting a special concert series in BC’s lower mainland in collaboration with the Taipei National University of the Arts from July 16 to 25. The TNUA is the most prestigious training institution for the arts in Taiwan, and has enjoyed a formal partnership with UBC since 2007. The series includes performances with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and what’s billed as a “the largest gathering of bassoonists to play on a stage in Canada!” with student bassoonists from UBC and TNUA, along with members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and National Broadcast Orchestra, all accompanied by a choir and dancers. “This is a great event and further strengthening of our wonderfully productive and stimulating relationship. We are delighted to welcome the students and faculty to Vancouver again,” said Martin Berinbaum, Director, UBC Summer Music Institutes. For more information about the concerts, you can visit here.

And as for summer concerts in the future…earlier this month, the board of directors of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières confirmed its support for the construction of a new amphitheatre, to be built on the shores of the St. Lawrence River by the city of Trois-Rivières. Board chair Jean-Marc Vanasse underlined the central role that the facility will play in allowing the orchestra to offer a summer season; for his part, music director Jacques Lacombe highlighted his interest in turning the new facility into a venue for collaboration between the orchestra and the other performing arts. For more information, please visit here.

Meanwhile, the National Arts Centre and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra have decided not to proceed with Project Niagara, a combined effort to launch an international summer music festival in Ontario’s Niagara region. Citing “a complex economic and political environment that made it difficult to secure government capital funding for the Project”, NAC President and CEO Peter Herrndorf stated “it’s been an extraordinary labour of love for everyone involved. And we very much hope that others will follow in our footsteps to pursue this dream in the years to come.”

The Regina Symphony Orchestra is presenting its second annual Symphony Singing Star contest, a two-pronged fundraising event that also serves to identify local talent.  The contest calls for singers older than 14, prepared to audition a capella for judges at Regina’s Cornwall Centre on April 24.  The top ten audition participants will go on to compete in front of an audience at the Casino Regina Show Lounge on Wednesday, May 12 – and the grand prize is the opportunity to perform with the RSO during its 2010.2011 Season.  And what does the audience get?  A dessert buffet, great entertainment and a ballot to vote for their favourite vocalist, all for a mere $30.

For more information, please visit the RSO website here.

The Niagara Symphony has announced the appointment of Karen A. Bannister to the new position of Resource Development Manager effective November 9, 2009 – completing the Symphony’s new administrative team.  Ms Bannister holds a Bachelor of Arts, Honors degree in Drama from Queen’s University and a Psychology degree from McMaster University. She is also a graduate of the Income Managers Program, which trains individuals in fundraising and marketing principles specific to the arts community.  She began her career at the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto but for the past six years has worked in various resource development positions at the Shaw Festival – from Marketing Manager and Corporate Sponsorship Manager to her most recent position as Senior Associate of Membership. Karen resides in Niagara Falls with her husband and young son.
 
The Regina Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of Brenda Sherring, who will serve as the orchestra’s Interim Executive Director during Natasha Bood’s one-year maternity leave.  Ms Sherring began her duties at the RSO on October 26. 

Earlier this week, Betty Webster (former Executive Director of Orchestras Canada) was one of twenty Ontarians to be awarded the Ontario Senior Achievement Award, at a ceremony in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite at Queen’s Park.  The awards recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to their communities after turning 65 – and we were proud to have played a role in Betty’s nomination!

On October 10, the Regina Symphony Orchestra presented arts patron Jacqueline Shumiatcher with an honorary life membership.  The RSO’s citation for Ms Shumiatcher tells why:
Jacqui’s involvement with the Symphony has been long standing. During the 1950’s, not only was she a subscriber, but she was involved with the Regina Symphony Women’s Association. During the 1970’s she joined the Board of Governors and served as the first chair for advertising. As a patron and donor we know her for the banners that hang above the stage during the Masterworks concerts and the very popular Pops series and it doesn’t stop there. In supporting local composers such as David McIntye and Elizabeth Raum and for introducing Regina audiences to Hung Kuan Chen, husband of a close family member. Most re-cently being a member of the RSO’s Centennial Committee and attending almost every RSO event—from Chamber Players shows at Bushwakkers to our Masterworks, Pops and Special concerts—she is a true lover of music! The Regina Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to honour Jacqui as a lifetime member of the RSO family.”  Congratulations to all!
 
Louis Bernier, board chair of the Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil has confirmed the appointment of Gilles Choquet in the role of directeur général of both the OSDL and its Foundation.  M. Choquet comes to the role with over 30 years’ professional experience with major financial institutions.  He has also been an active volunteer with the orchestra. 

The National Arts Centre has recently announced some changes in the Centre’s Communication team.  Long-time National Arts Centre Orchestra communications officer Jane Morris will be retiring at the end of October, after 32 years at the NAC.  As she stated in her farewell email, “it has been a wonderful, thrilling, challenging, occasionally glamorous place to spend these many years, and I wouldn’t have stayed so long if I hadn’t enjoyed it so much. To be in an environment through which a steady stream of performing artists flows has been a constant delight, and I have had the pleasure of working with a wide assortment of dedicated, hard-working and talented colleagues.”  Ms Morris will be succeeded by Gerald Morris, who has been serving as the NAC’s Dance Communications Officer.

And, late last week, the NAC announced the appointment of veteran journalist Rosemary Thompson as Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the NAC, effective November 2.  She succeeds Jayne Watson, who has been appointed CEO of the National Arts Centre Foundation.  “We are thrilled to have Rosemary on board,” said Peter Herrndorf, President and CEO of the National Arts Centre. “She brings a pan Canadian view to the position, having lived in both the eastern and western parts of Canada. Her experience and extensive contacts will be invaluable as we continue working with artists, arts organizations and arts educators across the country.”