Orchestras Canada

The International Artist Managers’ Association (IAMA) in collaboration with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM) and the International Exchange for the Performing Arts (CINARS) have announced that Montreal has been chosen as host city for the first-ever North American IAMA conference. This classical music business meeting takes place from November 6th through the 9th 2013. The conference is designed as a “unique crossroads, where musicians can meet with industry professionals from the four corners of the Earth, giving them an unprecedented opportunity to raise their international profiles.” For more information, please visit iamaworld.com.

The Saskatchewan Orchestral Association has announced details of its 2013 International Saito Conducting Workshop, to be held July 20 to 27 in Saskatoon. The workshop features instruction in the Saito conducting method with Wayne Toews and the instructional team of George Charpentier, Dianne Gryba and Bonnie Nicholson. For more information, please visit conductorschool.com.

McGill University is hosting its 11th Annual Bassoon Day on April 6. This year’s special guest will be Afonso Venturieri, principal bassoonist of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva. For more information about the event, please visit mcgill.ca.

Youth orchestras across the country are about to get an email from consultant C. Stephen Smith – and we urge you to take the time to read his email carefully, and respond! Mr. Smith has been engaged by Orchestras Canada to help us better understand the current situation and needs of Canadian youth orchestras. Step 1 in the process is a survey of Canadian youth orchestras; step 2 is a series of teleconference discussions with representatives from youth orchestras across the country on themes identified through the survey. Step 3 is the development of recommendations on the ways in which Orchestras Canada could be most useful to youth orchestras, working collaboratively with them as well as such organizational partners as the Association des orchestres des jeunes du Quebec (AOJQ) and the Saskatchewan Orchestral Association.

The study is being undertaken with the financial support of the Ontario Arts Investment Fund, and Task Force made up of Ken MacLeod of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra/Sistema NB (chair), Louise Richard (AOJQ), John Gomez (Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy), Diana Weir (Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra), Paul Dornian (Mount Royal Conservatory), Sheila Redhead (Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra), and Katherine Carleton (Orchestras Canada, ex officio).

For more information about the project, please contact Katherine Carleton via email at katherine [at] oc [dot] ca.

The 2011 Saskatchewan Orchestral Association International Saito conducting workshop with Wayne Toews will be held July 24 to 31 in Saskatoon, SK.  Participants will conduct duo pianists and a string orchestra. Applicants should have attained an undergraduate level of musical study. Experience with the Saito conducting method is an asset.  conductorschool.com

The Saskatchewan Orchestral Association is sponsoring an international conducting workshop in the Saito method with Wayne Toews on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan from July 11 to 18, 2010.  The workshop is suitable for experienced musicians working with professional, amateur and student ensembles.  The instructional team includes Dianne Gryba, Bonnie Nicholson and George Charpentier.   Comments from participants in previous workshops can be found here.

More information is available from www.conductorschool.com or by calling Wayne Toews at 306.373.6408.