Orchestras Canada

At least three Ontario orchestras will be announcing their 2010-11 seasons this week, including Sinfonia Toronto, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.  Might it be that they are launching now to maximize subscribers’ opportunities to renew before the 8% provincial tax increase kicks in on May 1?  We’ll summarize highlights in next week’s issue of Orchestra News, but in the meantime you can visit their websites here:

Sinfonia Toronto
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Windsor Symphony Orchestra

It was a big week for Canadian flutists!

Congratulations to flutist Robert Cram, first-ever recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Oskar Morawetz Award for Excellence in Music Performance. Mr. Cram received the award late last week, during the opening concert of the University of Ottawa Orchestra’s 2009-10 season.  Mr. Cram, an active advocate for new and Canadian music, was the principal flutist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra for 23 years.  He has been equally committed to solo work, appearing with NACO and many other Canadian orchestras.  He is the founder and artistic director of the Pierrot Concerts, an organization devoted to developing and performing contemporary Canadian music and music theatre works, and a dozen or more pieces have been written for him by composers including Harry Somers, Gilles Tremblay, Jacques Hétu, Steven Gellman, Patrick Cardy and Melissa Hui.

Congratulations as well to flutist, composer and conductor Robert Aitken, the winner of the 2009 Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts. The $50,000 prize, administered and presented by the Canada Council for the Arts, recognizes the highest level of artistic excellence and distinguished career achievement by Canadian artists who have spent the major part of their career in Canada in theatre, dance or music.  In awarding the prize to Mr. Aitken, the committee said, “A masterly force in the world of contemporary Canadian music, Robert Aitken has demonstrated for over half a century a tireless commitment to its development, performance and promotion in every corner of the globe. As a flutist, composer, interpreter and teacher, he is a distinguished innovator and continues to exert a strong influence on upcoming generations.” 

Last weekend, Symphony Nova Scotia Music Director Bernhard Gueller (not a flutist:  Maestro Gueller started his musical life as a cellist) was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, by Halifax’s Dalhousie University.  Dalhousie University’s honorary degrees are awarded to recognize individuals who, by their example of extraordinary achievements and service to society, provide inspiration and models of leadership and integrity to Dalhousie’s student body. Gueller, who recently renewed his contract with Symphony Nova Scotia for another five years, is recognized for his inspiring leadership of the Symphony and the connection he makes with audiences.  “I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive this degree,” says Gueller. “I see it as a wonderful recognition of the work done by all of us at Symphony Nova Scotia.” 

Nurhan Arman, Music Director of Sinfonia Toronto, has announced the appointment of Susan Lam as the orchestra’s new General Manager. Ms Lam comes from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra where she worked as Artist Liaison and Assistant to Artistic Administration.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) has announced a four-year extension of William Eddins’ contract as Music Director. Presently in his fifth season at the helm of the orchestra with one year remaining on his current contract, this extension will see Eddins conducting the ESO through the 2014-2015 season. This partnership, which began in September 2005, will mark a significant and stable period of artistic leadership for Eddins and the ESO. Since the professional establishment of the orchestra in 1952, only one other ESO Music Director reached the 10-year tenure, that being Uri Mayer, who held the position for 13 seasons, from 1981-1994.

Nurhan Arman, Music Director of Sinfonia Toronto, has announced the appointment of Canadian composer Heather Schmidt as the orchestra’s Composer-in-Residence for the 2009-2010 season.  In making the announcement Maestro Arman said, “I am thrilled that Heather Schmidt will be closely involved with us this year. I am looking forward to leading the world premieres of her new Piano Concerto and a Cello Concerto that she is writing for us, and working on many other projects together throughout the season. This appointment re-emphasizes Sinfonia Toronto’s commitment to Canadian composers.”
 
Earlier this week, Executive Director Katherine Carleton presented the first of this year’s Orchestras Canada Betty Webster Awards to Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, at the opening of their Toronto season of concerts.  The festivities continue in October, when award winners Kathy Humphreys (General Manager of the Kamloops Symphony) and Jeff Alexander (President and CEO of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) will be presented with their awards.  We are proud to salute these leading citizens in the Canadian orchestral community!

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has announced that Jennifer MacDonald will join the TSO Music Department as Artist Liaison/Assistant to Artistic Administration.  Jennifer comes directly to the TSO from Ottawa where, for the past two seasons, she has been Artistic Administrator of the highly successful Ottawa Chamber Music Society.  She holds a Bachelors degree in Music (piano) from Mount Allison and a Masters in Musicology from McGill.