Orchestras Canada

The Timmins Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2011-12 season, under the leadership of music director Matthew Jones. Designed as a celebration of the City of Timmins’ 100th anniversary, the season features a massed performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 (with players recruited from the colleague orchestras across Ontario’s near north) and a landmark season closer May 4 and 5, 2012: the world premiere of Heart of Gold, a new musical by composer Luc Martin and librettist Laureen Kuhl. Heart of Gold outlines the events that led to the founding of Timmins – the Porcupine Gold Rush (which led to the establishment of the Toronto Stock Exchange), the Fire of 1911, and the decision to establish a permanent community in Ontario’s northeast. Over 80 local volunteer actors, singers, dancers and orchestra members will take part. As well, the orchestra will present a three-concert chamber series, featuring the TSO’s professional musicians and friends.

On Saturday, April 2, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra and music director Matthew Jones, present a concert that features local Timmins talent. Concertmaster Angela Garwood will perform Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto #1, Principal Viola Ariane Alexander will perform the same composer’s Kol Nidrei, Principal Horn Roy Takayesu will perform one of Richard Strauss’s Horn concerto, and the program concludes with Music for Orchestra by Timmins native (and Gemini Award-winning composer) Luc Arsenault.

Said Matthew Jones, “What a delightful opportunity to showcase the dazzling talent that we are enjoying right here in Timmins. We really do have something to celebrate! Great music, great musicians and a great city to perform to!”

The Timmins Symphony Orchestra has announced that it will be expanding its program offerings in the new year, thanks to a new partnership with The Venture Centre / Le Centre de développement, a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and to the pursuit of economic growth. The School will be offering piano and percussion for children and adult learners, and its first Children’s Choir – and is now hiring three experienced music instructors to lead these new programs on a part-time basis.

A core program of the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, the Geoffrey James Lee School of Music is Timmins only nonprofit community music program, providing affordable lessons for children and adults in piano, percussion, brass, strings, woodwinds and music theory. There is also an extremely popular Kindermusik program for youngsters under 6 years of age and the Children’s Choir.

As Labour Day approaches, the excitement of new seasons starts to build. This week, three launch announcements:

The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra in Scarborough ON has announced its 25th anniversary season. Music Director Norman-Illis Reintamm will lead an 8-concert season that includes such highlights as the Finale of the Clifford Poole Piano Competition, a concert with the Canadian Jazz Quartet, a performance of Verdi’s Requiem with the Peterborough Singers and Pax Christi Chorale, and Mahler‘s 5th Symphony. The CBSO maintains a strong commitment to community, working in local schools and with up-and-coming musicians. cathedralbluffs.com

The Red Deer (AB) Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 24th season in 2010-11 – and its 20th anniversary with Music Director Claude Lapalme. In tribute, the program will include some of the very first pieces that Maestro Lapalme conducted with the orchestra 20 years ago, the premiere of a new work by the Maestro, and a very special performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Also included in the RDSO season is a 3-concert Chamber Series, featuring special guests and of course, musicians of the RDSO. For more information about the orchestra, please visit their website at reddeersymphony.com

The Timmins (ON) Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2010-11 season, a season that coincides with the 10th anniversary of Music Director Matthew Jones. Once again, the “other” TSO (that’s the Toronto Symphony Orchestra) opens the Timmins orchestra’s season, as part of its commitment to regular touring in Northern Ontario – and then the hometown Timmins group takes over with six orchestral concerts and a chamber series as well. Programming highlights include a world premier by local composer Luc Arsenault, a program made up entirely of audience favourites, and solo opportunities throughout the season for a number of the orchestra’s principal musicians, who also teach at the orchestra’s Geoffrey James Lee School of Music.

M. Guy Morneau, Chair of the board of Les Violons du Roy, has announced the retirement of Mme Louise Labelle, who has served as the orchestra’s Directrice generale since 2007, effective June 14. She will be succeeded by Mme Astrid Chouinard.

The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Aman-Hume as the new Executive Director of the  Sudbury Symphony Orchestra and Music School, effective immediately. Elizabeth was most recently executive director of the Northern Orchestra in the Prince George region of British Columbia.

The Timmins Symphony Orchestra and Geoffrey James Lee School of Music has announced the appointment of Frances Shakov as their new Executive Director. Frances comes to the TSO from Ballet Jorgen, where she served as General Manager.

Toronto Arts Council is pleased to announce that Christy DiFelice has joined as the Grants Officer responsible for its Music programs. Christy has worked with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 2006 as Manager of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Prior to that she worked with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Fine Arts Cultural Studies Department at York University. A graduate of York University (MA, Ethnomusicology/Musicology; 2008), her studies focused on musics and cultures of the African Diaspora, with a specialization in North American Jazz and Blues. Christy will assume her duties at TAC on July 19, 2010.