Orchestras Canada

Just a few weeks ago, two stellar individuals from the Canadian orchestral community – Walter Homburger, CM and Yannick Nézet-Séguin – were honoured at the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala for 2010. Mr. Homburger received an Award for Lifetime Achievement, and Maestro Nézet-Séguin the National Arts Centre Award. Well, the Awards are annual – and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation has announced a June 21 deadline for nominations for the 2011 Awards. Awards are presented for lifetime artistic achievement in the fields of theatre, dance, classical music, popular music, film, and radio and television broadcasting, as well as voluntarism in the performing arts. To learn more, and to download nomination materials, please visit the Foundation’s website here.

Last week, musical Canada mourned the passing of bassoonist, writer and canoe-builder Kenneth Solway — one of the founders of Canada’s award-winning Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir — who died at the age of 56.  ”During the 25th anniversary celebrations, I remember speaking to the audience from the stage, publicly thanking Kenny and Susan, who were in attendance that day,” Tafelmusik music director Jeanne Lamon said Thursday in a message to the organization.  ”I thanked them for their vision, devotion, leadership and hard work. Without them, we would not be here today.”

On April 13, Madame Christine St-Pierre, Quebec Minister of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women, presented a declaration to the Assemblée nationale recognizing composer Gilles Tremblay as a national treasure.  In celebration, almost 15,000 of the province’s young musicians (in an initiative coordinated by the Canadian Music Centre in Quebec and the Fédération des associations de musiciens éducateurs du Québec) either performed or listened to a work by Gilles Tremblay.  In addition, the month of April will feature no fewer than six concerts focusing on the composer’s work, in Montréal, Québec and Toronto.

Orchestra manager, consultant, impresario and artist manager Walter Homburger is receiving a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Life Time Achievement in Ottawa on May 1. In celebration of this event, Orchestras Canada is putting together a scrapbook that will be presented to Walter in early May. If you worked with Walter and have photos or memories you’d like to share, we’d love to be able to pass them on to Walter.  You can send them to us via email at jennifer@oc.ca or you can mail them to Orchestras Canada at 203-460 College Street, Toronto ON  M6G1A1.  Our deadline for inclusion in the scrapbook is April 30.

The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards has just announced the winners for 2010, and they include two people central to orchestral life in Canada – Walter Homburger (Life Time Achievement Award) and Yannick Nezet-Seguin (National Arts Centre Award).  Here are excerpts from the citations for these two great Canadians:

Orchestra manager, consultant, impresario and artist manager, Walter Homburger has been a driving force in the development of orchestras and classical music in Canada for over half a century. He has promoted a succession of extraordinary artists (including Glenn Gould, Victor Braun, Jan Rubes, Louis Lortie, and James Ehnes), and his unrivalled 25-year term as managing director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) set new standards for orchestra management in Canada and became a model for following generations of music directors and managers.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin is one of the fastest-rising stars on the international classical music scene. Acclaimed by musicians, audiences and critics alike for his musicality, dedication and charisma, he is in great demand as a symphonic and operatic conductor and has appeared with leading orchestras around the world.

The awards will be presented in Ottawa on May 1.

The Ontario Arts Council has announced that the Heinz Unger Award for 2010 has been awarded to Michelle Mourre, Artistic Director of the Brandon Chamber Players.  The award is presented every two years to an emerging professional conductor who has experience at a professional, semi-professional and/or community orchestra.  The jury noted that Ms Mourre has a “lot to offer and say as a Canadian musician and conductor.”  Prior to joining the Brandon Chamber Players, Mourre distinguished herself as Conductor in Residence with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and more recently, with her successful debuts at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Nova Scotia.

The Prince George Symphony has announced a restructuring of its staff team in response to its financial situation.  General Manager Elizabeth Aman-Hume has stepped down; a number of her duties will be assumed by Ruth Langner.

Friday, January 22 marks the birthday of Walter Homburger, one of Canada’s most distinguished arts administrators and impresarios, and manager of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1962 to 1987.  Happy birthday, Walter!

On Monday, January 18 Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced a significant cabinet shuffle.  Among many other shifts, Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll has left Cabinet, and Culture (which has been a stand-alone Ministerial appointment since the early 2000s) has been re-combined with Tourism.  The new Minister of Tourism and Culture is Michael Chan, MPP for GTA riding Markham-Unionville.  According to the government announcement, Minister Chan will “work to establish Regional Tourism Organizations in regions across Ontario and promote Ontario’s natural beauty, vibrant cities and towns, and thriving cultural attractions to visitors from all over the world. He will also lead our efforts with Ontario’s cultural industries to create new jobs and opportunities for Ontario families.”

The Canada Council for the Arts has appointed Robin Ghosh as its new Director, Finance & Administration, effective February 8, 2010.  Before establishing his own consulting firm in 2008, Mr. Ghosh, a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Public Accountant, worked for more than 20 years at Canada Post Corporation as Senior Director, Asset Valuation; National Director Finance, Mail Operations; and Director , Information Systems Management, where he developed policy and coordinated operations across six regions.