Orchestras Canada

The Orchestre symphonique de Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean has launched its 2012-2013 season, five full orchestra programs (all performed at home in Saguenay, and some repeated in Alma and Dobeau-Mistassini) and a chamber series, all under the leadership of music director Jacques Clément. Featured soloists include violinist Alexandre Da Costa, pianist Jimmy Brière, and Tango Boréal, among others. The chamber series prominently features the orchestra’s resident string quartet, the Quatuor Alcan. For more information about the orchestra, please visit lorchestre.org.

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra has launched its 40th season, a nine-concert series at Winnipeg’s Westminster United Church assembled by music director Anne Manson. Special guests include Janina Fialkowska, Tracy Dahl, Roy Goodman, Scott Yoo, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Daniel Taylor and The Winnipeg Singers, and highlights include a “near replica” of the first-ever MCO concert; the completion of a recording project; a performance of Hans Krása’s children’s opera from Theresienstadt, Brundibar; and a series of lively pre-concert activities, often accompanied by a box dinner. For more information, please visit themco.ca.

January 28 to February 3, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra presents its 21st annual New Music Festival (NMF) – this year focusing on music from Nordic cultures, particularly Iceland.

The festival is a typically intrepid NMF mix, marrying outstanding local and Canadian artists with distinguished international visitors. Here’s a quick rundown:

Local stars: the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, led by Alexander Mickelthwate; the Canadian Mennonite University Chorus; Prairie Voices; WSO principal violist Daniel Scholz (featured in Giya Kancheli’s Styx); Groundswell Ensemble; and composers Vincent Ho, Jim Hiscott, Gordon Fitzell, Michael Matthews, Diana Macintosh, and Jesse Plessis (a student at Brandon University who recently won the Canadian Music Centre’s Emerging Composer award).

Canadian guests: cellist Shauna Rolston (performing a new concerto by Vincent Ho for carbon fibre cello and orchestra), dance troupe La La La Human Steps, composers Alexina Louie and Tim Hecker.

International visitors: violinist Jennifer Koh, composers Kaija Saariaho, Daniel Bjarnason, Nico Muhly, Valgeir Sigurdsson, Gavin Bryars, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Atli Heimir Sveinsson

Venues: Centennial Concert Hall, Westminster United Church, Winnipeg Art Gallery

In line with Glenn Buhr’s long ago comment that “the New Music Festival is better than Christmas: it lasts longer, and it’s way cheaper”, Festival passes are a distinct bargain: $99 (regular) $89 (senior) $59 (student). For more information please visit newmusicfestival.ca.