CSO Tour: Italy program

Welcome message from Dr. Tim Loreman, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University of Edmonton I am certain that you will enjoy this performance

emphasizing

unique

Canadian compositions by our worldclass nucleus group of the Concordia Symphony Orchestra. The CSO has brought culture, vibrancy, learning, and great joy to our campus in Edmonton, Canada, under the capable direction of Dr. Danielle Lisboa and our Music Department

at

Concordia

University of Edmonton. I have seen them perform many times in venues in Edmonton and am very much looking forward to their performances in Europe as I join them for part of their tour. I look forward to sharing this wonderful experience with you, and I know that you will appreciate it every bit as much as I will.

The Concordia Symphony Orchestra The Concordia Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is a premier community orchestra hosted

by Concordia University of Edmonton, serving an important role within the Music department as well as being an outreach tool connecting the University with its community both in Canada and abroad. The orchestra's unique approach to repertoire features both orchestral standards and ethnic programming inviting our audience to broaden perspectives toward a blend of styles and music cultures. CSO is led by conductor Dr. Danielle Lisboa, a faculty member at Concordia University of Edmonton.

The CSO Chamber Nucleus background Although the Concordia Symphony Chamber Nucleus was developed before the pandemic, the group ended up becoming the main outlet for our musicians to engage and perform with each other during periods of gathering size and venue restrictions between March 2020 to September 2021. Typical rehearsal venues were private backyards (during indoor restrictions), or heated garages during the cold Canadian winter. These small ensemble activities proved vital for the participating musicians as a coping tool during the COVID-19 crisis as they strengthened their bonds in musicmaking. After the pandemic, the orchestra added a parallel Chamber Series to its regular season. The CSO Nucleus membership is composed of CUE faculty, students, alumni, and musicians from the Edmonton community.

PROGRAM

Scales of Joy and Sorrow I. Slow and expressive

MARJAN MOZETICH (1948-) Canadian composer/Ontario

Svitlana Remniakova, violin John Fedor, cello Ping-Shan Liao, piano

Petroglyphs Frank Ho, violin Raymond Leung, viola Katarina Loutas, cello Rosemarie Horne, piano

Divertissement pour Trompette, Cor, et Piano

RICHARD MASCALL (1972-) Canadian composer/ Ontario

PIERICK HOUDY (1929-2021) Canadian composer/Quebec

I. Lento Scott Watson, trumpet Richard Wiznura, French horn Rosemarie Horne, piano

Romance for French Horn and Piano Ross McLean, French horn Ping-Shan Liao, piano

ELIZABETH RAUM (1949-) Canadian composer/Atlantic Canada

S

Melody Svitlana Remniakova-Ostrovska, violin Ping-Shan Liao, piano

Birdsong

MYROSLAV SKORYK (1938-2020) Ukrainian composer

VIVIAN FUNG (1975-) Canadian composer/Prairies

Frank Ho, violin Ping-Shan Liao, piano

INTERMISSION Calla Lilies Stephanie Wong, oboe

MARJAN MOZETICH (1948-) Canadian composer/Ontario

CSO Nucleus strings Danielle Lisboa, conductor

Serenade for Strings, Op. 20 I. Allegro piacevole II. Larghetto III. Allegretto

EDWARD ELGAR (1857 -1934) English composer

CSO Nucleus strings and Orchestra dell'Università degli Studi di Firenze Gabriele Centorbi, conductor

Sonata para piano a 4 mãos Ping-Shan Liao, piano Danielle Lisboa, piano Old Photographs from “Constantinople” Frank Ho, violin John Fedor, cello Danielle Lisboa, piano

EDINO KRIEGER (1928-2022) Brazilian composer

CHRISTOS HATZIS (1953-) Canadian composer/Ontario

PERFORMERS Concordia Symphony Chamber Nucleus VIOLIN I

OBOE

CONDUCTOR

Frank Ho✦

Stephanie Wong*

Danielle Lisboa

Helen Emeny ✦ Linnea Barisoff

FRENCH HORN

Jessica Chen

Ross McLean Richard Wiznura

VIOLIN II

CUE Student*

Svitlana Remniakova-

CUE Faculty ✦

Ostrovska

TRUMPET

Song Gee

Scott Watson

Lydia Yu Harold Steinbrenner

PIANO Danielle Lisboa✦

VIOLA

Ping-Shan Liao✦

Raymond Leung*

Rosemarie Horne

Alan Dunn CELLO John Fedor Katarina Loutas**

CUE Alumni**

Orchestra dell'Università di Firenze The Orchestra of the University of Florence was formed in 1996 to give students and staff the opportunity to live the experience of ensemble musical practice as well as enrich individual musical and technical skills and knowledge.

In its over twenty years of activity, numerous international soloists have performed with the Orchestra of the University. From 2012 to 2015 the Orchestra has found a regular performing outlet in the "Tempio delle Muse", a concert review created by the Delegate for the artistic and performing activities of the University, Prof. Teresa Megale. The review was held for four editions in the various sections of the Museum of Natural History.

In a fortunate combination of music and science, the Orchestra has opened up to the Florentine community, offering free concerts, during which a classical repertoire is juxtaposed to new pieces or ones expressly created and arranged by contemporary composers taking part in the project. In October 2013 the Orchestra hosted the Belgian Leuven Orchestra, thus strengthening musical exchanges with other universities.

On October 26, 2016 it was the protagonist of a musical flash mob at the Library of Social Sciences, an initiative for which it received the appreciation of the Minister for Heritage, Cultural Activities and Tourism, Dario Franceschini.

In 2017, it performed together with the University Choir at the event Bright 2017 The Researchers' Night at Teatro Verdi in Florence (September 29) and at the traditional Christmas concert together with the Choir and the Theater Company at Cinema La Compagnia (December 18).

In order to promote a continuous exchange of knowledge with other symphonic ensembles, it participated in the festival of choirs and university orchestras organized by the University of Pisa (Pisa, Palazzo dei Congressi, 4 November 2017).

In 2018 it collaborated in the realization of the 16th edition of Università in Musica event, within the Church of Saints Michele and Gaetano in Florence together with the University Choir (May 24, 2018). As an ensemble it took part in ScienzEstate 2018 (Florence, Auditorium Sant'Apollonia, 11 June 2018).

Directed first by Nicola Paszkowski, then by Marco Papeschi, from May 2016 the Orchestra has been refounded by Maestro Gabriele Centorbi.

Gabriele Centorbi, Conductor In 2011, Gabriele Centorbi graduated in Violin from the Rinaldo Franci Superior Institute of Musical Studies in Siena. In 2019, he earned a

cum

laude

degree

with

honours

in

Orchestral Conducting at Florence’s Luigi Cherubini Conservatory under the guidance of Maestro Alessandro Pinzauti. He obtained a further degree in Band Orchestration and a Diploma

in

Experimental

Composition

in

2021. He conducted Beethoven's 7th and 8th Symphonies

at

the

Piccolo

Teatro

del

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. He led the “Giovanissimi” youth orchestra at the L. Cherubini Conservatory in Florence for two t years. From 2013 to 2017, he served as conductor of the Orchestra Poliziana, with whom he participated in numerous International Art Workshops in Montepulciano. In 2014, he was Roland Boer’s assistant in a production of “Orfeo ed Euridice,” and he conducted the opera’s third performance. He assisted at and now conducts the Cave Notas Orchestra. Since 2015, he has been the permanent conductor of the Alberto Bocci Orchestra a Plettro in Siena. In 2016, he was awarded Artistic Residency in his role as conductor of the “S'illumina” project promoted by the Società dei Concerti Barattelli of L'Aquila. Three times in a row has he won the triennial competition for the position of conductor of the University of Florence Orchestra, which he has directed continuously since 2016.

On 29 October 2019, the Ensemble of Clarinets of the Banda dei Carabinieri di Roma performed the premiere of his original composition “Wind Contrast” in the Sala del Buonumore of the Conservatorio di Firenze. In the summer of 2023, he conducted “Cavalleria Rusticana” in the Giugno Musicale Castellano Festival and “Tosca” in the Chianni Opera Festival. In the autumn of 2023, he was named conductor of the Polifonici Senesi chorus of Siena.

Danielle Lisboa, Conductor/Piano Brazilian-Canadian Danielle Lisboa leads an active career as an orchestral conductor, music

educator

conducting

and

community

scholar, and

regularly

professional

ensembles. Lisboa holds a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the Eastman School of Music University of Rochester, NY and

a

Master

degree

in

orchestral

conducting from the University of Houston, TX with emphasis in opera conducting. On arriving in Canada in 2008, she became Orchestra

Toronto’s

first

apprentice

conductor, was named assistant conductor two months later and shortly after was appointed the orchestra’s music director and conductor. During her tenure, Lisboa became known for her cutting-edge programming and public engagement. Her vision and dynamic leadership took Orchestra Toronto into new paths for outreach and youth initiatives, including the Marta Hidy Concerto Competition and the popular annual children’s concerts. Two years later she led Bellus Barbari, the Toronto Women’s Symphony Orchestra, in its inaugural Ontario tour.

Lisboa serves as Associate Professor of Music at Concordia University of Edmonton in the areas of conducting and music theory. Her research interests encompass topics of women and leadership, analysis and transcription of sacred rituals of native peoples of Brazil with partnerships and publications in Portugal and Brazil, and most recently, studies involving the use of immersive technologies in the conducting classroom. At CUE, Lisboa spearheaded Concordia’s first operatic project, developed a summer string camp for youth, and a provincial concerto competition. Lisboa is former music director and co-founder of the Edmonton Metropolitan Orchestra. Most recently, she led the Orchestral Training and Leadership workshop to mentor young conductors and orchestral players into leadership roles. Among her most recent speaking engagements is a talk at the 2023 International Conductors Guild Conference on the status of the “Maestra” on today’s orchestral podium held in Valencia, Spain. In July, Danielle Lisboa will serve as visiting scholar at the Southwest University in Chongqing, China leading the University Symphony Orchestra in a twoweek program.

Frank Ho, Violin Violinist Frank Ho enjoys a multi-faceted career as a chamber musician, soloist, and pedagogue.

He holds Bachelor of

Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University

of

Alberta,

as

well

as

a

Certificate in Performance and a Master of Music degree from Yale University.

His

principal

teachers

were

Evan

Verchomin and James Keene (Alberta College

Conservatory

in

Edmonton);

Sidney Harth and Erick Friedman (Yale School of Music); and Yfrah Neaman (Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England). He has participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists such as Franco Gulli, Steven Staryk, Gyorgy Pauk, and Jaap Schroder. His performing career as soloist and chamber musician has taken him across three continents. Highlights include concerts at prestigious venues such the Royal Festival Hall and the Purcell Room in London; Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Merkin Hall in New York City; and numerous campuses and concert series in western Canada. Many of his concerts have been featured on the CBC. Mr. Ho was the director of the Strathcona Conservatory of Music in Edmonton from 2005 to 2010, where he also maintained a private studio. He is currently a faculty member of the MacEwan University Conservatory of Music and sessional violin instructor at King’s University College, as well as a much sought-after private instructor.

His students have been prizewinners in local, provincial, and national

competitions in Canada, and many have been accepted to institutions such as the McGill Schulich School of Music, the University of Victoria, the University of Alberta, and the University of Ottawa. Mr. Ho is an active adjudicator at music festivals across the country and has been a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto since 2006.

Mr. Ho makes his home in Edmonton with his wife and three children. He currently performs on a violin by Toronto maker John Newton, and a bow by Canadian maker Reid Hudson.

Ping-Shan Liao, Piano Ping-Shan Liao has presented numerous piano

recitals

and

fascinated

audiences

worldwide with her passion for music. Her performing career has brought her to many countries such as the United States, Taiwan, China, Russia, and Canada. Throughout her career, she has also collaborated as a chamber and concerto pianist, performing concertos with the International Chamber Ensemble De Rome, Edmonton Festival City Winds, Prairie Jubilation Wind Ensemble, and the Concordia Symphony Orchestra.

Born and raised in Taiwan, Ping-Shan started her music study at a young age and was the prize winner of many competitions in Taiwan.

After graduating from the National Taiwan Normal University, she pursued her graduate studies in the United States and received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance & Literature from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. During her study at Eastman, Ping-Shan was invited to present a solo concert at the Alexander Goldenweiser Memorial Museum in Moscow, as well as being awarded to perform at the Taiwan National Recital Hall as part of the “Young Artists Series” concerts, which recognize the outstanding global achievements of Taiwanese musicians.

Besides her passion in performing, Ping-Shan has been serving as a piano adjudicator and clinician for many music festivals and competitions. Before moving to Edmonton with her husband and two daughters in 2005, she served as a Professor of Piano at the former Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alberta. Ever since, she has been teaching piano, piano pedagogy and music theory at the Concordia University of Edmonton.

Svitlana Remniakova-Ostrovska, violin Svitlana Remniakova-Ostrovska, a distinguished professional violinist hailing from Ukraine, is a luminary in the realm of classical music. Her educational journey culminated in a Diploma of Music from the P. I. Tchaikovsky State Music Conservatory in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Svitlana's extensive work experience spans continents, having worked in the symphony orchestras of Dniepropetrovsk, Kyiv, and Cairo, including engagements with orchestras and quartets in Berlin, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Serbia, China, Oman, Libya, and Jordan. Since relocating to Canada in August 2019, Svitlana has become a notable figure in the Canadian music scene, contributing to both performance and education. She is associated with institutions like Concordia Symphony Orchestra, Windermere Music Academy, and Innovations Music School, where her students have achieved distinction, winning international competitions in Slovenia, London, and Vienna. Notably, Svitlana is a co-organizer of the International String Connections Festival & Conference in Edmonton since 2020 and currently serves as the President of the Alberta String Association, exemplifying her commitment to fostering musical excellence and community engagement.

Stephanie Wong, Oboe

Stephanie is an oboist, pianist, harpsichordist, and specialist

in

early

winds,

and

has

recently

completed a music degree in modern oboe at Concordia University of Edmonton. She started playing the oboe during her former life as a research scientist and later took up the baroque oboe, before finally deciding to pursue a career in music. She has attended numerous early music workshops in Canada. Stephanie is principal oboe in Concordia Symphony Orchestra and is an active chamber

musician.

She

is

vice-president

of

Opus@12 Chamber Concert Society and is in a number of ensembles.

John Fedor, Cello Born in Edmonton, John Fedor began his cello

studies

at

the

age

of

ten

with

Josephine van Lier. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Alberta in 2010, under the direction of cellist Tanya

Prochazka.

From

2009-10,

John

performed as a member of the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific, studying under

Katinka

Kleijn

of

the

Chicago

Symphony, and Ariel Barnes, principle cello of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. John also completed the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific conductors program in 2010 and 2011 under the direction of Arthur Arnold of the Netherlands. John is also a current member of the Wild Rose String Quartet, established in 2008. ​From 2008-12, he worked with the Edmonton Public School Board Music Enrichment Program as an instructor and conductor. John also spent 9 years as director and conductor for the St. Martin Children’s String Society in Edmonton. In 2014, John received his Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Alberta. Since then, he is currently employed with the Edmonton Public School Board as an Assistant Principal.

Man Wui (Raymond) Leung, viola Man Wui Leung is a second-year international student from Hong Kong. A pupil of Frank Ho, he is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music

degree

at

Concordia

University

of

Edmonton and hopes to become a professional violinist. After completing his degree at CUE, Leung intends to go to Yale University for his Master’s degree. He currently teaches violin at Serendipity Music Studio.

Katarina Loutas, Cello Katarina’s love for the cello began when she was a small girl. Her grandmother Klara would sometimes sit in the dining room with her

cello

and

play.

The

emotion

and

resonance of the instrument went directly to Katarina’s heart and created a lifelong love for the instrument. She is proud to have inherited that very cello, which she enjoys playing at concerts. Katarina began her studies at age 12 in Grimsby, Ontario, with an extra-curricular orchestra group. Upon moving to Alberta in her teenage years, she studied under Victor Pipkin and later Ronda Metszies. She participated in ensembles such as the Obsessions Octet, the Alberta Baroque Ensemble and Nova Musica. She volunteered on the Executive Board for Sine Nomine Choir, a choir for Concordia University Concert Choir alumni singers.

Katarina is completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University ofAlberta this year. She is an on-call Probation Officer with the Alberta Department of Public Safety and Emergency Services.

Rosemarie Horne, Piano Rosemarie Horne is a passionate musician who has taught piano and performed for over 45 years.

She holds a bachelor’s

degree in Piano Pedagogy from Brigham Young

University

as

well

as

Associate

Performers and Teachers Degrees from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto.

Registered

Music

Teacher

she

As a teaches

piano, history and theory with her students winning awards at the local and provincial levels.

In addition to her teaching, she

enjoys accompanying various soloists and groups and is very involved in her church music.

Ross McLean, French Horn Ross McLean is a pathologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and father of five children.

He started playing horn at age 14 and played professionally

as

assistant

to

the

Calgary

Philharmonic horn section at age 19 (1977-78) and the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show (1977-1978).

Youth

He has played with the Calgary

Orchestra

and

Edmonton

Youth

Orchestra and the Concordia Orchestra in Montreal. Since returning to Edmonton he has played with Festival City Winds, Edmonton Winds, Edmonton Pops, Borealis Orchestra, and Concordia Symphony Orchestra. More recently, he has joined the Edmonton Philharmonic.

He has played with the World Doctors Orchestra in Dubai, Paris,

Houston, Dallas and is looking forward to joining them at the Sydney Opera House in Australia in 2024.

Scott Watson, Trumpet Scott Watson began playing trumpet at age 11. When he was 16, his school jazz band won the Canadian National Stage Band Festival.

Now a retired lawyer, Scott enjoys playing in a variety of amateur bands and orchestras around Edmonton.

Richard Wiznura, French Horn Richard Wiznura is a family physician in Edmonton with a passion for music. He began playing French horn in grade VII band class, and

is

thrilled

Concordia

to

be

University

included

with

the

Orchestra

tour

to

Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Italy.

Our heartfelt thanks to Concordia University of Edmonton’s President and ViceChancellor, Dr. Tim Loreman, the Provost and Vice President Academic Dr. Barb van Ingen, and the Director of International Relations, Dr. Xinxin Fang.

Thank you to our international partners: Fachhochschule Vorarlberg GmbH, Universität Liechtenstein, Università degli Studi di Firenze, and collaborators: Universität Freiburg/Université de Fribourg, Alexandru Ianos, Naomi Spicher, Veronika Favre, Mirjana Schädler, Karin Wüstner-Dobler, Katharina Devich, Professor Teresa Megale, Francesca Dell’Omodarme, and Gabriele Centorbi.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE!

Moraine Lake | Banff National Park, Alberta Canada