Au Revoir - programme

Message from the Premier

Hon. Dr. Andrew Furey Premier

Congratulations to the esteemed Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) on the launch of their 2024-2025 season. The NSO remains a cornerstone of Newfoundland and Labrador’s cultural arts scene, captivating with diverse programming that embraces pop culture, broadening appeal across generations. In 2023-24, the NSO engaged communities by offering in-school and virtual programs for students and free online concerts for seniors, enriching lives through music. As they begin this new season, the NSO honours maestro Marc David for his remarkable 30-year career, shaping the orchestra’s legacy and leaving a lasting impact on Newfoundland and Labrador’s cultural landscape. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador proudly supports the NSO, recognizing its pivotal role in enriching our province’s arts and culture sector.

Message from the Mayor On behalf of the City of St. John’s, I extend warm greetings to the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra as you embark on your 2024/2025 season with the inspiring theme of “Resonance.” This season holds special significance as you celebrate the remarkable 30-year career of Maestro Marc David. His dedication, passion, and leadership have left a lasting mark on the NSO, resonating deeply with audiences in our city and beyond. The arts play a crucial role in enriching our lives, fostering creativity, and bringing people together. The NSO’s commitment to delivering exceptional musical experiences reflects the vibrant cultural landscape we’re fortunate to have in St. John’s. Your performances not only entertain but also inspire and uplift, creating lasting moments. As we celebrate this milestone season, my sincere gratitude goes to the musicians, staff, volunteers, and supporters of the NSO. Your tireless efforts ensure the symphony thrives and resonates with audiences of all ages. I’m confident that this season will be filled with memorable performances that leave a lasting impact. Congratulations to Maestro Marc David on his illustrious career, and best wishes to the NSO for a successful and resonant 2024/2025 season.

Danny Breen Mayor of St. John’s

Message from the Lieutenant Governor

Joan Marie J. Aylward, O.N.L., B.N., R.N. Lieutenant Governor of NL

As Honorary Patron, it is my pleasure to extend best wishes to the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra for the 2024/2025 season. Once again, the NSO will delight audiences with a season full of performances for many different musical tastes. This year’s theme is “Resonance”. Indeed, the NSO resonates throughout our province and contributes much to our rich artistic culture. Now with 84 members, the NSO has come a long way since its inception as a fledgling ensemble in 1962. This season also marks the final one for Principal Conductor Maestro Marc David. For 30 years the Orchestra has been guided by his steady hand. We join with you in celebrating his contributions, and his leadership with the NSO. Thank you Maestro Marc David for all the joy you have brought for audiences over your years with the NSO. I hope you will enjoy each performance this year. To the musicians, staff, crew, and all who play a part within the NSO, I wish you the best for your season, which I am confident will resonate with pride for audiences throughout the province. We are so proud of you, and we celebrate your continued success as you begin your new season in the Year of the Arts. Bravo!

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AU REVOIR

Saturday, May 10, 2025 • St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre

Marc David, conductor

Presented by

PROGRAMME W.A. Mozart

Mass in C Major, K. 317 (Coronation Mass)

55 min.

with the Philharmonic Choir of the NSO (Stephen Candow, conductor)

Guest Soloists:

Wendy Woodland, soprano

Alanna Fraize, mezzo-soprano Jeffrey Taylor, tenor Nick Leblanc, baritone

I. Kyrie II. Gloria III. Credo IV. Sanctus V. Benedictus VI. Agnus Dei

INTERMISSION

L.V. Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’

I. II. III. IV.

50 min.

Allegro con brio Marcia funebre: Adagio assai Scherzo: Allegro vivace Finale: Allegro molto

We acknowledge the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the traditional territory of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province. We strive for respectful relationships with all the peoples of this province as we search for collective healing and true reconciliation and honour this beautiful land together.

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When I arrived in St. John’s for the first time in January of 1992, I was a young conductor, already beginning my

career working with orchestras in Quebec and other parts of the country. Coming to St. John’s for me might have been like heading somewhere new and different, but I quickly came to feel like I was coming home every time I arrived in St. John’s.

Arriving in St. John’s in those early days I met an incredible group of musicians – people like Peter Gardner, Don Wherry, Noel Veitch and others who had built the orchestra from its early days in the 1960s. The NSO is an orchestra like no other – it is truly a community of musicians, like a family, and includes professional full-time musicians, skilled players who work in other careers but make the NSO a part of their lives, along with community players and students. What we have built and continued to nurture here is a professional orchestra which is the envy of many others across Canada, and which serves the entire province.

As I depart, the NSO will be in good hands. The past 18 months have seen a well-planned and methodical search for a new Music Director & Principal Conductor which will culminate in a final decision by the end of May. The orchestra has long relied on the support of our donors – people like you – to ensure that key programs and performances can continue and grow, to serve communities across Newfoundland and Labrador. Today I am asking you to consider making a donation to support two very important areas of focus for the orchestra: Education & Outreach – during my time with the NSO, one of the most impactful aspects of my work has been engaging with students from across the province. These visits and collaborative sessions have been central to fostering a deep appreciation for instrumental music. Now, more than ever, this outreach is vital—as we strive to inspire young people and cultivate a lifelong connection to music, enriching their personal growth and their communities.

The David Collection – the NSO has undertaken a project in which I am curating a series of online concerts which will be preserved and reissued for our fans to enjoy for years to come. We hope to offer many of these free of charge for residents across the province to enjoy.

As I take my place for the last time at the podium as Music Director & Principal Conductor of the NSO, we are at a crossroads for the NSO, as it moves forward into the next exciting phase of its evolution. I encourage you to consider in this moment the importance of having a world-class professional orchestra here in your home province, and make your commitment with a one-time or annual donation to the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra.

It has been an absolute privilege to spend the past three decades coming to St. John’s to conduct this orchestra. I thank you all as subscribers and friends of the NSO, for your patronage and your support over the years. I hope to see you all again in the future.

- Marc David AU REVOIR

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MUSICIANS VIOLIN 1

CELLO

Heather Kao Dominic Greene Andy Kao Lauren Smee Whit Fitzgerald Gabriel Brodeur Natalie Finn Zhongli Hu Hannah Yaremko

Nathan Cook Nulibeth Ortiz Amy Collyer-Holmes Sandra Pope Nancy Bannister Katherine Shipley Pierre Kusters

BASS

VIOLIN 2 Nancy Case-Oates Carole Bestvater Elena Vigna Ilyas Duissen Jacquelyn Redmond Karen Hawkin Cathy Anstey Stewart Gillies Cathy Beehan

VIOLA Kate Read Ema Shiroma-Chao Chantelle Jubenville Rosaura Aguilar Mahina Graham-Laidlaw Norma Noseworthy Jonathan Stevenson

AU REVOIR

Frank Fusari Denise Lear Nick Howlett Matthew Hardy

FLUTE Michelle Cheramy Sarah Comerford

OBOE/ENGLISH HORN Annie Corrigan Kathy Conway-Ward

HORN Emily Dunsmore Doug Vaughan Michelle Stevenson Libby Brennan

TRUMPET Katie Sullivan Jill Dawe

TROMBONE Darren McDonald Erin Sullivan

BASS TROMBONE Andrew Cooper

PERCUSSION Rob Power

ORGAN Jenny Griffioen

CLARINET Glenn Rice Brenda Gatherall

BASSOON Grant Etchegary Nicole Hand

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GUEST ARTISTS Wendy Woodland (soprano) is a graduate of Memorial University’s School of Music. Based in Corner Brook, she is an integral part of the music scene in western Newfoundland and performs regularly with a variety of artistic organizations. She has also appeared throughout the province as an adjudicator, concert soloist, and has performed with Terra Bruce Productions, Artistic Fraude, Perchance Theatre, Opera on the Avalon and in recital with MUN Music Alumni. Her last appearances with the NSO were during the 2022-2023 season and she is honoured to be a soloist for Mozart’s Coronation Mass.

Alanna Fraize (mezzo-soprano) is originally from St. John’s. Described by Opera News as

having an “ample and robust” voice, Ms. Fraize has been praised for “barn burning” and “absolutely thrilling” performances. She has performed with companies such as Opera Australia, Opera on the Avalon, Calgary Opera, City Lyric Opera, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and more. Some performance highlights include L’Enfant (L’Enfant et les Sortilèges), Cherubino (I due Figaro by Saverio Mercadante), Aunt Hannah (Emmeline by Tobias Picker) and the filming of Ged Blackmore’s Ah the Sea for The Rock Performs with Opera on the Avalon. Alanna holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music degree (Voice) and a Professional Studies Certificate (Voice) from Manhattan School of Music in New York City. She is currently a certified teacher with The Royal Conservatory (RCM) and is a co-owner of Greene Fraize Music Studio in St. John’s, NL. Previously, Ms. Fraize has performed with the NSO as the Mezzo Soprano soloist in The Lord Nelson Mass and the Mozart Requiem. She is also an alumna of the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Orchestra (Calos Youth Orchestra). Ms. Fraize is thrilled to be returning to perform with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra for the “Au Revoir” concert under the baton of Maestro David once again.

Jeffrey Taylor (tenor) was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. He holds

a Master of Music in Vocal and Opera Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, and earned his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Jeffrey operates a busy private music studio in St. John’s where he teaches both voice and piano to children and adults of all ages. Jeffrey is the Music Director at King’s Bridge Montessori School, an examiner with Conservatory Canada, and an adjudicator for local festivals. Jeffrey’s performing career spans both Canada and the United Kingdom performing in operas, opera galas, oratorio, recitals, concerts, and musicals. He has performed many times with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (NSO) as the Tenor soloist for Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ, NSO’s annual “Big Ticket” benefit concert, Salve Regina, and most recently was the Tenor soloist in the Masterworks 4 concert, “The Armed Man”. Jeffrey is thrilled to be performing once again with the NSO, as the Tenor soloist for Mozart’s Mass in C Major, K. 137 (Coronation Mass).

He hopes you enjoy the concert and join in celebrating Marc David’s Au Revoir, after over 30 years with the NSO.

Nick Leblanc (baritone) (he/him) is a recent graduate of MUN’s Bachelor of Music program,

majoring in voice performance. With the MUN Opera Roadshow program, he has toured productions of L’enfant et les sortileges (Ravel) and La Cinderella (Rossini, Massenet) to schools across Newfoundland and Labrador. Nick has performed in multiple world premieres of new operas, including February (Opera on the Avalon), and Le phare, which he is in the midst of touring this month. He has also enjoyed performing as the baritone soloist for the past three years in Chebucto Symphony Orchestra’s Messiah From Scratch held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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PHILHARMONIC CHOIR OF THE NSO SOPRANO

ALTO

TENOR

Christa Ayris Carol Bajen-Gahm Karen Berglander Andrea Blair Mary Connolly Wilson Glenda Compton Joanne Faour Vicki Ficzere Nanette Goodridge-Power Beth Halfyard Amanda Hann Elizabeth Henderson Nancy Hickey Amanda Mansfield Helen Menchions Margie Murray Reed Allyson O’Brien Adriana Power Rolene Pryor Sunjung Pyon Jennifer Robbins Chanel Rolle Alma Singleton Gloria Small Oksana Tomkiv Ruth Wakeham

Anne Bown Judy Bradley Pauline Brophy Sandra Budden Marie Cahill Mary Cahill Lana Collins Marjorie Doyle Donna Hamilton Sophie Haven Janet Hewson Mary Lynn Hiscock Cathy Jackman Carol Joyce Donna Marie Kelly Dawn Mason Doris Mayo Antonia McGrath Christina McNeily Lorraine Michael Margaret Moore Barbara O’Keefe Kit Roberts Ann Ryan Melanie Ryan Kathy Skinner Sarah Smith Colleen Sullivan Margaret Wakeham Janet Whittaker Elizabeth Wright

Darrell Boone Barbara Canning Tom Connors Tommy Hall Jordan Kilfoy Ed O’Keefe Barry Roberts Richard Seale Eric Steele Rinalda Vlasova Christopher Williams

BASS Christopher Aylward Harry Bown Glenn Chafe Roy Chaytor David Eguiguren Michael Forde Paul Lundrigan Scott Moffatt Peter Ralph Eric Sheppard Christopher Stevenson Wolfgang Thomeier Graham Wakeham Bruce Woodland

Stephen Candow, conductor Dr. Phil Roberts, accompanist

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Marc’s impact is woven into every note we play.

With your help, that spirit continues.

Scan the QR code or call (709)722-4441 to support the music, the memories, and the momentum.

or visit nsomusic.ca/support AU REVOIR

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Kittiwake Dance Theatre Artistic Director: Yukichi Hattori

June 6 LSPU Hall 7:30pm Robert Azevedo

Jean Grand-Maître

Yukichi Hattori

Choreographers

Tickets available at showpass.com/metamorphosis

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Photo: Brad Clarke NSO Staff Marc David, Music Director/Principal Conductor Hugh Donnan, CEO Lynn Ann Pye, Patron Relations Manager Jennifer Brennan, Education & Outreach Coordinator Maria Penney, Marketing & Development Manager Dominic Greene, Personnel Manager Steve Power, Production Manager/Video Production/Editing Jenny Griffioen, Librarian Kyle McDavid, Graphic Designer

NSO Board Tom Hickey (Chair) Ian Penney (Vice-Chair) Paul McDonald (Past Chair) Douglas Wright (Treasurer) Conor Stack (Corporate Secretary) Jessica Chapman Heather McKinnon Michelle Davis Andrea Rose Duncan Fitzpatrick Glenn Colton

Alana Walsh-Giovannini Aimee Letto Robert Decker Jennifer Massey Jing Xia Karen Bulmer Chris Williams Amanda Mansfield Robert Thompson Charlie Byrne

P.O. Box 23125 St. John’s, NL A1B 4J9 709-722-4441 nso@nsomusic.ca

nsomusic.ca Learn more about supporting the NSO: