TSO Noteworthy—Fall 2017

Fall with the TSYO

Celebrating Canada Mosaic

The TSO & the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

FALL 2017

TS

Joaquin Valdepeñas, TSO Principal Clarinet TSO NOTEworthy • Fall 2017 • page 1

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Fall 2017 1

A note from Vanessa Fralick, TSO Associate Principal Trombone

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Fall with the TSYO

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Celebrating Canada Mosaic

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Welcome to our new Orchestra members

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The Toronto Symphony Orchestra & the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

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Bravo, Peter! Highlights from the early years

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Thank you to our partners

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Upcoming events

Design Egg Design

Photography (cover & pg. 1) Christopher Wahl (pg. 3) Josh Clavir (pgs. 4 & 5) Jag Gundu (pg. 7) Nick Wons (pg. 8) Cylla von Tiedemann (pg. 8) Courtesy of the Luminato Festival

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Noteworthy is distributed free of charge to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s donor community.

Charitable Reg. No. 10525 5335 RR0001

Vanessa Fralick, TSO Associate Principal Trombone

On a personal note

Dear supporter, With the 2017/18 concert season well underway, I wanted to let you know what a pleasure it’s been to share more beautiful music with you this fall—the fantastic writing for trombones in Schubert’s Ninth Symphony and Mahler’s Sixth Symphony was a particular highlight for me these past few weeks. It’s also been exciting to have so many new faces in the Orchestra. The terrific energy that the eight musicians who joined us this year have brought to the stage is inspiring and contagious.

Once again, for my second season, I have the privilege of acting as the Brass Coach for the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. The TSYO brass section is a really talented group of young musicians with a huge amount of potential. As their coach—and as a proud alumna myself—I know how much your passionate and committed support helps to nurture the musical and personal development of these dedicated young people.

This season is, of course, a special one, as we mark Peter Oundjian’s final season as TSO Music Director. It truly is the end of an era; as was the case for almost half of the current members of the Orchestra, Peter was the Music Director who hired me at my audition.

I am forever grateful for the opportunity to play for you, and I hope you will join us throughout the year to experience the array of musical celebrations in honour of Peter’s remarkable 14 years on the TSO podium.

The next time you attend a TSO concert, please know that all of the musicians on stage greatly appreciate the generosity of donors like you, and, most importantly, that your contribution is helping to build a sustainable future of artistic excellence for the TSO. On behalf of the musicians of the TSO,

Vanessa

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Fall with the TSYO

Highlights from the TSYO’s annual Camp Weekend and Fall Concert For over 40 years, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) has served as one of the country’s leading youth orchestras, dedicated to providing a high-level orchestral experience for talented young musicians aged 22 and under.

Now in its third year of being tuition-free—thanks to the support of our generous donors—the TSYO offers the opportunity for the best and brightest young musicians to participate.

Led by RBC Resident Conductor & TSYO Artistic Director Earl Lee, the TSYO holds weekly rehearsals between September and May, providing participants with expert coaching from select TSO musicians, masterclasses with world-renowned guest artists, and opportunities to perform orchestral masterworks.

This year, we invited 82 talented young musicians to join the TSYO. To kick off the program, students attended an intensive weekend retreat in October at the YMCA’s Geneva Park facility on Lake Couchiching, where they enjoyed 15 hours of rehearsals, coaching, and workshops, in addition to team-building and leadership activities. Faculty members included TSYO alumni Shane Kim (Violin Guest Coach) and Vanessa Fralick (Brass Coach).

TSO Principal Cello & TSYO Cello Coach Joseph Johnson with TSYO members at Camp Weekend

On November 12, the TSYO took the stage at George Weston Recital Hall for its first performance of the season. Earl Lee, who is a TSYO alumnus, guided the young musicians through an emotionally charged program featuring Verdi’s overture to La forza del destino, Smetana’s beloved “The Moldau” from Má vlast, and the haunting Symphony No. 5

by Shostakovich.

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60%

of TSYO members this year are new to the program.

Celebrating Canada Mosaic

The TSO’s nationwide project delivers music for the next 150 years The TSO was proud to have been selected by the Government of Canada to create Canada Mosaic— a year-long musical celebration—as a Signature Project of Canada 150.

To support the project, the Department of Canadian Heritage entrusted the TSO with stewarding $7.5 million toward the commissioning, production, and performance of an unprecedented amount of new Canadian music, which was an extraordinary vote of confidence in the TSO and the quality of its artistic endeavours.

Over the course of 2017, Canada Mosaic saw partnerships with over 40 orchestras, in every province and two territories, to commission over 50 new works by Canadian composers that were performed across the country.

Here are just a few highlights from Canada Mosaic. To learn more, and to hear all of this extraordinary music, visit TSO.CA/CanadaMosaic.

Composer highlight

Nicole Lizée Montreal-based composer Nicole Lizée shares the inspiration for her Sesquie (a two-minute piece composed for Canada 150), Zeiss After Dark, co-commissioned by the TSO and the National Arts Centre Orchestra: “Film and film techniques have long been an inspiration to my writing. Zeiss After Dark is my sonic interpretation of certain film effects—namely bokeh (the soft, out-of-focus backgrounds), flicker, and blur. Working with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra—and hearing my filmic interpretation come to life—was an unforgettable experience. It was a thrill to be a part of this project and celebrate Canada’s 150th. I would like to thank the sponsors and donors for their generous and invaluable support of new Canadian music.”

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TSO hosts a citizenship ceremony for Canada 150 On October 21, 2017, in partnership with Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada, the TSO hosted a citizenship ceremony at Roy Thomson Hall in advance of the performance of With Glowing Hearts, which celebrated the rich tradition of Canadian orchestral music.

Justice Albert Wong presided over the ceremony, and the event featured TSO Vice-President & Chief of Staff Roberta Smith as a guest speaker. Both addressed the importance of the arts as a critical part of our national identity. Fifty new Canadians took the Oath of Citizenship, officially joining our national family. They were then invited to attend the evening’s concert.

Victor Feldbrill on celebrating Canada’s musical legacy Victor Feldbrill was the Resident Conductor of the TSO from 1973 to 1975, and is one of Canada’s foremost champions of Canadian music. In 1974, he founded the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, and was its conductor until 1978. He returned to conduct the TSO at two Canada Mosaic concerts in 2017.

“I am delighted that the TSO dedicated two entire programs in the 2017 year to the celebration of these very fine Canadian works.”

“I owe my career to Sir Ernest MacMillan (famed TSO conductor from 1931 to 1956), who attended a performance by the University of Toronto campus orchestra in 1943. Then the conductor of the TSO, he invited me to conduct with the TSO when I was only 18 years old.

“I became a champion of his incredible music, like his Two Sketches Based on French Canadian Airs, as well as the music of Canadian composers like Somers, Beckwith, and Weinzweig, all of whom I came to know personally.

I performed their works around the world, in China, Japan, the Soviet Union, and Europe, and with the BBC in England, to name only a few places.

“I am delighted that the TSO dedicated two entire programs in the 2017 year to the celebration of these very fine Canadian works.”

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Clockwise from top left: Throat boxer Nelson Tagoona; curator Sandra Laronde with vocalist Fara Palmer and musician & dancer Michel Muniidobenese Bruyere; dancers Julie Pham and Jera Wolfe; Michel Muniidobenese Bruyere (photos by Jag Gundu)

The TSO celebrates indigenous culture with Adizokan The Orchestra partnered with Toronto-based indigenous dance company Red Sky Performance to create Adizokan, a truly unique concert experience and one of the TSO’s major commissions for Canada Mosaic. Directed and choreographed by Red Sky’s founder and artistic director, Sandra Laronde (originally from the Teme-AugamaAnishinaabe—People of the Deep Water—in Temagami, Ontario), the performance featured an evocative

medley of dance and film set to orchestral music by Canadian composer Eliot Britton. Nunavutbased throat boxer Nelson Tagoona shined as a soloist, as did vocalist Fara Palmer, and dancer and musician Michel Muniidobenese Bruyere.

Her Honour Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, attended the concert and offered her congratulations to the artists after the performance.

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Composer Eliot Britton, Her Honour Elizabeth Dowdeswell, throat boxer Nelson Tagoona, Red Sky Performance founder & curator Sandra Laronde, and composer Carmen Braden

Welcome to our new Orchestra members

Eight new musicians join the TSO The Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Peter Oundjian warmly welcomed the following musicians this season (as pictured from left to right): TSO Associate Principal Double Bass Michael Chiarello joins the TSO directly following his completion of a master of music degree at The Juilliard School. Before winning his current position, Mr. Chiarello performed extensively with The Philadelphia Orchestra at The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. TSO Violin Clare Semes is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a recent alumna of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, where she was a fellow for the 2016/17 season. In addition to serving as a concertmaster of the New World Symphony, she has served as concertmaster of The Juilliard Orchestra and the Verbier Festival Orchestra.

Born in Princeton, Kentucky, TSO Principal Percussion Charles Settle was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2017, and served as acting Principal Percussion since 2015. On a leave of absence during the 2008/09 season, Mr. Settle joined the New York Philharmonic as Percussion and Assistant Principal Timpani.

TSO Principal Flute Kelly Zimba is originally from Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania. Previously a flute fellow at the New World Symphony, she has performed with the Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Palm Beach Symphony Orchestras, and was a two-time fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center.

TSO Bass Clarinet Miles Jaques has performed with numerous ensembles including, most recently, The Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and Florida Orchestra.

Before moving to Canada, Mr. Jaques was a member of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida.

TSO Horn Nicholas Hartman joined the TSO as Fourth Horn in January 2017, after previously serving in the same role with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He has performed with orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the US and

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Canada, including the Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Houston Symphony.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, TSO Violin Douglas Kwon has performed as a soloist with the Allen Philharmonic, Conroe Symphony Orchestra, and Austin Civic Orchestra, among others.

As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with members of the Cleveland, Concord, Ravel, and St. Lawrence string quartets.

Born in Toronto, TSO Cello Alastair Eng previously served as Associate Principal Cello of the Canadian Opera Company for seven seasons. He has performed as Guest Principal Cello with the Santa Fe Opera as well as the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra & the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

A cultural exchange decades in the making On October 28, 2017, the TSO welcomed the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) to Roy Thomson Hall for a vibrant program.

On October 28, 2017, the TSO welcomed the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) to Roy Thomson Hall for a vibrant program that not only showcased the exceptional artistry of the IPO musicians, but also exemplified the power of orchestral music to express the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

Led by internationally revered conductor Zubin Mehta—who recently announced his upcoming retirement from the IPO—the visiting orchestra performed a suite from Israeli composer Amit Poznansky’s score to the award-winning 2011 film Footnote, in addition to works

by Ravel and R. Strauss. The only

Laurence Rubin, TSO Board Chair Catherine Beck, and Dr. Naomi Azrieli

Canadian stop on the IPO’s 2017 North American Tour, this sold-out performance was simply electric.

And the audience expressed their enthusiastic appreciation to Maestro Mehta and the members

Thank you to the following supporters for making the TSO’s presentation of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra possible: Catherine Beck & Laurence Rubin Mary Beck Judi & Mickey Cohen The Linda Frum & Howard Sokolowski Charitable Foundation The DH Gales Family Charitable Foundation of Toronto

Dr. Abraham J. Gelbloom & Mrs. Miriam Gelbloom Steve Gottesman & Liddy Beck and family The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation Anonymous

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of the IPO with an extended standing ovation.

The IPO last visited Toronto in March 1989, as part of a joint performance with the TSO, so its recent appearance not only reciprocated the TSO’s extraordinary performances in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv last season but also marked a welcome return to our city. This concert represented an important cultural exchange between our orchestras and our countries, which demonstrated the vital role that music and the arts play in strengthening global ties.

Bravo, Peter!

Highlights from the early years All season long, we will be taking a look back at key moments from Peter Oundjian’s illustrious career with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In this issue, we reflect on highlights from his first five years as Music Director.

Five Days in September

contemporary orchestral music, the Festival has showcased and premièred dozens of works from established and emerging composers alike. Peter’s first season also saw the creation of the Mozart Festival. Both festivals have continued throughout his 14-year tenure to popular and critical acclaim.

Live recordings

Comedy collaboration

Performing at Carnegie Hall

Photo courtesy of the Luminato Festival

Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

The TSO premièred Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy) on June 1, 2007. This comedic oratorio, commissioned by the Luminato Festival and written by Monty Python alumnus Eric Idle (who happens to be Peter’s cousin), has since gone on to tour internationally.

Peter led the TSO’s return to New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall in October 2008, after a 10-year absence, for a sold-out performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11.

The concert elicited a five-minute standing ovation, with “throaty bravos that rang through the hall” (Globe and Mail).

In 2008, Peter and the TSO launched tsoLIVE, a self-produced label of the Orchestra’s live concert recordings.

Eight recordings were subsequently released on the label, including Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, Vaughan Williams’s Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5, and Holst’s The Planets.

Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

The documentary Five Days in September: the Rebirth of an Orchestra provides an intimate look at the early days of Peter Oundjian’s tenure as TSO Music Director. The film, directed by Barbara Willis Sweete, chronicles Peter’s first week on the TSO podium through interviews with musicians, candid footage, and performance recordings—including appearances from renowned guest artists Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, and Emanuel Ax.

Festival showcases Peter has been an extraordinary champion of new music. During his first season with the TSO, he established the New Creations Festival. Celebrating the best in

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Thank you to our partners Upcoming events Open Rehearsals Experience the fascinating steps the Orchestra takes to prepare for a performance.

Messiah Sun, Dec 17, 2017 3:30–6:00pm

Doctor Atomic Fri, Mar 9, 2018 10:00am–12:30pm

Backstage Experiences Join TSO Production Manager Chris Walroth and TSO Principal Librarian Gary Corrin for an exclusive behind-thescenes experience at Roy Thomson Hall.

For Brass-level donors and above ($375+). Limited space available.

Tour dates subject to change.

RSVP early.

Tue, Mar 27, 2017 7:00–9:00pm

CORPORATE SUPPORT The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall

Divine Furniture Rental

Quince Flowers

Grano

The Shore Club

MEDIA & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

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RSVP We look forward to seeing you. To RSVP for an event, please contact Patron Services at 416.598.3375 or friends@TSO.CA.

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Thank you for your support.

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