Prelude Magazine Spring 2024

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Official Program of the Calgary Philharmonic | Music Director Rune Bergmann | Spring 2024 | Volume 48 No. 3

Masters Gallery's Ryan Green on supporting and building appreciation of the arts Violinist Philippe Quint on his artistic partnership with award-winning composer Errollyn Wallen Q + A with Principal Bassoon Antoine St-Onge

Learn about the program that's working to get more women conductors on the podium Settling the debate for audiences on 'to clap or not to clap'

A FAMILY TRADITION Three generations of Calgary Phil fans



Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra 205 8 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 0K9 Box Office: 403.571.0849 calgaryphil.com

Devon Klaas Editor Omar Jeha Art Director Janet Bwititi Editorial Advisor

contributors Stephen Hunt Charlotte Lilley Camille Rogers Stephania Romaniuk Antoine St-Onge David Sussman

on the cover Calgary Phil subscriber Dorothy Tyler with son Michael and grandson Ross featured in the cover story on page 30

04

Message from the President + CEO

06 Orchestra 09 Chorus

For advertising inquires, please email Janet Bwititi at jbwititi@calgaryphil.com. Prelude is published three times a year by the Calgary Philharmonic Society. Copyright 2024 by Calgary Philharmonic Society. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher.

Tyler's 30 Dorothy Musical Life

34 Saint-Georges' Sword + Bow 36 Brilliant Bassoon

feature

Fine 10 APartnership

12 Totally 80s 14 Tchaikovsky 5 16

A Night in Vienna with Sir Stephen Hough

18

Soulful: Capathia Jenkins

21

feature

+ A with 39 QPrincipal Bassoon Antoine St-Onge

40 Violins of Hope Wars: A New 42 Star Hope in Concert

44

Illia Ovcharenko performs Tchaikovsky feature

feature

A Conversation with Philippe Quint

on 22 Spotlight Your Phil

Venue Partner

cover story

24

Beethoven X. Coldplay

26

The Broadway/ Hollywood Songbook

in 49 Women Musical Leadership Bell: 50 Joshua One Night Only

52 Supporters feature

or 58 TonotClap to Clap

We acknowledge that we come together and create music on land known by the Blackfoot name Moh-kíns-tsis, which we also call Calgary. This land is on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), the Stoney Nakoda (Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations), and the Tsuut’ina First Nations, as well as the Métis Nation of Alberta. We honour this land and all those who share it in a spirit of peace, friendship, and respect. SPRING 2024 | 3


Administration Siân Alcorn Sales Coordinator Alysha Armanious Manager, Education + Outreach Christopher Butler Digital Marketing Specialist

Jessica Szeto Information Systems + Technology Specialist Tianna Therriault Artistic Coordinator Michael Thomson Director, Orchestra Operations

Janet Bwititi Director, Marketing + Sales

Board of Directors

Sonny Carmona Marketing + Sales Specialist

Michelle Bailey

Felicia Chow Customer Relations Coordinator

Erin Burkholder

Manisha Dangol Data Management Specialist Andrea Davison Director, Artistic + Education Marian Dyck Box Office Support Dennis Envoldsen Visual Content Specialist Frank Gallant Production Manager

Glenn Bontje Monica Cheng Fern Cyr Finance + Audit Committee Chair Rebecca Finley-Schidlowsky Board Secretary Corinne Grigoriu Board Chair Samuel Hayes Governance Committee Chair Don Herman

Laura Gillespie Operations Accountant

James Kusie

Rob Grewcock Music Librarian

Christine Macnab

Dr. John Lacey

Karen Halford-Edwards Intermediate Accountant

Melanie McBride

Courtney Ilie Associate Director, Sales

Thuy Nguyen

Elizabeth Middleton

Omar Jeha Graphic Designer

Tracy Seaman Human Resources Sub-Committee Chair

Breanna Kennedy Education + Outreach Coordinator

Donovan Seidle

Devon Klaas Interim Communications Manager Lisa Korolyk Events + Volunteer Coordinator Dagny MacGregor Sales Manager Tayla Mapatac Front of House Coordinator Derek Muzyka Director, Finance + Administration Daniel Pelton Operations Assistant Chris Petrik Director, Development

Casey Smith Marc Stevens Ex-officio Janet Yuchem Outgoing Board Chair Calgary Philharmonic Foundation Trustees Courtney Burton Secretary Elaine Clark Treasurer Fern Cyr

Ziga Poromon Box Office Support

David Daly President

Kristyna Rempel Grant Writer

Joel Douglas Vice-President

Megan Robertson Assistant to the President + CEO

Jim Hughes

Ainsley Schaap Sales Assistant Barbara Soles Senior Development Officer

Letha MacLachlan KC Eileen Marikar Assistant Treasurer The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell

Jason Stasiuk Manager, Artistic Operations

Byron Neiles

Marc Stevens President + CEO

Ryan Stasynec Past President

Ellen Parker

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Hallo everyone, are you ready to roller-skate into spring with your Calgary Phil? We start the party with Totally 80s, then are serenaded by the incredible Capathia Jenkins. Rune returns to conduct Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony with violinist Philippe Quint playing a world premiere by Errollyn Wallen, and we dive into a Night in Vienna with superstar pianist Sir Stephen Hough. We also shine a spotlight on players from the Orchestra, and feature our own Antoine St-Onge in Brilliant Bassoon. There’s music from Broadway and Hollywood, 2022 Honens winner Ilia Ovcharenko, violinist Joshua Bell who needs no introduction, and much more. It's an embarrassment of riches for both the lifelong fan and the relative newbie. I’ve spoken with many audience members who were first introduced to the Phil by their parents or grandparents and are now bringing their own children and grandchildren. I love that we see people of all ages coming to hear the Orchestra in the Jack and across the city — making great music for everyone is one of our aims. A recent survey showed us that we are serving people across all ages, with no one group outnumbering the others. In fact, the largest age group for concert-goers at the Phil are those 35 to 44 year olds, but that’s still just 21% of the audience. A young fan who recently came for the first time told his mum, “the music hurt my feelings.” Very insightful! We go on a rollercoaster journey with the Orchestra, which can become the journey of a lifetime. The great gift of orchestral music is that you can still experience that emotional ride at any age. Marc Stevens President + CEO


Whether you are new to the Calgary Phil or you've been coming to concerts for years, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions to make your experience as enjoyable as it can be.

What do I wear to the Orchestra?

When do I clap?

Whatever you want! At the Calgary Phil, there is no formal dress code. We want you to feel happy and relaxed so you can enjoy the performance. Most attendees wear business-casual attire, but you will see everything from jeans to cocktail wear. Dress in your own style and what makes you most comfortable.

This is our most common question. Traditionally, in classical music culture, audiences hold their applause until the end of an entire piece (there can be multiple movements, with short breaks between them, in one piece). This is intended to respect the performers’ focus and the flow of the music. You’ll know when the piece is finished because the conductor typically puts their arms down completely and turns to the audience. But, if you do happen to clap before the piece is finished, that’s okay! The musicians will be happy to know you’re enjoying the performance.

What is your mobile phone policy? One of the joys of a live concert is you can sit back and experience the music without distractions, but we also know you don’t want to miss an important message or call. So, if you leave your mobile device on, we simply ask that you turn the sound off, turn the brightness down, and be considerate of your neighbours.

Where can I find parking? There are several parking lots in the area but leave yourself time to find a spot as they fill up fast. Underground parking is available at Arts Commons and the nearby Civic Plaza and TELUS Convention Centre parkades. If you take the CTrain, the stations are located one block from Arts Commons. Also, bike racks can be found on Stephen Avenue in front of the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

Are drinks allowed in the concert hall? Yes! All drinks are permitted in the concert hall, with the exception of the occasional concert. Many people arrive early to enjoy a drink in the lobby before the performance. You can also pre-order your drinks before the concert and pick them up from the bar at intermission.

What happens if I’m late? We realize even the best laid plans sometimes go sideways. Ushers do their best to seat latecomers at appropriate breaks in the performance, but in some cases, this may not be possible until the completion of an entire work. We don’t want you to miss anything, so you can listen to the music and watch the screens in the lobby.

How long is a concert? Concert length varies, but a typical performance starting at 7:30PM is about two hours long including a 20-minute intermission. Shorter concerts may not feature an intermission. Symphony Sundays for Kids concerts are held on select Sundays at 3PM, and are usually one hour long with no intermission.

For more useful tips, visit calgaryphil.com/plan-your-visit.

Can I take photos in the concert hall? We'd love for you to share your Calgary Phil experience and capture your favourite moments. For most concerts, you can take a quick photo, but don’t use flash — it can interfere with the musicians’ performance.

SPRING 2024 | 5


Orchestra Rune Bergmann Music Director

Juliane Gallant

Resident Conductor

Cris Derksen Artistic Advisor

Roberto Minczuk

Music Director Laureate

Hans Graf

Music Director Laureate

Mario Bernardi

Violas

Clarinets

Harp

Laurent Grillet-Kim

Slavko Popovic

Gianetta Baril

Marcin Swoboda

Jocelyn Colquhoun

Principal

Assistant Principal

Arthur Bachmann Jeremy Bauman Peter Blake Michael Bursey Alisa Klebanov Jesse Morrison

Principal

Assistant Principal

Bassoons Antoine St-Onge Principal

Assistant Principal

Cellos

Horns

Cenek Vrba

Arnold Choi

Nikolette LaBonte

Principal

Josué Valdepeñas

First Violins Diana Cohen Concertmaster

John Lowry

Associate Concertmaster

Donovan Seidle

Assistant Concertmaster

Eric Auerbach Edmund Chung Hangyul Kim Olga Kotova Bonnie Louie Genevieve Micheletti Maria van der Sloot Hojean Yoo Position to be filled

Second Violins Lorna Tsai Principal

Stephanie Soltice-Johnson Assistant Principal

Erin Burkholder Jeremy Gabbert Hyewon Grillet-Kim Craig Hutchenreuther Minnie Min Kyung Kwon Theresa Lane Adriana Lebedovich Steven J Lubiarz

Learn more about our musicians at calgaryphil.com/ musicians

Michael Hope

Conductor Laureate Concertmaster Emeritus

Principal

Principal

Clare Bradford Kathleen de Caen Thomas Megee David Morrissey Daniel Poceta Position to be filled

Position to be filled

Heather Wootton

The Calgary Phil is proud to perform live symphonic music for Alberta Ballet, Calgary Opera, and the Honens International Piano Competition.

Basses

Trumpets

Repertoire often requires extra musicians including:

Assistant Principal

Sam Loeck Principal

Position to be filled Assistant Principal

Matthew Heller Trish Bereti-Reid Patrick Staples Jonathan Yeoh

Flutes Sara Hahn-Scinocco Principal

Gwen Klassen

Assistant Principal

Piccolo Gwen Klassen

Oboes Alex Klein Principal

David Sussman Assistant Principal

English Horn David Sussman

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Jennifer Frank-Umana Associate Principal Assistant Principal

Maxwell Stein

Assistant Principal Assistant Principal

Adam Zinatelli Principal

Miranda Cairns

Assistant Principal

Trombones James Scott Principal

Kristofer Leslie Assistant Principal

Bass Trombone David Reid Principal

Tuba Tom McCaslin Principal

Timpani Alexander Cohen Principal

Percussion Position to be filled Principal

Rolf Bertsch, keyboard Jeremy Brown, saxophone Sean Buckley, percussion Stan Climie, clarinet John Feldberg, bassoon Sheila Garrett, bass Gareth Jones, trumpet Janet Kuschak, cello Lidia Haeju Lee, violin Malcolm Lim, percussion Sarah MacDonald, flute Nikki McCaslin, trombone Elisa Milner, violin Emily Phernambucq, flute Richard Scholz, trumpet Eva Sztrain, violin Doug Umana, horn Roberta Yee, violin The members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra are members of The Calgary Musicians Association, Local 547 of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.


Rune Bergmann Music Director

Juliane Gallant Resident Conductor

Cris Derksen Artistic Advisor

Norwegian conductor Rune Bergmann is Music Director of the Calgary Philharmonic, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Szczecin Philharmonic in Poland, Music Director of the Peninsula Music Festival, and Music Director of Switzerland’s Argovia Philharmonic. Guest engagements in the 2023/2024 Season bring Rune once again to the Baltimore, Colorado, and Utah Symphony orchestras and also for debuts to the Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Buffalo Philharmonic, and Sarasota Orchestra. Rune’s recent guest engagements include concerts with the Baltimore, Colorado Detroit, Edmonton, Houston, New Jersey, and Pacific symphony orchestras in North America, and the Bergen Philharmonic, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Orquesta Sinfonica Portuguesa, Norwegian National Opera Orchestra, Orquesta de Valencia, Malaga Symphony Orchestra, ADDA Simfonica, Staatskapelle Halle, Wrocław Philharmonic, and the Risor Festival in Europe, to name a few. Rune has also led performances of Il barbiere di Siviglia and La Traviata at the Norwegian National Opera and he made his US operatic debut in Yale Opera’s production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as staged by Claudia Solti. Previous guest engagements have led him to such auspices as the Oslo Philharmonic, New Mexico Philharmonic, Munchner Symphoniker, Mainfranken Theater Wurzburg, Philharmonie Sudwestfalen, as well as the symphony orchestras of Malmo, Helsingborg, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Trondheim, Karlskrona, and Odense.

New Brunswick-born conductor Juliane Gallant is the Resident Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic, and one of two fellows in the inaugural cohort of Tapestry Opera’s Women in Musical Leadership program. She has appeared as guest conductor with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, and Symphony New Brunswick, and as assistant and cover conductor with many orchestras and opera companies across Canada. Initially a collaborative pianist, répétiteur, and vocal coach, Juliane began her conducting career in opera. She has led productions of Carmen, La Bohème, Tosca, Eugene Onegin, La Traviata, Don Giovanni, and numerous others, both in Canada and in the United Kingdom. In 2021, she made her Royal Opera House debut in Mami Wata in collaboration with Pegasus Opera. Juliane is a graduate of the National Opera Studio, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique de Montréal, the University of Ottawa and the Université de Moncton. In London, Juliane was one of only 12 conductors selected for the first Women Conductors Course: Conducting for Opera, run by the Royal Opera House, the National Opera Studio, and the Royal Philharmonic Society, and has received continued support from the Royal Opera House throughout her training.

Juno nominated Cris Derksen is an internationally respected Indigenous cellist and composer. Originally from Treaty 8 in Northern Alberta, she comes from a line of chiefs from North Tallcree reserve on her father’s side and a line of strong Mennonite homesteaders on her mother’s side. She is in high demand as a composer and performer with symphonies and chamber groups across Canada. Cris’ strength lies in her diversity as a composer for all arts fields, including dance, theatre, film and television, animation, fashion, and podcasts. Cris founded the Indigenous Classical Gathering at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and is Chair of the Equity Committee for Orchestra's Canada, all in hopes of opening doors for other BIPOC composers and performers, asking the question: how do we make classical music look and sound more like Canada? Cris performs nationally and internationally as a soloist and in collaboration with some of Canada’s finest, including Tanya Tagaq, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Naomi Klein, and Laakkuluk WilliamsonBathory, to name a few. Recent concert destinations include Norway, Chile, Hong Kong, Australia, Mongolia, Europe, and a whole lot of Canada: the place Cris refers to as home.

SPRING 2024 | 7


DISCOVER World-Class Chamber Music WELCOME TO OUR 48th SEASON!

featuring...

Pavel Haas Quartet Ehnes Quartet Akropolis Reed Quintet Sphinx Virtuosi & many more! – Artists subject to change – Photo: Pavel Haas Quartet, by Petra Hajská

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS

2024/25 Concert Season email : info@calgarypromusica.ca web : calgarypromusica.ca

social : @calgarypromusica

CALGARY’S GUIDE TO GOING OUT SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE NO. 35

Cinema City

Calgary International Film Festival keeps candle burning during dark days in local film industry. PAGE 20

WHEN DRINKING CAME OF AGE 8 | ARTS SEASON ROUNDUP 25 | PUNK ICON ART BERGMANN 26

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March 3, 2024 Complete season announcement online May 15, 2024 Subscriptions available at calgarypromusica.ca

Mark Bartel Chorus Director Mark Bartel is in demand as a versatile conductor and music educator. He is known for his musical, educational, and community collaborations and has established a reputation as a successful builder of choirs and choral programs. Mark is a passionate advocate of the impact of music on the lives of choristers, audiences, and communities. He has conducted university choirs for over 20 years and has extensive experience leading a wide range of community choirs in both the United States and Canada. After a 16-year tenure in the US, he returned to Canada in 2019 to join the faculty at Calgary’s Ambrose University as Associate Professor of Music. Since arriving in Calgary, he has also served as Director of the Spiritus Chamber Choir. In addition to his interest in choral-orchestral works and choral music of the baroque era, he brings expertise as a singer and teacher of voice to his work with choirs. His current research focuses on how choirs around the world engage in active peacebuilding through the choral experience. Originally from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Mark is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg. He holds Master of Music and Master of Sacred Music degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.


Chorus About the Chorus Established in 1963, the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus is one of only two choruses in Canada that is part of a major professional symphony orchestra. The Chorus performs a wide variety of repertoire, including oratorio, opera, light classics, contemporary music, pops, and commissioned new works. In a typical season, the acclaimed ensemble is featured in four to eight concerts with the Orchestra. The Chorus is made up of more than 120 dedicated volunteer singers from Calgary and surrounding communities who come from all walks of life. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023, the Chorus delivers excellence in the performance of choral music and promotes the enjoyment and development of choral singing in Calgary communities.

Mark Bartel

Chorus Director

Evan Mounce

Assistant Chorus Director

Katt Hryciw

Chorus Administrator

Sopranos Heather Allen Karine Baumgardner Ellen Borak Michelle Bozynski Section Representative

Tricia Bray Patricia Bustillos Andrade Carolyn Byers Christina Candra Twylla Jayne Conn Sheila Cook Laura A Davis Ina Dobrinski Larissa Donnelly Megan Duckett-Sutton Gail Feltham Sue Galcher Sim Galloway Carolyn Hatt Robyn Hauck Lyudmyla Heath Rachelle Henkel Dale Hensley Jessica How Melody Littel Freya Melax Alicia Nesbitt Gillian Posey Brier Reid Lisa Schalk Barbara Schneider Lisa Sears-Walsh Joan Simmins Barbara Soles Becky Standing Chantelle Stevenson Crystal Tan Tamara Vardomskaya Chelsea Woodard Principal

Betsy Woolner Ellen Wright

Altos

Tenors

Margaret Anderson Jessica Baedke Susan Bell Heather Benson Barbara Boland Elizabeth Bowers Michelle Cariou Kelsey Chambers Indrani Chatterjee

Tim Ahrenholz Dean Allatt Tim Bell

Section Representative

Tanya Chow Breanne Coady Yvonne Courtney Ruth A. Cross Shirley Cumming Rebecca Frederick Hilary Gordon Alexandra Guebert Kay Harrison Pat Heitman Candace Hiebert Helen Isaac Allison Johnson Cynthia Klaassen Heather Klassen Marlene Krickhan Catherine Lasuita Megan Lundrigan Shawna MacGillivary Emma MacKay Barbara Mathies Christa Merrell Julia Millen Principal

Patty Mino Lucinda Neufeld Britt Odegard Mara Osis Anastasiya Petruk Anne Rodger Liv Sawyer Patti Vaillant Julia Vanden Heuvel Alexandra Wang

Section Representative

Keevin Berg Philip Dano Pat Favaro Richard Harding Katt Hryciw James Hume Juan Manuel López Eric Ma Abraham Ortega Will Parker Jason Ragan Principal

Peter Rilstone Vitalii Semion Dennis Voth Joel Wabo

Basses Archie Adams Aaron Bartholomew Principal

Cam Bischoff Glenn Bontje Ian Charter Chad Conrad Timothy Cooke Kevin Di Filippo Arthur Dick Alan Dornian Carel Du Toit Mark Dumbrique

Section Representative

Allan Huber Eric Klaassen Drew Kotchan David Kroeger Mark Louie David Mark Martin Mobach Keith Odegard Kori Patrick Dave Pattison David Rim Dana Salter David Schey Anton Siaotong Albi Sole Daniel Tablazon Greg Wagland Richard Wanner Jim Weisert Keith Wyenberg SPRING 2024 | 9


© Sam Obadero

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A FINE PARTNERSHIP MASTERS GALLERY'S RYAN GREEN ON SUPPORTING THE ORCHESTRA AND BUILDING ART APPRECIATION AMONGST CALGARIANS BY STEPHANIA ROMANIUK

ike his father before him, Calgary Philharmonic champion donor Ryan Green has a way of making people feel comfortable in a space and dissolving barriers to belonging. “His strength was in appreciating, understanding, and being there for people,” shares Ryan about his father, Rod Green. These values are now felt in the professional work, educational ventures, and very atmosphere of the fine art gallery Ryan has led since 2017.

L

Masters Gallery was founded in 1976 by Peter Ohler Sr., a Grey Cup-winning quarterback for the BC Lions as well as a poet, philosopher, and English literature major. Rod was working as a marine biologist, immersed in the natural world Canadian artists were painting, when he met Peter and joined the gallery team. The two men, followed eventually by each of their sons, built a successful venture on the idea that “art need not be intimidating, and it need not break the bank.” Now one of Canada’s leading art galleries with an international reputation, Masters Gallery has helped generations of Calgarians build and curate thoughtful collections of artwork and investments, all the while serving the broader community through philanthropy. The gallery’s first partnership with the Calgary Philharmonic began in 1999, when the orchestra debuted its signature fine art fundraising event, Cork and Canvas. Since then, the gallery has secured select artwork for auction and appraised other fine art donations for the Orchestra. When Ryan became sole owner of Masters Gallery, he knew immediately that

he wanted to continue working with the Orchestra. In fact, after attending another Calgary Phil event, he decided to pledge additional funds over several years. Most recently, Masters Gallery has begun partnering with the Calgary Phil for Music to My Ears. These events are often hosted at the gallery, where Ryan collaborates with a Calgary Phil musician or conductor. Through discussions and demonstrations, they explore an arts-related theme through music and visual arts in an informal and accessible setting. The first Music to My Ears event at Masters explored Impressionism through works by both visual artists and composers. The second featured an imaginative pairing between the music of Leonard Bernstein and mid-century modern paintings by Calgarian visual artist Marion Nicoll. An important trailblazer, Marion Nicoll was the first female abstract artist in the province and one of the first artists whose works were shown at Masters Gallery in the 1970s. Her relationship to Peter Ohler Sr., the gallery’s founder, was so significant that on her passing in 1985, she left him all her letters. “After pouring over Marion’s letters for hours, our gallery researcher Caitlyn Rinne discovered a letter from 1958 where Marion mentioned attending a New York Philharmonic concert conducted by Bernstein. We had evidence they were in the same room. We were all so excited. It was an amazing feeling,” shares Ryan. Since becoming more involved with the Orchestra, Ryan has had the opportunity to deepen his own

burgeoning interest in classical music. “Several years ago, I had a really amazing experience in Greece, in a tholos, one of these round tombs. Somebody spoke a few words, and the sound — how it reverberated — was like nothing I’d ever heard before. This culture was about 3,000 years old. How did they understand acoustics? How did they create this space? It excites me that there is a history that relates to what the Calgary Phil is doing because you have a hall, an audience, instruments, and vibrations. All of these things are present.” Ryan’s background and intuition in the visual arts were guided by Dr. David Bershad, a long-time professor of Renaissance art history at the University of Calgary. “He opened up a new world for me. I learned new ways of seeing and appreciating image-making and its importance for our history. Every lecture was a new discovery, and I take that sense of wonder with me every day to the gallery.” Just as Ryan was mentored by important figures like Dr. Bershad, Peter Ohler Sr., and his own father, Ryan now serves as a mentor to the next generation of arts learners. In a partnership with the Calgary Board of Education, Ryan leads a series called Young Masters, which brings young students to Masters Gallery. “The first thing I say is, ‘I’m so glad you’re here. Just look around.’ And then we meet wherever we meet and explore what they are seeing,” Ryan explains. “We love nothing more than for people to interact with art,” Ryan shares. We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. SPRING 2024 | 11


80s Nostalgia THIS or THAT THAT??

PERMS or FEATHERED HAIR? HAIR ?

MADONNA or DURAN DURAN? DURAN ?

SPANDEX or LEG WARMERS? WARMERS ?

Totally 80s Friday 8 March / 7:30PM Saturday 9 March / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Pops Program Stuart Chafetz, conductor Aaron C. Finley, vocals Nicole Parker, vocals Brian Kushmaul, drums Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Program to be announced from stage Concert includes a 20-minute intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 12 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

MULLETS or MOM JEANS? JEANS ?

CHEERS or THE GOLDEN GIRLS? GIRLS ?


© Pat Johnson

Stuart Chafetz Conductor

Aaron C. Finley Vocals

Nicole Parker Vocals

Stuart Chafetz is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Columbus Symphony and the newly appointed Principal Pops Conductor of the Chautauqua and Marin Symphonies. Chafetz, a conductor celebrated for his dynamic and engaging podium presence, is increasingly in demand with orchestras across the continent and this season Chafetz will be on the podium in Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, Naples, Philly Pops, Cincinnati Pops, and Pittsburgh. He enjoys a special relationship with The Phoenix Symphony where he leads multiple programs annually. He previously held posts as resident conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and associate conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. As principal timpanist of the Honolulu Symphony for twenty years, Stuart would also conduct the annual Nutcracker performances with Ballet Hawaii and principals from the American Ballet Theatre. It was during that time that Stuart led numerous concerts with the Maui Symphony and Pops. He’s led numerous Spring Ballet performances at the world-renowned Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. In the summers, Stuart spends his time at the Chautauqua Institution, where he conducts the annual Fourth of July and Opera Pops. Chafetz makes his home near San Francisco with his wife Ann Krinitsky. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and a master’s from the Eastman School of Music.

Born and raised in Montana, Aaron C. Finley’s career has spanned from coast to coast as a professional actor and singer. Educated at Pacific Lutheran University in Seattle, he quickly became a top-tier talent in the Pacific Northwest, appearing in productions of Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus/Judas), Rent (Roger), Fiddler on the Roof (Perchik), Hairspray (Link Larkin), It Shoulda Been You (Greg Madison), and The Gypsy King (Drago). Among his other regional roles, Aaron originated the role of Billy in the new musical Diner, based on the Barry Levinson film, with music and lyrics by Sheryl Crow and direction by Kathleen Marshall. Aaron made his Broadway debut in 2013, starring as Drew Boley in Rock of Ages. In 2015, he took over the role of leading man Brian Howard in It Shoulda Been You, directed by David Hyde Pierce. Among his other work in New York, he participated in a lab production of George Takei’s new musical, Allegiance. In the fall of 2016, Aaron took over the role of Charlie Price in Kinky Boots. He has been performing programs celebrating the music of the 1980s and the hits of Phil Collins across North America. Currently, Aaron can be seen in the smash hit Moulin Rouge on Broadway. Aaron loves mountain biking, skiing, golf, basketball, and all things outdoors. He currently resides in Montclair, New Jersey with his family.

Nicole Parker is best known for her portrayal of Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked. Since playing the green witch in the Broadway company, she has reprised the role for the First National Tour of Wicked. Nicole’s other Broadway credits include Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me and The People in the Picture. Regionally, Nicole played Juliet in The Second City’s Romeo and Juliet Musical at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, for which she received a Jeff award nomination. She also appeared as Rosemary in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Reprise Theater, and Pamina in The Magic Flute at the Falcon Theater. For six years, Nicole was also a cast member and contributing writer on Fox’s MADtv. For two years, Nicole was a performer and write for Boom Chicago, an all-American sketch and improvisation theater in Amsterdam. Nicole’s film credits include Funny People, as well as the short films Weathered and Sitting Babies. She is also a founding member of Waterwell, a non-profit theatre company in New York. A frequent soloist with orchestras around the country, recent and upcoming performances include Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, Houston, Phoenix, Utah, Colorado, Greensboro, Kalamazoo, Santa Rosa, Pueblo, Charleston, Sarasota, Orlando, North Carolina, San Antonio, Idaho Civic Symphonies, as well as Sarasota Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Hamilton Philharmonic, and Fresno Philharmonic.

SPRING 2024 | 13


Fondant Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958) Fondant was commissioned by the Royal Northern Sinfonia for their 60th birthday in 2018 and premiered at Sage Gateshead. Anyone who knows me is aware of my fascination with cake. This work was composed with cake — and its icing — in mind. Listen out for a well-known anniversary song embedded in the work. Fondant is dedicated to Kate Holland and the Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Violin Concerto (World Premiere) Errollyn Wallen

© John Gress

Tchaikovsky 5 Friday 15 March / 7:30PM Saturday 16 March / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Curated Series 1 Supported by Music Director Endowed Chair Supporter: Ted + Lola Rozsa Guest Artist Supporter: Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso Program Program Rune Bergmann, conductor Philippe Quint, violin Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Errollyn Wallen

Fondant

3'

Violin Concerto (World Premiere) I. Slow and mysterious II. Lamenting III. Cheeky and lively

25'

Intermission

20'

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

44'

Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64, TH 29 I. Andante – Allegro con anima II. Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza III. Valse: Allegro moderato IV. Finale: Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace Program and artists subject to change without notice 14 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

It has been a fascinating journey creating my first violin concerto. When one composes for a virtuoso such as Philippe Quint, a world of possibilities opens up when the combination of expressivity, character and technical prowess is in one musician’s hands and available to explore. This has been a great inspiration to my musical thinking in this work. A notable feature of the Violin Concerto is the inclusion of material which is biographical. The listener will hear in the first movement music which triggered the memory of the sound of church bells heard by Philippe as a child in the Soviet Union and, in the second movement, a lullaby, Shlof Mayn Fegele sung to the young Philippe by his grandfather. The final movement is playful and optimistic — evoking the welcome of a new life in America. The concerto is in three movements. I take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to Philippe Quint for discovering and championing my music and for the opportunity to collaborate with him and with all the orchestras involved in this commission, in such a fruitful and enjoyable way. Program notes by Errollyn Wallen © 2024

Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64, TH 29 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 to 1893) Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony wasn’t considered one of his finest, but it became one of his most popular, which just goes to show you that maybe the critics don’t always know what they’re talking about.


© Azzurra Primavera

Program note by Stephen Hunt © 2024 Rune Bergmann biography on page 7

© John Gress

Even the composer himself was hard on it. After the second performance, he is believed to have said, “I have come to the conclusion that it is a failure.” Some critics didn’t like the ending, which they complained was insincere. Others weren’t so hard on it. The second movement, in particular, received plenty of raves from various critics who considered it to be first–rate Tchaikovsky: wellcrafted, beautifully-orchestrated, and featuring an outstanding melody for solo horn. It was composed in the late 19th century, between May and August in 1888, but became popular 50 years later, when its controlling idea — ‘ultimate victory through strife’ — turned it into a kind of national anthem of the Russian troops during the Siege of Leningrad in the Second World War. That included one memorable performance on the night of 20 October 1941. The symphony was performed by the Leningrad Radio Orchestra despite the threat of German bombing. Leningrad civic leaders insisted the performance go on to help national morale, and the performance was broadcast live back to London. At the start of that wellloved second movement, listeners could hear bombs falling nearby, but the orchestra played through to the end. Since those days, Tchaikovsky’s fifth has been eclipsed somewhat by his sixth and fourth symphonies, but the fifth remains popular.

Philippe Quint Violin

Errollyn Wallen Composer

Hailed by the UK’s Daily Telegraph for his “searingly poetic lyricism”, Philippe Quint has established himself as one of America’s preeminent violinists, enchanting audiences through his performances that seamlessly blend consummate musicianship with “breadth of tone and passion” (The New York Times). With multiple Grammy Award nominations to his name, Philippe is celebrated for his distinctive approach to classical core repertoire, advocacy for contemporary music, rekindling of neglected repertoire, and pioneering of an original music in context multimedia format. Philippe has soloed with some of the world’s finest orchestras across the globe including the London Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. His unwavering dedication to contemporary music has resulted in numerous premieres of works by some of the most exceptional composers of today including Lera Auerbach, James Lee III, Alyssa Weinberg, and Jakub Ciupinsky. Philippe’s illustrious discography, comprising 17 awardwinning commercial releases, can be found on Warner Classics, Naxos, and AvantiClassics. Making his home in New York since 1991, he studied at the Special Music School for the Gifted with the famed violinist Andrei Korsakov. He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School. Philippe plays the magnificent 1708 ‘Ruby’ Antonio Stradivari violin on loan to him through the generous efforts of The Stradivari Society®.

Errollyn Wallen CBE is a multi awardwinning Belize-born British composer. Her prolific output includes over 20 operas and a large catalogue of orchestral, chamber, and vocal works which are performed and broadcast throughout the world. She has composed for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games 2012, for the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees, a specially commissioned song for COP26, a re-imagining of Jerusalem for the Last Night of the Proms 2020, and a new work for BBC Proms 2023. BBC Radio 3 featured her music for Composer of the Week, and she has made several radio documentaries including Classical Commonwealth, nominated for the Prix Europa. Errollyn collaborated with artist Sonia Boyce on her installation, Feeling Her Way, for the British Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, which won the Golden Lion prize. Her critically acclaimed opera, Dido’s Ghost, was premiered at the Barbican in 2021 and received its US première in San Francisco in November 2023. Recent premieres include a violin concerto, Dances for Orchestra for Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a song cycle for Dame Sarah Connolly. Errollyn's book, Becoming a Composer was published by Faber in November 2023 to critical acclaim and will be translated into Spanish. She is amongst the world’s top twenty most performed living classical composers. Errollyn composes in a Scottish lighthouse and her recordings have travelled 7.84 million kilometers in space, completing 186 orbits around the Earth on NASA’s STS-115 mission.

SPRING 2024 | 15


Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 11 Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745 to 1799)

© Sim Canetty-Clarke

A Night in Vienna with Sir Stephen Hough Saturday 23 March / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Curated Series 3 Supported by Music Director Endowed Chair Supporter: Ted + Lola Rozsa Guest Artist Supporter: Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso Program

Piano Concerto (The World of Yesterday) (Canadian Premiere)

Program Rune Bergmann, conductor Sir Stephen Hough, piano Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Sir Stephen Hough (b. 1961)

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 11 I. Allegro Presto II. Andante III. Presto

10'

Sir Stephen Hough

Piano Concerto (The World of Yesterday) (Canadian Premiere)

20'

Intermission

20'

Franz Schubert

48'

Symphony No. 9 in C Major, D 944 I. Andante – Allegro; ma non troppo II. Andante con moto III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace IV. Allegro vivace

Program and artists subject to change without notice 16 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Joseph Bologne, also known as Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was a contemporary of Mozart, but sadly, the racism of the day prevented him from rising to Mozart’s level of popularity and critical regard. Before he was known as a great composer and conductor, Bologne was the son of a French plantation owner and a teenage slave from Guadeloupe, where he was born. By the age of seven, he was living in France and is believed to have started studying violin around then. By the age of 21, he earned the title of ‘chevalier’, or ‘knight’ and was known as Chevalier de Saint-Georges. By the late 1770s, Bologne was considered a top candidate to take over the Paris Opera, but withdrew his application when a group of musicians and dancers protested his candidacy due to his race. Despite that painful incident, he continued to compose and was considered a favourite of Marie Antoinette, who he would perform duets on violin and piano for. Joseph Bologne wouldn't produce symphonies until much later in his life with his Second Symphony published in 1779. This piece would also be used as the overture to his opera, L’amant anonyme in 1780. A well-respected film, Chevalier, starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. as the composer, was released in 2022.

This Piano Concerto is based on two motives. The first is heard at the opening in its simplest form, all white-notes, not a cloud in the sky. In bar 3 clarinet and harp answer with a germ of the second motive, a chain of rising triads, also in purest C Major, which will later become the Waltz. The Prelude slowly increases in energy until the piano enters to play an extended cadenza. This energy gradually dissipates until we hear the second motive as a slow, sweettoothed waltz — with a hint of Bill Evans perhaps. This turns out to be a premonition of the real Waltz section when the strings enter quietly, playing the 16-bar theme in its full, decadent


Program note by Sir Stephen Hough © 2024

Symphony No. 9 in C Major, D 944 Franz Schubert (1797 to 1828) Franz Schubert was born at the tail end of the 18th century, in 1797 and died young, in November of 1828. None of his symphonies were published while he was alive. When he was seven, around 1804, Schubert was introduced to a new voice teacher in Vienna, Antonio Salieri, the top teacher in the city who thought he had exceptional vocal talent. Salieri — the protagonist of the wonderful 1984 Oscar-winning film Amadeus — introduced Schubert to the works of Mozart, setting in motion a too-short, but brilliant career. In 1838, Schubert had been dead a decade, from typhoid fever, when Robert Schumann visited Vienna and was shown the manuscript of Schubert’s final unperformed symphony. He took a copy of the score back to Leipzig with him, and in 1839, Symphony No. 9, sometimes known simply as ‘The Great’, was performed for the first time, conducted by Felix Mendelssohn. Schumann loved No. 9, praising its ‘heavenly length’, but some orchestras found it challenging to perform because of its long woodwind and string parts.

C A L G A RY P H I L H A RM O N IC O RC H E S TRA

© Sim Canetty-Clarke

form. By the eighth variation there is a cranking up of tempo and we hear both themes waltzing together. A further acceleration tumbles us into the Tarantella where the waltz theme is squashed into staccato chords punctuated by xylophone flashes of the first theme. The energy continues through a frenzy of agitation with flares of fanfares up to a climax of emotional intensity where the two themes are heard with full sentimental ardour. A lurch of acceleration returns us to the tarantella and inexorably to blazing conclusion of the piece. The world of yesterday, a subtitle borrowed from Stefan Zweig’s eponymous memoir with its celebration of Viennese culture before the First World War. But this title also became a tag for me, representing the history of the piano concerto form itself: composers wrote concertos for themselves to play, from Mozart right through to Prokofiev and Bartók. A world of yesterday indeed.

Sir Stephen Hough Piano

2 024 | 2 02 5 S E A S O N RE VE A LED

APRIL 2024

Sir Stephen Hough has distinguished himself as a true polymath, not only securing a reputation as a uniquely insightful concert pianist but also as a writer and composer. He is commended for his mastery of the instrument as well as an individual and inquisitive mind that has earned him a multitude of prestigious awards and a longstanding international following. In 2001, Sir Stephen became the first classical performing artist to win a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. In 2014, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022. His first novel, The Final Retreat, was released in 2018 and was followed by Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More — an anthology of essays on musical, cultural, lifestyle, and spiritual subjects, published in 2019. His memoir, Enough: Scenes of Childhood, was released last spring by Faber. As a composer, he has written for orchestra, choir, chamber ensemble, and solo piano, with the Takacs Quartet premiering his newest work, a quartet titled Les Six Rencontres, in 2021. Since taking first prize at the 1983 Naumburg Competition in New York, Sir Stephen has appeared with most of the major European, Asian, and American orchestras and plays recitals regularly in major halls and concert series around the world from London’s Royal Festival Hall to New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Program notes by Stephen Hunt © 2024 Rune Bergmann biography on page 7 SPRING 2024 | 17


Lucas Waldin Conductor

Soulful: Capathia Jenkins Friday 5 April / 7:30PM Saturday 6 April / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Pops Supported by Concert Sponsor: Mawer Investment Management Ltd. Guest Artist Supporter: Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso Program Program Lucas Waldin, conductor Capathia Jenkins, vocals Sydney Harper, background vocals Rajdulari, background vocals Randy Chalmers, background vocals Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Performing songs from the list below Ain't Nobody / Celebration / Happy / I Am Strong / I Got You (I Feel Good) / I Will Always Love You / Love Train / Midnight Train to Georgia / Papa's Got A Brand New Bag / Rolling in the Deep / September / Sir Duke / Skyfall / Smooth Operator / Soul Man / Sweet Love / This Little Light of Mine / Thriller / Unbreak My Heart Concert includes a 20-minute intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 18 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Lucas Waldin is a dynamic and versatile conductor whose performances have delighted audiences across North America. He has collaborated with some of today’s most exciting artists including Carly Rae Jepsen, The Barenaked Ladies, Crash Test Dummies, Ben Folds, The Canadian Brass, and Buffy SainteMarie, in addition to conducting presentations such as Disney in Concert, Blue Planet Live, Cirque de la Symphony, and the groundbreaking symphonic debut of R&B duo Dvsn as part of the global Red Bull Music Festival. Lucas has been a guest conductor for numerous orchestras in the United States. and Canada including the Cleveland Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. A native of Toronto, Lucas holds degrees in flute and conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music.


Artistic Director, Kathryn Berko

Capathia Jenkins Vocals The Brooklyn-born and raised singer-actor, Capathia Jenkins, premiered her new show, She’s Got Soul, with the Houston Symphony in October 2022, with upcoming performances with Seattle Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, and many others. Capathia starred as Medda in the hit Disney production of Newsies on Broadway. Her other Broadway credits include The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson, The Look of Love, Caroline, or Change, and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. Other appearances include the Off-Broadway revival of Godspell and the starring role in (mis) Understanding Mammy: The Hattie McDaniel Story for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. She was also seen in Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore. An active concert artist, Capathia has appeared with numerous orchestras around the world, including appearances at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops. Her numerous film and television credits include 30 Rock, the Practice, Law & Order: SVU, the Sopranos, Law & Order, The Wiz Live!, and Musical Chairs directed by Susan Seidelman. She can be heard on soundtracks for Nine, Chicago, and Legally Blonde 2, as well as on her critically acclaimed Phenomenal Woman with Louis Rosen and her most recent single, I am Strong.

Join us for our 50th Anniversary Concert and Celebration May 23 - May 26, 2024 23 MAY

25 MAY 26 MAY

Tenors, Baritones and Bass Workshop Workshop Wrap-up Social Concert & Reception at Rozsa Centre, U of C

Details and Ticket Portal at:

www.calgaryboyschoir.com

DO YOU KNOW A BOY WHO LOVES TO SING?

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SPRING 2024 | 19


World class facilities at your fingertips

At the SCPA, we bring life to art

Explore our specialized undergraduate and graduate programs scpa.ucalgary.ca

20 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849


A M O N U ME N T A L P A RT N ER S HIP: a C ONVER S A T ION w ith

PHILIPPE QUINT BY CHARLOTTE LILLEY

he Calgary Philharmonic’s upcoming concert titled Tchaikovsky 5 is set to feature the world premiere of acclaimed composer Errollyn Wallen’s new Violin Concerto. A huge creative and technical undertaking, the performance also marks a major milestone in a years-long collaborative process for Philippe Quint, the violinist for whom the concerto was written. “It’s hard to imagine that it’s been almost three years since we started talking about it, and now we’re six weeks away from the premiere,” he explained in an interview.

T

Philippe’s creative collaboration with Errollyn was born out of a chance encounter with her music several years ago. Struck by her skill at writing for the violin, Philippe sought out more of her work and was “just blown away.” “I mean, there is no other way to describe the impression that I first had of her music but just to say it was an incredibly fresh voice.” Soon after, Philippe approached Calgary Philharmonic Music Director Rune Bergmann about a potential commission, and work began on what would become Errollyn Wallen’s first violin concerto. Over the past three years, Philippe has worked closely with Errollyn on the piece’s development. “[Errollyn] wanted to write a piece that would be meaningful to me and her,” Philippe recalled, and the finished composition follows through on this, drawing inspiration from stories from Philippe’s childhood and lullabies sung by his grandfather. His technical expertise has also proven invaluable in fine-tuning the piece’s details: “It’s mostly me saying [something] may not be possible for violin, and then we do an adjusted version,” he explained. “We talk about tiny little details such as accents and dynamics and what could be possible, what would be more effective.”

This open dialogue with the concerto’s composer marks an exciting departure from how Philippe typically prepares for a performance. “I only wish I could email Brahms about my ideas in a concerto and say ‘Hey, I know this concerto has now been performed for over 100 years, but I just got this idea that you should consider’,” he joked. “Luckily, with Errollyn that’s exactly what I’m doing!”

comes with a unique sense of accountability and responsibility, the “desire to make the best impact possible.” With the piece’s reception and legacy unknown, Philippe hopes above all that the concerto will resonate with its listeners. “You just hope for the audience to be touched. Nothing is more rewarding for an artist and a composer than a positive reaction from the audience.”

Along with this collaborative approach comes new opportunities to push the musical envelope. Within the concerto, Errollyn and Philippe have been able to “expand beyond what’s already been done on violin and look for extra effects, stretching the boundaries of what has traditionally been already accepted and done, and seeing how far [they] can push it.” That said, Philippe was careful to note that they “didn’t want anything contrived for the sake of effect.”

Building on years of collaboration, and with clear hopes in sight for these first performances, Philippe’s own feeling as he prepares to take the stage at the Jack Singer Concert Hall is one of excitement. “It’s a world premiere!” he explained. “It’s just so monumental, you know? I can’t stress enough how exciting it is.”

“[Errollyn’s] music is heart on the sleeve, and this is my approach towards music and life in general,” he explained. “I like a very honest, organic way of working.”

Philippe Quint performs Errollyn Wallen's Violin Concerto on 15 + 16 March. Visit calgaryphil.com for tickets.

While Errollyn and Philippe’s collaboration has shaped the concerto throughout its composition, it will take a much larger ensemble and plenty of technical skill to bring the piece to life for its first public audiences. “It’s going to be violinistically very challenging, and in a way athletic; it will require enormous amounts of concentration and focus,” Philippe noted. “And the same focus will also be necessary for the maestro and for the orchestra.” “We will all come together to convey an idea of a composer, mixed with the interpretation that we will create. We are sort of the transformers, responsible for bringing this music to the world.” That role of transformer — especially for a new work such as Errollyn’s — SPRING 2024 | 21


Introduction, Theme and Variations Slavko Popovic (b. 1995) Introduction, Theme and Variations was composed during the summer months of 2023 for the Calgary Philharmonic. After an uncertain and stormy introduction, we come to the main theme of work. The mood of the Theme is now in complete contrast to that of the introduction. It is in the style of a Gavotte, which exhibits a simple and innocent melody; but its harmonization presents many surprises. Eleven variations ensue. Most reflect the binary phrase construction of the theme, with tempo as the key to the overall form. The relaxed opening speeds up through Variations Two and Three to reach a rapid pace in Four, Five, and Six, which together form a unit. Variation Five is the free inversion of Four, and Six begins as a complete reprise of Four, then continues for nearly thirty bars of fresh material. After a clear pause (the first since the end of Variation Two), we hear with Variation Seven an explicit change of character: slow pace, triple rather than duple meter, legato rather than staccato style. Variation Eight retains the slow tempo and triple meter. Nine is suddenly fast: a tarantella. Ten is again slow, with a move to the key of C-sharp minor. From this, the final variation emerges. It is back in the home key of A with the theme clearly stated.

Spotlight On Your Phil

Program note by Slavko Popovic © 2024

Saturday 13 April / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Curated Series 3

Violin Concerto William Jordan (b. 1951)

Supported by Music Director Endowed Chair Supporter: Ted + Lola Rozsa Chorus Supporter: Borak Forte Program Program Rune Bergmann, conductor Sara Hahn-Scinocco, flute Donovan Seidle, violin Calgary Philharmonic Chorus Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Slavko Popovic

Introduction, Theme and Variations

20'

William Jordan

Violin Concerto

24'

Arthur Bachmann

Daughter of Elysium

21'

This concert has no intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 22 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

I composed my Violin Concerto with Donovan Seidle and the Calgary Youth Orchestra in mind. Being something of a magpie, I chose three of my favorite concertos to use as models for various sections of my concerto — the Korngold concerto, Béla Bartók’s second concerto, and Samuel Barber’s concerto — all of which resonate in different ways through the hearton-sleeve Romanticism of my piece. It was a pleasure to compose, and Donovan and the CYO gave the first performance brilliantly under the baton of Edmond Agopian at Mount Royal University’s Leacock Theatre. I’m very pleased to hear a second performance, once again with the


indefatigable Donovan Seidle, but this time with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, on a concert showcasing music of Calgary composers. The concerto is in three traditional movements: an opening movement in sonata form with a cadenza, a slow movement exploring beauty of tone, and a rousing perpetual motion finale. Program note by William Jordan © 2024

Daughter of Elysium Arthur Bachmann (b. 1961) I have long admired the world class talents of the Calgary Philharmonic's Principal Flutist Sara Hahn-Scinocco and have had the pleasure of writing a number of works for her already. The idea for this concerto came about one evening while Michael Hope, a friend of mine from the Orchestra, and I were enjoying a convivial glass of wine. As we discussed various wine-influenced weighty matters, the idea of writing a concerto for Sara came onto the table. Mike, in a stroke of inspiration, came up with the title Daughter of Elysium from Friedrich Schiller’s poem Ode to Joy. What exactly can be meant by Daughter of Elysium? Schiller tells us that Joy is the daughter of Elysium. However, Elysium began as a conception of the afterlife in Ancient Greece. Admission was reserved for those chosen by the gods — the righteous, and the heroic. They lived a blessed and happy afterlife. But what if a hero’s vision of paradise was continuing the violence that made them heros to begin with? And what of the enemies’ afterlives? Is everyone in their own separate afterlife, with no contact with any other? The possibilities become intriguing. This concerto is unusual in that it is a struggle between two unequal voices — the flute and orchestra — with the chorus sometimes used as another instrument of the orchestra and at other times the function of a Greek chorus, providing commentary on the struggle. The flute's voice is at times overwhelmed by the orchestra's voice, ever wanting to be heard, always striving to bring the orchestra to her viewpoint and in the end, ultimately being successful. Program note by Arthur Bachmann © 2024 Rune Bergmann biography on page 7

Sara Hahn-Scinocco Flute

Donovan Seidle Violin

Hailed by the Calgary Herald as “outstanding”, Sara Hahn-Scinocco is the Principal Flutist for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Prior to accepting her post with the Calgary Philharmonic in 2006, Sara performed briefly in the position of Assistant Principal Flute/Piccolo with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and she completed a three-week tour of Japan and Hong Kong with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in 2002. As a soloist, Sara has also performed throughout Canada, the United States, and Brazil. 2018 marked the release of Sara’s debut solo album, entitled I Close My Eyes in Order to See, featuring pianist Laura Loewen and Sarah Gieck MacDonald. Awards for Sara’s solo flute performances include the University of Toronto concerto competition, first place in the National Finals of the Canadian Music Competitions, and the Junior Musical Club Concerto Competition in Winnipeg. In 2005, Sara was awarded first prize of the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg Doris McLellan Competition for Solo Performance with Orchestra. She has been active as a flute teacher and coach across Canada for close to three decades. Sara is proud to be a co-founder and active member of the Green Banana Flute Studios, an innovative teaching and performing collaboration. She graduated with honours from the University of Toronto, receiving a bachelor’s in music performance under internationally renowned flutist, Susan Hoeppner.

Donovan Seidle is a versatile musician: equally comfortable performing in the concertmaster chair or in the soloist spotlight. He is a violinist, teacher, coach, and composer/arranger for film, largescale spectacle shows, fireworks, and video games. Since 2003 he has served as Assistant Concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic. He is an active participant in the city’s artistic community in a plethora of styles, working regularly in chamber ensembles and multi-disciplinary projects outside of the orchestra. He travels to perform with ensembles in other cities. Donovan is a commissioned composer/arranger writing for various media — from the concert stage to interactive media (games and VR) — and was Associate Music Director for the Emmy Award-winning ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Since then, he has written for numerous other production shows and projects. Donovan has performed across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Over the course of the pandemic, he has produced distanced-collaboration performance content and live-streams for professional ensembles and agencies around North America (as well as tutorials to allow people to produce it themselves), and will continue with these endeavours through the coming season.

SPRING 2024 | 23


© Rowan Daly

Steve Hackman Conductor and Creator

Saturday 27 April / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Specials Program Steve Hackman, conductor Casey Breves, vocals Malia Civetz, vocals Gregory Fletcher, vocals Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Ludwig van Beethoven:

Coldplay:

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 I: Allegro con brio

Clocks Politik 42 Every Teardrop is a Waterfall Trouble

II: Andante con moto

The Scientist Princess of China In My Place

III: Allegro

Paradise

Intermezzo: Sparks Largo, con gran espressione IV: Allegro

This concert has no intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 24 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Viva la Vida Fix You

© Tom Russo

Beethoven X. Coldplay

A multi-hyphenate music powerhouse and creative visionary, Steve Hackman is a daring voice intent on redefining art music in the 21st century. Trained at the elite level classically but equally adept in popular styles, his breadth of musical fluency and technique is uncanny — he is at once a composer, conductor, producer, DJ, arranger, songwriter, singer, and pianist. He uses these polymathic abilities to create original music of incisive modernism yet rooted in elevated classicism. His groundbreaking orchestral fusions, such as Brahms X Radiohead and The Resurrection Mixtape (Mahler X Notorious BIG X Tupac Shakur), are introducing the symphony orchestra to its future audience. He has conducted these pieces to sellout houses across the country with the orchestras of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Colorado, Phoenix, Nashville, Oregon, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Columbus, Charlotte, Southwest Florida, Alabama, Colorado Music Festival, and the Boston Pops. Steve has teamed up with some of the biggest pop superstars of today to add a signature virtuosic and classical dimension to their work, including Steve Lacy, Doja Cat, and Andrew Bird. He was trained at the Curtis Institute of Music and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Piano Performance. He recently taught his first course at the Juilliard School entitled Fusion, Re-imagination and Revelation. He is active on Instagram under @stevehackmanmusic.


Casey Breves Vocals

Malia Civetz Vocals

Gregory Fletcher Vocals

Casey Breves performs across the United States, Europe, and Asia as both a pop and classical vocalist. Born and raised in New York City, he sang with the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer after graduating from Yale University, where he was a member of The Whiffenpoofs. He has performed on Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America, and Prairie Home Companion, and as a soloist in concert with the Seattle Symphony, the Denver Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philharmonisches Orchester Hagen, and at Radio City Music Hall as a backup vocalist for Adele. As a singer, songwriter, and content creator, his videos — including original songs, mashups, and collaborations — have received nearly a billion views on Youtube and hundreds of millions of streams. Casey has written music for brand campaigns with IKEA, Mars, and McDonalds. His children's book, Why Do We Sing?, written with and illustrated by husband Sam Tsui, is due to be published by HarperCollins in April of this year.

Malia Civetz has performed as a vocal soloist on countless occasions across the United States and around Europe in Steve Hackman's symphonic mashups. She began working with Hackman in January 2015 performing in Beethoven X. Coldplay and continues to lend her voice to that piece and a growing list of symphonic fusions including Stravinsky’s Firebird Remix-Response, Tchaikovsky X. Drake, Skull and Bones, The Times They Are-A-Changin’, Bartok X. Bjork, and Beethoven to Beyoncé. Malia, a Los Angeles-based recording artist and songwriter, signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music after graduating from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music's Popular Music Program. Post-college, she linked up with two music industry powerhouses, songwriter Ross Golan and producer/ songwriter JKash, signing to their newly created Friends With Pens. She initially made waves with the independent single Champagne Clouds. Ryan Seacrest personally debuted the track on his KIIS FM On Air With Ryan Seacrest. The song surpassed 20 million combined streams in just a few months and made Taylor Swift’s ‘Favorite Songs’ playlists on both Apple Music and Spotify. She moved on to sign a record deal with Warner Records and made her major label debut in 2020 with her first EP, The Flip featuring the triumphant hit single Broke Boy. Malia most recently unveiled her latest EP, Heels in Hand in April 2021 featuring Partied Out and fan-favorite Sugar Daddy.

Gregory Fletcher is a versatile, awardwinning artist thriving in the greater Los Angeles area. As a vocalist originally from California’s Inland Empire, he has become a multifaceted musician, obtaining session work in various musical genres including R&B, jazz, gospel, pop, classical, musical theater, and folk. Gregory has performed around the world, spanning from the Playboy Jazz Festival and Super Bowl LIV, to international venues including St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and the National Theater and Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan. He has worked alongside world-renowned artists including The Weeknd, Lauren Daigle, Hozier, Shoshana Bean, and Michael Bublé. As a vocalist, Gregory can be heard on films such as Just Mercy, Bad Boyz 4 Life, Sing 2, Avatar 2, The Harder They Fall, Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red, and Spacejam 2, in addition to television shows like Midnight Mass, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Dear White People, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Wednesday, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Star Wars: The Book Of Boba Fett. Gregory can be found on tour with groups like The House Jacks, Conspirare and M-Pact, and as the Alternative-R&B artist named GRAI, in addition to writing for several Warner Music Group artists. He has had the opportunity to serve as a guest artist, educator, adjudicator, and clinician at numerous Heritage Festivals, SCVA Festivals, the Fullerton Jazz Festival, as well as the Monterey Next Generation Summer Jazz Camp, and continues to work around the world as an active musician and educator. SPRING 2024 | 25


Phantom of the Opera holds the record for longest running Broadway show with over 13,000 performances!

Two shows tie for the most Tony Awards won — the musical Hamilton and the play The Producers. Each have earned 11 Tony’s.

The Broadway/ Hollywood Songbook Friday 3 May / 7:30PM Saturday 4 May / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Pops

The Lion King holds the record for highest Box Office grossing Broadway show.

Waitress was the first Broadway show with an all-woman creative team.

Supported by Concert Sponsor: Valentine Volvo + Volvo Cars Royal Oak Resident Conductor Supporter: Mary Rozsa de Coquet Program Juliane Gallant, conductor Spot-on Entertainment, ensemble Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

What makes a show 'off-broadway'? Any show performed at a professional theatre venue in Manhattan with a capacity of 100 to 499.

Performing music from the list below Aquarius + Let the Sunshine In / Cabaret / Can You Feel The Love Tonight? / Can't Take My Eyes Off You / Chicago Suite / Circle of Life / Climb Ev'ry Mountain / Dancing Queen / Don't Cry for Me Argentina / Don't Rain on My Parade / I Dreamed a Dream / I Have Dreamed / Maria / Memory / Part of Your World / Shall We Dance / The Impossible Dream / The Phantom of the Opera / Tomorrow / Your Song

John Williams earned one of his Oscars for the score adaption of The Fiddler on the Roof — the original broadway show was adapted for film in 1971.

Concert includes a 20-minute intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 26 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Juliane Gallant biography on page 7


Scott Coulter Vocals

Jessica Hendy Vocals

Kelli Rabke Vocals

Scott Coulter is one of New York's most honored vocalists having received five MAC Awards, five Bistro Awards, and two Nightlife Awards for Outstanding Vocalist and spent a record-setting eight months at Feinstein’s at The Regency performing the revue 11 O’Clock Numbers at 11 O’Clock which he also co-created, directed, and musically arranged. His self-titled debut CD won the 2003 MAC Award for Outstanding Recording and was chosen as the best recording of the year by TheatreMania and Cabaret Scenes. Scott directed and starred in A Christmas Carol: The Concert in its world premiere (Baltimore Symphony) and reprised his performance in the Emmy-nominated PBS production. He's an Emmy nominee himself for his performance in American Song at NJPAC. Scott regularly performs in concert both as a solo artist and with a variety of legendary performers including Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz and Grammywinner Sheena Easton and has performed with symphonies all over the world. Schwartz has said, “One of the greatest things that can happen to a composer is to have his music interpreted by Scott Coulter.” Scott is founder/owner of SpotOn Entertainment and is a resident director of programming at NYC's 54 Below. He's a proud graduate of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music which honored him with the CCM Young Alumni Award in 2010 and CCM's Distinguished Service Award in 2020.

Jessica Hendy is widely recognized as one of Broadway’s best belters. She played the role of Grizabella in CATS in both the original Broadway run and the 2016 revival cast, becoming the only person in history to have appeared in both Broadway incarnations of the smash hit musical. Other Broadway credits include Aida (Amneris), and Amour. She has toured nationally and in Canada in CATS (Grizabella) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator). She is a 2023 Drama Desk Award nominee and winner of the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for her one-woman musical Walking With Bubbles and a Bistro Awardwinner for the revue Get Your Tickets Now. NYC Pre-Broadway workshops include Dance of the Vampires, Aida, and The Molly Maguires. She played Diana Goodman in the regional premier Pulitzer Prize-winner Next to Normal, at ETC (Cincinnati). Other regional credits include Miss Saigon (Ellen) with Pittsburgh CLO and North Shore Music Theatre and Songs for a New World with Jason Robert Brown at the Helen Hayes PAC. Her performance as Jeanne in The Great American Trailer Park Musical at ETC earned her an ACCLAIM Award for Best Actress. She regularly appears with symphony orchestras around the world in a variety of concerts. Jessica is a proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Kelli Rabke got her big break playing the role of Dorothy in Paper Mill Playhouse’s acclaimed production of The Wizard Of Oz. Shortly thereafter, she was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber to play the lead role of the Narrator in the Broadway revival of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (US Cast Recording). Following that, she played her dream role: Eponine in Les Misérables on Broadway. She went on to perform lead roles in regional theaters across the country in Mack And Mabel, Christine in Phantom, and Stephen Schwartz’s Children Of Eden as Yonah (American Premiere Recording). She is one of only two Broadway stars to originate a role in both a Stephen Schwartz and an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical — a distinction for which she is incredibly honored. She has been seen and heard in tons of TV commercials, voice-overs, soaps, and animated series. Kelli is a staple in the NYC cabaret scene starring in shows ranging from Sondheim to Streisand to Bernstein. Internationally she performs regularly with symphony orchestras around the world in Spot-On Entertainment concerts. Recently she debuted an original song written by David Friedman and Kathie Lee Gifford on the Today show, and starred in the PBS American Songbook segment Stephen Schwartz and Friends, featuring the composer himself at the piano. She is most proud of her biggest 'productions' to date — her son Joseph, and daughter Abigale.

SPRING 2024 | 27


Stories that...

INFORM CONNECT ENLIGHTEN John Boswell Piano

Spot-on Entertainment Ensemble

John Boswell has served as musical director for Judy Collins, Andy Williams, Bob Newhart, Scott Coulter, Maude Maggart, Faith Prince, Carmen Cusack, Babbie Green, Jason Graae, and a host of other fine talents. John played the role of Moose in the national tour of Crazy For You and has appeared on The Tonight Show, Today Show, CBS This Morning, Regis And Kathie Lee, General Hospital and was the piano playing hands of Nancy McKeon on the sitcom The Facts Of Life. Recent concerts with symphonies have included Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert, BLOCKBUSTER BROADWAY!, Sheena Easton and Scott Coulter: The Spy Who Loved Me, and Music of the Knights. John has been heard singing in the shows Three Men and a Baby Grand, Cinema Toast, Broadway Today, Wiseguys, and the New York cult hit CASHINO. Broadway/ Off Broadway credits include Crazy For You, The Secret Garden, LIZA! Steppin' Out At Radio City Music Hall, Back to Bacharach and David, and The Kathy And Mo Show: Parallel Lives. His monthly concerts in 2017 at The Gardenia in Los Angeles have been crowd pleasers. John has eight CDs of original piano music and a ninth on the way. While a student at UCLA, John received the Frank Sinatra Award for popular instrumentalists.

Scott Coulter's Spot-On Entertainment is a concert production/booking company based in New York City. Owner and founder Scott Coulter is a multi-award winning performer, director, musical arranger, and producer whose creations for theaters, performing arts centers, and symphonies include Music of the Knights, Bette, Babs & Beyond, The Wonderful Music of Oz, You’ve Got a Friend, Simply the Best: The Music of Tina Turner, and Blockbuster Broadway! Special composer tribute shows include Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz & Friends and Jerry Herman: The Broadway Legacy Concert (which is co-produced by Spot-On and The ASCAP Foundation). Spot-On concerts often feature an education component that result in local artists appearing on stage with members of the Spot-On family. It is our goal to inspire the next generation and pass the torch to them.

28 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Calgary Herald and their award-winning journalists are dedicated to bringing you comprehensive, trustworthy stories that matter.

TO S U B S C R I B E , V I S I T CA LG A RY HE R A L D.C O M


Don’t miss a beat The MRU Conservatory offers world-class private and group lessons in music and speech arts, as well as choirs, orchestras and ensembles for every age and stage.

Explore programs and register at mru.ca/ConservatoryLessons

Dramatically transforming Calgary’s creative future The Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project is breaking down barriers, opening doors, and ensuring equitable access to the arts. Nearly 40 years ago, Calgary invested in its arts and culture community with the original Arts Commons. Now, with an aging facility and growing programming needs, the time has come to reinvest in our commitment to a city with a vibrant arts and culture sector. ACT will expand the Arts Commons campus with a new 1,000-seat theatre and a 200-seat studio theatre, and will modernize the existing Arts Commons facility, creating more opportunities for citizens and visitors to not just experience the arts – but to experience Calgary. The future starts now: artscommons.ca/ACT

SPRING 2024 | 29


© HarderLee Studios


DOROTHY TYLER'S MUSICAL LIFE THREE GENERATIONS BROUGHT TOGETHER BY A MUSICAL BOND BY STEPHEN HUNT

hen I reach Dorothy Tyler, 90, to arrange an interview for this story, she offers to meet me at CTV, where I work.

W

“I could come to you,” I say. After all, she is 90! You earn a few privileges for making it to your tenth decade on the planet and one of them should be that people come to interview you at your place. “Saturday at 11:30, then,” she writes back. “That is very convenient for me. I will see you then. I’ve never been to CTV.” It turns out that Dorothy has another CTV connection — two weeks earlier, she was the CTV Athlete of the Week, given to an inspiring Calgarian athlete, but she didn’t come to the station for that, they came to her. At 11:26AM, on an unseasonably beautiful Saturday morning, Dorothy walks into the building on Signal Hill, blue eyes sparkling, accompanied by her son Michael, smiling and checking the place out. “Did you have any trouble finding us?” I ask. “None at all,” she says. “There are big signs that say ‘CTV this way!’” Michael says, smiling. “No sweat.” Dorothy has lived in South Yorkshire in England, London, Toronto, Quebec, and Calgary over the span of her nine-decade-long life. 59 and a half of those years were spent with her environmental engineer husband

Maurice raising three children (and six grandchildren) until he passed away on New Year’s Eve in 2015 — and what has remained constant for Dorothy, through life on two continents, one world war, several official languages, and nine decades is a passion for and love of live music. For 25 years, the Tylers have had season tickets to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra — same five seats, Dorothy says, Upper Circle, which three different generations of Tylers attend on the regular. In fact, much to Dorothy’s delight, that passion for music has passed all the way down to her grandchildren, most notably, Ross, Mike’s youngest child. Ross, I discover, started in band class in grade five, where he had to learn five instruments including clarinet, recorder, trombone, and others — and by the time he got to junior high school, he was so far ahead of the other grade 7s he was placed in the grade 8 and 9 band and sent out on trips. She remembers Ross’s reaction to the opera records she used to play in her home. “He would say ‘Grandma, how can you stand those screaming women?’” she says. “And [then], when he was about 14, I said, would you like to give it [opera] a try? And I couldn’t believe it when he said yes!” Growing up in the South Yorkshire area of England in the 1930s, music mattered enormously in her home.

“Once a year or every other year, the opera would come to Sheffield,” Tyler says. “And they [her mom and dad] would find a way to get [us] to that.” She didn’t attend the symphony unprepared, either. Before they went, there was a gramophone at home that would be put to serious use by Dorothy’s grandparents. “If we were going to go to a symphony,” she said, “we would get the [musical] training so to speak from my grandparents.” Her love of music survived even when the Nazis bombed Sheffield heavily during the war — their bombs happily missed their target — steel plants by the river — but sadly struck the city’s core, including the concert hall the symphony performed at. However, the Nazis weren’t able to kill live music — Sheffield’s concert hall eventually got rebuilt. “It’s amazing how it didn’t seem to take all that long for things to revive,” she says. After completing high school, Dorothy moved to London to attend university, where she met Maurice — and the two of them discovered jazz in London in the 1950s. “Stan Kenton was the big thing,” she said. One day in class, her music teacher suggested a debate: Jazz vs Orchestral music and asked Dorothy to take the side of jazz, which she did — but truth be told, she loved orchestral classical music just as much as she loved jazz. SPRING 2024 | 31


then we each pick out our favourite!” she says.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT MUSIC DOES — ALWAYS WHEN WE GO TO THESE RESIDENCES, ALWAYS WHEN YOU START SINGING, FEET ARE TAPPING. YOU REALLY GET INVOLVED. BODIES GET MOVING

nd when they weren’t enjoying the city’s jazz scene, they were singing — most likely Gilbert and Sullivan — in a variety of choral groups.

A

Dorothy and Maurice spent a few years in London, before emigrating to Toronto, where they immediately discovered the symphony orchestra — and felt right at home. “By the time we got to Toronto and got hooked onto the Symphony there, we just stayed involved (with symphony orchestras),” she said. There was another move, to Quebec, where they lived a block from Montreal Canadien legend Guy Lafleur, who used to join the kids in ball hockey games from time to time for over 30 years. “In Quebec we used to be involved in the Symphony and the schools,” she says, “particularly getting the Symphony to schools.” The Tylers relocated to Calgary in the late 1990s. Upon arriving in Calgary, Dorothy was struck by how much performing art there was. “When we came to Calgary, I couldn’t get over the amount of theatre,” she says. “There was just one Englishlanguage theatre in Montreal! Between theatre and music, we’re quite busy,” she adds. And if winters were filled with opera, symphony, and theatre, summers were filled with nature — Dorothy spent summers at Lake O’Hara in Banff National Park. 32 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

In addition to Friday night concerts at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, what Dorothy says makes the Phil stand out is the way it spreads its message at different venues and settings to growing musical education in the city through smaller chamber concerts like those performed by the Instrumental Society of Calgary, which presents chamber music in intimate settings around the city. “Quite a number of orchestral people would play in those small (chamber music) groups,” she says. “That was a good learning experience, because they would talk in those small groups, in one of the churches downtown.”

“I was custodian there when we were doing a lot of climbing,” she says. “There was nobody out there in those days.

Those smaller, more intimate musical gatherings were popular with her grandchildren, who would often tag along when she went to one.

“We could sit around and play the recorder and fascinate the little guys (wildlife).”

“Because you can ask questions,” she says. “Why prefer the flute to the clarinet? Especially when they were there with instruments. Live, they would play them. You would learn a lot — which all adds to appreciation for the symphony in the long run.”

Over the past 25 years, Dorothy and her family have seen several different music directors come and go at the Calgary Philharmonic — and for the past five years, she’s been observing what Calgary Phil Music Director Rune Bergmann does and enjoying what she hears. “Since he’s arrived, the broad range of the program has changed so much!” she says, citing one of her favourite recent programs, The Last Night of the Proms. The audiences have also changed, she says, as the Calgary Phil programs a rich diversity of musical evenings, ranging from classical favourites to Scandinavian hidden gems to Marvel movies and country and western artists — events that are growing the Philharmonic audience to a wildly diverse range of Albertans. “They’re attracting so many different kinds of people now,” she says. While Dorothy favours Mozart, Brahms, and Beethoven, she says there’s a certain amount of democracy in the Tyler house when it comes to selecting which concerts to attend. “What we’ve done for many years now is when the program comes out, we’ll say ‘let’s do 10 concerts’ and everybody gets their choice — and

These days, she says, she enjoys sneaking down to the Jack Singer Hall on Friday mornings, where the Calgary Phil often hold open rehearsals ahead of the weekend’s performance. “A number of buses from senior residences and school buses will be at the rehearsal,” she says. “So, you can be at a rehearsal in the morning and a performance at night. “They’ll be relaxed [at rehearsal] and sometimes there will be a singer there and they will do an introduction.” One thing she’d like to see more of — performing the magnificent pipe organ that’s in Jack Singer Concert Hall. “Nothing like that one. And I’m wondering what churches have any?” she asks. Tyler started singing in England, found a musical partner in Maurice and never really stopped — she still meets with a group every Tuesday to belt out a few tunes. “We’ll go to different residences and go out to entertain,” she says.


“We make a point of not calling ourselves a choir,” she says. “We just enjoy singing. I still find it hard to accept — when I did a lot of Gilbert and Sullivan, I was a soprano. Now I’m a low alto, and the conductor sits me with the guys.” The power of live music is apparent every time they visit seniors’ homes and sing for the residents. “When you think about what music does — always when we go to these residences, always when you start singing, feet are tapping. You really get involved. Bodies get moving.” The only drawback, for Dorothy, is that sometimes music has too much power.

She tries not to listen to songs she used to share — and often times sing — with Maurice, because they stir too many emotions in her. Back to that TV segment where she was named CTV’s Athlete of the Week. She says it all was a bit of a shocker — someone from her group contacted Glenn Campbell, CTV’s sports anchor, and recommended her — but the day of the shoot came with perfect timing. “It all worked so conveniently because the walk we’d called for that week started at my house,” she says. “Because we walk all over the city, and occasionally into the mountains.

“We have all these people,” she adds. “Friday we were out, there were 15 of us. (We hiked through) Lower Elbow Valley — it was great. We did 7.5 kilometres. “That’s not bad,” she adds, “given the age of us!” I tell her that’s amazing. Inspiring. And awesome. “You’d be surprised,” she says. “You’re walking with other people, chatting away — and you forget about the (replaced) hip or the knee that’s giving you trouble.”

LONG-TIME SUBSCRIBER DOROTHY TYLER MAKES COMING TO THE ORCHESTRA A FAMILY EVENT WITH SON MICHAEL AND GRANDSON ROSS

SPRING 2024 | 33


Do you have a young music fan on your hands? Symphony Sundays for Kids concerts are about one hour long with no intermission and feature orchestral favourites every child should know.

Saint-Georges' Sword + Bow Sunday 5 May / 3PM Instrument Discovery Zoo / 2PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Symphony Sundays for Kids Program Kelly Lin, conductor Classical Kids LIVE!, ensemble Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Saint-Georges’ Sword + Bow is a theatrically staged concert presentation designed to introduce family and student audiences to the life and music of Joseph Bologne, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges. This educationally entertaining production presents 25 beloved works by Saint-Georges and his contemporaries. This concert has no intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 34 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Arrive early for the Instrument Discovery Zoo in the Jack Singer lobby, where they can visit different stations hosted by Orchestra musicians. Each station features an instrument or musical activity for children to try! This fun, hands-on experience is the perfect way to indulge your child’s curiosity and excitement about visiting the Orchestra. The Instrument Discovery Zoo starts at 2PM and the performance starts at 3PM.


Actors pictured: Jonah D. Winston & Demetra Dee

Kelly Lin Conductor

Classical Kids LIVE! Ensemble

​​ Praised for her magnetic, captivating, and inspiring interpretation, ChineseCanadian conductor Kelly Lin enjoys an active performing career across Canada and internationally. Equally comfortable with repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary, she is an advocate for under-represented voices, and she is the Artistic Director of Lagom Music Society. As the recipient of the Hnatyshyn Foundation Christa and Franz-Paul Decker Fellowship in Conducting, Kelly obtained her master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Schulich School of Music where her mentors include Alexis Hauser and Guillaume Bourgogne. She has also refined her conducting skills with mentors such as Rafael Payare, Marin Alsop, James Ross, Alexander Shelley, Giuseppe Montesano, Otto Tausk, Jonathan Girard, Brian Current, Yoav Talmi, and Kirk Trevor. Kelly has recently been named a fellow of the Tapestry Opera WML program.

Classical Kids LIVE! is produced by Classical Kids Music Education, a Chicago-based nonprofit with a mission to provide children with an exciting and educational point of entry into the world of classical music by humanizing the lives of the great composers, creating an emotional connection to their musical masterpieces, and inspiring personal excellence that leads to greater achievement and success in life. Its Classical Kids LIVE! symphony concert series serves as one of the world’s best educational outreach and community engagement programs contributing to the long-term health of classical music. Having received more awards and honors than any other entity of its kind, Classical Kids is proud to say, “We’re making a difference!”

Kelly Lin appears with the Calgary Phil as a member of Tapestry Opera’s Women in Musical Leadership, a program designed to collectively develop the next generation of female and non-binary conductors and music directors in Canada.

Follow us! Facebook @ClassicalKidsLive Instagram @classicalkidslive

Classical Kids® is a trademark of Classical Productions for Children Ltd., used under exclusive license to and produced by Classical Kids Music Education, NFP. Classical Kids CDs/Merchandise Available at www.ClassicalKidsLive.com.

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SPRING 2024 | 35


Fantasia ... sul linguaggio perduto Marjan Mozetich (b. 1948) Fantasia ... sul linguaggio perduto (on a lost language) was commissioned by the now defunct Galliard Ensemble in 1981 with the financial assistance of the Canada Council. Originally written for flute, violin, viola, and cello, the work was subsequently arranged for string orchestra (1985) for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's recording Musica Viva by the Amadeus Ensemble under the leadership of violinist Moshe Hammer. Fantasia ... is a highly emotionally charged composition which harkens back to the lush harmonies and expressive melodies of a faded Romantic period: and yet, within the confines of a minimalist-repetitive style, the overall personality of the work is distinctively late 20th century. Although technically demanding, Fantasia ... is not difficult to perform — the resultant musical effect is aurally dazzling. With its inherent pulsating drive, the work weaves in and out of a series of satisfyingly familiar musical configurations which consistently lead to enraptured climaxes and abruptly dissipates into new configurations. These surges may be construed as the yearnings, aspirations, or desires of something lost ... of that 'je ne sais quoi.'

Brilliant Bassoon Friday 10 May / 7:30PM Saturday 11 May / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Curated Series 2

Program note by Marjan Mozetich © 2024

Bassoon Concerto in F Major, Op. 75, J. 127

Program Karen Kamensek, conductor Antoine St-Onge, bassoon Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Carl Maria Von Weber (1786 to 1826)

Marjan Mozetich

Fantasia ... sul linguaggio perduto

15'

Carl Maria Von Weber

Bassoon Concerto in F Major, Op. 75, J. 127 I. Allegro ma non troppo II. Adagio III. Rondo: Allegro

17'

Intermission

20'

William Walton

43'

Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Minor I. Allegro assai II. Presto, con malizia III. Andante con malinconia IV. Maestoso – Brioso ed ardamente – Vivacissimo

Program and artists subject to change without notice 36 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Carl Maria Von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto is right up there with Mozart in one significant way: it’s in the top two in the bassoon repertoire, and was used frequently for exams at the Paris Conservatoire whenever a bassoonist was called upon to perform. In the early days of the 19th century, Weber was a popular composer among musicians after a clarinet concerto he wrote became a big hit and caught the attention of the king of Bavaria. The groundwork for the piece fell into place when a bassoonist named George Friedrich Brandt, who studied with Ritter, Mozart’s favourite bassoonist, convinced the Bavarian king to commission a bassoon piece from Weber. Weber wrote it in two weeks,


between 14 and 27 November 1811. It premiered a month later, when Brandt performed it at the Munich Hoftheatre, but Weber, alas, wasn’t there to see it. He had to travel to Switzerland for the next leg of a concert tour. He did see Brandt perform it in Prague, and in 1822, he revised the piece. © Todd Rosenberg

Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Minor William Walton (1902 to 1983) British composer William Walton only wrote two symphonies over the course of his career during the 1920s and 1930s, when he built a reputation as an avante-garde composer during the post-World War 1 Roaring Twenties. Symphonies didn’t come easy for him, however, and Symphony No. 1 was no exception. Walton started work on it during the Great Depression, in 1933, and completed three movements before getting stuck without a fourth and final movement. There was speculation that his writer’s block was due to a broken heart — he had just ended a six-year long relationship with a German widow, Baroness Irma von Duernberg, to whom the piece is dedicated. While Symphony No. 1 was not commissioned, Walton had an agreement with the London Symphony Orchestra and its musical director Sir Hamilton Harty was able to convince Walton to allow him to conduct the uncompleted symphony early in December of 1934. The following year, after composing music for a film, Walton was able to complete the symphony and it premiered in November 1935, where a critic in attendance said that when Walton, a shy, young man, appeared on stage, the crowd “cheered continuously for five minutes.” Program notes by Stephen Hunt © 2024

Karen Kamensek Conductor

Antoine St-Onge Bassoon

Grammy award-winning conductor Karen Kamensek’s expansive artistry and deep commitment for championing composers of the 20th and 21st century is reflected in her work in both the opera house and on the concert stage. This Season, she makes several important debuts, from Puccini’s Tosca with London’s Royal Opera House to the world premiere of Adam Schoenberg’s Cool Cat with the Los Angeles Philharmonic to Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Seattle Symphony and soloist Jan Lisiecki. Her 2023/2024 Season is one of no less than nine debuts and several high-profile returns. In addition to her first time leading the Royal Opera, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Seattle Symphony she will also make debuts with the Sydney Symphony, Kuopio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Orquesta Sinfónica RTVE, and Colorado Symphony. Karen served as the Music Director of the Staatsoper Hannover from 2011 to 2016. Prior to this, she has also held positions at Volksoper Wien, Theater Freiburg, Slovenian National Theatre, and Staatsoper Hamburg. Frequently in demand as a guest conductor with many of today’s most prominent opera companies and orchestras, Karen's recent opera highlights include her performances with the English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera in Glass’ Akhnaten — for which she won a Grammy in 2022.

Antoine St-Onge joined the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra as Principal Bassoonist in June 2018 at the age of 23. A native of Morin-Heights, Québec, he earned his bachelor’s degree in music from the Montreal Music Conservatory and then graduated from McGill University, under the guidance of Montreal Symphony Orchestra members Mathieu Harel and Stéphane Lévesque. He also spent a semester studying with Carlo Colombo at the CNSMDP in Lyon, France. Before his appointment to the Calgary Phil, Antoine performed with the Montreal Contemporary Ensemble (ECM+), and was a substitute for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Drummondville Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre des Pays de Savoie, and Les Violons du Roy. He was featured as a soloist with the Montreal Music Conservatory and with the McGill Symphony Orchestra, in Gioachino Rossini’s and André Jolivet’s bassoon concerto. Antoine has an unconditional love for animals, and the outdoors — especially biking and snowboarding. He plays on a Benson Bell bassoon made in Ontario, Canada.

SPRING 2024 | 37


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APRIL 4 Photo By Cory Weaver. Minnesota Opera, 2016.

APRIL 20, 24 & 26, 2024 38 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

CALGARYOPERA.COM


Q + A with PRINCIPAL BASSOON

ANTOINE ST-ONGE Q T ell us about your Benson Bell bassoon that you perform on.

A B enson Bell is a Canadian bassoon

maker based in Peterborough, Ontario. He actually lived in Alberta and studied bassoon at the University of Calgary with former Calgary Phil principal bassoon Stephen Franse! I met Benson at a music festival in Quebec where he was teaching instrument maintenance and helping to repair bassoons. Most of the bassoon section in the Montreal Symphony had just received their new Bell basson around 2010, which encouraged me to get one as well. I received mine in 2012 — a beautiful red varnished instrument made of Canadian maple.

Q T ell us about the significance of Weber’s Bassoon Concerto.

A C arl Maria von Weber wrote the

bassoon concerto in 1811 for the Munich Court Orchestra and their brilliant bassoon player, Georg Friedrich Brandt. At the time, the most famous symphonic solo work for this instrument was Mozart's Bassoon Concerto. Weber is considered by many music scholars to be one of the first great Romantic composers, writing music full of contrasts in between lyricism, drama, change of character, and virtuosity. The bassoon concerto was very well received by audiences and became quickly popular, making it the second most important symphonic piece featuring the basson after Mozart’s.

Q W hat should audiences listen for in Weber’s Bassoon Concerto?

A W eber's music is inspired by the

operatic world, jumping from strong confident themes to lovely poignant melodies. In the first movement, the triumphant first theme is interrupted by a reflective and calm second theme.

It culminates in a glorious and brilliant finish, exploring in a fierce manner the whole bassoon register. The second movement is a beautiful aria that reminds the listener of an Italian opera. One of the most special moments of the whole piece is a passage written for two horns and solo bassoon, where the sounds mix together and create a beautiful timbre. The last movement is a light rondo that has a catchy and silly theme. The piece ends in a spectacular culmination of scales and arpeggios, demonstrating one last time the virtuosic capabilities of the bassoon.

Q Y ou’re originally from Quebec. What do you like about living in Calgary?

A T he first thing that comes to mind

is how lucky I am to be part of such a wonderful orchestra. I am very happy to be surrounded by warm, dedicated, and inspiring colleagues. My love of the outdoors also made Calgary become a home quickly, as the mountains and the vast landscapes are an incredible playground for me all year round!

Q Y ou’re a snowboarder. How does snowboarding compare here to back in Quebec?

A I find myself privileged to have

grown up in a forested and rural area of Quebec, where there was lots of snow during winter. I have always been amazed by the beauty of nature buried under snow, especially in the mountains. Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of living in the western part of Canada, where big mountains cover a lot of the territory. Snowboarding in Quebec was a joy that prepared me to what is to be explored around here in Calgary and its surroundings. I am glad to be able to share that adventurous passion with many friends and colleagues in the orchestra! SPRING 2024 | 39


ABOUT THE CONCERT

Violins of Hope is a series of concerts based on a private collection of violins collected since World War 2. Led by Israeli luthier Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, this father-son duo have spent decades restoring and upgrading violins, many owned by Jews before or during the war. These instruments, each with a poignant story from the Holocaust, embody resilience and hope amidst unimaginable horror. Each instrument carries its unique story — such as the violin that made its way to Canada through a Dutch family or the violin that saved the lives of people who played in camp orchestras and survived.

Violins of Hope Presented in partnership with Calgary Jewish Federation

Wednesday 15 May / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Specials Program Juliane Gallant, conductor Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Program to be announced from stage Concert includes a 20-minute intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 40 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

The instruments featured in Violins of Hope are brought to Calgary courtesy of KSW Calgary Holocaust Education Fund, the Legacy Fund, and the Calgary Jewish Federation Holocaust and Human Rights: Commemoration and Education. From 26 April to 9 June 2024, the instruments will be at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, during which visitors can see the instruments and learn more about their stories.


Support Your Phil Every donation to your Calgary Philharmonic makes a difference for the Orchestra and in our communities. We offer a series of donor benefits to demonstrate how grateful we are for your support. G

grand

F

fanfare

C

celebration

A

applause

D

dynamic

E

ensemble

B

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Donor events take place throughout the season and will give you a deeper understanding of your Calgary Phil and a greater appreciation of orchestral music. Depending on your level of support, you will have the opportunity to attend events with Calgary Phil musicians, exclusive donor rehearsals, donor recitals, our popular music and lecture series Music To My Ears, post-concert receptions, access to the Founders' Room, and more. Your generosity is at the heart of the Calgary Phil as we ensure your financial support is more impactful than ever. Thanks to your dedication and enthusiasm, the Calgary Phil will continue to connect our communities and celebrate the transformative power of orchestral music. For more information on benefit details and how you can support your Calgary Phil, visit calgaryphil.com/support.

SPRING 2024 | 41


Twentieth Century Fox Presents A Lucasfilm Ltd. production Starring MARK HAMILL HARRISON FORD CARRIE FISHER PETER CUSHING and ALEC GUINNESS Written and Directed by GEORGE LUCAS Produced by GARY KURTZ Music by JOHN WILLIAMS

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack available at Disneymusicemporium.com STAR WARS FILM CONCERT SERIES PRODUCTION CREDITS President, Disney Music Group KEN BUNT SVP/GM, Disney Concerts CHIP MCLEAN VP, Disney Concerts GINA LORSCHEIDER Supervising Technical Director ALEX LEVY – EPILOGUE MEDIA

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

Film Preparation RAMIRO BELGARDT Business Affairs, Lucasfilm RHONDA HJORT CHRIS HOLM Music Preparation MARK GRAHAM MATTHEW VOOGT

Presented in partnership with Calgary International Film Festival

JoAnn Kane Music Service Disney Music Library

Friday 17 May / 7:30PM Saturday 18 May / 1PM Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Specials

Operations, Disney Concerts BRANNON FELLS ROYD HASTON Marketing & Publicity LISA LINARES LILLIAN MATULIC

Program Anthony Parnther, conductor Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra John Williams

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

146'

Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner/Chappell Music. © 2023 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Disney

Concert includes a 20-minute intermission Program and artists subject to change without notice 42 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Business Affairs, Disney Concerts DARRYL FRANKLIN LEIGH ZEICHICK PHIL WOODS NARINE MINASIAN ELENA CONTRERAS ADDISON GRANILLO CHRISTY SWINTEK SVETLANA TZANEVA Business Affairs, Warner-Chappell SCOTT MCDOWELL For Booking Inquires: Emily.Yoon@TeamWass.com


Enjoy a pre or post-show dinner experience at Fairmont Palliser's Hawthorn Dining Room & Bar and receive a discount by presenting your ticket.

© Dario Acosta

Anthony Parnther Conductor American conductor Anthony Parnther is in his fifth season as Music Director of California’s San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. As conductor of the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra, it was Anthony who led its sold-out Carnegie Hall debut, showcasing the world premiere of I Can by five-time Grammy-winner Jon Batiste. A master of multiple genres, he has conducted many of the world’s preeminent artists, from Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Jessye Norman, and Frederica von Stade to Imagine Dragons, John Legend, Avenged Sevenfold, Wu-Tang Clan, and Rihanna. Dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices, Anthony has reconstructed and performed orchestral works by Margaret Bonds, Duke Ellington, Zenobia Powell Perry, Florence Price, William Grant Still, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. As well as leading LA Opera’s world premiere of Tamar-kali’s oratorio We Hold These Truths and Long Beach Opera’s revival of Anthony Davis’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Central Park Five, he has premiered and recorded works by Batiste, Kris Bowers, Davis, Adolphus Hailstork, Marian Harrison, Daniel Kidane, Gary Powell Nash, Errollyn Wallen, James Wilson, and John Wineglass, among others. For his extensive championing of works by Black, Latino, and women composers, he was profiled in 2015 as a “Local Hero” by Los Angeles’s PBS SoCal/ KCET. As one of today’s foremost film conductors, Anthony helms recording sessions for many of the world’s top international feature films and television series. Recent projects include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Encanto, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, and League of Legends.

hawthorndiningroom.ca | 403 260 1219 | 133 9 Ave SW

SPRING 2024 | 43


Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 23, TH 55 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 to 1893)

© Monique de St. Croix

Illia Ovcharenko performs Tchaikovsky Friday 31 May / 7:30PM Saturday 1 June / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Curated Series 1 Supported by Music Director Endowed Chair Supporter: Ted + Lola Rozsa Chorus Supporter: Borak Forte Program Program Rune Bergmann, conductor Illia Ovcharenko, piano Sydney Baedke, soprano Andrea Hill, mezzo-soprano Andrew Haji, tenor Stephen Hegedus, baritone Calgary Philharmonic Chorus Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Tota pulchra es, WAB 46 Anton Bruckner (1824 to 1896)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 23, TH 55 I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso II. Andantino semplice III. Allegro con fuoco

32'

Intermission

20'

Anton Bruckner

Tota pulchra es, WAB 46

6'

Ave Maria, WAB 6

4'

Te Deum, WAB 45 I. Te Deum laudamus II. Te ergo quaesumus III. Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis IV. Salvum fac populum tuum V. In te Domine, speravi

24'

Program and artists subject to change without notice 44 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

The first performance of Piano Concerto No. 1 came three days after Tchaikovsky completed it on Christmas Eve, in 1874, for an audience of two: pianist Nikolai Rubenstein and Nikolai Hubert, at the Moscow Conservancy. According to biographer David Brown, the reaction from both men to the opening movement was not encouraging. “I played the first movement. Not a single word, not a single remark!” Tchaikovsky wrote. He performed the rest of the piece, after which Rubenstein proceeded to dismantle it. “It turned out that my concerto was worthless and unplayable; passages were so fragmented, so clumsy, so badly written that they were beyond rescue; the work itself was bad, vulgar; in places I had stolen from other composers; only two or three pages were worth preserving; the rest must be thrown away or completely rewritten,” Tchaikovsky wrote. Piano Concerto No. 1 has since gone on to become one of the composer’s most popular works.

Anton Bruckner loved Wagner. He played the organ and taught in a small monastic town in Austria before he moved to Vienna, where he accepted a job teaching at the university in 1875. The problem was a music critic named Eduard Hanslick, who championed a feud between those who loved Brahms and those who loved Wagner. Hanslick, it turned out, didn’t much care for Bruckner, who is said to have regretted his Vienna years. To be fair, Bruckner had his supporters in Vienna, such as Deutsche Zeitung music critic Theodor Helm as well as Gustav Mahler. Bruckner wrote poorly-received symphonies as well as masses, motets, and other types of sacred music including Tota pulchra es. It’s a motet that Bruckner composed in 1878, in the middle of his musical feud with Hanslick. Tota pulchra es was first recorded in 1929 by Ludwig Berberich with the Münchner Domchor.


Ave Maria, WAB 6 Anton Bruckner

Te Deum, WAB 45 Anton Bruckner 20 years after he wrote Ave Maria, Bruckner started work on the Te Deum, in May 1881, while he was completing Symphony No. 6. But he actually didn’t complete it until he had finished Symphony No. 7, in 1884. The piece is a musical adaptation of the Te Deum hymn, which Bruckner expressed gratitude to “for having safely brought me through so much anguish in Vienna.” Bruckner, it seems, was not a critical favourite for Viennese music critic Eduard Haslick, who took exception to his affection for Wagner and his tendency to rewrite constantly. The Te Deum, written for choirs and soloists, orchestra, and organ, was published in 1885 by a man named Theordore Rattig, who paid him 50 florins. It’s said that that was the only money Bruckner ever earned as a composer in his entire life. Program notes by Stephen Hunt © 2024 Rune Bergmann biography on page 7

© Ewan Nicholson

Ave Maria is a sacred motet by Bruckner that translates to “Hail Mary”, which, as every football fan knows, is the last-second desperation throw by the trailing team’s quarterback to the end zone, where receivers gather with defenders to try to stage a miracle finish. In his early days, Bruckner worked as a teacher and organist for 10 years in Sankt Florian, an Austrian town dominated by its monastery. He started composing seriously in 1861, when he wrote Ave Maria. It was first performed that year in the Linz Cathedral in Austria. The inspiration for the first part of Ave Maria is the Annunciation, or the meeting of Gabriel the Archangel and Mary. The first known use of “Hail Mary” in football came in a 1975 playoff game when Roger Staubach famously tossed a desperation heave that gave the Cowboys a controversial last-second victory over Minnesota. Desperation throws have been known as “Hail Marys” ever since.

Illia Ovcharenko Piano

Sydney Baedke Soprano

Illia Ovcharenko was six when he decided to become a pianist. Today he’s a celebrated virtuoso, playing concerts all over the world. He’s the 2023 winner of the Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, along with top prizes at the New York, Hilton Head, Busoni, and Horowitz Piano competitions. Highlights of the 2023/2024 Season include debuts with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Liechtenstein Symphony, and Haifa Symphony, as well as return engagements with the Calgary Philharmonic. Illia is scheduled to perform at Koerner Hall in Toronto, Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Sendesaal in Hannover, Robert-Schumann-Saal in Düsseldorf, and Salle Bourgie in Montréal in the upcoming Season. Illia began piano lessons at nine and gave his first concert at 12. At 13 he moved to Kyiv, and later to Tel Aviv, for advanced training. He’s currently finishing a master’s program with his longtime mentor, Arie Vardi, in Hannover. He thrives on live performance, feeling as if two souls — his and the composer’s — are united together on stage. He’s most at home playing romantic repertoire.

Noted as a “rising star to watch” by Opera Canada, Alberta soprano Sydney Baedke is the winner of the Edmonton Opera’s prestigious Rumbold Prize for 2023. Described as possessing a voice of “exquisite lyricism” (The Guardian) and “impressive richness” (London Unattached). Sydney’s 2023/2024 Season sees company debuts with Pacific Opera Victoria in her role debut as Countess in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, with Orchestre classique de Montréal for Handel’s Messiah, and Calgary Philharmonic for Bruckner’s Te Deum. Sydney returned to Montreal’s Maison Symphonique with Orchestre Philharmonique et choeur des mélomanes (OPCM) for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Brott Music Festival for Handel’s Messiah. Her 2022/2023 Season included her debut at London’s Royal Opera House in Oliver Mears’ critically acclaimed production of The Rape of Lucretia coproduced with Britten Pears Arts, and her debut as Musetta in La bohème with OPCM. Other recent engagements include covering Tatyana in Eugene Onegin as an Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera, the title role in Brott Opera’s digital production of Estacio’s Filumena, her principal artist debut at Opera on the Avalon as Beatrice in Heggie’s Three Decembers, followed by Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Brott Music Festival. In 2019, Sydney made her professional debut as La Fortuna and Valletto in Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where she also covered Gilda in Rigoletto as a member of the Gerdine Young Artist Program.

SPRING 2024 | 45


Andrea Hill Mezzo-Soprano

Andrew Haji Tenor

Stephen Hegedus Baritone

Calgary-born mezzo-soprano Andrea Hill balances engagements at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, London’s Covent Garden, across Canada, and on major stages in France. Among her 2022/2023 engagements were an appearance with the Victoria Symphony in Mozart’s Requiem and the Edmonton Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, along with cover assignments with the Edmonton Opera. The 2021/2022 Season saw Andrea as a soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic (Mozart’s Requiem) and Florida Orchestra (Messiah), joining Opera Southwest in the titular role of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, and returning to Opera Dijon as Despina for Così fan tutte. Further credits include featured roles in Ariadne auf Naxos in Aix-enProvince and Luxembourg, Orfeo in Metz, Elektra at the Liceu of Barcelona and at the Met, Jenufa for Pacific Opera Victoria, Il barbiere di Siviglia for Calgary Opera and Manitoba Opera, and Messiah for the Milwaukee Symphony and Calgary Philharmonic. A passionate concert and chamber singer, Andrea has participated in various festivals worldwide, including La Grange de Meslay, Musique à l’Empéri, Festival Présences with Radio France, and the Ultima Contemporary Music Festival in Oslo, Norway. She has also performed as a soloist for Winnipeg and Victoria Symphonies, in excerpts of Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées with conductor Kurt Masur, and L’enfant et les sortilèges at Royal Festival Hall in London under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Since his debut at the 2016 Salzburg Festival in Lucrezia Borgia conducted by Marco Armiliato, Canadian tenor Andrew Haji has been engaged by numerous internationally acclaimed festivals, orchestras, and opera houses. His Wexford Festival debut came as Helios in Felicien David’s Herculanum and he was heard for the Edinburgh Festival as Jonathan in Handel’s Saul conducted by John Butt. The Toronto native has appeared as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore for the Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera and the Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan, Pollione in Norma for the Calgary Opera, and Alfredo in La Traviata for Vancouver Opera. A frequent collaborator with Maestro Bernard Labadie, Andrew has been heard at Carnegie Hall with Labadie and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Mass in C, and most recently Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium, with Les Violons du Roy in Bach Cantatas, as well as Haydn’s Die Schöpfung with Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. He was heard with the Oregon, Milwaukee and Toronto symphonies in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Houston Symphony in Messiah, and Alexander Shelley conducted him as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. In addition to his performances of Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Calgary Philharmonic, his current season includes Verdi’s Requiem for the Mendelssohn Choir of Toronto and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor for Orchestre symphonique de Québec.

Hailed by Ottawa Citizen as a singer possessing “…an instrument of rare beauty, majestic and commanding from the bottom of his range to the top,” Stephen Hegedus is at home on both the concert and opera stage. Especially appreciated for his performance in Messiah, he has been heard in Handel’s masterpiece with the Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Seattle Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, and Naples Philharmonic. Recent and upcoming engagements include Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Calgary Philharmonic, Haydn’s Creation with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the Victoria Symphony, Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium with the Grand Philharmonic Choir and Bach Cantatas with Les Violons du Roy conducted by Labadie and for the Montreal Symphony with Payare. Heard with Opera Atelier as both Don Giovanni and Leporello, Stephen has appeared with the Vancouver Opera, Montreal Opera, Manitoba Opera, Opera Lafayette in Washington, D.C., Opera Shengdu in China, at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York, and at the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago most recently as baritone soloist in Brahms’ Requiem. Of particular note were his appearances with Opera Lafayette as Rocco in Leonore, the precursor to Beethoven’s Fidelio, performances that have now been released on video.

46 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849


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SPRING 2024 | 47


From Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Cameron and Emmy-nominated National Geographic Explorer Brian Skerry...

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48 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849


WOMEN in MUSICAL LEADERSHIP FORGING the FUTURE:

BY CAMILLE ROGERS

orldwide, less than 5% of music directors of major orchestras are women. In 2020, Toronto-based company Tapestry Opera decided to meet this challenge head-on and developed a revolutionary and comprehensive 3-year pilot program to create generations of women and non-binary musical leaders to come.

W

Today, in 2024, participating conductors have won positions and engagements with major Canadian orchestras; the number of partners invested in the program has more than doubled since its first year, from 10 to over 20 organizations across Canada; and the program has been recognized with national and international awards. This fall, Tapestry Opera’s Michael Mori and Jaime Martino were recognized with a Nada Ristich Change Maker Ruby Award for their incredible work in establishing the Women in Musical Leadership program. Facilitated by Tapestry Opera and in lead partnership with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Opera Victoria, the Women in Musical Leadership program supports women and non-binary conductors by providing training and placements with orchestras, opera companies, and ensembles across Canada. Two conductors are chosen each year, and complete their fellowship over the course of three years. The program was developed in conversation with stakeholders from across the classical music industry and was intentionally built around several key pillars of success. First, WML selects excellent conductors from a broad range of musical backgrounds through a rigorous audition process. Top women conductors such as JoAnn Falletta, Sarah Ioannides, Karen Kamensek,

Tania Miller, and Rosemary Thomson provide long-term mentorship. Conductors build professional experience and form unique and deep relationships with over 20 partner organizations across Canada, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Opera Victoria, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Shaw Festival, and more. Finally, the threeyear salaried fellowship provides a broad range of training opportunities beyond conducting experience, including music administration, professional leadership skills, and executive career coaching. The program has been transformational for the six current participants, providing the conductors with experiences that have directly led to exciting career successes. For example, Juliane Gallant was named the Resident Conductor of the Calgary Philharmonic after just two years in the program — and she had never conducted orchestral repertoire before starting placements with WML! Juliane comes from a strong background in opera and has now been able to develop into a fullyfledged orchestral Maestra. Jennifer Tung also comes from an operatic background and has thrived in that industry. She served as Assistant Conductor for the Canadian Opera Company’s 2023 production of Pomegranate and has music directed three world premieres in the last two years: Of the Sea (Ian Cusson and Kanika Ambrose), Showroom (Rodney Sharman and Atom Egoyan), and Gould’s Wall (Brian Current and Liza Balkan). Naomi Woo has been invited to guest conduct the Toronto Symphony in

February 2024 and has been named Assistant Conductor to Yannick Nezet-Seguin for the 2024/2025 Season at the Philadelphia Orchestra. She was also recently announced as the National Youth Orchestra of Canada’s new Music Director. Naomi is the first female Music Director in the history of the NYO, which is an exciting step forward for the whole Canadian orchestral community! This fall, Maria Fuller advanced to the 11th Fitelberg International Conducting Competition finals, spending several weeks showcasing her skills in Katowice, Poland! She earned one of three Distinction prizes, was invited to conduct the State Opera in Prague, and received many other invitations to conduct and assist across Europe. She also co-founded the Calgary-based company Ammolite Opera, which focuses on works by living composers. Last March, Monica Chen and Kelly Lin were announced as the latest cohort of WML conductors. Both have already completed several placements nationwide, ranging from contemporary music festivals to Mozart operas to classic musical theatre! Looking to the future, the Women in Musical Leadership program is set to transform the face of classical music in Canada, inspiring new generations of musicians to reach their fullest potential in their craft. It will be exciting to see what heights these wonderful artists will soar to next!

Scan the QR code to learn more about Tapestry Opera's Women in Musical Leadership program SPRING 2024 | 49


Fourth Symphony Gary Kulesha (b. 1954)

© Shervin Lainez

Joshua Bell: One Night Only

My Fourth Symphony was written roughly 15 years after my Third Symphony. The Symphony opens with the chord that dominates the entire work. A solo bassoon sings a melody that gets passed through the orchestra. After a small climax, the high strings alone play the second subject. These two melodies provide the material for much of the rest of the work. There is a short acceleration into the second movement (which follows without a break), a scherzo that moves between brutality and sly elegance. At the climax, there is a recapitulation of the first movement's main idea in a duet between bassoon and piccolo. The third movement features a solo trumpet. It moves inexorably towards a climax before dying away. A very long tune dominates the final movement, which is marked Relentless. After a long build, the symphony ends triumphantly, sweeping away everything that has come before. Program note by Gary Kulesha © 2024

Saturday 8 June / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Specials

Earth from The Elements Kevin Puts (b. 1972)

Supported by Concert Supporter: Heather Edwards Music Director Endowed Chair Supporter: Ted + Lola Rozsa Program Rune Bergmann, conductor Joshua Bell, violin Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Gary Kulesha

Fourth Symphony 1+2. Allegro moderato – Allegro molto – Allegro moderato 3. Slow, rubato 4. Andante rubato

22'

Kevin Puts

Earth from The Elements

8'

Intermission

20'

Giuseppe Verdi

Overture to La forza del destino

8'

Henri Vieuxtemps

Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Minor, Op. 37 I. Allegro non troppo II. Cadenza III. Adagio IV. Allegro con fuoco

18'

Program and artists subject to change without notice 50 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

Earth is my contribution to Joshua Bell's five piece commissions project, The Elements. Each composer incorporated their chosen element of earth, water, fire, air, or space into the thematic narrative of their work. Earth begins on solid ground, with a repeating four-note ostinato over which the solo violin and the orchestral violins trade lyrical phrases. This opening idea was drawn from my Violin Concerto but takes a different journey here, eventually 'taking flight' for a brief period. Earth flows seamlessly from the end of Jessie Montgomery's Space, resuming the development of ideas begun at the suite's opening and reaching grander heights here. Beyond the fundamental sense of stability and endurance the element earth suggested to me, I hope the music also conveys a more spiritual reverence for the planet earth itself and, in some minute way, might inspire its protection. Program note by Kevin Puts © 2024


Overture to La forza del destino Giuseppe Verdi (1813 to 1901)

Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Minor, Op. 37 Henri Vieuxtemps (1820 to 1881) Henri Vieuxtemps was a 19th-century Belgian composer born into a violinmaking family. By 20, Vieuxtemps’ Violin Concerto No. 1 was performed in Saint Petersburg, where it was warmly-received — so much so that Vieuxtemps relocated to Saint Petersburg where he was a court musician for Tsar Nicholas and a soloist at the Imperial Theatre. Vieuxtemps became a star in Russia, but had to leave after suffering a pair of strokes that diminished his ability to perform. He wrote mainly for the violin — seven concertos — that continue to be performed around the world by violinists today. Violin Concerto No. 5 was composed in 1858/1859 by Vieutemps when he was in his late 30s and published in 1861. Throughout his life, Vieutemps was known for his passion for violins. He owned 15, including a Stradivarius. His favourite was reputed to be a Guarnerius Del Gesu gifted to him Baron Pereyra in Vienna in 1846. Program notes by Stephen Hunt © 2024 Rune Bergmann biography on page 7

© Phillip Knott

The overture to Verdi’s popular opera, which is still performed around the world today, came about as a revision, following the opera’s premiere in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1862, followed by subsequent productions around the world, in Madrid, Rome, New York, Vienna, Buenos Aires, and London. Verdi, who composed close to 30 operas and was the Taylor Swift of opera in the mid-19th century — he was everywhere — was coming off a struggle with his 1859 work Un ballo in maschera, when he was commissioned by the Imperial Theatre of Saint Petersburg to create a new work. Eager to expand the Verdi brand, he adapted a Spanish melodrama into an Italian opera for a Russian theatre. By the time La forza del destino had its 1869 debut at La Scala in Milan, perhaps the world’s most famous opera house, it had undergone numerous revisions. The overture has become a staple for orchestras everywhere.

Joshua Bell Violin With a career spanning almost four decades, Grammy award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. He has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, and continues to maintain engagements as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, conductor, and as the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. His highlights in the 2023/2024 Season include an international tour of his newly commissioned project, The Elements, featuring works by renowned living composers. The work received its premiere performances with the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Hong Kong Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and performances with Chicago Symphony and Seattle Symphony later this season. He will appear as artist-in-residence with the NDR Elbphilharmonie, as guest artist with the Atlanta Symphony and Chamber Orchestra of Europe, as well as guest artist and conductor at New Jersey Symphony and National Symphony Orchestra. Joshua has been nominated for six Grammy awards, was named “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America, received the Avery Fisher Prize, and was named an “Indiana Living Legend” in 2000. He has performed for three American presidents, and participated in President Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities’ mission to Cuba on an Emmy-nominated PBS Live from Lincoln Center special, Joshua Bell: Seasons of Cuba, celebrating renewed cultural diplomacy between Cuba and the United States.

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WEEKDAYS 6 - 9

MICHELLE YI, JODI HUGHES, JEFFERSON HUMPHREYS & ADRIANA ZHANG

SPRING 2024 | 51


Join our community of visionary supporters The Calgary Philharmonic Foundation is the largest annual supporter of your Calgary Phil, exceeding all levels of government support, and ensures the permanence of the Orchestra and that future generations have access to the power of orchestral music.

This program has been bringing world-class artists to perform with your Calgary Phil since 2008, enhancing musical presentations for both audiences and musicians. Many Virtuoso artists also perform at donor recitals or teach masterclasses to aspiring young musicians in our communities. Founded by Ellen and Allen Borak, this program helps elevate the art of choral music by supporting and nurturing the development of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. This program provides more than 100 volunteer singers with the opportunity to grow in their performance of choral music and promotes the enjoyment of choral singing in our communities.

OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Elaine and Jeremy Clark, along with their daughters Keiko and Chloe, support several projects designed to empower curiosity for the Orchestra in its fullness. Adult education projects like chamber music recitals, Music To My Ears events, and pre-concert chats are meant to encourage the next generation of enthusiastic Calgary Phil supporters. Irene and Walt DeBoni created this program to support the commissioning of new Canadian works necessary for the continued development and vitality of orchestral music. Thanks to this program, the Orchestra premieres enticing and trailblazing new works each season.

Celebrating 10 years, the MacLachlan/Ridge Emerging Artist Program helps provide outstanding young Canadian musicians with opportunities to advance their careers by performing with the Orchestra to develop Canada’s next generation of artists.

JOYCE + DICK MATTHEWS PHILANTHROPIC PROGRAM

This philanthropic program was created in memory of Joyce and Dick Matthews, who were dedicated and generous supporters of your Calgary Phil for more than 50 years, providing the opportunity to recognize someone special.

Founded by Judith Kilbourne, PhilKids is an after-school program for students aged 5 to 11, bringing music to the hands and hearts of children who otherwise would not have access to such artistic development, fueling the empowerment of children through the exploration of music.

Support one of these programs that make a difference, or donate to our Greatest Needs fund at calgaryphil.com/support.


Sponsors + Supporters government

foundations

corporate

media

artistic + community


Our Donors Leadership Giving The Calgary Philharmonic expresses its deep gratitude to the passionate and dedicated supporters whose significant lifetime giving to the Calgary Philharmonic Society and Calgary Philharmonic Foundation helps us achieve our vision. $10,000,000 and above Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation Joyce + Dick Matthews $1,000,000 to $9,999,999 Alberta Foundation for the Arts Calgary Arts Development Authority Canada Council for the Arts Irene + Walt DeBoni John + Ethelene Gareau Government of Canada Dr. John Lacey Morningside Music Bridge Foundation Drs. Ted + Lola Rozsa Estate of Mario James Stella One Anonymous Donor $500,000 to $999,999 Estate of Marjory Barber Irene + Bill Bell Marg + Paul Boëda Cenovus Energy Inc CNOOC (formerly Nexen) Carol + Frank Gray Honens Calgary Philharmonic Society Fund at Calgary Foundation Mary Rozsa de Coquet Robbin Shandel Taylor Family Foundation One Anonymous Donor $250,000 to $499,999 Said Arrata Leslie + David Bissett Ellen + Allen Borak Heather + Ian Bourne Andrea Brussa Calgary Foundation Calgary Herald Norma Carroll Corus Entertainment Heather Edwards Encana Corporation Jan + Larry Fichtner Liz + Tony Fricke Lois + Richard Haskayne Judith Kilbourne KPMG LLP

Estate of Murray Lipsey Letha MacLachlan KC Deborah Yedlin + Martin Molyneaux Palmer Family Foundation Repsol Oil & Gas Canada Inc Rozsa Foundation Muriel Stewart Sunesis Consulting Inc TELUS Corporation TransCanada Pipeline Ltd $100,000 to $249,999 Air Canada ARC Resources Ltd Jeff Arsenych Jenny Belzberg Beverly + Gerald Berkhold BP Petroleum Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation Canada Life Elaine + Jeremy Clark Judith + Terry Dalgleish Dori Wood + James Doleman Enbridge Pipelines Inc Tibor Fekete Estate of Geraldine Fish Glasswaters Foundation Estate of Winnifred Griffith Elizabeth + Wayne Henuset Imperial Oil Ltd Jeanette King Estate of Evelyn Christine Kings HD Klebanoff Memorial Fund Kool 101.5 Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust Estate of Mary McIntosh Macquarie Group Foundation Allan Markin Masters Gallery Ltd Meludia SAS Janice + James Morton Nickle Family Foundation John + Jean Partridge Rabinovitz Family Fund RBC Foundation Seagram Company Ltd Clarice Siebens Margaret Southern Carla + Klaus Springer Josie + Trent Stangl Mary Ann Steen TC Energy TD Canada Trust Shirley Zielsdorf Three Anonymous Donors

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Endowed Chairs Ted + Lola Rozsa Endowed Chair Music Director: Rune Bergmann Mary Rozsa de Coquet Endowed Chair Resident Conductor: Juliane Gallant Ellen + Allen Borak Endowed Chair Chorus Director: Mark Bartel John + Ethelene Gareau Endowed Chair Concertmaster: Diana Cohen Peter + Jeanne Lougheed Endowed Chair Associate Concertmaster: John Lowry Hotchkiss Endowed Chair First Violin Section Member HD Klebanoff Endowed Chair First Violin Section Member: Olga Kotova Esther Violet Hall (née Young) Endowed Chair Principal Second Violin: Lorna Tsai Debbie Lynne Hall (daughter of Esther Violet Hall) Endowed Chair Assistant Principal Second Violin: Stephanie Soltice-Johnson Dennis Sharp + Hélène Côté Sharp Endowed Chair Second Violin Section Member: Craig Hutchenreuther Dalgleish Endowed Chair 66 Second Violin Section Member: Minnie Min Kyung Kwon Eckhardt-Gramatté Foundation Endowed Chair Principal Viola: Laurent Grillet-Kim Naomi Lacey Endowed Chair In Honour of Philip Hansen Principal Cello: Arnold Choi John + Jean Partridge Endowed Chair Cello Section Member: David Morrissey Deborah Yedlin + Martin Molyneaux Endowed Chair Cello Section Member Margaret + Paul Boëda in Memory of Jennifer Boëda-Dahl Endowed Chair Principal Flute: Sara Hahn-Scinocco Bill + Irene Bell Endowed Chair Piccolo: Gwen Klassen Judith + William Kilbourne Named Chair In Recognition of the Kilbourne's long-term support Assistant Principal Horn: Heather Wootton

Frank + Carol Gray Endowed Chair In Memory of Vincent Cichowicz Principal Trumpet: Adam Zinatelli Frank + Carol Gray Endowed Chair in Recognition of Tim Rawlings' 42 years of service to Calgary Phil Principal Percussion Joyce + Dick Matthews Endowed Chair Piano

2022/2023 Donors The Calgary Philharmonic expresses its deep gratitude to the following supporters who made generous gifts to the Calgary Philharmonic Society and the Calgary Philharmonic Foundation between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. For complete listing, visit calgaryphil.com/ support.

G ifts to the Calgary Philharmonic Foundation Ad Astra Campaign 1 0 years or more of lifetime giving 2 0 years or more of lifetime giving

Fanfare: Gifts of $500,000 and above Alberta Foundation for the Arts Canada Council for the Arts Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation Government of Canada Fanfare: Gifts of $100,000 to $499,999 Estate of Marjory Barber Calgary Arts Development Authority Carol Gray Honens Calgary Philharmonic Society Fund Taylor Family Foundation* Fanfare: Gifts of $50,000 to $99,999 Irene + Walt DeBoni Globe and Mail Government of Alberta Letha MacLachlan KC One Anonymous Donor Fanfare: Gifts of $10,000 to $49,999 Irene Bakker Jenny Belzberg Berkhold Family Foundation


Ellen + Allen Borak Heather + Ian Bourne Brookfield Properties Kim Bruce Calgary Foundation Alan D. Castle Endowment for the Arts CH Financial Community Foundations of Canada Terry Dalgleish Heather Edwards Estate of Jack Ferguson Annie Freeze Liz + Tony Fricke Glasswaters Foundation Jacky + Geoff Granville Ryan Green Jan + Brian Grier Angela + Sam Hayes Denise + Don Herman Juli Hegg + Bill Hogg James Hughes Judy Kilbourne Michael Lipnicki Fine Pianos Sharon Martens The Honourable Lois E Mitchell Janice + James Morton Jill + Brian Neufeld Anne Marie Peterson Legacy Fund Janet Poyen RBC + RBC Foundation Mary Rozsa de Coquet Rozsa Foundation Shaw Charity Classic Foundation Cheryle Sherwood + Sherwood Associates Margaret Southern Claire + Marc Stevens Valerie + Allen Swanson TD Canada Trust Palmer Family Foundation United Active Living Inc Viewpoint Foundation Four Anonymous Donors Ensemble: Gifts of $5,000 to $9,999 Andal Family Foundation Marian + Paul Beer Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP BMO Nesbitt Burns Eleanor + Lawrence Bryan James + Patricia Burns Calgary Airport Authority Canadian Natural Resources Ltd Deloitte Consulting Amy Dryer Mary Duthie Franklin Templeton Investments Cristine + Allan Huber Imperial Oil Ltd Keyera Jeanette King Dr. Marilyn Mooibroek + David Lau Masters Gallery

Roderick + Jean McKay Rabinovitz Community Fund Sonia Reynolds Rogers together with Shaw Shine FM Clarice Siebens Joan + Geoffrey Simmins Catherine + Marvin Waiand Welty Family Foundation Michelle Bailey + John Whelan Gloria Wong + Arthur Hibbard Bing Wu Deborah Yedlin + Martin Molyneaux Zenato One Anonymous Donor Dynamic: Gifts of $2,500 to $4,999 Dinesh + Rajendra Agrawal Belinda + Tom Boleantu Brad Boychuk Gloria + Walter Chayka Rae + Phillip Cram Fern Cyr Paula Davies Walter + Ute Dilger Dori Wood + James Doleman Tibor Fekete Mark Ferrier Denis Fonteyne Shirley Foster Joan + Don Greenfield Pamela Grigg Charitable Gift Fund Daniel Heng Herman Family Foundation Valerie + Craig Johnstone Mary Anne Katzenberg Madeleine King + Bob Taylor Dr. John Lacey Anita Loeck Chris MacKimmie Janet + Rick Matthews Rene + Mark McManus Elizabeth + Ross Middleton Rosemary Moore Tae Nosal + John Reid Tim Onyett Joaquina + Fritz Painsi John + Jean Partridge Maureen Payne Phil Chong Flower Bar Leanne Ritter + Peter Paauw Blake Senini Marie + Nathan Smith Agatha Starczyk + Mike Miller Llyn L Strelau James D Ulrich Janet Yuchem Anne + Frank Zinatelli Two Anonymous Donors Celebration: Gifts of $1,000 to $2,499 John Abbott Anne Howard Human Resource Consulting Art Space & Design

Barb Atnikov + Albert Rosengarten Matthew Atwood Roy, Hazel + Nancy Austin Andrew Azmudeh Barbara R Beaton Black Cat Metal John Bonnycastle Adrian Burns Marion R Burrus Eleanor + Richard Byers Centini Restaurant Barbara Chang Monica Cheng Georgina Clark Catherine Glaser-Climie + Stan Climie Côté Sharp Family Foundation Ruth Cross Fund at The United Church of Canada Foundation Dawn + Rao Darsi Alexandra De Freitas Miriam Diamond Ernest Enns Lisa Evren Lawrence Fan Philippa FitzGerald-Finch Stephanie Fowler Galileo Wine & Spirits Ltd Coppi + Seamus Glen & Nancy Charitable Gift Fund Cecilia Gossen Danelle Hames + Matthew Law Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation Lois + Richard Haskayne David Henley J.E. Hodgson Family Fund Joan + Gordon Holland Sandra + Kris Smith Dr. Helen Isaac Carrol Jaques + Bob Loov Arlene + Glen Johnston Eva Kaiser Barbara + Hugh Klaassen Alice de Koning + Yrjo Koskinen Robert Kulhawy Chethan Lakshman Karen Neary + Robert Langill Oscar + Jennifer Larios Ann + Tony Luppino Dr. Jonathan Liu Alison + Andrew Love Diane + David Macdonald Simone MacRae Cynthia Makara Zai Mamdani Patricia + John Martin Laurie Matiation Elizabeth + Gene Maurice Vickie + Russell McKinnon Joan + Dale S. Meister Dorothy + Graydon Morrison Mike Morrow Shelagh + Faiz Nadir Peter Paauw Patricia + Robert Peabody John Steve Poceta Ruth + Garry Ramsden-Wood

Karin Richter Louise + J Norman Rokosh Marley Rynd Foundation Herny Schultz Wendy + Rod Schultz Hedy + Clark Seaborn Dr. Tony Settari Helen Young + Don Smith Alfred Sorensen Spirits with Smoke Ryan Stasynec Betty J Stein Patti Stevenson Barbara Storwick Wood Pittman Fund Susan Swan John W Thompson Nadine Tratch + Tyler Cumberford Heather Treacy KC + Joe Nahman Frank + Cathy Van Humbeck Grant + Rita Vogeli Walsh LLP Julie Westgate Westjet Anne + Terry Wilson Reginald Worsley Maria Wu Four Anonymous Donors Bravo: Gifts of $500 to $999 Gwen + Ian Anderson Rheta Borgal Bridgette Bar Eileen Butler By Jean Michel Cadillac Fairview Callow & Associates Management Consultants Inc Sandy + Marie Cameron Campbell-Stone United Church Sylvia + Bob Carey Mei Ann Chen Dorothy Chisholm Tom Christie The CORE Tim Crawshaw Daniel Culcea cSPACE David Daly Judy Dofoo Jane Ebbern Fairmont Banff Springs Dianne + Thomas Ferguson Ferrari of Alberta Fortune Industries Ltd Audrey + John Fry Helen Goodman Michele Gunn Dr. David Hanley Ian Hawkins Holt Renfrew Instrumental Society of Calgary Mary Jo Leslie and Joseph Dallaire Endowment Fund CONTINUED ON PAGE 56

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Bravo: Gifts of $500 to $999 (cont.) Marion + Federico Krause Roland Labuhn Loch Gallery Ken Martens Rolf Martin H Matsune Jo-Anne McCulloch Liz McFetridge Chef Darren McLean Kent Milani Kathleen + Keith Nicholson Tatianna O'Donnell Richard Olver Onna Boutique Smita Patel Dan Philips

Anita Poscente Ranchmen's Club River Café Jane Robarts Margaret + Donald Stinton Nick Suche Suncor Energy Foundation Jody Sutherland + Marco Baldasaro Julie + Adam Unick Ingrid Vicas Patricia + Richard Wanner Dixie + Tony Webb Norma + Ron Westcottt Philippa White Renate Willson Agnes + Ray Woods Five Anonymous Donors

Gifts made In Honour of Andrew Azmudeh Mary Bobey Arlene Christie Dawn Darsi Sharon Arelen Jung Joyce + Dick Matthews Nora Morrow Hugh Woolner Gifts made In Memory of Gordon Brown Dawn Darsi Leslie Diamond Susan K Hanley Sharron Arelene Jung Dennis H Sharp Stacey Christina Worsley

We're grateful for the gifts received through: Aqueduct Foundation Benefaction Benevity Calgary Foundation Canada Helps GiftFunds Canada Raymond James Canada Foundation Strategic Charitable Giving Foundation United Church of Canada Foundation United Way of Calgary & Area WCPD Foundation

Our Volunteers These volunteers contributed their precious time in the 2022/2023 Season — we celebrate them and their ongoing dedication. Mariah Atkinson Cecilia Armada Priscilla Babunga Catalina Barboza Partow Bayzaee Frances Bradley Celia Burns Peggy Chan Carole Clement Steve Clement Maggie Couper Julie Docken James Doney Carole Dunn Graham Edwards Amanda Ferguson Lorna Fulsom Prasad Ganesan David Grant Larry Hamm Gloria Hare Robin Harwig Shane Kidd

Amethyst Klintberg Wendy Kunsman Yuliia Lebid Elizabeth Leitz Shawna MacGillivray Moira MacPherson Marina Milovanova Balmore Ramon John Schlichting Doug Smith Roy Stuart Noah Urquhart Prasad Vishwasrao Larry Wagner Louis Warners Gayna Wong

Cork + Canvas Committee Tim Onyett, Chair Kaitlan Caldwell Liz Middleton Allison Onyett Ellen Parker Emma Rokosh Agatha Starczyk Holly Wong

Stakeholder Relations Committee James Kusie, Chair Courtney Cathcart Almas Kassam Elizabeth Middleton Colleen Potter

Ad Astra Cabinet Dr. John Lacey, Honourary Chair Elizabeth Evans, Co-Chair Elizabeth Middleton, Co-Chair Michelle Bailey Ann Calvert David Daly Ellen Parker

We also thank the Boards of Directors of the Calgary Philharmonic Society and Foundation, and members of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, listed on page 4 and page 9 respectively. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy on the above lists. Please email any errors or omissions to volunteercoordinator@calgaryphil.com.

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Building to New Heights Together we can strengthen our communities, pursue artistic excellence, and ensure a sustainable future for the Calgary Philharmonic. Support our Capital Campaign. Learn more at calgaryphil.com/AdAstra.

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TO CLAP or not TO CLAP BY DAVID SUSSMAN assistant principal oboe

f all the impediments to attending a Calgary Phil concert, perhaps fear of clapping at the wrong time is near the top of the list! It needn’t be.

O

Generally, in a multi movement work, there is traditionally no applause between separate movements. How does one tell if it is the end of the piece or just of a single movement of the work?

CONSULT PRELUDE MAGAZINE It lists the number of movements or parts of a piece as well as a timing for the work. If a piece is 40 minutes long and there is a break at 10 minutes, it is likely the end of a single movement. The movements are usually titled with Italian terms telling the character and speed. Allegro, Vivace, Scherzo, and Presto designate faster paced movements and Adagio, Andante, and Largo are usually more leisurely.

WATCH THE CONDUCTOR If there is silence and the conductor still has their baton up and is engaging the orchestra, it indicates that they want to go right on and it is not time to applaud. Sometimes, though, a conductor will take quite a bit of time between movements. Silence does not automatically mean 58 | PRELUDE calgaryphil.com | 403.571.0849

it is time to clap. There is a difference in the relaxation at the end of an entire piece and the lesser relaxation between movements. WATCH THE MUSICIANS Between movements, musicians may be turning pages of their music, cleaning out instruments or readjusting seating and getting ready to play again. At the end of an entire piece, there is more relaxation and no more page turning. IF YOU ARE DEATHLY AFRAID OF BEING EMBARRASSED, SIMPLY REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING. Many musicians and conductors are absolutely OK with applause between movements (after all, it is nice to be applauded!) — it shows true appreciation and is a natural reaction. It gives musicians more time to wipe out instruments or give a toot on a reed or prepare for the next movement. It may be confusing for an audience member to be encouraged to applaud in the middle of a piece in a Jazz show, but not in a Classical show. Historically, we have stories of individual movements of Classical pieces being encored at their premieres. It can be assumed that must have involved some applause between movements.

So why does it seem like a big deal to some? Well, many works are conceived as a whole. There are subtle key changes and mood changes that occur between movements that may be disturbed by applause. Each work is a journey, and it is wonderful to experience the adventure in its entirety. Sometimes, it is luxurious to enjoy a very quiet and gentle slow movement ending with introspection and no sound. A conductor may have in mind an exact amount of time to wait between movements in order to pace the piece properly. Music is built on a background of silence, and moments of silence can be an integral part of a work. Some people are uncomfortable with silence and want to fill it. Sometimes in a very long work (for example, Handel’s Messiah), applause between every movement can add 20 minutes to the concert and send us into overtime! Fear not if you clap at the ‘wrong’ time. We, in the orchestra are glad you are here and very obviously enjoying the experience of beautiful live symphonic music!

For more useful tips, visit calgaryphil.com/plan-your-visit.


ALBERTA BALLET PRESENTS A DOUBLE BILL FEATURING

The Rite of Spring D Wolf & Der A dark and curious landscape of folklore, forest, and frenzy is set against hard-hitting, visceral scores, including Stravinsky’s groundbreaking masterpiece.

MAY 2 – 4, 2024

Tickets at AlbertaBallet.com Der Wolf image courtesy of Oper Graz Photo Ian Whelan


Heritage Park is 60 and we’re celebrating all year long We’ve packed even more fun into our 65 wonderful acres with bold new attractions and ultra-special events for 2024. We’re shining up the midway, polishing the train, and fine-tuning the S.S. Moyie for our most exciting season ever. Best of all, you’ll get a full year of magic for just $60.* It’s our gift to you. heritagepark.ca/membership *Alberta residents only. Must show proof of residency. Valid on a 2024 General Membership only.


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