The Piano Men: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John Programme

Proud Sponsor

The City of Kamloops is a proud sponsor and wishes the symphony all the best during its 2022–2023 season.

Message from the Executive Director

Good evening Music Lovers,

On behalf of all of us at the Kamloops Symphony, welcome to the first concert in our 2022–23 Kelson Group Pop Series. After waiting for over two years, we’re thrilled to bring Jim Witter and his band back to Kamloops to pay tribute to pop-rock icons Billy Joel and Elton John.

With a newly elected board of directors, and our Season underway, the Kamloops Symphony has a many exciting things on the horizon.

Of major note is our imminent move into Kelson Hall, a newly renovated educational and administrative space for us and our colleagues at Western Canada Theatre. This new facility on the 300 block of St. Paul Street has been made possible by the incredibly generous support of Ron & Rae Fawcett, and Kelson Group. Kelson Hall will help us provide greater opportunity for musical education here in Kamloops, by allowing us to expand our Music School programming, providing a new permanent rehearsal space for our KSO Chorus, and eventual extending benefits to the community through various music groups.

Also important, this new facility is a concrete step towards the creation of new arts centre for Kamloops, one that will eventually house our Symphony performances and be a key amenity for citizens of our city.

So please join me and thanking Ron & Rae for their incredible gift to us and WCT, and their continued support of the Arts here in Kamloops. We can’t wait to invite you to visit Kelson Hall when it’s ready.

With appreciation, Daniel Mills Executive Director

The Kamloops Symphony wishes to acknowledge that this concert is taking place on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory within the traditional lands of the Secwépemc Nation.

BC Interior Community Foundation

Kamloops Symphony Foundation

Shuswap Community Foundation

SOCAN Foundation

& Rae

Kamloops Symphony Society

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John McDonald | President Tyler Klymchuk | Treasurer Kathy Collier Lisa Fuller

Christy Gauley Lucille Gnanasihamany Gabriele Klein Kait Methot Rod Michell Steve Powrie Sydney Takahashi Simon Walter

HONOURARY

MEMBERS

Bonnie Jetsen Art Hooper

Proud Member of Orchestras Canada, the national association for Canadian orchestras

ADMINISTRATION

Executive Director Daniel Mills Music Director Dina Gilbert Office Administrator Sue Adams Operations Coordinator Sam Bregoliss Marketing Coordinator Ryan Noakes Librarian Sally Arai

Orchestra Personnel Manager

Olivia Martin

Production Assistant Adrien Fillion Chorus Master Tomas Bijok

Collaborative Pianist Daniela O’Fee

Music Director Emeritus Bruce Dunn

Music Director Dina Gilbert is a Canadian conductor passionate about educating audiences of all ages and broadening their appreciation of orchestral music through innovative collaborations. This commitment, as well as Dina Gilbert’s extensive repertoire—often highlighting Canadian and women composers—have shaped her career and the orchestras she has worked with over the years. Regularly invited to conduct in Canada and overseas, Dina Gilbert attracts critical acclaim for her energy, precision and versatility.

In addition to conducting the Kamloops Symphony, highlights of the 2022-2023 season include debuts with the Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire and a tour with the Orchestre national de Metz in France and return invitations with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec. As the Principal Conductor of the Orchestre des Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, she will perform Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Prokofiev’s Cinderella.

Over the years, Dina has been invited by leading Canadian orchestras including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec. She also conducted performances in Oregon and North-Carolina, in Colombia, Spain, France, and in Niigata and Tokyo.

Her innate curiosity towards nonclassical musical genres and her willingness to democratize classical music have brought her to conduct the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Orchestre national de Lyon in several Hip Hop Symphonic

programs featuring renowned Hip hop artists I AM, MC Solaar, Youssoupha and Bigflo & Oli. Dina is also renowned for her expertise in conducting multidisciplinary projects such as cineconcerts performances (The Red Violin, The Artist, E.T. the Extraterrestrial) as well as Video Game soundtracks (The Montreal Video Game Symphony, Outlast, The Amazing Spiderman 2).

As the Music Director of the Orchestre symphonique de l’Estuaire (20172022), Dina expanded the symphonic repertoire and has reached thousands of children with her interactive and participative Conducting 101 workshops

As the founder and artistic director of the Ensemble Arkea, a Montreal-based chamber orchestra, she premiered over thirty works from emerging Canadian composers. From 2013 to 2016, Dina Gilbert was the assistant conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal and Maestro Kent Nagano, also assisting guest conductors including Zubin Mehta, Sir Roger Norrington and Lawrence Foster.

Dina Gilbert earned her doctorate from the Université de Montréal and she polished her skills in masterclasses with Kenneth Kiesler, Pinchas Zukerman, Neeme Järvi and the musicians from the Kritische Orchester in Berlin. Awarded the Opus Prize of “Découverte de l’année” in 2017, Dina Gilbert was also named as one of the “50 personnalités créant l’extraordinaire au Québec” in 2018 by the Urbania Magazine. She has also received support from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and from the PèreLindsay Foundation.

Dina Gilbert

FIRST VIOLIN

Cvetozar Vutev concertmaster * Elyse Jacobson assistant concertmaster * Susan Aylard Francisco Barradas Susan Cottrell

SECOND VIOLIN Boris Ulanowicz* Puya Firouzbakhsh Narumi Higuchi Shee Ling

VIOLA Ashley Kroecher* Tony Kastelic Erin Macdonald

CELLO

Laure Matiakh++ Michael Powell BASS Evan Bates++ Lukas Peladeau

FLUTE Heather Beaty* Jeff Pelletier*

OBOE Marea Chernoff* Lauris Davis

CLARINET Sally Arai* Krystal Morrison BASSOON Karmen Doucette++

HORN Heather Walker++ Dennis Colpitts Maddie Davis Duane Kirkpatrick

TRUMPET Mark D’Angelo* Audrey Patterson Jeremy Vint

TROMBONE Wade Dorsey++ Cindy Hogeveen

TIMPANI Martin Fisk++ PERCUSSION Brian Nesselroad++ Katie Rife

Geoff & Judith Benson

concertmaster Rod Michell

assistant concertmaster Gabriele Klein | principal second violin June McClure | principal viola Anonymous | principal cello Eleanor Nicoll

principal flute John & Joyce Henderson | principal clarinet Kelvin Barlow

principal bassoon Hugh & Marilyn Fallis

principal

Sponsors

THE PIANO MEN

Dina Gilbert, Conductor

Jim Witter, piano and vocals Matt Lima, guitars Ian Tanner, bass and vocals Jimmy Boudreau, drums

Your Song

Movin’ Out Rocket Man My Life

Just The Way You Are Daniel Crocodile Rock She’s Always A Woman Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

INTERMISSION

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Don’t Ask Me Why Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me

TV Themes Segment

Candle In The Wind Honesty Philadelphia Freedom Piano Man

Jim Witter

Jim Witter has been entertaining crowds for over 30 years. Whether it be his original music, the music of Billy Joel and Elton John, or any of the other many artists he pays tribute to, Jim’s versatility as an artist has allowed him the opportunity to reach out and share his music and his infectious personality with audiences of all ages across Canada, the United States, the U.K, Dubai, and the Netherlands. His unique approach and comfortable rapport makes each member of his audience feel as though they are a part of a private concert in the comfort of their own living room. This, along with his rich, powerful voice and ease of manner at the piano, make him a favourite with theatre goers everywhere.

It all started at a very early age, as Jim began performing in the comfort of his own living room. His Mother would play piano, and Jim would belt out the hits. All through his school years, Jim knew that he was destined to have a career in the music business. He honed his craft, playing in the clubs and bars around his home in Southern Ontario for years. He would write songs and record demos during the day, and play in the clubs at night to pay the bills. A record deal with a smaller independent label in Canada soon gave way to a multi-record deal with Curb Records of Nashville, home of Tim McGraw, Leanne Rimes and Wynonna Judd.

Jim’s music and songwriting have been recognized on both sides of the border, earning him multiple awards and nominations from the Canadian Country Music Association, the Juno Awards, and the Dove Awards in Nashville, where Jim’s album “Forgiveness” was nominated for Inspirational Album of the year.

In 2001, Jim came up with the concept for the show “The Piano Men”; a musical journey through the 70’s featuring the songs of Billy Joel and Elton John. Jim still lives in Southern Ontario with his wife, Rebecca, and their four children, all of whom have shown an interest in the “family business”.

Nicholas Adams Kathleen Alcock

Wendy Allen

Mary Aulin

Pierrette Beaton

Pam Bradley

Claire Ann Brodie Faye Burles

Jo Chipperfield Kathy Collier Geoff Collier

John Corbishley Jean Crowe

Libby Denbigh

Kathrine Dominik Denise Douglas Bruce Dunn Sandy Eastwood Jill Field

Deb Fransen Lucille Gnanasihamany Diana Haque Roy Haugen Marylyne House Carol Howie Barb Humphrey George Humphrey Kathy Humphreys Patricia Kaatz June Kitamura Gabriele Klein Tyler Klymchuk Sie Koopman Mary Lester Maureen Light Joan McDonald John J. McDonald Deb McKeown

Alison McKinnon

David Mckinnon Wendy McLean Rod Michell

Davina Neve Helen Newmarch

Jane Osterloh

Bess and Kaytee Ovington Louise Oyler

Carol Paulsen Steve Powrie

Bonnie Pryce

Wilma Scheer

Margaret Sharon Simon Walter

Mary Ann Whiting Dave Whiting

Judy Wiebe

to our wonderful team of volunteers

would like to thank outgoing Board Director HELEN

for her years of service to the Society.

CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE

Margaret Carlson Dina Gilbert Gabriele Klein June McClure Sandy McDonald

Donors Donors

Rae Nixon

Tacey Ruffner Sheila Stewart Maureen Stewart John Watson

BENEFACTORS & CHAIR SPONSORS

Anonymous (2) Sharleen Anderson Kelvin Barlow Geoff & Judith Benson Geoff & Kathy Collier Hugh & Marilyn Fallis Murray Foubister John & Joyce Henderson

Bo & Jo-Mary Hunter

Kamloops Choristers

Catherine Kroetch David & Alison McKinnon

Rod Michell

Daniel Mills Eleanor Nicoll Colene Palmer

PRESIDENT’S CLUB

Anonymous Jessie & James Fedorak

John & Joan McDonald David & Rosemarie Stoltze

Anonymous (2) Evelyn Baziuk Kim Buker

Tom Dickinson & Nancy Flood Roy & Helen Haugen Rick & Carol Howie Marjorie King Maureen McCurdy

Helen & Bruce Newmarch Susie Safford Michael & Pamela Saul

Terry Simpson Stan Szpakowicz Don & Margaret Waldon Tom Wallace & Anise Barton Robert Walter & Jill Calder

$250+ ENCORE

Anonymous

Peter & Debra Allik-Petersenn

Sally Arai Francis & Helen Barnett Joan Bernard Pauline & Jack Braaksma John Corbishley Murray & Ann Crawford Joan Denton Joyce Dorey

$100+ BRAVO

Anonymous

Luisa Ahlstrom Patricia Akiyama

Darryl & Jeryl Auten Wendy Bainbridge Llowyn Ball Anna Barton William Beaton Percy & Bernice Brackett Pamela Bradley Margaret Brown Sue Buzash

Wendy Charlebois Kenneth Lorne Christian Margaret Chrumka Rochelle Collins Sharon Cotter Pamela Dalgleish Wilma de Jong Joanne Dennstedt Philip Durell

Jean Ethridge Ruth & Michael Fane Bill Fonseca

Judith Fowles

Louella Garner Joyce & Rusty Gibbons David Gilmour

Dan & Denise Douglas Beverly Forseth George Fowlie Lois K. Hollstedt Cora Jones Kats & June Kitamura Fred & Nancy Leake Allan McCurrach Kirsten McDougall Elspeth McDougall Chris & Mary Parfitt

Sheila Pierson Jane Reid

Salmon Arm Supporters Ray & Sue Sewell Barbara & Carman Smith Jerry Stack Chris & Laurie Stabler Carlos Tallent Nicole Tougas Judy Wiebe

Lucille Gnanasihamany Peter & Judy Gray Alan Grimes Cathy Hall-Patch Frances Higginson Claire Johnson Joan Keay Christina & Reimar Kroecher Mary Lester Richard Mann Sylvia Rose Markowsky Shirley Martin Marilyn McLean Kaitlin Methot Betty Anne McCallum Robert & Marian McLaren Jack & Verna Miller Dianne Miller Brian Mills George & Gloria Moore Christy Morris Vic & Sally Mowbray Peter & Ann Marie Mumby Kathleen Nadler Trudy Nagurski W. Russell Nakonesby Angi & Russ Noakes Marian Owens

Ron & Louise Oyler Janice Pedersson Jan Pedersson Penny & Carl Pentilchuk Reg & Tracey Pointer Steve Powrie Anna Redekop Amy Regen Terry & Susanne Rogers Chris & Gine Rose Ron & June Routledge Kathy Sinclair Donald & Sandra Staff Ian & Margaret Stewart Elizabeth Templeman Peter ter Weeme Lynne Totten Susan Tyrrell Barbara Ulevog Evelyn Vipond-Schmidt Nels Vollo Sharon Warren Dave & Maryanne Whiting Eric & Mary Wiebe Lois & David Williams Jayne Wilson

The above represents the individuals and corporations who have donated to the Kamloops Symphony Society in the last twelve months. For any errors or omissions, please do let us know at 250.372.5000 or info@kamloopssymphony.com.