NOTE SPRING 2017 In this issue: Inspiring donor stories Q&A with RBC Affiliate Composer Jordan Pal TSYO tours Ottawa & Montreal with the TSO
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Contents 3 A note from Shane Kim, TSO Violin 4 Spotlight on Gerd Wengler 5 Q&A with RBC Affiliate Composer Jordan Pal 5 2017 Tour of Israel & Europe 6-7 Donors making a difference 8 TSYO tours Ottawa & Montreal with the TSO 9 Spotlight on Yvette Yip 9 Orchestra news 10 Music Director’s Circle: February concert patronages 11 Upcoming events 11 Bravo to our partners
Design: Haft2 Inc.
Photography: (cover, pgs. 2, 5 & 9) Christopher Wahl (pgs. 6, 7 & 8) Jag Gundu (pg. 6) Dale Wilcox (pg. 7) Bronwen Sharp
Noteworthy is distributed free of charge to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s donor community. Charitable Reg. No. 10525 5335 RR0001
A NOTE FROM
Shane Kim TSO Violin
Dear supporter, Performing in my hometown is special for many reasons. As somebody who went through music programs in the public school system in Toronto, was in the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra for six years, and who studied at U of T, I am indebted to many Torontonians. You are one of them. I am forever grateful that you support my work. You are as important a part of our Orchestra as any of the musicians are; without you, we could not share history’s greatest music with you, with Toronto, and with the world. Thank you. As you read this, I’m preparing to take part in the TSO’s historic Tour of Israel & Europe. We will be performing in Israel (Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) for the first time ever, and then continuing onto Europe,
with stops in Vienna, Regensburg, Prague—where we’ll take part in the prestigious Prague Spring International Music Festival—and Essen. It is not just good for an international orchestra like the TSO to tour; it is essential. Touring raises the global profile and reputation of our Orchestra. Noteworthy is our report back to you on our work as an orchestra. In these pages, you’ll discover the difference you’ve made in recent months as a donor. For example, in the past year, your donation helped your Orchestra: • Grow the audience at Roy Thomson Hall (50% of our concerts since September have sold out!)
• Welcome over 30,000 students and teachers to discover classical music, many at a highly subsidized rate • Launch an online portal to engage with classical works from more than 40 orchestras across the country as a part of Canada Mosaic—a Signature Project of Canada 150 Thank you for playing your part right along with us in the Orchestra. Our work is simply not possible without your support, both as a donor and as a member of our audience. I am so pleased to be able to play for you and grateful for your continued support.
Shane Kim
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Gerd Wengler
Gerd Wengler was introduced to classical music at a young age. His hometown—Kassel, Germany—had a great performance hall that was graced by many travelling orchestras. As a young person, he attended performances frequently. However, it was at school that his passion for music truly developed. Gerd was fortunate that his school had a particularly talented student orchestra. At 14 years old, he was accepted as a French-horn player. In university, Gerd continued to play, and he is proud of having mastered his difficult French-horn part for the Beethoven Violin Concerto. Having immigrated to Canada in the mid-1980s, Gerd and his wife, Dorothy, settled in Toronto in 2000 and purchased their first subscription to the TSO. Gerd likes romantic composers including Tchaikovsky and Dvořák. Dorothy likes Mozart and baroque. They consider both of their tastes when making their concert selections each season, rounding out their schedule with a few fun Pops concerts.
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It was not long after their first TSO concerts that Gerd felt compelled to help ensure that the orchestra he had come to love would have the resources it needed to attract quality musicians, guest artists, and conductors. He became a donor with the hope that his contributions could play a part in funding exciting programming and exceptional playing. “Orchestras are an important part of a community,” shared Gerd. “Classical music should be preserved and supported, and that is why I have, in recent years, concentrated the philanthropy my company provides to our city on the symphony and will continue to do so.” A busy executive—Gerd is President of Park Property Management, one of the largest residential and industrial property-management firms in Toronto—he and Dorothy enjoy the entire concert experience, from the atmosphere of the Maestro’s Club donor lounge to wonderful music. “I like that the TSO is our city’s orchestra. It is a great orchestra, and I have been exposed to a lot of orchestras, so I feel I can compare.” We are grateful for Gerd and Dorothy’s annual support and to the early experiences that shaped their lifelong appreciation of music. We can only hope that the children who attend the TSO’s School Concerts, and the young musicians who play in the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, are just as inspired to champion classical music in the years to come.
“ I like that the TSO is our city’s orchestra. It is a great orchestra.”
Q&A WITH
RBC Affiliate Composer Jordan Pal
NW: Can you tell us about the work you premiered at this
NW: This is your second full season as the TSO’s RBC
year’s New Creations Festival?
Affiliate Composer. What has been unique and valuable about this experience?
JP: Iris is a work that finds its inspiration in the visual world, exploring one of nature’s most remarkable phenomena:
JP: As a composer, most of my interactions with orchestras
iridescence. When you think of the wings of a butterfly or
are brief. When you receive a commission, you write the
the incredibly rich and varied colours of opal, the depth and
piece with very little interaction with that orchestra. You
intensity of these colours is unmatched. Detailed, florid, and
attend the rehearsals and the première, and that’s about it.
delicate textures form rich blankets of sound that glow, shift,
A residency is something very different. The RBC Affiliate
and shimmer across its span. In Iris, I wanted to capture that
Composer position has given me the chance to work very
luminous play of ever-changing colours that is iridescence.
closely with a remarkable organization, learning through direct experience how a multi-faceted organization like the
NW: What is it like to premiere a new work with an orchestra?
TSO operates. It has also allowed me to hear my writing as I intended it, and, in turn, understand my compositional
JP: I think it’s what most of us composers live for. All those
decisions through the perspective of these fine players. It
hours of working out the intricate details in the piece are
has been a sincere privilege working with these musicians
spent in preparation for those first few moments when you
where the sky’s the limit.
hear the piece live for the first time. It’s incredibly exciting and thrilling. You’re hearing something for the first time that you’ve been working on for months. When you’re composing, the piece is really in a sort of abstract state. Photo by Christopher Wahl
But that first rehearsal brings a degree of reality to the work.
2017 TOUR OF ISRAEL & EUROPE MAY 7–22, 2017
As part of Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is embarking on a cultural mission to Israel and Europe that will strengthen our country’s reputation for artistic excellence and highlight Toronto as a destination city. The TSO will be performing in Israel for the first time—in the historic cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—and in four vibrant artistic centres in Europe: Vienna, Regensburg, Prague, and Essen. The tour will feature world-renowned guest artists including violinist Maxim Vengerov, soprano Carla Huhtanen, and pianist Jan Lisiecki.
MATCHING-GIFT OPPORTUNITY The tour is made possible by the leadership and generosity of David and Renette Berman, and Rags Davloor. And now, thanks to a challenge grant from an anonymous long-time donor of the TSO, all new gifts of $250 or more (up to $500,000) will be matched dollar for dollar. Gifts of any amount will make a difference and ensure the tour’s success. To support the TSO’s Tour of Israel & Europe, please contact Alice Wu, Development Coordinator, at 416.593.7769 X 298 or visit TSO.CA/Tour.
Tower of David, Jerusalem, Israel
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DONORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE With the support of donors like you, the TSO is reaching bigger, broader audiences—and in exciting new ways! 1
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MOZART FESTIVAL AT KOERNER HALL
CANADA MOSAIC
2017/18 SEASON PREVIEW
1 The TSO’s annual Mozart Festival comprised six
2 The TSO is marking the 150th anniversary of
3 On January 23, 2017, the TSO held a special event
incredible concerts at the beautiful and intimate Koerner Hall from January 11 to 20, 2017. Co-curated by Bernard Labadie and Music Director Peter Oundjian, the sold-out Festival featured performances by guest artists including beloved pianist Emanuel Ax (pictured), eminent violinist Isabelle Faust, 14-year-old pianist Leonid Nediak, and 19-year-old violinist Kerson Leong. Photo by Jag Gundu
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Confederation with Canada Mosaic—a huge presentation of Canadian works and composers throughout 2017 that celebrates our diverse musical landscape. This Signature Project of Canada 150 began on January 21, 2017, with Canadian Legacy, an electrifying concert conducted by Alain Trudel and Victor Feldbrill (pictured), and featuring pianist Alain Lefèvre. Photo by Jag Gundu
at the University Club of Toronto to preview our 2017/18 season. Interim Chief Executive Officer Gary Hanson, Board Chair Catherine Beck, and Music Director Peter Oundjian unveiled the details of Peter’s fourteenth and final season as the TSO’s artistic leader to an intimate group of our closest supporters. Photo by Dale Wilcox
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TSYO WINTER CONCERT
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SCHOOL CONCERTS
4 On February 19, 2017, the Toronto Symphony Youth 5 From February 22 to 28, 2017, the TSO presented Orchestra (TSYO) performed their Winter Concert at George Weston Recital Hall to an enthusiastic audience. The concert explored Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet through works by Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. Soloist Katharine Hao was also featured in a beautiful performance of Reinecke’s Flute Concerto. Photo by Bronwen Sharp
seven School Concerts to over 12,000 junior/ intermediate-level students and their teachers from 130 GTA schools. This entertaining hour of fun film-themed music included the World Première of the TSO-commissioned short film, DAM! The Story of Kit the Beaver, with the original film score performed live by the Orchestra. Funded by the Government of Canada. Photo by Jag Gundu
NEW CREATIONS FESTIVAL
6 The TSO celebrated cutting-edge contemporary
music at its 13th annual New Creations Festival. Co-curated by Music Director Peter Oudjian and Canadian composer Owen Pallett, it featured incredible performances by celebrated Canadian violinist James Ehnes, 2014 Polaris Music Prize winner and throat singer Tanya Tagaq (pictured), and new-music rock stars the Kronos Quartet, among others. Photo by Jag Gundu
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TSYO TOURS OTTAWA & MONTREAL WITH THE TSO This season, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) not only had the opportunity to go on tour, but they also travelled and performed side by side with the TSO. Sharing the stage with the professional Orchestra was an incredible experience. Only adding to the excitement was the fact that the TSYO got to play the World Première of Edward Top’s Canada Mosaic commission, Eruption, under the baton of TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian. It was an unforgettable collaboration—and a truly momentous way to kick off Canada’s 150th anniversary!
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Following the tour, the TSYO musicians diligently prepared for two weeks and then graced the stage once again for their Winter Concert, a demanding program featuring both Prokofiev’s and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet. Katharine Hao—a TSYO alumna and one of the 2015/16 TSYO Concerto Competition winners—joined the orchestra as a soloist to offer a stunning performance of Reinecke’s Flute Concerto. Katharine is currently on exchange, studying in Finland at the Sibelius Academy. The packed hall and the audience’s lengthy standing ovation were the ultimate indicators of how far these young musicians have come this season.
Photo by Jag Gundu
Etsuko Kimura, TSO Assistant Concertmaster and TSYO Violin Coach, describes her experience: “Simply...I was in tears at the Winter Concert. Everyone did a great job. The orchestra sounded like one big unit with a beautifully blended sound! It was so nice to see the violin sections moving like a big wave as a team (from the Violin Coach’s point of view)!” The TSYO is sure to blow us away on April 26, 2017, at their Spring Concert at Koerner Hall—the final concert of the season! We can’t wait to see you all there.
SPOTLIGHT ON
ORCHESTRA NEWS
Yvette Yip
Yvette Yip has been a TSO subscriber for over 50 years, and she fondly remembers watching concerts at the venerable Massey Hall. In her youth, she lived in New York and went to the Philharmonic; she liked to watch Bernstein conduct. “I enjoyed the New York Philharmonic and wanted to continue the symphony experience,” she said in an interview with the TSO. So when she later moved to Toronto, she was delighted to discover the Orchestra under the baton of Seiji Ozawa. “I attended the concerts and enjoyed them tremendously.”
TSO Principal Viola Teng Li and her husband, John Wong, welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their family. Victoria was born on December 31, 2016, at Mount Sinai Hospital. Teng, John, and Victoria have had a wonderful time transitioning as a family. Congratulations, Teng and John!
These days, she enjoys her Wednesday matinee subscription, and she was particularly delighted to join us at last year’s Donor Open Rehearsal of Sir Andrew Davis’s special orchestration of Handel’s Messiah. The TSO is one of four charities that Ms. Yip regularly supports, alongside the University of Toronto, McMaster University, and her church. “At one time, the Orchestra was having quite a struggle,” she admitted. “I decided that it was time to really invest in something worthwhile, so I became a donor.” As a Friend of the TSO, Ms. Yip knows that her donations add up over time to sustain the Orchestra and its important work on stage and in the community. In her words, playing your part is important because, “Every bit counts, right?” Thank you, Ms. Yip, for supporting your Orchestra and ensuring our future. Brava!
Photo by Christopher Wahl
We are proud to announce that TSO Concertmaster Jonathan Crow was appointed Artistic Director of the Toronto Summer Music Festival as it enters its 12th season. From July 13 to August 5, 2017, the Festival will celebrate its achievements and Canada’s 150th anniversary by recognizing the Canadian musical legacy of accomplished composers and renowned performers.
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MUSIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE: FEBRUARY CONCERT PATRONAGES At the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, we value and cherish our community of donors at every level. Leadership gifts through the Music Director’s Circle are an integral part of our success, and we strive to align a patron’s gift with an organizational priority that is personally significant to them. To show our appreciation for the extraordinary commitment Music Director’s Circle donors have made to your Orchestra, we offer a number of tailored benefits to enhance the TSO experience in meaningful ways. Opportunities vary according to the level of giving and may include supporting one or more of the following: the appearance of a guest musician or conductor, a TSO performance, the position of a TSO member, or the membership of young musicians in the tuition-free TSYO.
Exclusive opportunities, such as supporting the appearance of a guest musician or conductor, allow the artist and TSO musicians to engage in intimate conversations about their performance with donors and their guests. It is a great way to learn about a favourite musician and to understand how philanthropic support truly makes a difference.
• On February 13, the Ihnatowycz Family Foundation and Temerty Family Foundation generously supported our guest orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. • On February 16, Blake and Belinda Goldring were recognized as Patrons of talented pianist Jan Lisiecki’s appearance with the TSO.
February was an exemplary month of patron leadership: • On February 1, Earlaine Collins generously supported baritone Russell Braun’s appearance with the TSO. • On February 11, the Holdbest Foundation supported TSO Principal Clarinet Joaquin Valdepeñas’s appearance and wonderful performance of Claude Debussy’s Première rhapsodie for Clarinet and Orchestra.
The TSO is grateful and honoured to count on the support of our Music Director’s Circle donors. For information about gifts and customized recognition at the Music Director’s Circle level ($20,000+), please contact Marion York, Director of Philanthropy, at 416.593.7769 X 292 or myork@TSO.CA.
BACKSTAGE MEET-AND-GREETS
Blake Goldring and guest pianist Jan Lisiecki
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Irene Chalmers, Ana Sztabinski, Joaquin Valdepeñas (Sheryl L. and David W. Kerr Principal Clarinet Chair), Bernardo Sztabinski, Ruth Dorfman, and Fred Sztabinski
Barbara Scott, Earlaine Collins, guest artist Russell Braun, and Ruth Watts-Gransden
UPCOMING EVENTS OPEN REHEARSALS
Experience the fascinating steps the Orchestra takes to prepare for a performance.
BRAVO TO OUR PARTNERS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. / NOUS RECONNAISSONS L’APPUI FINANCIER DU GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA .
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
Liszt Piano Concerto 2 Wed, Apr 12, 2017 10:00am–12:30pm With Audio Commentary by RBC Affiliate Composer Jordan Pal Belshazzar’s Feast Wed, May 31, 2017 7:30–10:00pm
OFFICIAL AIRLINE
POPS SERIES PRESENTING PARTNER
MAESTRO’S CLUB SPRING DINNER (Maestro’s Club members only)
Mon, Apr 24, 2017 6:00–9:00pm
LEGACY CIRCLE OPEN REHEARSAL & LUNCHEON
TORONTO SYMPHONY VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE
(Legacy Circle members only)
Fri, May 26, 2017 10:00am–2:00pm
RSVP We look forward to seeing you. To RSVP for the Legacy Circle event, please contact Marion York, Director of Philanthropy, at 416.593.7769 X 292 or myork@TSO.CA. To RSVP for all other events, please contact Patron Services at 416.598.3375 or friends@TSO.CA.
CORPORATE SUPPORT Barclays Capital Canada Inc. Bennett Jones LLP Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP BMO Capital Markets Canadian Tire CBC Radio 2 CIBC Deloitte Foundation Canada
Divine Furniture Rental EY Grano HSBC Bank Canada Intact Financial Corporation IFDS (International Financial Data Services) John Novak Manulife
Maroline Distributing Inc. Quince Flowers RBC Capital Markets Scotiabank TD Securities Inc. The Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall TIFF Torys LLP
MEDIA & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
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On behalf of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the many talented artists, students, and citizens who benefit from your gift, Thank you for your support.
212 King Street West, 1st Floor Toronto, ON M5H 1K5
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
IN HONOUR OF H. THOMAS BECK SEASON PATRON
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