Victoria Symphony 2023/24 Season Brochure

Victoria Symphony 2023/24

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN MUSIC DIRECTOR

Terry Scandrett & Angela Bassage

Moving Together | Message from the Music Director

We do not need words to move in the same direction. We can do anything, in agreement and harmony, if we do it together. It really is possible. It is called music.

The 2023/24 Season marks my seventh as Music Director of the Victoria Symphony. Still, I never cease to feel privileged to step onto the stage with the dedicated musicians of this great orchestra. They continue to show me that it is possible to communicate as a collective mind, without using words.

Whether it is a symphony by Haydn, Mussorgsky’s “Great Gate of Kiev,” the lush impressionism of Ravel, or a newly created work by a contemporary composer, we are always in unspoken agreement to move the world through messages of deep existential value— even if it is only for a night or for a moment. This is what we do. And we want to move you with us.

Please join us at the Victoria Symphony’s 2023/24 Season and explore the great things we can achieve by moving together.

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN

The Victoria Symphony performs on the traditional lands of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day. We extend our respect, as well as our appreciation for this opportunity.

MUSIC DIRECTOR UNDERWRITER

Message from the CEO

There are not many sacred and quiet places left in modern life. It’s ironic that one of the few spaces remaining where I can hear myself think is in the concert hall. Invariably, out of the “quiet” emerges powerful and often unexpected feelings of awareness, as well as the profound consolation and joy of a shared human experience.

For me, this is the unique pleasure of attending a Victoria Symphony concert.

Every week, all season long, our incredibly gifted and dedicated musicians create what I think of as a magical bond with our audience. It’s a deep social connection that allows for self-discovery as well as the reassuring knowledge that, as humans, we can create and share beautiful things when we so choose. Providing the opportunity for our audiences to connect with themselves, our musicians, great art, and our community, is what I love best about our work at the Symphony.

As an audience member you will experience the widest possible range of human emotions in a welcoming and unpretentious atmosphere. We want nothing more than to share our

MATTHEW WHITE

enthusiasm and love of music with you, and to provide you with moments of discovery in return. We will always do our best to listen to what you’re looking for as we continue to evolve as an organization and as an arts loving community. I invite you to share your experience of the Symphony whenever you are so moved.

I love to see the looks of surprise, joy, laughter, intense concentration, melancholy, and even consternation, on the faces of our patrons. It reminds me that there will always be a special place for dedicated artists to perform live for receptive and curious people. The Symphony is not just about listening to the music, it’s about feeling it, watching it, and interacting with it in a shared space. You are a vital and transformative part of the whole experience. Every concert is special because it’s shared with a unique group of people.

Subscribe to the Victoria Symphony and discover new music, old music in a new light, our local community of arts lovers, gifted artists, and most importantly, yourselves.

“I found myself transported. My first time with the Victoria Symphony... Absolutely wonderful on all accounts.”

MICHELLE, Victoria Symphony Patron

2023/24 SEASON AT A GLANCE

28 & 29 Royal Theatre

July

27 Christ Church Cathedral VS at Christ Church Cathedral

28 The Atrium

Mozart and Martinis

29 Market Square VS at Market Square

August

3 The Butchart Gardens VS at The Butchart Gardens

4 & 5 Cameron Bandshell Symphony and Opera at the Cameron Bandshell

September

17 Royal Theatre Kluxen – Pictures at an Exhibition

23 & 24 Royal Theatre Star Trek, Star Wars, and Beyond

October

1 Farquhar at UVic Kluxen – Ravel and Haydn

14 Farquhar at UVic

Kids 1: Classical Kids –Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery

25 Denford Hall, Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School Bach, Rameau, and Respighi

December

3 Farquhar at UVic Gryphon Trio –

Echo: Memories of the World

Co-presented by Victoria Symphony and Pacific Opera Victoria

9 & 10 Royal Theatre

Jens Lindemann – Christmas Pops

15 & 17 Farquhar at UVic

Handel’s Messiah

16 Royal Theatre

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas

18 Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas

January

1 Royal Theatre

New Year’s Day Celebration

21 Farquhar at UVic

Being Robert Schumann –

Adieu

24 Denford Hall, Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School

Victoria Symphony at the Movies

27 & 28 Royal Theatre

Victoria in Love

February

4 Farquhar at UVic Kluxen – Transfigured Night

11 Farquhar at UVic Kluxen – Shostakovich

Symphony No. 5

March

3 Farquhar at UVic

Raiskin and Zhu – Paganini

8 Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4

9 Farquhar at UVic

Kids 2: Platypus Theatre –Presto Mambo!

10 Royal Theatre

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4

17 Farquhar at UVic

Bach, Pärt, and Vivaldi

20 Denford Hall, Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School

Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and Britten

23 & 24 Royal Theatre

La Nef – Sea Songs and Shanties

Harry Potter and Literary Thrillers

November

5 Farquhar at UVic

Beethoven Symphony No. 7

9 & 10 Royal Theatre

Jurassic Park™ in Concert

© Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin

Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

19 Farquhar at UVic

Kluxen – Bach, Prokofiev, and Mozart

26 Royal Theatre

Being Robert Schumann –“Spring” Symphony

April

14 Farquhar at UVic

Being Robert Schumann –Brahms Symphony No. 1

20 Farquhar at UVic

Kids 3: The Composer is Here!

21 Royal Theatre

Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade

28 Farquhar at UVic Kluxen – Brahms, Britten, and Brown

May

4 & 5 Royal Theatre

Jim Witter: It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

12 Royal Theatre

Being Robert Schumann Finale –Brahms’ A German Requiem

Terry Scandrett & Angela Bassage

SEASON UNDERWRITERS

“The [Victoria Symphony] has reached an all-time high. Magnificent performance quality – no doubt in part to the leadership of Maestro Kluxen at the helm.”

2023/24 Season Calendar

About this 2023/24 Season Brochure

NEW THIS YEAR!

This Season Brochure proceeds in chronological order to better suit our flexible Season Subscription model. There are two ways to navigate this brochure:

1.

CURATE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE

Scan our offerings monthby-month and make selections based on your availability and date preference. Easy to navigate, simple to schedule.

2.

Flip to the centerfold to view concerts by venue or theme. For full concert listings including artist bios, program notes, and more, visit

VICTORIASYMPHONY.CA

EVE, Victoria Symphony Patron

September 2023

Kluxen – Pictures at an Exhibition

Concert underwritten by Natexa Verbrugge and Commodore & Mrs. Jan Drent

Jonathan Crow underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Sunday, September 17, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor JONATHAN CROW, violin

R. Strauss: Don Juan

Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Prepare to be enchanted! Christian Kluxen showcases the seductive charms of Richard Strauss and the dark beauty of Sibelius, the latter in the company of the B.C.-born concertmaster of the TSO, Jonathan Crow. Then promenade through the pictures framed by the imagination of Mussorgsky in an exhibition of musical majesty!

Star Trek, Star Wars, and Beyond

Concert underwritten by Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Saturday, September 23, 7:30 pm

Sunday, September 24, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor

Journey to a galaxy far, far away and go where no one has gone before. The music of Star Wars and Star Trek transports us to literally another world and lets us live out the adventures of our wildest imaginations. Legendary composers like John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, and Michael Giacchino create the soundtrack to an evening that’s out of this world!

Sean O’Loughlin, VS Principal Pops Conductor

Kluxen – Ravel and Haydn

Concert underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Arin Sarkissian underwritten by Helen Stuart

Sunday, October 1, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor

ARIN SARKISSIAN, flute

Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin

Nielsen: Flute Concerto

Varèse: Density 21.5

Haydn: Symphony No. 85 in B-flat major, “La reine”

A platinum performance awaits in a concert with Parisian ties. Ravel’s Tombeau pays tribute to both the Baroque, and to fallen comrades of WWI. Ravel was in the audience at the Salle Gaveau when Nielsen’s neoclassical concerto was premiered in 1926. Principal flutist Arin Sarkissian also polishes up some avant-garde Varèse. We close in the classical era with one of Haydn’s six “Paris” symphonies,

October 2023

No. 85, which earned its nickname as a favourite of Marie Antoinette, the pre-revolutionary Queen of France.

Classical Kids –Vivaldi’s

Ring of Mystery

Concert underwritten by Sheridan Scott & David Zussman

Saturday, October 14, 3:00 pm

Farquhar at UVic

MAESTRO JOEY, conductor

CLASSICAL KIDS, guest performers

Vivaldi, Venice, and violins: all three are celebrated in Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery, a compelling mystery story about an orphan girl in the early 1700s who is in search of her roots. Audiences will enjoy excerpts from Vivaldi’s most popular and important works, including the Four Seasons, the Violin Concerto in A minor, and the Guitar Concerto. The music is magically woven into the drama as two actors solve a mystery built around the historic context of the composer’s real life and his school of the Pieta. This exciting concert and story performance is approximately 50 minutes in length.

Bach, Rameau, and Respighi*

Concert underwritten by Matthew White & Catherine Webster

Wednesday, October 25, 7:30 pm Denford Hall, Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 1

Rameau: Dardanus Suite

Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 4

A three-concert series of smaller scale orchestral programs presented in the intimate setting of Denford Hall at Glenlyon Norfolk School. Ticket price includes wine tastings and a post-concert after party with artists on stage. Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia kicks off this new series with a selection of Baroque and Baroque-inspired favourites. favourites. Join the Victoria Symphony for a unique and intimate exploration.

*VS Onstage @ Denford Hall concerts are not included in subscription purchase discount

Harry Potter and Literary Thrillers

Saturday, October 28, 7:30 pm

Sunday, October 29, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor

Harry Potter is a phenomenon like no other and has defined the transformation of the printed page to the silver screen. Experience some of the greatest literary stories coming to life in music. From Vampires and Werewolves to Peter Pan, Hobbits and everything in between, this magical evening will surely inspire your literary imagination.

Arin Sarkissian, VS Principal Flute

November 2023

Beethoven Symphony No. 7

Sunday, November 5, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

KALENA BOVELL, conductor

ALAN LIU, guitar

Cassandra Miller: Premiere VS/VSO co-commission with the support of Hugh Davidson Fund at the Victoria Foundation

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major

Kalena Bovell has a distinctive voice as a maestra, speaker, and poet. The Panamanian-American conductor is an Awardee of the 2022-2024 Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, and serves as Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. She premieres a VS/VSO co-commission by the Metchosin-born composer Cassandra Miller and welcomes the award-winning B.C. guitarist Alan Liu for courtly dances in the Concierto de Aranjuez. Wagner proclaimed the praises of Beethoven’s Seventh, calling it the “apotheosis of the dance” for its endless and varied rhythmic drive.

Jurassic Park ™ in Concert*

Thursday, November 9, 7:30 pm

Friday, November 10, 7:30 pm

Royal Theatre

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor

The action-packed adventure pits man against prehistoric predators in the

ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, this epic film is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making. Now audiences can experience Jurassic Park as never before: projected in HD with a full symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture.

Welcome… to Jurassic Park !

*Jurassic Park in Concert is not included in subscription purchase discount

Kluxen – Bach, Prokofiev, and Mozart

Concert underwritten by Helen Stuart & Jill Gibson

Terence Tam underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Sunday, November 19, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor

TERENCE TAM, violin

J.S. Bach (orch. Webern):

The Musical Offering – Ricercar à 6

Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2

Mozart: Symphony No. 25 in G minor

In 1747, Bach impressed Frederick the Great with The Musical Offering. Years later, Webern was inspired to reframe Bach’s famous 6-voice fugue with a pointillistic pen, illustrating genius at a whole new level. The romantic second movement of the Violin Concerto No. 2 foreshadows Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo

and Juliet —he created both on the cusp of leaving the West for life under the Soviets. A similar range of Sturm und Drang colours Mozart’s “Little G minor symphony,” which completes the program.

Being Robert Schumann –“Spring” Symphony

Concert underwritten by the Gail O’Riordan Climate & the Arts Legacy Fund at the Victoria Foundation

Sunday, November 26, 2:30pm

Royal Theatre

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor MIYAMA MCQUEEN-TOKITA, koto and bass koto

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Overture, Nocturne, & Scherzo

Rita Ueda: Bloom with the support of Hugh Davidson Fund at the Victoria Foundation

R. Schumann: Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, “Spring”

Trading bouquets of mutual admiration and professional support, Schumann lent his discerning ear to the ‘dreamy’ incidental music written by his close friend Mendelssohn—the first person to conduct Schumann’s “Spring” symphony. The same work was the starting point for composer Rita Ueda in a VS/VSO co-commission.

A celebration of Tokyo’s famed cherry blossom (sakura) season features koto soloist Miyama McQueen-Tokita in a fusion of ancient Japanese traditions with the present day.

Terence Tam, VS Concertmaster

December 2023

Gryphon Trio – Echo: Memories of the World*

Sunday, December 3, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

GRYPHON TRIO

MARION NEWMAN, mezzo-soprano (Kwagiulth and Stó:lō First Nations)

AARON WELLS, actor (Nuučanuł and Ts’ymsyen nations NW coast BC)

Imagined within this multimedia project is an exploration of the many efforts around the world to bring voice to submerged histories. Echo: Memories of the World highlights these important efforts through a unique fusion of music, video, spoken word, soundscape and other artistic media. With a core team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous creators, this project not only tackles, but engages in the process of establishing and maintaining mutually respectful relationships between artistic genres, timeframes, spaces, histories and peoples.

A co-presentation of the Victoria Symphony and Pacific Opera Victoria. Sponsored by the Farquhar at UVic and Voices in Circle.

*This performance by the Gryphon Trio does not feature the Victoria Symphony and is not included in subscription purchase discount.

Jens Lindemann –Christmas Pops

Concert underwritten by John H. & Margery

M. McEown Trust for the Performing Arts and Dallas & Len Chapple

Saturday, December 9, 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 10, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor JENS LINDEMANN, trumpet

The holidays shimmer and shine with the Victoria Symphony and Canadian trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann. As one of the pre-eminent performers of our time, Mr. Lindemann brings his signature style and showmanship to our annual holiday tradition. Prepare to be dazzled and amazed as we bring Christmas Pops to brassy new heights.

Handel’s Messiah

Concert and Victoria Philharmonic Choir underwritten by Penelope & Jim Kingham

CONCERT SPONSOR

Friday, December 15, 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 17, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.”

Beginning with those simple words, one of the best-loved musical works continues to inspire, year over year. With the Victoria Symphony led by Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia and featuring four leading Canadian soloists as well as the Victoria Philharmonic Choir, Handel’s sublime seasonal masterpiece Messiah delivers dramatic choruses and sublime solos. Hallelujah!

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas

Saturday, December 16, 7:30 pm

Royal Theatre

Monday, December 18, 7:30 pm

Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University*

KEN LAVIGNE, vocalist

Vocalist Ken Lavigne has charmed his way into the hearts of concert goers across North America with his exciting blend of classical tenor sound and modern style. From show tunes and popular favourites to arias and Christmas classics, Ken’s lyric tenor voice spreads holiday cheer. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and Ken Lavigne will be sharing his musical gifts in concert with the Victoria Symphony.

*VS West Shore concerts are not included in subscription purchase discount

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

MIREILLE ASSELIN, soprano SIMONA GENGA, alto ANDREW HAJI, tenor STEPHEN HEGEDUS, baritone

VICTORIA PHILHARMONIC CHOIR, PETER BUTTERFIELD, chorus master

January 2024

New Year’s Day Celebration

Monday, January 1, 2:30 pm Royal Theatre

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

LAUREN MARGISON, soprano

MEMBERS OF THE PACIFIC OPERA

VICTORIA CHORUS

DANCERS FROM BALLET VICTORIA

It’s a resolution worth keeping! Revel with Giuseppe Pietraroia, the Victoria Symphony, and guests for our special New Year’s Day event. You’ll be welcomed with a sumptuous musical banquet of arias and choruses, glamorous dances, and much-loved instrumentals. So break out the bubbly and raise your glass!

Being Robert Schumann –Adieu

Allyson McHardy underwritten by George Lovick

Sunday, January 21, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

HOLLY MATHIESON, conductor

ALLYSON M c HARDY, mezzo-soprano

ROBERT HOLLISTON, piano

Schumann: Overture, Scherzo and Finale

R. Murray Schafer:

Adieu Robert Schumann

Schubert/arr. Berio: Rendering, for Orchestra

Holly Mathieson returns to travel through musical space and time. In the

wake of his marriage to Clara Wieck, music poured out of Schumann’s pen, including the three “symphonic” gems that open this program. A dozen years later, Clara’s diaries detailed her heartrending reaction to her husband’s descent into madness, as depicted in Schafer’s moving monodrama. Schubert left several of his works “Unfinished” in his short life, but a fragmentary Symphony in D major provided the 19th century framework for Luciano Berio’s 20th century Rendering of what Schubert had in mind.

Victoria Symphony at the Movies*

Wednesday, January 24, 7:30 pm

Denford Hall, Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor

Denford Hall is the setting for a night of music from such cinematic classics as West Side Story, Indiana Jones, and Amadeus. This intimate evening also features composer Aaron Copland’s exquisite Music for Movies as well “Gabriel’s Oboe” from The Mission , by legendary film composer Ennio Morricone. It is an evening not to be missed as the Victoria Symphony and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin bring the silver screen to life.

*VS Onstage @ Denford Hall concerts are not included in subscription purchase discount

Victoria in Love

Concert underwritten by Sara Neely and Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Lizzie Klemperer underwritten by Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Saturday, January 27, 7:30 pm

Sunday, January 28, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor

LIZZIE KLEMPERER, vocalist

Love is in the air with dances and romances performed by the Victoria Symphony. The stage of the Royal Theatre heats up with the story of Romeo and Juliet, as told through the music of Bernstein, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. Broadway vocalist Lizzie Klemperer will have the audience swooning with favourites ranging from West Side Story to Moon River and more.

Jennifer Gunter, VS Principal Bassoon

Kluxen – Transfigured Night

Concert underwritten by Tim McGee (KC) & Mary Mullens

Ryan Cole underwritten by Marc & Patricia Lortie

David Jalbert underwritten by George Lovick

Sunday, February 4, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor

DAVID JALBERT, piano

RYAN COLE, trumpet

Mozart: Divertimento in D major, K.136

Shostakovich: Concerto in C minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra

Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht

The strings of the Victoria Symphony are showcased in three works, beginning with a familiar, high-spirited piece by a 16-year-old Mozart. Shostakovich’s sparkling wit, sly humour, and love of musical parody are displayed in his energetic Concerto for piano, trumpet, and strings. Then step out from the darkness into the light, and have your view of Schoenberg’s music transformed. “Transfigured Night” is an early, overtly romantic piece with musical echoes of Brahms, Wagner, Mahler, and Richard Strauss.

February 2024

Kluxen – Shostakovich

Symphony No. 5

Concert underwritten by Jim & Betty Hesser and Fritz & Dora Boehm

Brian Yoon’s performance underwritten by Barb & Steve McKerrell and Jim & Betty Hesser

Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra underwritten by The Sunflower Fund

Sunday, February 11, 2:30 pm Farquhar at UVic

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN & YARIV ALONI, conductors

BRIAN YOON, cello

GREATER VICTORIA YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody No. 2

Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor

Victoria Symphony teams up with the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra in a special joint performance sure to inspire. Enescu’s work sets the stage in a stately and supremely lyrical manner that tugs at the heartstrings. VS principal cellist Brian Yoon tackles one of the top five cello concertos, still popular 150 years after it was written. With his career hanging by a political thread, Shostakovich composed his subtly defiant Symphony No. 5. The 45-minute ovation that followed its premiere assured his musical voice would go on to inspire future generations.

Brian Yoon, VS Principal Cello

2023/24 MASTERWORKS

Sundays at the Royal

Underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

17 September: Season Opener

Kluxen – Pictures at an Exhibition

26 November

Being Robert Schumann –“Spring” Symphony

10 March

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4

21 April

Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade

12 May: Season Finale

Being Robert Schumann Finale: Brahms’ A German Requiem

Sundays at the Farquhar

Underwritten by Harry & Julie Swain

1 October

Kluxen – Ravel and Haydn

5 November

Beethoven Symphony No. 7

19 November

Kluxen – Bach, Prokofiev, and Mozart

21 January

Being Robert Schumann – Adieu

4 February

Kluxen – Transfigured Night

11 February

Kluxen – Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

3 March

Raiskin and Zhu – Paganini

17 March

Bach, Pärt, and Vivaldi

14 April

Being Robert Schumann –

Brahms Symphony No. 1

28 April

Kluxen – Brahms, Britten, and Brown

Pops at the Royal

23 & 24 September

Star Trek, Star Wars, and Beyond

28 & 29 October

Harry Potter and Literary Thrillers

27 & 28 January

Victoria in Love

23 & 24 March

La Nef – Sea Songs and Shanties

4 & 5 May

Jim Witter: It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

Kids at the Farquhar

14 October

Classical Kids –Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery

9 March

Platypus Theatre – Presto Mambo!

20 April

The Composer is Here!

Holiday Concerts

9 & 10 December (Royal Theatre)

Jens Lindemann – Christmas Pops

15 & 17 December (Farquhar at UVic)

Handel’s Messiah

16 December (Royal Theatre)

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas

1 January (Royal Theatre)

New Year’s Day Celebration

SPECIALS

*Not included in 2023/24 Season Subscription purchase discount. Single tickets on sale summer 2023.

VS Onstage @ Denford Hall New Series

Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School

Midweek Series on Wednesday Nights

25 October

Bach, Rameau, and Respighi

24 January

Victoria Symphony at the Movies

20 March

Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and Britten

VS West Shore New Series

Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University

Co-presented in collaboration with the Arts & Culture Colwood Society

18 December

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas

8 March

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4

Film in Concert

9 & 10 November (Royal Theatre)

Jurassic Park™ in Concert

Victoria Symphony and Pacific Opera Present

3 December (Farquhar at UVic)

Gryphon Trio –

Echo: Memories of the World

March 2024

Raiskin and Zhu – Paganini

Kevin Zhu underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Sunday, March 3, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

DANIEL RAISKIN, conductor

KEVIN ZHU, violin

Rossini: Overture to The Barber of Seville

Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major

Lera Auerbach: Eterniday (Homage to W.A. Mozart)

Grieg: Symphony in C minor

Youthful brilliance is on display as Daniel Raiskin welcomes a prizewinning American violinist.

Tchaikovsky –Symphony No. 4

Friday concert underwritten by Chris and Eve Millington: Trustees of The Lou Williamson Scholarship Fund

Sunday concert underwritten by Helen Stuart

Friday, March 8, 7:30 pm

Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University*

Sunday, March 10, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

DEANNA THAM, conductor

William Grant Still: Darker America

Stravinsky: Pulcinella Suite

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor

Tchaikovsky abandoned an ill-fated romance and laid bare his feelings in his Fourth Symphony.

Platypus Theatre –Presto Mambo!

Saturday, March 9, 3:00 pm

Farquhar at UVic

MAESTRO JOEY, conductor

PLATYPUS THEATRE

Music of the Americas will have the audience on their feet, in Platypus Theatre’s most interactive show to date.

Bach, Pärt, and Vivaldi

Concert underwritten by Chris & Eve Millington: Trustees of the Lou Williamson Scholarship Fund and Jill Gibson Violin soloists underwritten by Fritz & Dora Boehm

Sunday, March 17, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor TERENCE TAM, CHRISTI MEYERS, TORI GOULD, violins

VICTORIA CHILDREN’S CHOIR

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL CHORISTERS

VOX HUMANA CHAMBER CHOIR & FRIENDS

Vivaldi: Magnificat

J.S. Bach: Concerto for 3 violins in D major Arvo Pärt: Fratres

Zelenka: Miserere

J.S. Bach: O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht

Voices are raised in praise and penitence in a program built around Baroque favourites.

Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and Britten*

Concert underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Wednesday, March 20, 7:30 pm

Denford Hall, Glenlyon Norfolk School, Senior School

TERENCE TAM, musical direction

Grieg: Holberg Suite

Tchaikovsky: Andante cantabile

Britten: Simple Symphony

Echoes of an earlier era from Grieg, a tune that brought a tear to Tolstoy’s eye, and Britten’s playful look back at his own youthful works.

La Nef – Sea Songs and Shanties

Concert and La Nef underwritten by Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Saturday, March 23, 7:30 pm

Sunday, March 24, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

SEÁN DAGHER, cittern & vocals

LA NEF, folk ensemble

MEMBERS OF THE PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA CHORUS

We’ll rant and we’ll roar across the salt seas! La Nef returns to press the VS into service in a rousing new program of shanties and maritime music.

Giuseppe Pietraroia, VS Associate Conductor

April 2024

Being Robert Schumann –Brahms Symphony No. 1

Sunday, April 14, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

LEO MCFALL, conductor

R. Schumann: Genoveva Overture

Dvořák: Legends, Op. 59, Nos. 1-3

Dvořák: Slavonic Dances, Op. 72, Nos. 3,5,7

Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor

In the 1850s, Johannes Brahms benefitted from the support of Robert and Clara Schumann. Years later, Brahms recognized the talents of Antonín Dvořák, stating that any composer would be honored to have the ideas that the young Bohemian composer discarded. Leading this festival of musical friendship is London-born conductor Leo McFall, winner of the 2015 Deutsche Dirigentenpreis. He works extensively throughout Finland, Germany, and Austria where he leads the Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg in Bregenz.

The Composer is Here!

Saturday, April 20, 3 pm

Farquhar at UVic

VERN GRIFFITHS, conductor

Known for his kid’s concert hit, “Wall to Wall Percussion,” Vern Griffiths leads this fun, family-friendly performance that explores what it means to be a composer. The afternoon features works by legendary composers such as John Williams, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky along with creative collaborators based in BC. The audience will get in on the action and help compose a brand-new work to be performed live by the Victoria Symphony!

Rimsky-Korsakov –Scheherazade

Concert underwritten by Commodore & Mrs. Jan Drent and Natexa Verbrugge

Sunday, April 21, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

DINUK WIJERATNE, conductor

Dinuk Wijeratne: Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems

Alexander Borodin: Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade

Historic texts, tales, and sea-faring travel inspire a program conducted by Dinuk Wijeratne—who is also a pianist and JUNO® award-winning composer. Perhaps it was kismet that Borodin’s

opera Prince Igor was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov, because it went on to provide a hit tune on Broadway. The storytelling prowess of the legendary Persian Queen Scheherazade enchanted the Sultan in the tales of One Thousand and One Nights— Rimsky-Korsakov’s own suite does the same for music lovers.

Kluxen

– Brahms, Britten, and Brown

Concert underwritten by Sara Neely

Mireille Lebel underwritten by George Lovick

Sunday, April 28, 2:30 pm

Farquhar at UVic

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor

MIREILLE LEBEL, mezzo-soprano

Britten: Four Sea Interludes

Stacey Brown: “When death takes something from you give it back”

Commissioned by the VS with the support of the Hugh Davidson Fund at the Victoria Foundation.

Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor

“What harbor shelters peace, away from tidal waves, away from storms?” Starting with a misty sunrise on a Suffolk seascape, the tempest-tossed drama of Britten’s opera Peter Grimes is neatly condensed into his moving instrumental suite. Tragedy is also addressed in Stacey Brown’s new song cycle, drawing on texts by Danish author and poet Naja Marie Aidt. Aware of his own mortality, Brahms penned a cornerstone of the symphonic repertoire, his Symphony No. 4, a work of profound depth that many consider his finest.

Hannah Craig, VS Cello

May 2024

Jim Witter: It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

Saturday, May 4, 7:30 pm

Sunday, May 5, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

SEAN O’LOUGHLIN, conductor

JIM WITTER, vocalist and pianist

The music of Billy Joel and Elton John transport us back to another time and place in this remarkable evening of nostalgia and song. Canadian pianist

Jim Witter and his band lead the way for a night where you literally know every song and can’t help but sing along to these iconic favorites.

Being Robert Schumann Finale – Brahms’ A German Requiem

Concert underwritten by Fritz & Dora Boehm and Jade Gan

Nathalie Paulin underwritten by Marc & Patricia Lortie

Sunday, May 12, 2:30 pm

Royal Theatre

CHRISTIAN KLUXEN, conductor

NATHALIE PAULIN, soprano

GEOFFREY SIRETT, baritone

VOX HUMANA CHAMBER CHOIR AND FRIENDS

Brahms: A German Requiem

We conclude our 3-year exploration

Being Robert Schumann with a postscript performance that further recognizes his impact. To musically mark the death of his mentor, Schumann, as well as the passing of his own mother, Brahms created this visionary and grandly-scaled masterpiece. A German Requiem speaks in a musical language for all humanity: “Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Müge Büyükçelen, VS Violin

Summer 2023

SYMPHONY IN THE SUMMER FESTIVAL JULY 27–AUGUST 5, 2023

Music fills the warm summer air once again! The beloved Symphony in the Summer Festival is back from July 27 – August 5, 2023. Join us for a multi-day summer music festival around some of Victoria’s most beautiful locations.

Mozart and Martinis at the Atrium

Friday, July 28, 6:00 pm

The Atrium on Yates

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

VS at Christ Church

Cathedral

Concert underwritten by Helen Stuart

Lorraine Min underwritten by Fritz & Dora Boehm

Thursday, July 27, 7:30 pm

Christ Church Cathedral

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

LORRAINE MIN, piano

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2

Debussy: Petite Suite and more!

Start your weekend right with a cocktail, appetizers, and the excellence of the Victoria Symphony in the most intimate and informal of settings. One of our signature events, this highly social gathering takes quality music outside the concert hall and offers an entirely different VS experience.

VS at Market Square

FREE!

Saturday, July 29, 6:00 pm

Market Square

VS at The Butchart Gardens

Thursday, August 3, 8:00 pm

The Butchart Gardens

TIMOTHY VERNON, conductor

Symphony and Opera at the Cameron Bandshell

FREE!

Friday, August 4, 6:00 pm

Saturday, August 5, 6:00 pm

Cameron Bandshell

GIUSEPPE PIETRAROIA, conductor

August 4 performance

TIMOTHY VERNON, conductor

August 5 performance

The Victoria Symphony offers two free full orchestral concerts at the Cameron Bandshell in beautiful Beacon Hill Park. Take a bench seat, or bring your own chair and blanket, and enjoy an early evening concert featuring excerpts from our upcoming Masterworks and Pops Series, as well as excerpts from Pacific Opera’s Season.

“Victoria is lucky to have musicians at this level.”

FAYE, Victoria Symphony Patron

MUSICIANS OF THE VICTORIA SYMPHONY

APRIL 2023

BASSOON

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Christian Kluxen

PRINCIPAL POPS

CONDUCTOR

Sean O’Loughlin

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR

Giuseppe Pietraroia

VIOLIN

Terence Tam, Concertmaster

Christi Meyers, Assistant Concertmaster

Tori Gould, Principal

2nd Violin

Cory Balzer

Müge Büyükçelen

Michele Kwon

Philip Manning

Emily Salmon

Julian Vitek

VIOLA

Kenji Fusé, Principal

Stacey Boal

Kay Cochran

Mieka Michaux

Christine Prince

CELLO

Brian Yoon, Principal

Hannah Craig

Joyce Ellwood

Perry Foster

BASS

Mary Rannie, Principal

Darren Buhr

Alex Olson

FLUTE

Arin Sarkissian, Principal

Alberta Brown

PICCOLO

Alberta Brown

OBOE

Anna Betuzzi, Principal

Russell Bajer

ENGLISH HORN

Russell Bajer

CLARINET

David Boutin-Bourque, Principal

Jennifer Christensen

BASS CLARINET

Jennifer Christensen

Jennifer Gunter, Principal

Anne Power

HORN

Alana Despins, Principal

Michael Oswald, Acting Principal

Sam McNally

Dan Moses

TRUMPET

Ryan Cole, Principal

David Michaux

TROMBONE

Brad Howland, Principal

Marcus Hissen

BASS TROMBONE

Robert Fraser

TUBA

Paul Beauchesne, Principal

TIMPANI

Aaron Mattock, Acting Principal

HARP

Annabelle Stanley, Principal

The Victoria Symphony Society extends our thanks and gratitude to the outstanding professional musicians who share their expertise not only on stage with our audiences, but in the community as teachers at the University of Victoria, the Victoria Conservatory of Music, and in private studios.

Christian Kluxen

underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Kenji Fusé underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Brian Yoon underwritten by Barb & Steve McKerrell

Arin Sarkissian

underwritten by Helen Stuart

2023/24 Season Subscriptions

CURATE

YOUR EXPERIENCE

Our flexible 2023/24 Season Subscriptions invite you to curate your own musical journey with a very simple offer:

CHOOSE FIVE (5) OR MORE CONCERTS AND A 25% DISCOUNT WILL APPLY TO THE ENTIRE ORDER.

EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS

The Best Prices

Save 25% off regular ticket prices. Receive special discounts & opportunities to invite friends.

The Best Seats & Selection

Purchase tickets to all concerts before they go on sale to the general public.

You Become a Member of the Victoria Symphony Society.

Additional Perks

• Free Ticket Exchange

• Priority customer service

• Special offers

Subscriber-Exclusive Opportunities

Receive invitations to private rehearsals and special events.

Partner Discounts

10% off Dance Victoria single ticket pricing.

SUBSCRIBERS ARE SUPPORTERS

When you decide to become a Season Subscriber, you are providing the Symphony with essential financial support, which allows us to innovate and program with confidence. Knowing there’s a core audience ready to discover new vistas of sound with us before the season begins is essential to looking forward. When you subscribe, you become both a member of the VS family and an investor in our future.

PURCHASE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

By phone: 250.385.6515

By mail or in person: Victoria Symphony 620 View Street, Suite 610 Victoria, BC V8W 1J6

By email: boxoffice@victoriasymphony.ca

Box Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm

VICTORIASYMPHONY.CA

The Royal Theatre

Single Ticket pricing for Specials, including new series VS Onstage @ Denford Hall & VS West Shore, available at VICTORIASYMPHONY.CA

vsSOUNDCHECK:

Discounted

Concert Tickets

The Victoria Symphony is pleased to offer $15 tickets for patrons between 15 and 35 years old. Tickets are available seven days before the performance, based on availability. VICTORIASYMPHONY.CA/ VS-SOUNDCHECK

SAVE 25% OFF THESE PRICES WITH A 2023/24 SEASON SUBSCRIPTION

at UVic

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Underwritten by John H. & Margery M. McEown Trust for the Performing Arts and The Sunflower Fund

VS Education Programs

VS Education programs instill a passion for music in children of all ages. Our programs are creative and collaborative giving participants the keys they need to unlock a deeper understanding of how to make, and appreciate, the value of music in our lives.

EDUCATION CONCERTS

These concerts are designed for students in Kindergarten through Grade 7 in Victoria, Saanich, Sooke, Gulf Islands and Cowichan school districts as well as independent and home learners.

The concerts are specifically designed to provide fun, accessible, and engaging experiences while exposing students to the wonders of live classical music. Over 10,000 elementary school students across lower Vancouver Island attend these concerts each year.

MUSICIANS IN SCHOOLS

Catering to groups of 30 to 300, the Musicians in Schools program aims to introduce students to different instruments and musical styles and give them a glimpse into the world of our hard-working musicians. These musician ensembles bring innovative, inspiring, and entertaining

performances and workshops to schools from February through April. This program allows students to connect more directly with the musicians and provides a fun, open dialogue for eager questions.

MASTER CLASSES

VS musicians pair up with music classes in the Greater Victoria area to offer customized advanced instruction for students. Each musician provides a one-hour music class with participating schools for a total of four classes per year.

OPEN REHEARSALS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

This is a unique opportunity to have a behind-the-scenes look at how orchestra musicians, conductors, and guest performers prepare for a concert. Students experience the orchestra in a more relaxed and informal atmosphere. Open rehearsals may also offer the opportunity to ask questions about a career in music or the rehearsal process.

SYMPHONY STORYTIME

Specially created for preschool-aged children, Symphony Storytime offers the chance for youngsters to learn about the Symphony, orchestral instruments, and what professional musicians do for a living. These highly interactive performances are tailored for active young children’s attention spans and are a perfect way to introduce children to the world of music.

WOMEN IN MUSICAL LEADERSHIP

Victoria Symphony is a proud participant in the Women in Musical Leadership program again in 2023-24. This program, facilitated by Tapestry Opera and in lead partnership with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Opera, supports women and non-binary conductors by providing mentorship, training, and placements with orchestras, opera companies, and ensembles across Canada.

The program’s innovative, multi-faceted approach is one path to addressing the historic gender imbalance in classical music and opera, and is a unique infrastructure to give promising women and non-binary conductors the time, experience, and relationships they need to take the podium anywhere in the world.

VS Community Outreach Programs

VSNEW

vsNEW is an innovative program for local, young composers to write new works for small ensembles of dedicated VS musicians. Each year, aspiring composers attend workshops guided by our VS Composer-Mentor in Residence. At the end of the program there is a performance of the new music and each composer is asked to speak to the audience about the ideas and inspirations behind their piece.

HUGH DAVIDSON COMPOSER READINGS

Dedicated to the late Hugh Davidson, a strong supporter of new music, this program provides the opportunity for aspiring professional composers writing new music for orchestra, to have their pieces rehearsed by the VS and receive feedback. A call for submissions occurs annually.

PRE-CONCERT CHATS

Select VS presentations begin with Pre-Concert Chats that guide audiences through the music they are about to hear. These free talks feature artists, musicologists, and scholars who provide context designed to be enjoyed by the first-time concertgoer as much as the experienced aficionado.

Supporting Your Symphony

Thank you to Odlum Brown for sponsoring our Conductor’s Circle | Thank you to Horne Coupar for sponsoring our Tribute Circle

YOUR SUPPORT IS INSTRUMENTAL

ATTEND

A CONCERT

Your ticket purchases and attendance are essential to every concert. Ticket sales cover only 17% (as of February 2023) of our costs.

BECOME A DONOR

Make a gift or pledge to the Victoria Symphony and know you are making a difference! All gifts receive a tax receipt. Gifts of stocks can provide you with great tax advantages.

Victoria Symphony Society charitable registration #11928 5286 RR 0001.

Foundation for the Victoria Symphony registration #11928 5278 RR 0001.

Join the Conductor’s Circle with a gift of $1,000+ and meet new friends while receiving name recognition in the concert program, concierge service, and invitations to open rehearsals and unique music enrichment events. Dedicate your gift in honour, or memory, of someone you care about to enjoy the Conductor’s Circle lounges, and the opportunity to meet our musicians and conductors at select concerts.

Underwrite a guest artist’s performance ($2,500), a concert ($5,000), or a musician for the season ($10,000 –$25,000) and receive special recognition and unique VIP benefits.

Join the Musician’s Circle with a gift of $100 – $999 and receive name recognition in the concert program, a gift dedication in honour of someone you care about, and invitations to special events to meet our musicians, guests, and new friends.

Join the Tribute Circle and keep the music playing. You can name the Victoria Symphony or the Foundation for the Victoria Symphony as a beneficiary in your will or other planned gifts and be honoured in the concert program. Current gifts or future estate bequests can be invested in the Foundation for the Victoria Symphony and may receive up to 100% in matching funds, which could double the gift and would benefit the Symphony in perpetuity.

Please call 250.412.1982 or email donorservices@victoriasymphony.ca for information regarding your gift choice.

BECOME A BUSINESS SPONSOR

The Victoria Symphony is proud to work with businesses that sponsor us and support the arts here in Victoria. Sponsorship can include opportunities to sponsor a concert, a concert series, an education program, donor membership groups, and more!

Please call 250.412.1980 or email lorraine@victoriasymphony.ca.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

We offer a variety of interesting volunteer opportunities. Visit victoriasymphony.ca for more details.

CONTACT US

By phone: 250.385.9771

By mail or in person: Victoria Symphony 620 View Street, Suite 610 Victoria, BC V8W 1J6

Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm

VICTORIASYMPHONY.CA

“Previous generations have gifted us this national calibre orchestra here in our own backyard and we have the wonderful opportunity to keep the Victoria Symphony alive and vibrant for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

PETER JANDO, Victoria Symphony Board of Directors, President

Emily Salmon, VS Violin

CONDUCTOR CIRCLE SPONSOR

TRIBUTE CIRCLE SPONSOR