2011/2012 Overture #2

WINNIPEG SYMPHONY

November – December 2011

Len Cariou

“All you have to do is look at the lyrics.

This is the most gorgeous score the man ever wrote.

It borders on genius, like everything else he's done.”

– Len Cariou about Stephen Sondheim's Follies

ORCHESTRA

ISSUE 2

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November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 1

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

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2 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

AND

CHAIR

Dorothy Dobbie

If the Jets can do it, so can we!

Let's fill our house every concert.

One evening before a concert, I was speaking to a gentleman about my magazine, Manitoba Gardener, and gardening in general. Suddenly, he said, "I envy you, Dorothy. All day you get to think about gardens and at night you get to listen to beautiful music." That just about summed it up for me. I love my life and I love the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

In these dark, dreary days of winter, our concerts glow with warmth, raising us out of the gloom and thrusting us into a shining space filled with light. I hear a lilt of anticipation in voices as I greet folks at the door before the music begins. I see smiles of shared satisfaction on the faces leaving the concerts. For a span of time, nobody thinks of the cold weather or worries about whatever pressures they face in everyday life. A night at the symphony is a time to escape and soar to a far better place, lifted there by the magic carpet of music.

It is no wonder that, in spite of all the hype about sports (and I, too, am proud and happy to see the return of the Winnipeg Jets), the number of people who attend performing arts doubles the number of those who attend live sports events.

Surprised? A study published last February by Hill Strategies Research Inc. commissioned by the Federal and Ontario governments, discovered that fully 37% of Canadian families spend about $1.4 billion attending concerts, plays and other performances by the performing arts, while sports attracts only 17% of the audience and spending on live sporting events is a paltry (in comparison) $650 million.

Given those statistics (and if the Bombers can sell out, and if the Jets can sell out), I think it is not unreasonable for the WSO to begin to fill the house at every concert.

You can help.

Many of the people you know have never been to a concert. Why not invite them? Choose your concert to appeal to the novice and gradually introduce them to more sophisticated fare as they get hooked.

Share your joy in music. Help us fill the house. Long live the Winnipeg Jets and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra!

Dorothy Dobbie, President and Chair

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 3

4 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

CONDUCTORS & COMPOSERS Alexander Mickelthwate, Music Director Recognized as one of the most exciting young conductors of his generation, Alexander Mickelthwate is in his sixth season as Music Director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, where he has significantly raised the ensemble’s profile through innovative programming and active community engagement. Praised for his “splendid, richly idiomatic readings” (LA Weekly), “fearless” approach and “first-rate technique” (Los Angeles Times), the German-born conductor has attracted attention for his charismatic presence on the podium and command of a wide range of musical styles.

In August 2007, Alexander culminated his three-year tenure as Associate Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with which he appeared regularly at Walt Disney Concert Hall and at the Hollywood Bowl.

Previously as Assistant Conductor with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, he co-founded the new music ensemble Bent Frequency, which was hailed as "one of the brightest ensembles on the scene” (Gramophone Magazine).

Recent highlights include debuts with the Houston Symphony, the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, the Johannesburg Philharmonic and the Bukarest Philharmonic, a re-engagement with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and a highly successful last-minute replacement with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. As guest conductor, Alexander has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hamburg Symphony, NDR Hannover, as well as with symphony orchestras in several Canadian and U.S. cities.

Born in Germany into a musical family, he studied conducting in Karlsruhe, Germany and at the Peabody Conservatory with Gustav Meier, and was invited as a conducting Fellow at Tanglewood, as well as at the Eötvöes Institute in Hungary. He is married with two sons.

Richard Lee, Resident Conductor From the time his mother sat him down at a toy piano when he was three years old, Richard Lee has spent his life immersed in music. He graduated to a real piano at the age of five and took up the violin at age seven. At age seventeen, he passed – with honours – the grade X piano and violin exams at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

After a brief and ill-advised stint as a physics major, Richard came to his senses and pursued a degree in Music Performance at the University of Toronto as both a violinist and a violist while studying conducting. After teaching middle school music for five years, Richard returned to the U of T where, as the Victor Feldbrill Fellow in orchestral conducting, he obtained a Master’s degree under the tutelage of Raffi Armenian.

Richard is currently Resident Conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Conductor of the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, as well as Music Director of the Korean Canadian Symphony Orchestra, based in Toronto. He has also conducted the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the symphony orchestras of Vancouver, Quebec and Thunder Bay. His work has been broadcast and recorded by the CBC/Radio-Canada.

Musician, news junkie and connoisseur of fine ales, whiskies and cigars, Richard maintains residences in both Winnipeg and Toronto.

Vincent Ho, Composer-in-Residence Vincent Ho is widely recognized as one of the most outstanding composers of his generation.

His works have been hailed for their profound expressiveness and textural beauty that has audiences talking about with great enthusiasm. His many awards have included Harvard University’s Fromm Music Commission, The Canada Council for the Arts’ “Robert Fleming Prize,” ASCAP’s “Morton Gould Young Composer Award,” four SOCAN Young Composers Awards, and CBC Radio’s Audience Choice Award (2009 Young Composers’ Competition).

Born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1975, Vincent Ho began his musical training through the Royal Conservatory of Music. He received his Associate Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) in 1993, his Bachelor of Music from the University of Calgary in 1998, his Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto in 2000, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California (2005). His mentors have included Allan Bell, David Eagle, Christos Hatzis, Walter Buczynski, and Stephen Hartke. In 1997, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Schola Cantorum Summer Composition Program in Paris, where he received further training in analysis, composition, counterpoint, and harmony, supervised by David Diamond, Philip Lasser, and Narcis Bonet.

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 5

WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2011-2012 SEASON MUSIC DIRECTOR Alexander Mickelthwate RESIDENT CONDUCTOR Richard Lee COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE Vincent Ho FIRST VIOLINS Gwen Hoebig, Concertmaster The Sophie-Carmen EckhardtGramatté Memorial Chair, endowed by the Eckhardt-Gramatté Foundation Karl Stobbe, Associate Concertmaster Mary Lawton, Assistant Concertmaster

Chris Anstey Raymond Chrunyk Mona Coarda Hong Tian Jia *Trevor Kirczenow Simon MacDonald **Meredith McCallum Rachel Moody Julie Savard Jun Shao SECOND VIOLINS Darryl Strain, Principal Elation Pauls, Assistant Principal Karen Bauch **Tomomi Brennan Rodica Filipoi *Barbara Gilroy Boyd MacKenzie Susan McCallum † Jane Radomski Claudine St. Arnauld Phoebe Tsang VIOLAS Daniel Scholz, Principal Anne Elise Lavallée, Assistant Principal

Laszlo Baroczi Richard Bauch Greg Hay Suzanne McKegney Merrily Peters Mike Scholz

CELLOS Yuri Hooker, Principal **Desiree Abbey, Assistant Principal Alex Adaman Margaret Askeland Arlene Dahl Carolyn Nagelberg Emma Quackenbush BASSES Meredith Johnson, Principal Theodore Chan, Assistant Principal Paul Nagelberg Bruce Okrainec Zdzislaw Prochownik Patrick Staples FLUTES Jan Kocman, Principal Martha Durkin PICCOLO Martha Durkin OBOES Bede Hanley, Principal Robin MacMillan ENGLISH HORN Robin MacMillan CLARINETS Micah Heilbrunn, Principal Richard Klassen

TRUMPETS Brian Sykora, Principal Paul Jeffrey Isaac Pulford The Patty Kirk Memorial Chair

TROMBONES Steven Dyer, Principal John Helmer BASS TROMBONE Julia McIntyre, Principal TUBA Chris Lee, Principal TIMPANI Jeremy Epp, Principal PERCUSSION Frederick Liessens, Principal HARP Richard Turner, Principal Endowed by W.H. & S.E. Loewen

ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL MANAGER Chris Lee PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN Raymond Chrunyk ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN Laura MacDougall

BASSOONS Alex Eastley, Principal James Ewen CONTRABASSOON James Ewen HORNS Patricia Evans, Principal Ken MacDonald, Associate Principal James Robertson The Hilda Schelberger Memorial Chair

Caroline Oberheu Michiko Singh

6 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

*On Leave **Temporary Position † Dual Section Position Please note: Non-titled (tutti) string players are listed alphabetically and are seated according to a rotational system.

POPS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6

8:00 P.M. 8:00 P.M. 2:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim Starring Len Cariou Richard Lee, conductor Len Cariou, performer Dry Cold Productions; Reid Harrison and Donna Fletcher, artistic directors Soloists: Lara Ciekiewicz, Donna Fletcher, Naomi Forman, Peter Huck, Aaron Hutton, *Miranda Baran, *Melodie Langevin University of Manitoba Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music Musical Theatre Ensemble

PROGRAM

Presenting Media Sponsor:

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Comedy Tonight Follies Broadway Baby Waiting for the Girls Upstairs A Little Night Music You Must Meet My Wife Send in the Clowns A Weekend in the Country*

- INTERMISSION Into the Woods Symphonic Sondheim Suite Follies Losing My Mind Too Many Mornings Sweeney Todd Ballad of Sweeney Todd There Was a Barber Johanna Not While I’m Around A Little Priest

Extra Musicians: Cary Denby, rehearsal and performance accompanist Melissa Scott, oboe Tony Cyre, percussion Will Bonness, piano Shane Nestruck, bass clarinet, alto saxophone

MUSICIANS IN THE MAKING

Pre-concert performance on the Piano Nobile begins 45 minutes prior to concert Friday, November 4 – Canadian Mennonite University Saturday, November 5 – Suzuki Talent Education Institute of Manitoba Sunday, November 6 – University of Manitoba Division of Preparatory Studies N o vJeam n ub ae r y– –DFeec be rmubaer ry 2200111 1 II O V E R T U R E 5 7

MASTERWORKS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12

8:00 P.M. 8:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL WSO IN BRANDON

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13

3:00 P.M.

WESTERN MANITOBA CENTENNIAL AUDITORIUM

Beethoven 5 Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor Michael Kim, piano

PROGRAM Egmont: Overture

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 Allegro con brio Largo Rondo: Allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven

- INTERMISSION Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 Allegro con brio Andante con moto Allegro – Allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven

Extra Musicians: Allen Harrington, bassoon Laurel Ridd, flute WSO in Brandon Exclusive Sponsor:

WSO in Brandon Media Partner:

Pre-concert chat with Alexander Mickelthwate and Michael Kim on the Piano Nobile begins 45 minutes prior to concert N o vJeam n ub ae r y– –DFeec be rmubaer ry 2200111 1 II O V E R T U R E 7 9

PROGRAM NOTES

by James Manishen

Egmont: Overture Ludwig van Beethoven b. Bonn / December 17, 1770 d. Vienna / March 26, 1827 Composed: 1810 First performance: June 15, 1810 (Vienna) Last WSO performance: 2000, Richard Buckley, conductor Darkness to light, evil to good, minor tonalities to major, clouds clearing to better times….this was the emotional road Beethoven travelled in the Fifth and Ninth Symphonies and in his Egmont Overture. When Napoleon invaded Vienna in May 1809, censorship of all public communication was put in place.

When the forces left in October following months of hardship, revivals of plays by the great German playwrights were planned to re-activate the spirit of the people. Goethe’s Egmont was among them and Beethoven was to supply the music, a task he relished, given the circumstances.

The conditions of Beethoven’s premiere of his Piano Concerto No.3 would be quite amusing if they weren’t so fraught with stress for the composer. Beethoven’s friend Emanuel Schikaneder was the director of Vienna’s Theater-an-derWien, and the two were hatching plans for Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio in 1803. Since opera could not be performed during Lent, the theatre was available for Beethoven to present some of his instrumental works, which was opportune, since he hadn’t produced a concert of his own music in three years. The date was set during April 1803 and Beethoven was looking forward to introducing his Third Piano Concerto, as well as his Second Symphony on the bill.

tranquil by turn. The Rondo takes the classical form of a returning theme to new heights, developing it further and extending its dramatic elements well beyond its classical roots, vivaciously letting C minor go to C major at its bounding close.

Symphony No. 5 Ludwig van Beethoven Composed: 1804 to 1808 First performance: December 22, 1808 (Vienna) conducted by the composer Last WSO performance: 2007, Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor

The most famous four notes in music begin Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Yet try as one might, the work’s origins are as elusive as the music’s fame and impact. Were the Schikaneder had a rival in the notes about “Fate knocking at the court-subsidized Kärtnertortheater, door” – a good story published in whose director, Baron Peter von the memoirs of Beethoven’s pupils Braun, had ideas of his own to Anton Schindler and Ferdinand snare an audience that evening. He Ries but never corroborated? not only mounted Haydn’s Perhaps a patriotic response to the Creation, a huge hit in Europe at invading Napoleonic forces in the the time, but snapped up Vienna’s music’s progression from struggle to best musicians, leaving Beethoven victory? Or maybe just a knock on with a rag-tag group for his concert the door by Beethoven’s for which just one six-hour housekeeper in an ongoing attempt rehearsal on the concert day was to order his slovenly living habits. scheduled. Beethoven played his We do know that the Fifth Third Concerto mostly from Symphony came during fours years Goethe’s story takes place in 1567 memory, not writing it down until a of producing such masterpieces as and within the growing defiance of year later for a performance by his the Violin Concerto, Fourth and Sixth the Dutch people under tyrannical pupil Ferdinand Ries. Though the Symphonies and the first version of Spanish rule. Count Egmont leads mild audience response was his only opera Fidelio, among others. the revolution, spurring his people undoubtedly due to the spotty As always, purely musical matters performance, Beethoven knew he on with dreams of liberty before occupied him constantly and he did had a good work and enjoyed a his eventual execution. The say about the Fifth, “I see before my laugh in the pub afterwards with Overture encapsulates this: mind the picture in its whole extent, ominous at the start, a battle cry of his page-turner who had had fits trying to turn mostly invisible pages as if in a single grasp.” horns and winds, the death of encoded with scrawls!

Egmont (silence) and a If a single comment sums up this triumphant ride to victory. colossal symphony it is that one, for As with the Fifth Symphony, the Beethoven’s Fifth is all about Third Concerto is in C minor and Piano Concerto No. 3 inevitability in a symphony. sets the key out clearly from the Ludwig van Beethoven Whether heard for the first or first motive. Piano and orchestra Composed: 1797-1803 umpteenth times, one is simply First performance: April 4, 1803 with are equal partners, living in the swept up in its inexorable drive to emotional narrative of the the composer as soloist the finish plus the perfect blend of Romantic era, especially so in the Last WSO performance: 2003, Berenika Zakrzewski, piano; Michelle second movement which is an head and heart within its plan.

Mourre, conductor extended aria that is sensuous and One need not say more.

Vous adresser au service des abonnés ou consulter le site www.wso.ca pour la traduction en français.

10 O V E R T U R E I N o v e m b e r – D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1

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12 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

SOUNDBYTES

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26

8:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

Rock Owes the Classics Richard Lee, conductor John Einarson, host Daniel Tselyakov, piano ① Matthew Packer, saxophone ➁ St. John's-Ravenscourt Rock Show Ensemble: Tiffany Humble and Melissa Wong, keyboards Jason Mahay, guitar Alex Webster, drums Caelan Stephanson, bass guitar Kristen Gray, Akshay Sathya, Stephanie Fennell, vocals

PROGRAM Symphony No. 5 in C minor I. Allegro con brio

Beethoven

Orchestral Suite No. 3: Air in G

J.S. Bach

Gayane: Sabre Dance

Khachaturian

Symphony No. 3 in F major III. Poco allegretto Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor ① II. Adagio sostenuto

Brahms Rachmaninov

- INTERMISSION Fanfare for the Common Man

Copland

Peer Gynt: In the Hall of the Mountain King Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major I. Allegro moderato

➁

Grieg J.S. Bach

Love is All You Need: A Tribute to The Beatles

arr. Healey

Lt. Kijé Suite: Troika

Prokofiev

Symphony No. 3 in C minor (Organ Symphony) II. Maestoso — Allegro

Saint-Saëns

Extra Musicians: Cary Denby, organ Allen Harrington, saxophone Laura Loewen, piano Tony Cyre, percussion

MUSICIANS IN THE MAKING

Pre-concert performance on the Piano Nobile begins 45 minutes prior to concert University of Manitoba Division of Preparatory Studies Intermediate and Senior Woodwind Enrichment Program Scholarship Winners November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 13

Ou r c ommu nity. Our future.

Together.

Proud to support the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

Great-West Life and the key design are trademarks of The Great-West Life Assurance Company. ™ is a trademark of The Great-West Life Assurance Company.

GREAT-WEST LIFE CONCERTS FOR KIDS

PRE-CONCERT ACTIVITIES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27

1:00 P.M. 2:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

The Snowman Richard Lee, conductor Frederick Liessens, percussion Winnipeg Boys’ Choir; Carolyn Boyes & Annelie Reimer, co-directors

PROGRAM Christmas Festival

Leroy Anderson

Toy Symphony Menuetto Presto

Haydn

Alfie’s Hornpipe

Frederick Liessens

The Snowman Film by Raymond Briggs with music by Howard Blake By arrangement with ©Snowman Enterprises Ltd. 1982, 2011 www.thesnowman.co.uk Extra Musicians: Will Bonness, piano Tony Cyre, percussion

Concerts for Kids sponsored by:

Pre-Concert Activities Partner:

Presenting Radio Partner:

N o v e m b e r – D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 I O V E R T U R E 15

16 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

MATINEE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

10:30 A.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor

PROGRAM Symphony No. 2

Jean Sibelius (1864-1957)

MASTERWORKS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3

8:00 P.M. 8:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

Mathieu & Sibelius Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor Alain Lefèvre, piano

PROGRAM Piano Concerto No. 4 in E minor Allegro Andante Allegro con fuoco

Andre Mathieu (1929-1968) Reconstructed and orchestrated by Gilles Bellemare

- INTERMISSION Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43 Allegretto Tempo Andante, ma rubato Vivacissimo – Finale: Allegro moderato

Jean Sibelius (1864-1957)

Extra Musician: Tony Cyre, percussion Media Partner:

Pre-concert chat with Alexander Mickelthwate and Alain Lefèvre on the Piano Nobile begins 45 minutes prior to concert N o v e m b e r – D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 I O V E R T U R E 17

PROGRAM NOTES

by James Manishen

Piano Concerto No. 4

composer-conductor and fellow Mathieu expert Gilles Bellemare to prepare a full orchestral score with solo piano, the result of which we hear tonight.

André Mathieu b. Montréal / February 18, 1929 d. Montréal / June 2, 1968 Composed: unknown (c.1960) First performance: May 8, 2008 (Tucson Arizona) conducted by George Hanson with soloist Alain Lefèvre First WSO performance

Stylistically as well as pianistically, Concerto No. 4 is a close relative of Rachmaninoff’s works in the genre. The 40-minute work is replete with the kind of sweeping melodies, gracious lyricism and powerful dramatic thrust we expect from the Russian master, yet it is liberally sprinkled with passages utterly unidiomatic.

“The incarnation of “Mathieu was in the predicament pure genius for of knowing that he was overly Quebec and romantic and ‘behind the times,’” Canada” is Alain explains Lefèvre. “Suddenly, he’ll Lefèvre’s inject some bizarre attempts to be unequivocal modern, then just as quickly switch assessment of André Mathieu. This back to his Rachmaninoff mode.” composer and pianist, a child (Program note courtesy of Robert Markow) prodigy who was once dubbed “the Quebec Mozart,” has been largely Symphony No 2 forgotten, but Lefèvre’s mission is Jean Sibelius to revive public interest in b. Hämeenlinna, Finland / Mathieu. “The first piece I ever December 8, 1865 heard by this composer was his d. Järvenpää, Finland / Prélude romantique,” relates Lefèvre. September 20, 1957 “I was 15 at the time, and I was Composed: 1901-02 stunned by its beauty. Mathieu has First performance: March 8, 1902 been my passion ever since. I think (Helsinki) conducted by the composer it’s almost scandalous that he Last WSO performance: 2005, remains unknown.” None other Andrey Boreyko, conductor than Rachmaninoff pronounced Mathieu “a genius, more so than I After eight centuries am.” Lefèvre has programmed of rule by Russia and Mathieu’s music extensively in his Sweden, turn-of-theappearances both at home and century Finland was abroad. experiencing a pentup desire for Alain Lefèvre came to know the recognition of its own identity and Concerto No. 4 through a surprising cultural resources. In his teens, encounter. Following a recital at Sibelius had been immersed in this André-Mathieu Hall in Laval in new groundswell of Finnish pride, 2005, a woman presented the having been a member of “The pianist with four acetate Symposium,” a group of young recordings made by Mathieu of his Helsinki intellectuals that met own music. The presenter of these regularly to discuss and champion recordings assured the pianist that all things Finnish. Through the he was truly the only person who deeply felt patriotism in his early deserved to have them on account music, the signature Finlandia of all the work he had already especially, Sibelius reckoned he had done on behalf of Mathieu. the power to become a cultural Among these was a solo piano figurehead. That power became version of his Fourth Concerto. signed and sealed when, in 1900, Lefèvre thereupon asked the conductor Robert Kajanus took the

Helsinki Philharmonic on a European tour with Sibelius in tow as his assistant. The tour was a great success and brought Sibelius’ music to a wide audience.

In 1901, Sibelius found himself in Italy enjoying the warmth and culture of that country where much of the Symphony No. 2 was conceived.

On his way home he had a happy meeting with Dvorˇák in Prague, a kindred spirit of musical nationalism. Then, he stopped in Heidelberg where Sibelius found himself still flushed with success from the previous year’s tour.

It would take a further 20 years before Finland would be free of Russian rule. Certainly the ardor of the finale’s big tunes can be thought to underscore latent desires, among other similar happenings throughout the work. Though Sibelius dismissed any political nods to liberty that scholars and friends tried to attach, the premiere was so successful one can certainly sympathize with the times.

The Symphony No. 2 marked a transition to the mature Sibelius and is among his most popular works. Its sound is instantly recognizable as Sibelius’ syntax, where themes seem to self-construct from fragments, formal structures bend without breaking and angular unsettled tonality sets apart the more comforting aspects of the great Romantic tradition Sibelius sprang from.

The first movement builds around a shimmering string motive over which woodwinds invoke a folk-like theme.

The second movement begins with a bleak undercurrent of pizzicato strings and timpani, the opening statement arriving in octave bassoons followed by various episodes leading to a memorably grieving string theme. The third movement scherzo becomes set off by a heartfelt melody in its central trio, with a bridge leading to one of the most uplifting and inspiring finales in the Romantic symphonic literature.

Vous adresser au service des abonnés ou consulter le site www.wso.ca pour la traduction en français.

18 O V E R T U R E I N o v e m b e r – D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1

POPS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11

8:00 P.M. 8:00 P.M. 2:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

A Judy Garland Christmas: Songs My Mother Taught Me Lorna Luft Celebrates her Mother JUDY GARLAND The Legend - The Music - The Memories Colin Freeman, conductor Lorna Luft, performer

PROGRAM Smilin’ I Feel a Song Comin' On Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With a Dixie Melody) Mother Daughter Medley: You're Nearer; I Can't Give You Anything But Love; Through The Years Chicago Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Smile/Be a Clown

Presenting Media Sponsor:

- INTERMISSION Carnegie Hall Overture: The Trolley Song; Somewhere Over the Rainbow; The Man That Got Away Come Rain or Come Shine Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire Let It Snow Birth of the Blues The Man That Got Away Born in a Trunk Medley Written & Directed by Arranged/Orchestrated/Conducted by Additional Orchestrations Wardrobe Design Makeup provided by Makeup designed by Hair design by Key Artwork: Title and Graphic Design by Ms Luft photos by Official Website

Ken & Mitzie Welch Colin R. Freeman Nick DeGregorio Allen Schwartz for A.B.S M.A.C. Cosmetics Gregory Arlt - Senior Artist M.A.C. Cosmetics Etienne Taenaka at Vidal Sassoon and Craig Stevens Shane Rosamonda & Rene Reyes Brian Aris www.lornaluft.com

Ms. Luft would like to thank her very special friends for their generosity and support of this production: Mrs. Fred Astaire - Mr. Jeff Berkowitz - Mr. David Engel - Mr. John Fricke Mr. Garry Kief, Kenny Pyle and all at Stiletto Entertainment - Mr. Barry Manilow - Ms. Deana Martin - Ms. Tina Sinatra The appearance of Mr. Fred Astaire has been arranged through a special license with Mrs. Fred Astaire, Beverly Hills, California. All rights reserved.

Film clips courtesy of Warner Bros. and Turner Entertainment Co. MGM film sequence edited by David Engel

MUSICIANS IN THE MAKING

Pre-concert performance on the Piano Nobile begins 45 minutes prior to concert Friday, December 9 – University of Manitoba Division of Preparatory Studies Saturday, December 10 – Manitoba Band Association Christmas TubaFest Sunday, December 11 – University of Manitoba Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music N o v eJm ab n ue ra r–y D– e Fc e b mrbuearr y2 0210111I IOO VV E RE TRU TU R ER E2 5 1

Sponsored by:

Grand Prize Draw is November 26, 2011, 10:00 p.m.

M.G.C.C. #1062RF

22 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

MASTERWORKS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

8:00 P.M.

CENTENNIAL CONCERT HALL

This program is dedicated to Elizabeth Tippett-Pope in honour of her birthday.

WSO IN BRANDON

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

3:00 P.M.

WESTERN MANITOBA CENTENNIAL AUDITORIUM

Messiah Yuri Klaz, conductor Sarah Halmarson, soprano Rosemarie van der Hooft, mezzo-soprano Christopher Mayell, tenor Mel Braun, baritone Winnipeg Singers; Yuri Klaz, director (Dec 17) Brandon University Chorale & Brandon University Concert Choir; Andrée Dagenais, director (Dec 18)

PROGRAM Messiah

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Part I - INTERMISSION Part II Part III

Extra Musician: Cary Denby, organ

WSO in Brandon Exclusive Sponsor:

WSO in Brandon Media Partner:

Pre-concert chat with Richard Lee on the Piano Nobile begins 45 minutes prior to concert N o v eJm ab n ue ra r–y D– e Fc e b mrbuearr y2 0210111I IOO VV E RE TRU TU R ER E2 7 3

PROGRAM NOTES

by James Manishen

Messiah George Frideric Handel b. Halle, Prussia / February 23, 1685 d. London, England / April 14, 1759 Composed: 1741 First performance: 1742 (Dublin) Last WSO performance: 2010, Rudy Schellenberg, conductor The most celebrated oratorio of all time, Messiah elicits almost an involuntary response of recognition at the mere mention of its name. One feels the urge to want to sing as with no other work of its genre, as imperial melody, invention and vision are presented with the matchless proportion of a theatrical master. And for the gift of Messiah, we literally have to thank inches, when, as a young man, Handel’s life was saved after a metal frock button deflected a sword point in a duel!

Yet for all the visionary qualities in the music’s progression from dark to light, the dramatic strength of Messiah comes not from telling a story. Handel’s theatrical background was inbred when he composed Messiah, but his priority was contemplation of the sacred rather than the dramatic. “I should be sorry if I only entertained them,” Handel told an admirer. “I wished to make them better.”

Messiah is an anomaly among Handel’s two dozen oratorios in that, apart from Israel in Egypt, its entire text is drawn from the Bible and is his only oratorio based on the New Testament.

Messiah was also the only oratorio presented in a consecrated space during his lifetime.

As London’s leading composer, impresario and producer of opera in 1740, Handel was having trouble keeping his Italian-style operatic ventures solvent. English public taste was moving away from continental influences towards more localized entertainments, spurred on by the success of the 1728 satirical romp The Beggar’s Opera by Gay and Pepusch.

Rumors abounded that Handel was finished.

Handel withdrew from public life in the early months of 1741 and seldom ventured out. But that summer, he came across a small book of Biblical texts assembled by Charles Jennens, a wealthy and pretentious type but a great admirer of the composer. Handel’s imagination lit up.

Rumor has it that Handel confined himself to his room, completing Messiah on September 14, 1741 in just over three weeks, but evidence shows that the Lord Lieutenant of Dublin had visited Handel early in 1741 to propose a new work for a series of Dublin charity concerts.

Handel travelled to Dublin that November and after the disappointments of London, took much pleasure in being enthusiastically received by the Irish press. Preparations for the premiere went on throughout the winter of 1742. Choristers were recruited from Dublin churches and excitement elevated to fever pitch. The premiere on April 13, 1742 was a triumph. Handel couldn’t wait to take it home to London.

In London however, it was felt that Messiah’s texts would be compromised by performances in theatres propagated by actors of questionable morals. Messiah received a few subsequent performances but had to wait

until more liberal times arrived in 1750 when Handel staged a performance to benefit London’s Foundling Hospital, a charity for abandoned children.

Such goodwill further ensured Messiah’s success, inspiring annual performances for the Foundling Hospital up until Handel’s death in 1759. It was the last work Handel directed, just eight days before his death and is the only major Baroque work that has an unbroken performance tradition from the time of its creation to the present day.

And of the famous tradition of standing for the Hallelujah Chorus…many explanations have surfaced as to just why King George II decided to stand at that point thereby commanding the audience to do the same: Did the King need to stretch his legs after an hour of sitting, exacerbated perhaps by gout? In standing, did the King see himself as Lord of Lords just as the Hallelujah Chorus states Christ as King of Kings? Did King George take the first four notes as the national anthem?

History denies us the reason, but another perhaps questionable story is more reflective of our response to this incomparable section of Messiah: Reportedly Handel's assistant walked in to Handel's room after shouting to him for several minutes with no response.

When the assistant entered, he found Handel in tears. Holding up the score to the Hallelujah Chorus he said, "I thought I saw the face of God."

Vous adresser au service des abonnés ou consulter le site www.wso.ca pour la traduction en français.

24 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

WSO MUSICIAN PROFILES Steven Dyer

Patricia Evans

John Helmer

Instrument: Trombone

Instrument: Horn

Instrument: Trombone

Joined WSO: 2001

Joined WSO: 2002

Joined WSO: 1983

Hometown: Born in Glasgow, Scotland but call Tillsonburg, Ontario my hometown

Hometown: Bakersfield, Vermont

Hometown: Born in Winnipeg, grew up in Vancouver B.C.

Idol Growing Up: Trumpet virtuoso and long-time Toronto Symphony member Johnny Cowell If I could have dinner with one historical figure, who would it be: The American 'Founding Fathers' at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia

Most memorable live performances: Mahler 9 with Andrey Boreyko.

The energy was electric!

Hobbies: I am a huge animal lover and I just ran my first half-marathon with some of my WSO colleagues.

Paul Jeffrey

Chris Lee

Idol Growing Up: The great English French hornist, Dennis Brain. I wanted to play trombone the way he played horn.

What or who inspires you: If I need inspiration, I need look no further than the people next to whom I am so privileged and honoured to sit.

Ken MacDonald

Instrument: Trumpet

Instrument: Tuba

Instrument: Horn

Joined WSO: 2007

Joined WSO: 2003

Joined WSO: 2001

Hometown: Toronto

Hometown: Toronto

Hometown: Vancouver, BC

Most memorable live performance: Performing at the Sydney Opera House

Favourite piece to play: Anything by Mahler, Bruckner, Strauss and Wagner

Hobbies: Playing with my kids (Grace and Thomas), teaching, and going to Jets games!

Hobbies: Playing Golf, Chess and Basketball

Favourite piece to play: Judging from the number of times I play them, Conconce's lyrical etudes are the front runners.

26 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

What or who inspires you: On a near-daily basis, I get to hear the wonderful artistry of our WSO brass section.

Julia McIntyre

Caroline Oberheu

Isaac Pulford

Instrument: Bass Trombone

Instrument: Horn

Instrument: Trumpet

Joined WSO: 2003

Joined WSO: 2004

Joined WSO: 2009

Hometown: Toronto

Hometown: Gilroy, CA

Hometown: Toronto

Idol Growing Up: My great grandmother, Emma Olesk.

She was a nurse in the Russian Revolution and both World Wars!

Favourite piece to play: Anything

by Brahms, Mahler or Richard Strauss.

Idol Growing Up: The Canadian Brass. I always dreamed of following in their foots steps.

Most memorable live performance: My very first, in grade 9: it was a duet with my teacher.

James Robertson

Hobbies: Hobbies: Playing with my kids, Evan and Kate. I also spend time Golf and Cooking working on "The Back Row," a badly-drawn comic strip about music and musicians.

Michiko Singh

Brian Sykora

Instrument: Horn

Instrument: Horn

Instrument: Trumpet

Joined WSO: 2010

Joined WSO: 2010

Joined WSO: 1984

Hometown: Edmonton

Hometown: Born in Kitimat, BC but considers Vancouver home

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio area

Idol growing up: The late Jerome Ashby, former associate principal horn of the New York Philharmonic, who was my teacher at Juilliard.

Most memorable live performances: Beginning my WSO career with Mussorgsky's Pictures At an Exhibition was baptism by fire!

Favourite piece to play: Scheherazade or any of the Strauss tone poems Most memorable live performances: Performing Dvorˇák’s Eighth Symphony with James Levine and the Tanglewood fellows.

Most memorable live Hobbies: Running, following performances: The most MLB Baseball, golf, darts, interesting "concerts" I've played reading, and listening to music. were for two orangutans at the Honolulu Zoo. November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 27

The Women’s Committee of the

WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Presents

Up Close & Musical

Azure Quartet

in Recital on

Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.

Reception to Follow Canadian Mennonite University - North Campus 500 Shaftesbury Blvd. (North of Grant)

Musicians: Chris Anstey, violin; Minna Rose Chung, cello; Elation Pauls, violin; Laszlo Baroczi, viola T I C K E TS AVA I L A B L E AT: McNally Robinson Booksellers (Grant Park) or The Music Stand at WSO concerts or Call Koren at 338-6399 ADULTS: $25.00

STUDENTS: $ 10.00

The Women’s Committee gratefully acknowledges: Concert Donated by Lesia Peet • Flowers donated by Broadway Florists, 419 Academy Road

ARTIST BIOS POPS

Send in the Clowns: The Music of Stephen Sondheim Starring Len Cariou NOVEMBER 4 -6

Len Cariou Len Cariou is a distinguished member of the Theatre Hall of Fame and a three-time Tony nominee, for Applause, A Little Night Music, and for his legendary performance as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, (Tony award-winner, Best Actor). Feature films include The Four Seasons, Executive Decision, Thirteen Days, About Schmidt with Jack Nicholson, and Secret Window with Johnny Depp. He won a Best Actor Genie, Canada’s Oscar, for One Man. He currently stars on the hit CBS series Blue Bloods. Other television credits include Brotherhood, CSI: Las Vegas, The Practice, West Wing, Law & Order, The Outer Limits, and Murder She Wrote, to name a few. In 2008, he directed a production of Glengarry Glen Ross at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, where he is a former artistic director.

Dry Cold Productions Aaron Hutton As a recent graduate from the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music, Aaron Hutton has already worked with many of Winnipeg’s most respectable musical theatre companies.

Past credits include Sweeney Todd, The Light in the Piazza (Dry Cold Productions); A Funny Thing Happened at the Office, Naughty Baby (Up Front Productions); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music (Rainbow Stage). He was the 2011 recipient of the Rose Bowl trophy for most outstanding vocal performance at the 93rd annual Winnipeg Music Festival and continues to make a name for himself in both the musical theatre and classical varieties.

Donna Fletcher Donna Fletcher is thrilled to be back on the WSO Pops stage. A veteran musical theatre performer, she has had the pleasure to perform on symphony and theatre stages coast to coast throughout Canada and the U.S. At home in Winnipeg, she has appeared in lead roles at Rainbow Stage, RMTC, PTE, Manitoba Opera, Dry Cold Productions, Winnipeg Studio Theatre and MTYP. Ms. Fletcher is a proud co-founder of Dry Cold Productions and directed its 10th anniversary with the Manitoba premiere of Sweeney Todd. What a joy to be once again sharing the stage and singing Sondheim with the original Sweeney, the astonishing Len Cariou.

Lara Ciekiewicz Whether being hailed as “mesmerizing” (Classical Voice of North Carolina), “thrilling” (The New Classical 96.3 FM), or “a clear standout” (San Francisco Classical Voice), versatile soprano Lara Ciekiewicz is quickly making her mark as a compelling, intelligent, and accomplished singing-actress. A graduate of l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, she has distinguished herself at some of the continent’s most prestigious training programs including San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program, the Banff Centre’s Opera as Theatre program, the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center, and Opera NUOVA. Accordingly, her flair, humour, presence, vocal beauty, and style are already gaining attention.

Melodie Langevin A voice major at the University of Manitoba and member of the university’s Musical Theatre ensemble, Albertan Melodie Langevin is a versatile soprano who enjoys singing a wide variety of repertoire from baroque to the contemporary. She has been at home on the stage since a young age, performing across Alberta; during her year as an exchange student in Sendai City, Japan; and now in Manitoba. A few highlights of her singing career include her portrayal of the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Luisa in scenes from The Fantasticks, Eliza Doolittle in scenes from My Fair Lady, and winning the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition in Winnipeg in 2010.

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 29

Miranda Baran Miranda Baran is a Grade 9 student who has been singing and acting since age eight. She studies voice with Donna Fletcher, and is a member of the MTYP Student Company. A winner of the Frances Wickberg trophy in the Manitoba Music Festival, she has played the villainous Cat in Honk, and performed in MOA's production of Jason & Hanna. She is a major Sondheim fan and is thrilled to be performing with Len Cariou, Dry Cold and the WSO!

Naomi Forman A versatile cross-over artist with a passion for both classical and theatre music, soprano Naomi Forman’s previous WSO appearances have included Bach’s Magnificat, the music of Gilbert and Sullivan and the world premiere of Patrick Carrabré’s Children’s Stories. She has appeared with Dry Cold Productions on four occasions, most notably as Franca in The Light in the Piazza. Additional credits include Manitoba Opera, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Calgary Bach Festival Society, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg and closer to home, the Brandon Chamber Players. Ms. Forman is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Fine Arts and teaches voice at Brandon University. www.naomiforman.com

Peter Huck Peter Huck has had many great experiences with Sondheim’s works both as an actor and as a director/producer. In 2005, he directed and produced “Sondheim in September,” a review of selections from Sondheim’s entire repertoire for which he won an Ovation Award for “Outstanding Contribution to Vancouver’s Musical Theatre Community.” In 2009, “September with Sondheim” (directed and coproduced) in Toronto was named as one of the top 10 productions in Canada (What’s Now Magazine). Most recently, he had the honour of attempting the title role in Sweeney Todd for Winnipeg’s own Dry Cold Productions. It would suffice to say he was “delighted and humbled by the experience!” And now, Len Cariou.

30 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

University of Manitoba Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music Musical Theatre Ensemble The Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music Musical Theatre Ensemble is thrilled to be making its debut with the WSO and is honoured to be sharing the stage with Len Cariou.

Under the direction of Donna Fletcher with Cary Denby as accompanist, the ensemble is comprised of an auditioned group of students from the Faculty of Music as well as other faculties across the University. The Ensemble’s next performance will be a concert of Musical Theatre scenes at the Gas Station Theatre (March 9-10, 2012).

MASTERWORKS /WSO IN BRANDON

Beethoven 5 NOVEMBER 11-13

Michael Kim As a soloist and concerto artist, Michael Kim has brought audiences to their feet with his outstanding technique and refined artistry and has been praised by The Globe and Mail for his “consistently high level of professionalism and musicality.” Mr. Kim has won the grand-prize of the Canadian Music Competition and the CBC National Radio Competition for Young Performers. Dr. Kim received his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from The Juilliard School, where he held the Vladimir Horowitz Piano Scholarship. Upon graduation, Michael quickly took a professorship at Lawrence University's Conservatory of Music in Appleton, WI. In August 2008, Dr. Kim was appointed Dean of Brandon University's School of Music.

SOUNDBYTES

Matthew Packer

Rock Owes the Classics

Matthew Packer took the top prize for woodwinds at the Canadian National Music Festival, held in Antigonish, Nova Scotia in August 2011. A second year saxophone/piano major, he was also the top instrumentalist at the Winnipeg Music Festival this year, winning the Aikens Memorial Trophy as well as the Adam N. Leckie Memorial Trophy, the Ann Lugsdin Memorial Bursary, and the Wednesday Morning Musicale Bursary.

NOVEMBER 26

John Einarson Widely-respected rock music historian and writer, John Einarson has written for Mojo, Uncut, Classic Rock, Goldmine, Discoveries, and Record Collector, and is a frequent contributor to the Winnipeg Free Press. He hosted several CBC radio series, wrote the Juno-nominated Bravo TV documentary Buffy Sainte-Marie: A Multimedia Life and served as a consultant and guest for CBC TV’s The Life & Times of Randy Bachman and A&E/Biography Channel’s Neil Young Biography. Mr. Einarson is the author of more than a dozen books published worldwide including music history biographies of Randy Bachman, Neil Young, The Guess Who, Steppenwolf, as well as the first comprehensive study of country rock and the first ever chronicle of both the local Winnipeg music scene and the recording artists who have made Manitoba famous. He teaches a popular course on rock music history at the University of Winnipeg.

Daniel Tselyakov Born into a musical family in 1992, Daniel Tselyakov began his piano studies at the age of five and has won numerous scholarships, trophies and awards. He is currently studying with his father, distinguished pianist Alexander Tselyakov, professor of piano at Brandon University and mother, Alla Turbanova, piano teacher at E-G Conservatory. He participated in master classes with Marc André Hamelin, Richard Raymond, Kyoko Hashimoto, André Laplante and Jamie Parker. Mr. Tselyakov made a remarkable impression as the youngest musician ever to be invited as guest artist with the prestigious Virtuosi Concert Series, and as soloist with Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Canadian Sinfonietta.

CONCERTS FOR KIDS

The Snowman NOVEMBER 27

Frederick Liessens Principal percussionist with the WSO since 1981, Frederick Liessens was born in Sorel, Quebec, and showed his musical ability at the age of 13, studying at College de Ste. Foy and McGill University.

He was also a member of both the National Youth Orchestra of Canada as well as the World Youth Orchestra, studying and performing across Canada and Asia. Mr. Liessens is also a prolific composer and arranger, and in his spare time leads his own Jazz group and a percussion ensemble StickShift. www.fredliessens.com

Winnipeg Boys’ Choir; Carolyn Boyes & Annelie Reimer, co-directors The Winnipeg Boys' Choir is an auditioned group dedicated to high-quality music making and vocal training in a convivial atmosphere.

Under the direction of Carolyn Boyes and Annelie Reimer, young singers learn the deep enjoyment that comes from working hard and achieving excellence as they rehearse and perform music of all types, in many languages, and with a wide range of expression. The second-oldest choral ensemble singing in Winnipeg, the choir now comprises three choruses--Brio, Vivo, and Continuo--which perform individually or together as circumstances and music dictate. The choir performs regularly with many of the city's fine amateur and professional ensembles, including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Camerata Nova.

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 31

MASTERWORKS

MASTERWORKS /WSO IN BRANDON

Matheiu & Sibelius

Messiah

DECEMBER 2-3

DECEMBER 17-18

Alain Lefèvre

Yuri Klaz

Acclaimed as a “hero” (Los Angeles Times), a “spectacular pianist” (Fanfare), and a “smashing performer” (Washington Post), 2010 JUNO Award winner Alain Lefèvre pursues a sparkling international career, performing in over 40 countries in recital and with international orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, the Orchestre National de France in Paris, the Washington, Houston and Detroit Symphonies, the Oper Komische Berlin, and with leading conductors including Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Lawrence Foster and Jaçek Kaspszyk. He toured in Japan with the Moscow Virtuosi, in Taiwan with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and in the UK with the London Mozart Players. He also opened the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghaï also with the Shanghaï Symphony Orchestra. www.alainlefevre.com

Yuri Klaz earned his MA and postgraduate degrees in choral conducting at the Leningrad Conservatory and was professor at the Petrozavodsk State Conservatory in Russia. In 1995, President Boris Yeltsin bestowed upon him the title of "Honoured Artist of Russia." In 1987, Mr. Klaz was appointed the artistic director and conductor of the Karelian Art Centre in Petrozavodsk, travelling extensively and receiving numerous awards. Mr. Klaz came to Winnipeg in February 2000 to become the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir’s artistic director and conductor.

He quickly became a leader in Winnipeg's choral community, having been appointed the artistic director and conductor of the Winnipeg Singers and is also currently directing the First Mennonite Church Choir and the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Choir. Mr. Klaz has prepared mass choirs for the WSO on numerous occasions.

POPS

A Judy Garland Christmas: Songs My Mother Taught Me Lorna Luft Celebrates her Mother JUDY GARLAND DECEMBER 9-11

Lorna Luft Lorna Luft has a career spanning more than 30 years, starring on Broadway in Promises, Promises; Off-Broadway in Snoopy and Extremities; in national tours of They’re Playing our Song and Guys and Dolls; in productions of Gypsy and Mame; and recorded the 1990 soundtrack of Girl Crazy. She appeared on television’s The Judy Garland Show, Trapper John M.D., The Nanny, performed on the Golden Globes, the Tony Awards and appeared on film in Grease 2 and Where the Boys Are ’84. She was co-executive producer of the miniseries Life With Judy Garland based on her memoir Me and My Shadows. She is currently celebrating her mother, Judy Garland, in her show Songs My Mother Taught Me. www.lornaluft.com

32 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

Sarah Halmarson Soprano Sarah Halmarson recently appeared as First Lady in Die Zauberflöte (Manitoba Opera), Belinda in Dido and Aeneas (Opera on the Avalon), and covered Despina in Così fan tutte (Banff Opera as Theatre). She has also performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Opera, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Off Centre Music Salon, Winnipeg Wind Ensemble, and The Little Opera Company. She has been a Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition Regional Finalist, and won First Prize in the 2008 Doris McLellan Competition for Solo Performance. Ms. Halmarson was the recipient of a 2010 Manitoba Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant.

Rosemarie van der Hooft Mezzo-soprano Rosemarie van der Hooft is a versatile and expressive performer who has made her career specializing in early music and new music.

She is widely respected for her interpretations of Bach and Handel, performing this repertoire in England, the U.S., and Canada. She is a founding member of the Winnipeg Bach Soloists, Emerado (a vocal/chamber music ensemble that has performed throughout MB and AB) and coartistic director of the Professor Bach Project.

Consistently praised for her interpretation of 20th and 21st century repertoire, she is a frequent performer at the WSO’s New Music Festival and regularly performs, premieres and commissions work of Canada’s foremost composers. She holds a Masters of Early Music Performance from McGill University.

Christopher Mayell Praised in Opera Canada magazine for his wholesome tenor voice, Christopher Mayell is quickly making his mark on the opera stages and concert halls of Canada. An alumnus of the Calgary Opera Emerging Artist Ensemble program, the Ontario tenor has performed several new Canadian works, including Opera Nuova’s The Lives of Lesser Things, and he has collaborated with Toronto’s Tapestry New Opera Works in their presentation of Richard Payne’s Get Stuffed! In spring 2011, he made his debut as Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore, as presented by Montreal-based Jeunesses Musicales. He is quickly becoming known as a tenor-in-demand for works including Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.

Mel Braun Baritone Mel Braun is a versatile singer, equally at home on the concert or opera stage. In the field of New Music, he has premiered numerous works and has also

appeared throughout Canada in the Baroque Masterworks of Bach and Handel. Mr. Braun is a dedicated voice teacher, many of whose students at the Faculty of Music have gone on to professional careers.

He has founded and currently directs many music programs (particularly Opera) throughout the city. He also serves as vocal coach to a number of the young rock bands that are part of Winnipeg's burgeoning indie music scene.

Winnipeg Singers

For three decades, The Winnipeg Singers have brought the best of choral music to Canadian audiences. This 24-voice ensemble presents four subscription concerts each season, along with tours, broadcasts, and various guest appearances. Their repertoire ranges from medieval organum to new music. New commissions are an important part of The Winnipeg Singers’ mandate.

The Winnipeg Singers are supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the Winnipeg Arts Council. They have two recent recordings: O Praise Ye the Lord, and Prairie Voices.

The Winnipeg Singers were invited to sing at the Toronto International Choral Festival in June 2002.

Brandon University Chorale & Concert Choir; Andrée Dagenais, director The BU Chorale, an advanced choir, specializes in presenting works for small ensembles from a variety of historical periods. This awarded ensemble has toured nationally and internationally, and has been invited, on several occasions, to perform at the New Music Festival in Winnipeg. BU’s largest choral ensemble, the Concert Choir includes more than 50 voices and occasionally joins forces with the BU orchestra or BU Brass Ensemble. Recent performances featured Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna.

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 33

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34 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

WSO SUPPORTERS CORPORATE PARTNERS The WSO gratefully acknowledges the following companies whose generous support helps to ensure musical enrichment within our community. Thank you!

Podium $25,000 + Corus Entertainment Inc. National Leasing Principal Chair $5,000 - $9,999 B.A. Robinson Co. Ltd. Rogers Media Group Wawanesa Insurance Assistant Principal Chair $2,500 - $4,999 Cambrian Credit Union J.K. Investments Ltd. Michael F. B. Nesbitt The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada Orchestra Chair $1,000 - $2,499 Bison Transport Dormond Industries E.H. Price Limited Long & McQuade Musical Instruments Payworks Inc Premier Printing Ltd. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Young Presidents Organization Music Stand $500 - $999 Crosier Kilgour & Partners Ltd. Deloitte Foundation Florence & Sheldon Berney InterGroup Consultants Ltd. Manitoba's Credit Unions The Manitoba Teachers' Society New Flyer Industries Number Ten Architectural Group Piston Ring Service Pitblado LLP Pollard Banknote Limited Red River Co-Operative Ltd. The Smith Agency Ltd. Riser: Under $500 A. Akman & Son Ltd. Allmar International L.J. Bowman Realty Inc. Con-Pro Industries Canada Ltd. M. Morris W. Dorosh Michael McKernan Mid West Packaging Limited 1 Anonymous

Foundations Blumie & Iser Portnoy Endowment Fund and Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Brandon Area Community Foundation Francofonds Inc. Houston Family of Bradwardine Fund, the Winnipeg Foundation Leslie John Taylor Fund, the Winnipeg Foundation The Mauro Family Foundation John & Carolynne McLure Fund Ms. Ellen Peel Perce & Elizabeth Schirmer Foundation Private Giving Foundation Richardson Foundation Terracon Development Ltd. The Estate of Noreen Allen The Winnipeg Foundation Major Gifts Ruth Carol & Len Podheiser, In support of Music Connections Gorden Andrus & Adele Kory, In support of Education

The Legacy Circle exists to recognize the following patrons whose foresight ensures that the WSO plays on for all Manitobans in generations to come. The WSO gratefully acknowledges Legacy Circle members for their planned future gift to the WSO.

Lorraine & Gerry Cairns Greg Doyle & Carol Bellringer Mrs. Audrey F. Hubbard Ethel & Joe Karr Michel D. Lagacé G. E. Loewen S. E. Loewen W. H. Loewen Dr. Brendan MacDougall Carolyn & Nathan Mitchell Lesia Peet Trudy Schroeder June Slobodian Muriel Smith Robin Wiens & Émilie Lagacé-Wiens Donn Yuen 2 Anonymous

The Maestro’s Circle exists to recognize those special patrons whose significant philanthropy furthers the musical artistry of the WSO. Thank you!

Honourary Chair Alexander Mickelthwate, Music Director Platinum Baton $25,000 + Bill & Shirley Loewen* Gold Baton $10,000 $24,999 Dr. Brendan MacDougall Dr. Bill Pope & Dr. Elizabeth Tippett-Pope* Silver Baton $5,000 $9,999 Babs Asper* Greg Doyle and Carol Bellringer Dr. Terry Klassen & Ms. Grace Dueck Ron & Sandi Mielitz Muriel Smith Concertmaster's Bow $2,500 - $4,999 Gail Asper & Michael Paterson Joyce & Margaret Beggs Bill & Margaret Fast Morley & Marjorie Blankstein C.M., O.M. Timothy & Barbara Burt Mr. Frank Fred Gladky Mrs. Audrey F. Hubbard Kevin & Els Kavanagh* Drs. Eleanor & Grant MacDougall Michael Nozick & Cheryl Ashley Frank & Jeanne Plett Lawrie & Fran Pollard George & Tannis Richardson* Jimmy & Morse Silden John Thistlethwaite Ian R. Thomson & Leah R. Janzen Professor A.M.C. Waterman Black Tie $1,500 - $2,499 Aubrey & Dr. Linda Asper Mr. Jim Barrett Mrs. Lucienne Blouw Herb & Erna Buller Brenlee Carrington-Treple & Brent Treple Doneta & Harry Brotchie James Carr

Warren Carther Ms. Patricia Chaychuk Jan & Kevin Coates Mr. & Mrs. Albert & Irena Cohen* James Cohen & Linda McGarva-Cohen Art & Leona DeFehr Faye Dixon Dorothy Dobbie Douglas C. Everett, Chairman, Domo Gasoline Corporation Limited Philipp R. & Ilse K. Ens Ms. Susan Feldman Ms. Barbara Filuk* Dr. & Mrs. Albert D. Friesen Dr. & Mrs. Percy Goldberg Drs. Daya & Chander Gupta Mr. & Mrs. Kerry Hawkins Joanne Gudmundson & Brian Oleson Richard & Carol Jones Michael & Glenna Kay Mr. Richard J. Lee Paul Leinburd Ted & Wanda Lismer Dr. Judith Littleford G.E. Loewen, in memory Sue Lemmerick Suzanne & Graham Lount Jackie Lowe Dr. David Lyttle Mr. David Mann Elaine & Neil Margolis Ed & Pat Martens Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth A. Murray Wayne & Linda Paquin Mr. & Mrs. W.B. Parrish Harvey & Sylvia Pollock Mr. & Mrs. Gerald V. Price John & Violet Rademaker Dr. Diane Ramsey Dr. Donald S. Reimer & Mrs. Anne Reimer Hartley & Heather Richardson Jim & Leney Richardson* Mrs. Shirley Richardson Mr. Rick Riess & Mrs. Jean Carter Mr. & Mrs. H. Sanford Riley Cheryl & Lorne Sharfe Jack & Elaine Sine Dudley & Eleanor Thompson Arni Thorsteinson & Susan Glass Trudy Schroeder Edward & Irene Warkentin Don & Florence Whitmore Klaus & Elsa Wolf Dr. & Mrs. Klaus Wrogemann Ivy & Norval Young *Founding Members

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 35

tewardship Stewardship is an important cause for Lawton Partners and we proudly support charities and programs that help improve the quality of life in Manitoba. www.lawtonpartners.ca

S

hare the Music is a unique outreach initiative of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra that allows economically disadvantaged children and their families to attend WSO performances.

We invite you to help us Share the Music during this Holiday Season ❄ W I N N I P E G

Last year, more than 4,000 tickets were provided free of charge to organizations such as Winnipeg Child and Family Services, Jewish Child and Family Services, Winnipeg Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers and Sisters and Society for Manitobans with Disabilities, who distributed them to deserving young people, adults and families.

S Y M P H O N Y

O R C H E S T R A

1020 – 555 Main Street I Winnipeg MB R3B 1C3 I development@wso.mb.ca I www.wso.ca

WSO Box Office 949-3999 I www.wso.ca

36 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

Friends of the WSO help support the WSO’s artistic programs each season.

Members enjoy special benefits that bring members closer to the music, guest artists and WSO musicians.

Thank you!

Honourary Chair Gwen Hoebig, Concertmaster Symphony $600 + Mr. & Mrs. A. Robert & C. Joy Antenbring Len & Mary Bateman David & Gillian Bird Lorraine and Gerry Cairns John & Gay Docherty Beverley & Fred Dyck Mr. Abdo A El Tassi Carrie Ferguson Ms. Jo-Ann Finney Delores Gembey Penny Gilbert Robert & Linda Gold Michael & Hélène Hoffer Gwen Hodgson Donald K. Johnson June & Lawrence Jones Millie & Wally Kroeker M.L. Kuntzemueller W.K. Labies In Memory of Jean Mooney Terry & Vi Moore Mrs. Marina Plett-Lyle Brian & Sharon Postl Jim & Pat Richtik Winnifred Sim Mr. Frank Stewart & Elaine Parent Mr. Peter van Dijken & Dr. Lorelie Mitchell Dr. & Mrs. Willem T.H. van Oers Raymond & Shirley Wiest Concerto $300 - $599 Gorden Andrus & Adele Kory Margaret-Lynne & Jim Astwood Ms. Margaret Barbour Cheryl & Earl Barish Monty & Mary-Claire Bell Mr. & Mrs. C.R. Betts Helga & Gerhard Bock Mr. Jim Bracken Sheila & David Brodovsky Mr. & Mrs. F. Buckmaster Elizabeth Buggey P. Jane Bullied

Gail Carruthers Bruno Gossen & Solange Chabannes Barbara Coghlan Ms. Julie Collings Dr. & Mrs. David Connor Drs. David Connor & Kathleen Ross Barbara Cook Tanya & Cameron Derksen Sally R. Dowler Marten & Joanne Duhoux Marcia Fleisher & Kelly MacDonald Mr. William Gordon Dr. & Mrs. W. L. Gordon Patricia Guy Mary & Gregg Hanson Mr. & Mrs. Allen Hattie Mr. Daniel Heindl Sonia & Harvey Hosfield Helmut & Dorothy Huebert Investors Group Matching Gift Program Ms. Helen Isaak Rudy & Gail Isaak Robert Jaskiewicz Mr. Leroy M. Johnson Marianne Johnson Dave & Diane Johnston Drs. Keith & Gwyneth Jones Penny & Gerald Kalef Koren & Leonard Kaminski Mr. & Mrs. Burton J. Kennedy Dr. I. Kinizsi In Memory of Harvey Kittle Susan & Keith Knox T.G. Kucera Yetta & Jack Levit Rose & Dick Lim James & Pat Ludwig Andrew Lutz Ms. Janice Lutz, in Memory of Don Browne, Alice Lutz & Lovie Liewicki Douglas MacEwan Pat & Murray Macrae Marjory Alexander Graham & Family Fund Mrs. Maureen McIntosh Mrs. E. Louise McLandress Gord & Sherratt Moffatt Robert Mondy Margaret Moroz, in Memory of Alice Lutz, Lovie Liewicki, and Donald Browne Vera Moroz Drs. Kenneth & Sharon Mould Bonnie & Richard Olfert Shelley Parham & David Smith Blanche Parsons Mr. & Mrs. Marcel Pelletier Kevin & Karen Peters Vic & Gwen Pinchin

Donna & Ian Plant Carolynne Presser Rosemary Prior Mr. Fred Redekopp Levi & Tena Reimer Donald & Karen Ross Dr. & Mrs. A.N. Schroeder Merrill & Shayna Shulman Emily Stamp Harold & Brenda Standing Curtis & Lorane Steiman Dr. & Mrs. M.R. Steinbart Dr. Lea Stogdale Dr. & Mrs. John Taylor Lee Treilhard 6 Anonymous Serenade $150 - $299 Ross & Doreen Adamson Trish Allison-Simms Mr. Stuart Attwood and Michele Dupuis George & Eleanore Balacko Dick & Minnie Bell Audrey Belyea Dr. & Mrs. Barry Bermack Mark & Zita Bernstein Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Edwin & Susan Bethune Mrs. Jean M. Bradley Ruth & Kris Breckman Gloria Brown Sel & Chris Burrows Carol A. Cassels Ron Clement Ms. Julie Collings Mrs. Joyce Cooper John Corp and Mary Elizabeth McKenzie Ingrid & Michael Cox Gary and Fiona Crow Ted & Margaret Cuddy Ms. Linda Daniels Mrs. Maureen Danzinger Bob & Alison Darling Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Dingman John & Ada Ducas Miss Helene Dyck Mr. & Mrs. W. Easton George B. Elias Mrs. Nobu Ellis John & Martha Enns Miss Tina Enns John B. & Katie Epp Margaret E. Faber Margaret & Bob Ferguson Mr. & Mrs. D.C. Finnbogason Doug & Phyllis Flint Mr. Lloyd Friedman Reg Friend Arnold & Christa Froese Harold & Alice Funk Dr. & Mrs. Ron & Denise George

Mrs. Harold W. Grant Larry & Sue Greer Dr. Hilary Grocott & Ms. Shivaun Berg Greg Edmond & Irene Groot-Koerkamp Ms. Joyce Grose Dr. Don & Jerri Hall Mr. Roy Halstead Mr. James Hanley Mr. & Mrs. Allan & Audrey Harburn Larry & Evelyn Hecht Bob & Biddy Hilton Mr. Derek B. Holke Mr. & Mrs. J.K. Holland N.J. & L.J. Holliday Mrs. Joan M. Hunter Henry & Dena Katz Marion & Bill Kinnear Ms. Heather Kirkham Mr. & Mrs. W. J. Kirkland Ms. Rose Kotelniski Ms. Janet Kuchma Lillian Kushniaryk Ms. C. Teena Laird Ms. Elaine Lamonica Ms. Phyllis Law Mr. Norman Leathers Mr. & Mrs. Don Leech Mr. & Mrs. H.F. Leggett Ms. F Lesage Mrs. Myrna H. Levin Wendell & Eleanor Lind Mr. John Macrae Dr. & Mrs. A.G. Macrodimitris Helen & Brian Mansfield Ruth May D. McKay Violet McKenzie Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon McLeod Glen Mead Gary and Ricki Miles Nathan & Carolyn Mitchell Sylvia Mitchell Armelle Molin Margaret & Fred Mooibroek Mrs. J.E. Morris Valinda Morris Bill & Hilda Muir Mrs. E. J. Nebbs Fred & Karen Nicholson George & Gladys Oelkers J.T. & Karen Ogden Theda Olson Carole & Cam Osler Ms. Pat Philpott Mr. David Pike Ms. Cornelia Pope Tim Preston & Dave Ling Reynold & Esther Redekopp J. Reichert Ms. Iris Reimer Gordon & Eleanor Riach Ms. Charlotte Robbins

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 37

F.E. Sanderson Hans & Gabriele Schneider Dr. Robert Schroth Louis & Shirley Ann Simkulak David & Lorraine Smith Ms. Brenda Snider Gordon & Darby Spafford Mr. & Mrs. R.P. Spear Bonnie Hoffer-Steiman & Lionel Steiman Ms. Margaret Stevenson Margaret & Hartley Stinson Miss Evelyn M. Stoddart Dr. V. Marie Storrie Juris & Aija Svenne Dr. & Mrs. David Swatek Mrs. Florence Taylor Mrs. Lori Thomas Mr. & Mrs. Bruce S. Thompson C. & R. Thomsen Dr. & Mrs. F.C. Violago Pat & Peter Walker Mrs. Marion Wallace Douglas & Janet Watson Mr. & Mrs. J.P. Whitlaw Mr. & Mrs. Claude Wilson Melanie Wood Karin Woods 15 Anonymous Prelude $75 - $149 P. Achtemichuk Mr. & Mrs. Mike & Susan Allen In Memory of Grant McIntosh, Guy Arbez & Dawn Power Doug R. Arrell Mr. Philip Ashdown Jack Atchison William & Irmgard Baerg, In Memory of Heather Whittaker Allan & Rochelle Baker David & Rosemary Barney Robert Barton Joyce & Margaret Beggs, In Memory of Heather Whittaker Eric Bergen Donald & Edith Besant Ted Bock & Liane Chalmers Keith and Marnie Bolland Mr. & Mrs. A.K. Bolton Frances Booth Brenda Bracken-Warwick & Ken Warwick Mr. & Mrs. A.D. Brady Mrs. Ruth Bredin Lorne & Rosada Bride Paul & Doreen Bromley Miss Dorothy Broomhall Mr. & Mrs. Calvin & Jane Brown, In Memory of Grant McIntosh Mr. Chris Brown

Mr. & Mrs. E. & M. Mavis Brown Mr. Ross Brownlee Ms. Marion Bruno Mr. Aurele Campeau, In Memory of Dr. Eguene Kaprowy Ms. Donna Carruthers Dr. Denis Champagne Dr. Jong Chang Saul Cherniack & Myra Wolch Mrs. Leona Christiansen Ms. Marcella Copp Joyce & Lawrence Cormack Irene & Robert Corne Ms. Helle Cosby Mrs. E. Craig Irene Crofts Ms. Ruth Crook Mrs. Isabel J. Crowson Ms. Denise Cyr-Gander Alonzo & Lise Daley Mrs. Sheila M. Davis Jack & Mary Davison Miss Anne Defehr D & E De Graff F. De Grazia Marilyn Derksen & Merle Neufeld Mary Dixon Maureen Dolyniuk Dr. F.P. Doyle Herb & Norma Driver Mr. R. D. Dryden John and Ada Ducas Kobus & Corne Du Preez Mrs. Dorothy Easton Bill & Anne Edge Mrs. M. L. Elliott Mr. Howard Epp Ken & Connie Epp Kathleen & David Estey In Memory of Ron Oswald Ms. Nelma Fetterman Gary & Marietta Fewings Doug & Joanne Flynn Margaret Follett Mr. Wayne Forbes Mrs. Marguerite Fredette Mrs. Margaret Funk Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Evelyn Gardner Deborah L. Ginther Joyce & Bob Gladding Ms. Diane Gooch Mr. Donald Graham Dr. & Mrs. L.C. Graham Claire Breslaw & Paul Granovsky Elaine & Oliver Greenfield Marj Grevstad Ms. Christina W. Grose Mr. & Mrs. Mel Guberman Maxine M. Gurvey Katie & DeLloyd Guth

Mr. Patrick Hackett Miss Marilyn Hall Ian & Gerry Hamilton Marie Harnois Beth & Raymond Harris Catherine Harrison Mrs. Phyllis Hatskin Teresa A. Hay Mrs. Elisabeth Hellmuth Mrs. Betty Henderson L.G. Herd Marilyn & Helios Hernandez Mrs. Marilyn Hido Ning Hou William J. Hutton Mr. Lindsay Ingram Rozin & Cathy Iwanicki Terry & Shirley James Wilfred & Dorothy James Alan Janzen & Leona Sookram Father Stan A. Jaworski Jim & Jan Tennant, In Memory of Dr. Eugene Kaprowy Mr. John Kearsey Erwin W. Kitsch John & Martha Klassen Mrs. Marion Korn Mr. Ernie Krahn D. Kristjanson Miss Patricia Kuchma Robert Kusmack Alan Laing Mrs. Helen La Rue Miss Elizabeth Lavender K. Le Madec Mr. R. Leroeye Riva Levi R. & J. Lewis David & Suzanna Libby Sheila & Elvin Linder Mr. Gordon P. Linney Donald & Barbara Little Albert & Helen Litz Mrs. Mary Lloyd Kathleen Lovelace Laura & Michael Lovett, In Memory of Dr. Eugene Kaprowy Roger Lowe G. & G. Lowry Ms. Lorraine MacLeod Jim MacNair in Memory of Mae Markham Physiotherapy Clinic Harold S. Mawhinney & Judy Moon Mr. Alan Maxwell Dr. & Mrs. Ihor Mayba Mr. & Mrs. R. McDougall Janet McDowell M Jane McIntosh & Michael Weis, In Memory of David Grant

McIntosh C. & J. McIntyre Mr. James A. McKinley Mrs. Jean McLennan Iona McPhee Edward C. Meadows Rita & Don Menzies Mrs. Jocelyn Millard Mrs. Mona Mills Ms. Akemi Miyahara Mr. Peter Morgan Agnes B. Morrow John & Margaret Mundie Don Munro Charlotte Murrell Glenn & Neva Nicholls B. & J. Nielsen Mr. Robert Nix Helen St. Germain Edgar Oddleifson Mr. & Mrs. Kiem Oen Truus Oliver Miss Jenny Olynyk Mrs. B. Ozog Abraham & Henny Paritzky In Memory of Mary Patterson Cameron Pauls Ms. Diane Payment Mrs. June Perron Margaret & Peter Peters Sylvia & Earl Pitch Frank & Jeanne Plett Irvin & Sandra Plosker Ms. Danuta Podkomorska Mr. & Mrs. Edna Pohl Mr. & Mrs. Ron Polinsky Blumie Portnoy Phyllis Portnoy & Rory Egan Mr. & Mrs. Sam Potter Ms. Donna Price Ms. Joanne Prygrocki R. Publow Eric & Erna Pullam Bryan & Diana Purdy Mrs. Carol Pyper Juta Rathke Ms. Marjorie Reed George & Lois Reenders Gordon & Adele Reid Esther Remis Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Rerie Stan Ridgway Waltraut Riedel-Baun Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Vera Ripley Bruce Roe & Margo Lane Brian & Iris Rountree Mr. John Russell John & Wendy Russell Alixe Ryles Mr. Johnny Rule Salangad & Ms. Pearly Rule Salangad Bill Sands A. Schroeder R. Schroeder

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 39

got music?

Photographer: Keith Levit

30 and under?

Get Soundcheck’d with the WSO! Attend any

regular season

How does it work?

Soundcheck members can order a discounted $15 ticket to any WSO regular season concert.

One guest can accompany the member for an additional $15.

No more rush seating! Tickets can be reserved 2 weeks in advance.

Tired of the back row? Sit anywhere in the hall, except the loges (subject to availability).

Season passes with additional benefits are also available. Pay less than $3 per concert.

All Soundcheck members are eligible for special events and perks throughout the season.

$

concert forjust

15

Soundcheck sponsored by

Am I eligible?

Everyone 30 years of age or younger is eligible for this program. Full-time students over 30 are also eligible.

How Do I Apply?

Apply online at www.wso.ca.

For more information, contact us at (204) 949-3967 or soundcheck@wso.mb.ca.

WSO Box Office 949-3999

www.wso.ca

Shirley Schroeder Viola J. Schultz Walter & Dorothea Schultz Mr. Ken Schykulski Charlene Scouten Ms. Jan Seaman Dr. L. Sekla Lynne B. Simonson Mr. & Mrs. Smith Mabel S. Smith Lindi & John Smith Geri & Peter Spencer Coralie & John Standing Mr. W.H. Stannard Mr. & Mrs. Starodub Nicola Lindley Starin Gary & Gwen Steiman Ms. Helena Stelsovsky Elva G. Stevens Archie & Shirley Stone Ms. Linda Sturgeon Ron Surcon Dr. & Mrs. S. Szirom Ross & Bette Jayne Taylor June & Lorne Thompson Ms. Leann Thompson Ms. Marilyn Thompson Lorna & Dr. Ken Thorlakson Robert & Barb Tisdale Edith A. Toews Henry & Elizabeth Toews Dr. Helen A. Toews Carol & Neil Trembath Dr. & Mrs. Jose & Ruth Vasconcelos Hugo & Anny Veldhuis Bill & Brenda Voort Elizabeth M. Wall Peter & Faye Warren Jack & Bernice Watts Mrs. Gwen M. Welsh Mrs. Evelyn Wener Mr. Herbert W. Wildeman Dorcas & Kirk Windsor Norma Woodman Patrick Wright Mr. Edwin Yee Graham & Vicki Young, In Memory of Grant McIntosh Mr. Donn K. Yuen 28 Anonymous Sonatina Under $75 P. Achtemichuck Joyce Aitken H Neil Almdal Jacqueline Anderson M. Richard Arcand Mr. & Mrs. Brian & Janice Bailey Ray & Barb Bailey Mr. Cliff Barrett Gertie and Asher Begleiter Mrs. Margaret Bellhouse

Mrs. Eva Berard Balram & Carole Bhakar Dr. Eric R. Bohm Ms. Ingrid Bolbecher Ms. Kathy Brost In Memory of Donald Richard Browne Edythe M. Brown Dr. Jeff & Madeline Brown Narendra Budhia Ms. Carol Budnick Mr. Alfred Buelow Lydia Bulat Rev. Msgr. Michael Buyachok Ruth Calvert Barbara Campbell Mrs. Mary C. Campbell Ms. Ruth Campbell Canadahelps.Org Mrs. Audrey Cassels Betty & Bruce Catchpole Mr. Theodore Chell Mrs. Ella Chenkie Mrs. Patti Cherney Ms. Claudia Chernitsky S.K. Clark Marjory Clowes Ms. Katherine Cobor Ms. Doreen Conlin M. Aimé Coté Arthur Cramer & Darlene Stewart Stephen Crane Barrie & Sally Cranston Ms. Judy Crawford Mr. & Mrs. Jack & Joyce Crawley Ms. Maxine Cristall J. & B. Croxford Mr. Raymond E. Cunningham J Curtis D. Cymbalist Mrs. Daphne Davidson Mr. Rowland Del Bigio Beth Derraugh Ms. M. Jane Dick Miss Shirley K. Dickinson Marlene & Fred Dickson Sylvia Dixon David Downie Mrs. Norma Drosdowech Wanda Drury Miss Sharon Dueck, In Memory of Donald Browne Mr. & Mrs. Peter Eibisch John & Ruth Ens Don & Martha Epstein Vera & Peter Fast Miss Nancy Fennell, In Memory of Donald Browne David & Ruth Ferguson Laurel Fife Cal & Lois Finch

Mr. David Firman, In Memory of Alice Lutz In Memory of Robert Gordon Fogg Dr. Theo Fourie Mrs. Sheryl Fowler Glen & Florence Fraser Mrs. Gitta Fricke Kevin & Pam Friesen Mary Friesen Mrs. Dot & Milt From Bill & Carolyn Gadsby, In Memory of Grant McIntosh Mr. & Mrs. George & Carol Gamby Mrs. M. L. Garry Jim & Betty Gaynor Ms. Barbara Gessner Mrs. A. Lee Gibson Mrs. M. Gilbert Les & Doreen Girling Mr. Goldstein Linda Graham Mrs. Inga Granovskaya John & Louise Greenaway Ms. Cheryl M. Greenwood Ms. Victoria Gretchen Ms. Marianne Gruber Ms. Wilma Guertin Mrs. Evelyn Gurvey, In Memory of Donald Browne Maxine M. Gurvey Mr. & Mrs. H Gustafson Irene Hamerton Gertrude Hamilton Ms. Heather Hartry Nora Harvey Mrs. Sylvia Haverstick Dr. & Mrs. J.C. Haworth Gregory B. Hawrysh Jane Hayakawa Yude Henteleff C.M. Q.C. LLD (Hon) Max & Eleanor Herst Ms. Shirley Hicks Marion Holland Mr. Martin Horseman Ken Howard Mrs. Carole Hreno Roberta & Larry Hurtig Ms. Ishbel Isaacs, In Memory of Grant McIntosh Rozin & Cathy Iwanicki, In Memory of Dr. Eugene Kaprowy Jacqueline Iwasienko R.B. Jackson, In Memory of Heather Whittaker Philip, Susan & Josh Kahanovitch, In Memory of Heather Whittaker J. Gartner & L. Kampeas Ms. Jayne Laverne Kapac Dr. & Mrs. Arnold & Doreen Kapitz Dr. Sam Kantor

In Memory of Anne Gwendolyn Karr Mr. Gordon C. Keatch Miss Esme Keith Ms. Eunice Kells Mrs. Shirley Kilburn Ms. Mary Klassen Susan Koncan Mr. Eugene S. Kovach Mr. & Mrs. Hy Kraitberg Mrs. K. Kristjanson Mrs. Jessie Lang Elizabeth Lansard Ms. Lorna Law, In Memory of Heather Whittaker Mrs. Eveleen Lawrenson Mr. and Ms. Leblanc Wayne & Helen LeBlanc Rod & Ann Ledwich Mrs. Ingrid Lee Teresa Lee, In Memory of Donald Browne Mr. & Mrs. Sydney Lentle Mrs. Mary-Ann Lepper Ms. Hildy Leverton Mr. & Mrs. C. Lewis Paul & Shirley Lindsay Mr. Paul Lindsay Barry & Patricia Lloyd Jeannette Lord, in Memory of Dr. Eugene Kaprowy Mr. Al Mackling Mr. & Mrs. Alexander & Phyllis Madryga Ma Mawi Mr. Allan Mapes Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon & Rita Margolis Darrell Marleau Mrs. Irene Marriott Mr. & Mrs. Gary & Carol Martens Ms. Mary Massey Mrs. Ruth Matas, in Memory of Don Browne Keith R. Mayoh Hugh McCabe Ms. Kimberley McCallum Ms. Susan McCarthy Ardythe McMaster Mrs. Marilyn McMullan Mr. Lyle W. McNichol Ms. Emily Mikolajewski Peter Miller and Carolyn Garlich Dianne Milton Mr. Howard Mitchell Ms. Akemi Miyahara M. Mohr Mrs. Joan Ann Morton Esther Nisenholt Issie & Hazel Oiring Ms. Margitta Ossenkopp Shirley & Graham Padgett

November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 41

PRESIDENTS OF THE WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 1948-51 1951-53 1953-55 1955-57 1957-58 1958-61 1961-62 1962-64 1964-65 1965-67 1967-69 1969-71 1971-73 1973-74 1974-76 1976-78 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82

Hon. Mr. Justice J. T. Beaubien Mr. J. M. Sinclair Mr. Digby Wheeler Mr. W. D. Hurst Dr. Hugh H. Saunderson Mr. E. W. H. Brown Mr. David Slater The Hon. Mr. Justice Monnin Mr. Norman J. Alexander Mr. R. W. Richards Mr. W. R. Palmer Mr. E. J. Smith Dr. M. M. Pierce Mr. H. S. Brock-Smith Mr. Allan G. Moffatt Mr. Julian D. T. Benson Mr. John L. Buckworth Mr. N. Roger McFallon Mr. John F. Fraser Mr. William W. Draper

1982-83 1983-84 1984-86 1986-88 1988-90 1990-92 1992-94 1994-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 Feb 1999 – May 1999 Jun 1999 – 2000 2000- Feb 03 Mar 2003 – Dec 2003 Dec 2003 – Jan 2005 Jan 2005 – Jul 2006 Jul 2006 – Nov 2006 Dec 2006 – Jun 2007 2007 – present

Mr. John O. Baatz Mr. Andrew D. M. Ogaranko, Q.C. Mr. Harold Buchwald, Q.C. Mr. Michel Lagacé Mr. William H. Loewen Mrs. Julia DeFehr Mr. Gordon Fogg Mrs. Helen Hayles Mr. Anthony Brookes Mrs. Helen Hayles Mr. William Norrie Mr. William Loewen Mr. Bruce MacCormack Mr. Roger King Ms. Patti Sullivan Mr. Wally Fox-Decent Ms. Carol Bellringer Mr. Harvey Pollock (Interim President) Mr. Brendan MacDougall Ms. Dorothy Dobbie

PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY COUNCIL Al Alexandruk Mal Anderson Carol Bellringer Doneta Brotchie John and Bonnie Buhler Edmund Dawe Julia De Fehr Susan Feldman Jamie Dolynchuk Barbara Filuk Wally Fox-Decent John Fraser Helen Hayles Kaaren Hawkins Sherrill Hershberg Ian Kay Michael D. Kay Roger King Bill Knight Michel Lagacé

Zina Lazareck Gail Leach Dr. Hermann Lee Naomi Levine Bill Loewen Don MacKenzie Bill Marr Michael Nozick Andrew Ogaranko Harvey Pollock John Rademaker Kathleen Richardson George & Tannis Richardson Leney Richardson Ed Richmond Lorne Sharfe Graeme Sifton Joanne Sigurdson Bonnie Staples-Lyon Dennis Wallace

42 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

L-R: Gail Label, Jacob Gurevich, Stanley Label (former WSO bassist), Ruben Gurevich (Jacob’s son) The WSO was saddened to learn of the passing of Jacob Gurevich on October 12. Jacob joined the orchestra as a violinist in 1973 and became its principal second violin the following year, performing with the orchestra until 1999. He served the WSO as personnel manager from 1976 through 1989 and at the time of his death, held the title of Personnel Manager Emeritus.

Born in Lithuania, Jacob and his family moved to Uruguay when he was five years old. He went on to perform with that country's National Symphony prior to coming to Winnipeg in 1973, where he spent “the best 31 years in my life” (Don Anderson: Tuning The Forks: A Celebration of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra). The WSO extends its deepest condolences to Jacob's family and many friends.

Dr. F. Paraskevas Pat Patterson Mrs. Evelyn Pearlman Valerie Pearson Neil Bruneau & Ellen Peel Mrs. Denise Penley Louise Penner Mrs. Heather Penno Ms. Gail Perry Howard Curle & Beverley Phillips Mrs. Marina Plett-Lyle, In Memory of Don Browne Dr. Bill Pope & Dr. Elizabeth Tippett-Pope, in Memory of Donald Browne Don and Carol Poulin, In Memory of Dr. Eugene Kaprowy Mr. David Procner Mrs. Glennys Propp Carol Rebizant Ms. Pat Repa Beverley Ridd, In Memory of Grant McIntosh

E

NDOWMENT UND

F

Leave a legacy by making a donation to the WSO’s Endowment Fund. Managed by the Winnipeg Foundation since 1959, the fund has grown in value to just over $4.4 M. Gifts to the fund ensure longterm financial support for the orchestra.

Thank you!

Gail Asper & Michael Paterson In Memory of Jessica Bernardin Sheila & David Brodovsky Ms. Marion Bruno Mr. Ray Davis Miss Helene Dyck In Memory of Madeleine Suzanne Gauvin In Memory of Esther Ginpil and Patricia Louise Tarnava Marilyn & Helios Hernandez Dorothy L. Hodgson In Memory of Donald Winkler Hurd P. Ilavsky Andrew Lutz, In Memory of Alice Lutz

Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Vera Ripley Mrs. Susan E. Roe-Finlay Mrs. Estelle Rosenberg Mrs. V. Rosolowich Mr. Don Ross Frances E. Rowlin Royal Canadian College of Organists, in Memory of William Sim Mr. Rory Runnells John & Shirley Russell Mr. & Mrs. John Sadler Leonore Saunders O.M. Mrs. Caterina Sayers Alan & Rebecca Schacter Kay Schalme William Scheidt Ms. Velma Schmidt Mrs. Edna Schneider Mrs. Marian Schroeder Mrs. Marion Schroeder Adolph & Diane Schurek B.J.N. Scott Miriam Segal

Robert and Barbara Lutz, Christopher Tanya and Mika Lutz, In Memory of Alice Lutz Barbara Main Dr. Peter & Jane Markesteyn Grant & Janet Saunders In Memory of Robert F. Skinner Trudy Schroeder & Norman Dyck, In Memory of Heather Whittaker Harry & Evelyn Wray WSO 3 Anonymous

Share the Music is a unique outreach initiative of the WSO that allows economically disadvantaged children and their families to attend WSO performances. Thank you for helping to Share the Music!

Sheila & David Brodovsky Barbara Cook M. & G. Crielaard Ms. Brenda Sklar 1 Anonymous Audience Collection

Robert and Marilyn Shawcross Carl and Margaret Shaykewich Shirley E. Sherwood Izzy Shore Mrs. Rita Shreiber Mrs. Elaine Silverberg George A. Sotiriadis Ms. Nata L. Spigelman Josephine Stemerowicz Muriel Sutherland Ms. Mary Lou Talmage Gladys Tarala Ewa & Ludwick Tarsia Nancy & Geoff Tidmarsh Marilyn Torossi Mr. Alan Tring Mrs. Yoko Tsuyuki D. Turner Mr. Richard Turner Mr. & Mrs. William & Diane Ulrich, In Memory of Gordon Fogg Ms. Eleanor Urquhart Mrs. Roseline Usiskin Sophia Venter Eve & Harry Vickar, in

Memory of Don Browne Dr. & Mrs. L. Villa Denis Vincent Miss A. H. Wagstaffe Robin & Joanne Walker Mrs. Laurabelle Wallace Patricia & Lorne Wallace Ken and Mary Warmbrod Mr. & Mrs. Gordon R. Waver Mrs. Hilda Weber Mr. Glen Angus Webster Ms. Louise Welsh Ms. S.M. Whiteway, In Memory of Donald Browne In Memory of Heather Whittaker Ms. Lois A. Whyte Ms. Audrey Wilson Joy Winchell Elaine & Manuel Wiseman Terrie Woodward Phillip S. Young 27 Anonymous

New Music Festival Club donors help to ensure the artistic excellence of the WSO’s New Music Festival.

Thank you!

Aubrey & Dr. Linda Asper Pat & Mary Jo Carrabre Dr. & Mrs. David Connor Mrs. Ann England Mr. & Mrs. Egon & Erna Enns Marilyn & Helios Hernandez Richard & Karen Howell Drs. Keith & Gwyneth Jones Koren & Leonard Kaminski Kozub/Halldorson Family T.G. Kucera Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Lambert Dr. Brendan MacDougall Mr. & Mrs. Cam & Joy MacLean Ms. Sheila Miller Mrs. Brenda Morlock Margaret Moroz Stogie B Lesia Peet Mr. Doug Shewfelt Muriel Smith Mr. & Mrs. T. J. Wiens Karin Woods 1 Anonymous November – December 2011 I OVERTURE 43

WSO BOARD & STAFF 2011-2012 SEASON OUR DISTINGUISHED PATRONS His Honour the Honourable Philip S. Lee C.M., O.M. Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba The Honourable Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba His Worship Sam Katz, Mayor of the City of Winnipeg Mr. W.H. Loewen & Mrs. S.E. Loewen, WSO Directors Emeritus WOMEN'S COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE Shirley Loewen, President Sylvia Cassie, Vice President Lesia Peet, Past President Margaret Harvie, Treasurer Evelyn Davidson, Secretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dorothy Dobbie, President & Chair Ed J. Martens, 1st Vice-President Greg Doyle, Treasurer Muriel Smith, Secretary Dr. Brendan MacDougall, Past-President Marilyn Billinkoff Tim Burt Brenlee Carrington-Trepel Michael Cox

Arlene Dahl Dr. Daya Gupta Elba Haid Maureen Kilgour Jackie Lowe Lesia Peet Dr. William Pope Terry Sargeant William Shead Karl Stobbe Richard Turner

OFFICIAL AUDITORS Runchey Miyazawa Abbott Chartered Accountants

TRUDY SCHROEDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, MUSIC DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE OFFICE Lori Marks, Confidential Executive Assistant

ARTISTIC Bramwell Tovey, Conductor Laureate Richard Lee, Resident Conductor Vincent Ho, Composer-in-Residence

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION John Bacon, Director of Finance & Administration Sandi Mitchell, Payroll & Accounting Administrator Chelse McKee, Accounting & Volunteer Assistant

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS Jean-Francois Phaneuf, Director of Artistic Operations James Manishen, Artistic Operations Associate DEVELOPMENT Laura Daniel, Operations Manager Joanne Gudmundson, Director of Development Amanda Wilson, Stage Manager Carol Cassels, Development Manager Chris Lee, Orchestra Personnel Manager Sarah Lund, Development Coordinator Ray Chrunyk, Principal Librarian Gail Loewen, Manager of Strategic Advancement Projects Laura MacDougall, Assistant Librarian Lawrence Rentz, Stage Supervisor SALES & AUDIENCE SERVICES Ryan Diduck, Director of Sales & Audience Services EDUCATION & OUTREACH Jason Hayes, Patron Services Coordinator Tanya Derksen, Director of Education & Outreach Matt Abraham, Community & Audience Development Amy Wolfe, Education & Outreach Coordinator Coordinator Brent Johnson, Education Projects Coordinator Matthew Brooks, Patron Services Representative (p/t) Rachel Himelblau, Patron Services Representative (p/t) MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Theresa Huscroft, Patron Services Representative (p/t) Lisa Abram, Director of Marketing & Communications Clare Neil, Patron Services Representative (p/t) Cheryl Waldner, Communications Coordinator Crystal Schwartz, Patron Services Representative (p/t) Heather Thornton, Patron Services Representative (p/t) Shaun Thompson, Graphic Designer Melissa Ungrin, Patron Services Representative (p/t)

WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TICKET INFORMATION 1020-555 Main Street Winnipeg, MB R3B 1C3 Phone: 204.949.3950 Fax: 204.956.4271 www.wso.ca

WSO Box Office phone: 204-949-3999 www.wso.ca

Ticketmaster phone: 1-855-985-2787 www.ticketmaster.ca

Group Events phone: 204-949-3967 groupevents@wso.mb.ca

The WSO is a chartered non-profit organization operated by a voluntary Board of Directors.

44 OVERTURE I November – December 2011

Our proud support of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra reects our commitment to the well-being of Manitobans and their communities.