Share in the Future a resounding success

The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra is excited to announce that during our Share in the Future campaign, the SSO exceeded its fundraising goal for the campaign – with the generosity of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation’s matching of the campaign it brings the campaign total to more than $448,000!

The SSO wishes to thank the donors to the Share in the Future Campaign – without this city and province’s commitment to ensuring that culture and the arts play a key role in our society, the SSO would not still be here today. 

This has been transformative change for the organization.  During the last 18 months, the SSO has become completely revitalized and we are so thrilled to have the opportunity to share that with you.  

As we enter in to our 85th season the SSO is on the most stable footing it has had in over 20 seasons – this would not have been achieved had it not bee for the generosity of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation.  Through their matching we have been able to pay off our outstanding loans to the City of Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan Arts Board.  This is no small accomplishment for an orchestra in 2015.

The Saskatchewan Arts Board interim CEO, Ranjan Thakre, said “I  am so delighted to see the SSO exceed its goal of raising $200,000. This demonstrates the extent to which the community values the symphony and bodes well for the future.  The campaign has also enabled the symphony to repay, ahead of schedule, a loan from the Saskatchewan Arts Board.  This is a significant milestone achievement which is a strong testimony to the leadership of the symphony’s management team.”

“Congratulations to the SSO for the success of their campaign.  I’d like to thank Mark Turner, it is a pleasure to work with someone who has the best interests of Saskatoon’s cultural community in his heart.  This is an achievement for the SSO, and there is no better feeling than being debt free.  With strong management and stability, I see a bright future for the orchestra.  A symphony reflects who we are and who we want to be as a city.” – Ellen Remai.

Maybe even more importantly than the dollar value, this campaign showed a rejuvenation of organization.  We have a lot of new donors, and donations from across the province and beyond our provincial boarders.  It is a shear pleasure that you all believe in this orchestra so much to have played your part in its future. 

On behalf of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra musicians and board of directors I’d personally like to thank everyone who took part in this incredible achievement.  This has created truly transformative change for the city’s musical landscape – Eric and I are thrilled to lead the SSO in to a new era…one that is about to begin with our 85th season just months away.  It is a big year where the SSO will take you on a journey and define a new soundtrack for our city. 

See you at the symphony!

Mark Turner
Executive Director

After months of voting – the overwhelming winner was Symphony No 1 by Brahms!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ij6I_zhBdU&w=560&h=315]

In the year 1854, a 21-year-old Johannes Brahms heard Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the first time and resolved to write one in the same key (D minor). The following year he wrote to his friend, violinist Joseph Joachim, “I have been trying my hand at a symphony during the past summer, have even orchestrated the first movement and have completed the second and third.” The music of which he was speaking was indeed brought to completion, but not in its originally intended form. Dissatisfied with his unfinished symphony, Brahms recast the material into a sonata for two pianos. But destiny had yet other uses for this symphonically-conceived music, and the sonata’s first two movements came to occupy those same positions in the dramatic First Piano Concerto – still in D minor – although the last movement found a quite different home as the Behold All Flesh section of his German Requiem.

No one helped Brahms to realize his own inner visions more than composer Robert Schumann and his pianist wife Clara. In 1854, a year after the young man’s first meeting with the Schumanns, Robert wrote to their mutual friend Joachim: “But where is Johannes? Is he not yet ready to let drums and trumpets sound? He should always keep in mind the beginning of the Beethoven symphonies; he should try to make something like them.” Schumann was never to realize the fruits of his advice, for he died tragically in an asylum in 1856. But his admonition to Brahms resulted, eventually, in the C-minor First Symphony, for whose beginning and ending Brahms did indeed look to Beethoven.

An early (1862) version of the First Symphony’s opening movement did not have the imposing introduction which later was appended, an introduction in which the composer reveals, at a slow pace, all the important materials we meet in rapid motion in the movement proper, the Allegro. (In the matter of thematic transformation, epitomized by the introductions to the Symphony’s first and fourth movements as they presage their Allegros, Brahms was much closer to the methods of Liszt and Wagner than to those of Beethoven.) The throbbing intensity of the introduction (Brahms was ready to let the drums sound) gives way to a sober urgency that recalls the angry young Brahms of, say, the F-minor Piano Sonata (1853). This movement and the fourth, are primers of the compositional methods Brahms practiced with utter mastery: motifs are transformed through changes of rhythm, dynamics, timbre; they are combined, fragmented, and developed with an unerring sense of their inherent possibilities. And it was not until this severely self-critical composer was satisfied with his work that he allowed the First Symphony to be performed, in 1876, some 20-plus years after he made his first symphony efforts.

The strength of Brahms’ symphonic convictions is everywhere apparent, and his instinct for the scope and power of the form directly descended from Beethoven (of whose Fifth Symphony three-shorts-and-a-long rhythm Brahms was not loath to invoke repeatedly). The entire first movement is keenly dramatic, nowhere more so than in the extended, slowly building passage leading to the recapitulation. Here, Brahms’ sense of dynamic expansion is definitive; this is as grand a symphonic movement as he ever conceived.

The two central movements present the other side of the Brahmsian coin: melting lyricism and soaring expressiveness in an Andante that closes with those rapturous violin solos that must have paved the way for his Violin Concerto; gentle Schubertian smiles through tears contrasted with sinewy boisterousness in an Allegretto that is Brahms’ personalized version of a Beethoven scherzo.

The Finale’s introduction, with fragments of the ensuing Allegro passing before our eyes, is more extended than the first movement’s and evolves a fearsomeness bordering on terror. This dark emotional tone is finally pierced by a radiant horn call, and by a solemn chorale that speaks of deliverance and peace. Then, that theme begins which has been called Brahms’ version of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy theme in the Ninth Symphony. In its reappearances this grand melody is a source of deep comfort, and in its radical transformations a nucleus for the imposing grandeur that unfolds on the way to blazing, unrestrained triumph.

– Orrin Howard

Canadian-born violinist Kerry DuWors has earned accolades for her “poise and maturity” and “spellbinding expression,” and has been praised for always finding “the music behind the notes” (Winnipeg Free Press).  Winner of the 26th Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition, Ms. DuWors made a début Canada-wide recital tour with pianist Lydia Wong in 2003.  Hailed as a “dynamic performer,” she has collaborated with internationally acclaimed soloists and chamber music ensembles including James Ehnes, Yo-Yo Ma, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Rena Sharon, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Angela Cheng, Denise Djokic, Martin Fröst, Marc-André Hamelin, Andrew Dawes, Scott St. John, the Lafayette, St. Lawrence and Penderecki Quartets, and the Gryphon Trio.  She has studied and performed with Lorand Fenyves, Laurence Lesser, Charles Castleman, Bernadene Blaha, Krzysztof Penderecki, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Jeanne Lamon, Pamela Frank, Erika Raum, Gwen Thompson, Paul Katz, and the Ying Quartet.

At home in many musical genres, Ms. DuWors has given performances across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand. Recent performances at Jordan Hall (Boston), Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall (New York), Caramoor Festival (Katonah, NY), Philharmonic Society of Orange County (California), the Banff Centre for the Arts, Beethovenfest (Bonn), RadialSystem V – New Space for the Arts (Berlin), Semperoper (Dresden), Baryshnikov Arts Center (NY), Northern Lights Music Festival (Mexico), National Arts Centre, Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society, Vancouver Recital Society, Maureen Forrester Young Canadian Artist Series (Stratford Summer Music Festival), Agassiz Chamber Music Festival (Winnipeg), Aeolian Concert Series (London, ON), Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society, and the Gustin House Concert Series (Saskatoon). Numerous broadcasts on CBC’s Galleria, Music Around Us and In Performance. Ms. DuWors has been a soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony, Red Deer Symphony, Montreal Chamber Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and Brandon Chamber Players; and has toured the U.S. with the Galileo Piano Trio, and toured British Columbia with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.

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Ms. DuWors recently joined The Knights, an ensemble based in New York City devoted to expanding the orchestral concert experience with diverse and innovative programming and the intimacy of chamber music, for performances with Yo-Yo Ma, a tour of Germany with Jan Vögler, and the world première of Yotam Haber’s New Ghetto Music with singer-songwriter Christina Courtin.

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Dedicated to commissioning and performing new music, Ms. DuWors has given the world premières of several works for violin including Arlan Schultz’s Entwirren and Jodi Vander Woude’s (H) in 2004, and David R. Scott’s Double Concerto for Violin and Cello written for her in 2006.  She has performed in Toronto’s SoundaXis Festival featuring the music of Steve Reich, joined the Eastman School of Music’s new music ensemble Ossia for a Toru Takemitsu project, and has recently performed works by Jordan Nobles, Christos Hatzis, Kelly-Marie Murphy, T. Patrick Carrabré, Elizabeth Raum, Jocelyn Morlock, and Andrew P. MacDonald. She is a founding member of The Boundary Ensemble based in Regina, Saskatchewan and made up of artists from across North America who come together to make music, share ideas and inspire collaborations through the arts.

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While maintaining a demanding concert career as soloist and chamber musician, Ms. DuWors is a dedicated mentor and teacher and is Assistant Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Manitoba’s Brandon University.  She began music studies in Saskatoon, SK; continued at the University of Victoria (B. Mus.) with Ann Elliott-Goldschmid of the Lafayette String Quartet; the Banff Centre for the Arts; and the University of Toronto (M. Mus.) as a student of Lorand Fenyves.  At the University of Toronto, she was the recipient of many prestigious awards and scholarships including the Eaton Graduate Scholarship, the Yo-Yo Ma Fellowship for Strings, a Canada Council Career Development Grant for Emerging Professional Classical Musicians, and the Felix Galimir Award for Chamber Music Excellence.

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Ms. DuWors is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Performance & Literature at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.  Under the mentorship of Charles Castleman and Dr. Jean Barr at Eastman, she formed duo526 with pianist Futaba Niekawa in 2011. The duo completed two short-term residencies at the Banff Centre in the fall of 2011 and 2012 where they worked intensively with Roger Tapping, Mark Steinberg, the Lafayette String Quartet, Hardy Rittner, and Henk Guittart.

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A four-time winner of the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank Competition, Ms. DuWors currently plays on the 1902 Enrico Rocca violin.

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It’s that time of year again!

Between April 1st and June 1st you can subscribe to the 85th season of the SSO for a savings of 20%!

But that’s not all – next season subscribers will enjoy:

• invitations to open dress rehearsals – see the artist in action with your orchestra
• easy ticket exchange
• free replacement of tickets
• returned unusable tickets can receive a tax receipt for value (48hr advance notice required)
• our SSO E-Blast and special online subscriber-only offers!
• some very special events that are in the works!

How to Subscribe:

1. click here to learn about the season
2. click here for subscription form (form includes prices for all season events)
3. Pick your series!
   • pick Masters, Pops, or Sunday Chamber!
   • Add tickets to great performanes of Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Silence is Golden!
   • Add a donation to our Share in the Future Campaign!
4. Subscribe by phone
   • call us at 306-665-6414, we can walk you through the process
5. By mail it to the SSO
   • print the form
   • fill it in with your selections
   • our address is 408 20th Street West, Saskatoon, SK S7M 0X4
6. Online – COMING SOON!

We’ve already been hearing from tons of new subscribers – don’t wait to get your seats to the best season yet!

The SSO dedicates this weekend’s performance of the Faure Requiem in memory of one of the organization’s greatest champions.

The passing of long-time patron Ruth Horlick was felt throughout the organization – Ruth was the first president of the SSO Volunteers organization, a tireless supporter of Saskatoon’s music community, and a figure at symphony concerts over the course of 6 decades.

Ruth grew up in the heart of the Canadian Thousand Islands on the St. Lawrence River and the experiences and friendships acquired there shaped her life. Ruth earned a BA in French, English and Politics from Queen’s University in 1941.

She worked briefly in Ottawa prior to attending McGill University to obtain her nursing degree, which she received in 1947. In 1952 she married Lou Horlick, and together they moved to Saskatoon where he had accepted a position with the University of Saskatchewan. Initially intended by them to be a temporary posting, Saskatoon soon became home and both Ruth and Lou Horlick became active members of the community.

In 1957, she became the first President of the Saskatoon Symphony Volunteers, created to raise funds and other support for the Saskatoon Symphony. Throughout her life in Saskatoon, Ruth supported the art, drama and music communities in Saskatoon.

In the early 1960s Ruth was instrumental in the establishment of the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities. Ruth pursued her interest in assisting individuals with psychiatric problems. Ruth also served as a board member of the Meewasin Foundation. Always modest about her contributions in aid of others, Ruth was recognized for her many volunteer efforts: 1988 Canada Volunteer Award; 1989 YWCA Woman of Distinction Award; 1990 Correctional Service of Canada Volunteer Award; 1992 Canada Confederation Medal; and in 2000, the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.

Ruth will be missed by the musicians and music lovers alike in the city. In the spring of 214, Ruth recounted a story of she and her husband hosting composer Benjamin Britten and renowned singer Peter Pears at their Saskatoon home for dinner – Ruth spoke with such fondness of the evening, and noted her love of his music after that night.

The music community is eternally grateful for her passion and leadership.

Jose Evangelista is a Spanish born Canadian composer with a unique and interesting voice.

This weekend the SSO string players get to dig in to a unique piece of music by this incredible composer – a first for Saskatoon audiences who have yet to hear Evangelista’s work.

Here’s what he had to say about his piece:

This piece consists of 15 folk melodies from Spain. They include worksongs, lullabies, entertainment songs, religious songs, etc. They come from a variety of regions and most of them are probably fairly old. These arrangements are not harmonizations. The melodies are presented as such, or at most repeated, without formal developments or modulations. There is a systematic use of ornamentation and heterophony which nearly gives the impression of real polyphony, but with no counterpoint or chords. My purpose is to emphasize the validity of Spanish folk music in its pure linear dimensions, that is, as melody. As a matter of fact, many folk tunes are monodic originally, without harmonic accompaniment and they often exhibit modal features difficult to reconcile with the harmonic tonal language. This piece was commissioned by the CBC.

Jose Evangelista

The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra announces a matching campaign in partnership with the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation.

The Share in the Future Campaign is searching for 2000 donors of $100 each to be part of something very special – aside from the gift to the campaign, each donor will be welcomed to a free donors-only concert on November 21^st to celebrate the orchestra’s 85^th anniversary.

Each gift to the campaign, up to $200,000, is matched thanks to the generosity of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation.

The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra is experiencing one of the strongest seasons of its 84 years. As the largest arts employer in the city, and the city’s oldest arts organization, the SSO has experienced a tremendously effective turnaround over the course of last twelve months. The organization has made radical advances to how it operates, and on March 4^th will announce its 16^th music director.

In the present season the SSO has had a 20% increase in subscription sales and a 25% increase in single ticket sales – to date every single concert event has generated a surplus directly linked to the increased ticket sales.

The Share in the Future campaign will allow the organization to focus on continuing the year’s successes – retiring the organization’s deficit, expanding its educational programming, and facilitating long term planning over the next three seasons for a significant pay raise for its musicians.

The 85^th anniversary gala concert event will take place at TCU Place on November 21^st, 2015. There will be no tickets to the concert – the only way to get in to the concert is to be a donor to the Share in the Future campaign.

“We wanted a chance to say thank you in the most meaningful way to our donors – there are so many successes that need to be celebrated for the SSO right now,” said board chair Bryn Richards.

“In a way, this campaign identifies our stakeholders,” said SSO executive director Mark Turner. “Create a concert full of people who support music in Saskatoon – we get to throw a special concert for our 85^th anniversary celebration, and giving a free concert for donors is something that only the SSO can do. There is a very special surprise guest that is going to make the night extremely memorable.”

“We are so grateful to the support of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation – Ms Remai’s dedication to the arts sets this city apart in western Canada for our recent arts achievements. We should be so proud of where our orchestra is going.”

Click here to make a gift to Share in the Future