Les Préludes
Liszt himself declared, after becoming an abbé in the Catholic Church, “The best of me is in my religious music.” However, the composer’s judgment has not coincided with posterity’s, which has set the seal of …
Music Talk – And Tomorrow
We’re live from the travel section of McNally Robinson Booksellers for Music Talk from McNally! The SSO’s Mark Turner is joined by Nicolas Ellis who leads the SSO in what promises to be a stunning …
Tabla Concerto
A note from composer Dinuk Wijeratne about his Tabla Concerto: 1. Canons, Circles 2. Folk song: ‘White in the moon the long road lies (that leads me from my love)’ 3. Garland of Gems While the origins of …
Tabla 101
Our featured Vibrant Light soloist Shawn Mativetsky is a course lecturer at the Schulich School of Music. He was a part of Shulich’s Short Form Studies and created a guide that takes you through rhythmic applications …
Music Talk – Vibrant Light
We’re going live from the travel section of McNally Robinson Booksellers for Music Talk from McNally! The SSO’s Mark Turner is joined by conductor and composer Dinuk Wijeratne who leads the SSO in Rimsky-Korsakov’s …
Jean Sibelius, composer
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, née Johan Julius Christian Sibelius, was born on December 8th, 1865 in Hämeenlinna (Swedish: Tavastehus) in the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire. He was the …
Music Talk at McNally – Idea of North
SSO CEO Mark Turner and conductor Rune Bergmann chat all about Idea of North from the travel section of McNally Robinson Booksellers in Saskatoon on February 7th, 2023.
Sibelius’ First Symphony
Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39, is a landmark work in the history of classical music and a testament to the composer’s skill and artistic vision. Composed between 1895 and 1899, …
Handel’s Messiah Premiere
The music for Messiah was completed in 24 days of swift composition. Having received Jennens’s text some time after 10 July 1741, Handel began work on it on 22 August. His records show that he …
Interesting Facts about Handel’s Messiah
We’re thrilled to be performing Handel’s hit this year! It’s a 110-year-old tradition in Saskatoon – and we’re so excited to have our Chorus colleagues back on stage with us! Here are a few intriguing …
McKenzie Warriner, soprano
McKenzie Warriner is a Saskatchewan born and raised soprano bringing music and text to life in works ranging from 17 th century opera to the cutting-edge. In the 22/23 season, McKenzie is honoured to be …
Brenden Friesen, bass
Saskatchewan born bass Brenden Friesen has captured audiences with his powerful resonance, exceptional diction, enormous comedic presence, and incredible interpretation of text (Opera Canada). Brenden is a recent graduate of the esteemed L’Atelier lyrique young …
Duff Warkentin, conductor
Duff Warkentin has been a choral conductor and clinician for many years. His formal post-secondary education was at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Regina. He has …
Martin MacDonald, conductor
Martin MacDonald is one of Canada’s most dynamic and outstanding young conductors and has been awarded both the Heinz Unger Award and the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award for orchestral conducting. Martin has guest conducted extensively across Canada having worked with the …
Boléro
From the snare drum’s opening notes, even before the infamous melody begins, we instantly recognize Boléro. This oddly compelling music has entered popular culture through various media: the 1979 film 10, numerous television commercials, and the …
Angela Cheng, pianist
Consistently praised for her brilliant technique, tonal beauty, and superb musicianship, Canadian pianist Angela Cheng is one of her country’s national treasures. In addition to regular guest appearances with virtually every orchestra in Canada, she …
Costume Ideas
Looking for some last-minute costume ideas? Here are a few ideas we thought you might like! Bach Need a powdered wig in a pinch for your composer costume? Try using some printer paper! Wear a …
History of Halloween
Every year on October 31st we put on fun costumes and get our fill of Halloween candy. But how did it all begin? The ancient Celts celebrated their new year on November 1st. They marked …
Linsey Levendall
Our program cover art was created by Linsey Levendall Linsey is a self-developed multidisciplinary creative originally from the Cape Flats of Cape Town, South Africa but now living with his wife and two dogs in …
Caroline Shaw, composer
Caroline Shaw is a musician who moves among roles, genres, and mediums, trying to imagine a world of sound that has never been heard before but has always existed. She works often in collaboration with …
Evelin Ramón, composer
Ramón was born in Cuba and finished her doctoral studies in composition at l’Université de Montréal. She studied under the direction of composer Pierre Michaud. She has had the honor of seeing her music played …
Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout
This piece was written for string quartet in 2001 and arranged for string orchestra in 2003. Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout draws inspiration from the idea of mestizaje as envisioned by Peruvian writer José María Arguedas, where …
