How the [Uncertain] Four Seasons was written
In 2019 the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra performed a work called The For Seasons. It was a concept developed by Jung von Matt that used an algorithm that took climate data gathered from 1725 until 2019 to …
Louis Riel: Replacing the “Kuyas”
In 1967, Mavor Moore and Harry Somers had been commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company to write an opera for Canada’s Centennial. They chose Louis Riel as a subject, and created a piece that has …
Susannah’s Ain’t it a Pretty Night
Biblical stories have commonly found their way into the performing arts, often taking on the cultural flavour of the time in which they were created. You need look no further than shows like Andrew Lloyd …
One Hand, One Hearty Pair of Overtures
Long before Winnipeg ever faced off against San Jose, the jets and sharks were rumbling in the streets of New York City in Leonard Bernstein’s masterful 1957 musical, West Side Story. Bernstein was one of …
The Carmen Suites
The two Carmen orchestral suites beautifully capture some of the show’s most memorable moments and bring the drama of the opera stage into the concert hall. Though writing for a Parisian audience, Bizet alluded to …
Bizet’s Carmen
Georges Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most beloved pieces of theatre in the operatic canon. The story’s exotic locations, which include a Sevillian cigarette factory, a bullring, and a smuggler’s lair, add to the …
Keeping Everyone Safe this Fall
The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra will be requiring proof of vaccination for musicians, staff, guest artists, volunteers, and audience members this fall. This decision was made after lengthy discussions with the key stakeholder groups over the …
Trans and Non-binary Composer and Artist Panel Discussion
Over the last year, Kendra Harder (she/hers) and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra have been offering free online courses for the public about female composers, focusing on their experiences, the reasons for their erasure from textbooks, …
Watch Party Idea – Time for a Picnic!
If you’re like us, you’re looking for little ways to get an escape! With our Trip to the Country live stream our goal is take you on a musical journey away from busyness and …
Mathieu’s Creative Pandemic
A new album, lessons & feature performance Life has been full of twists and turns for violinist Véronique Mathieu this past year. In March 2020, Mathieu was set to release a brand-new album Cortége, a …
The Lark Ascending
The Lark Ascending was originally written as a single-movement work for violin and piano by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. The composer was inspired by George Meredith’s 1881 poem of the same name, and completed …
Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony
When you think of Ludwig van Beethoven, chances are you hear the infamous pulses of his fiery Fifth Symphony. But did you know that the symphony he composed simultaneously with the Fifth is equally brilliant? …
All the Different Parts of Harder
Saskatoon composer Kendra Harder instantly grabbed the attention of the SSO’s Wind Quintet a few years ago when they workshopped an arrangement Harder had done for one of her classes at the University of Saskatchewan’s …
Nielsen’s Wind Quintet
It was autumn in Copenhagen, 1921. Scandinavian composer Carl Nielsen had just put down the receiver of his telephone after having a brief conversation with his friend, the pianist Christian Christiansen. On that evening in …
Poulenc Sextet
André George, a French reviewer for the periodical Les Nouvelles littéraires, once wrote that “with Poulenc, all of France comes out of the windows he opens.” One could extend such a compliment to include the …
Musical Herstory 2.0
For centuries, the writers of musical textbooks (and the programmers of musical institutions) excluded women who composed. Motherhood. Quarantine. Saving one’s self from the guillotine with their piano skills. Composers of today have a surprising …
Watch party ideas for Bach in Brandenburg
Looking for ideas to make your Bach in Brandenburg viewing experience an extra special night in? We’ve pulled together some culinary treats for you to try! While there are many fantastic recipes from the area …
Playing It By Ear – Season 91
What are we doing next year? Intriguingly I ask myself this question more than people ask it of me. Usually spring is filled with announcements of plans for the upcoming year but this year Eric …
Bach in Books!
This spring we’re doing lots of great Bach related activities including Bach in Brandenburg and the online class On Bach’s Time – so we thought we’d give you some recommendations for books to fill your …
Bach and the Plague
The spring of 1694 was a time of upheaval for the young Johann Sebastian Bach. His elder cousin, Johann Christoph, had been sent for to repair the organ of St. George’s church near Sebastian’s family …
Where is Brandenburg exactly…
You might have heard about Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti, but how much do we know about the city that inspired their namesake? What happened before Bach presented the concerti to the city’s Margrave? What is a …
The Nearly Lost Brandenburg Concertos
The Brandenburg Concerti by Johann Sebastian Bach were originally titled “Six Concerts à plusieurs instruments” and composed as a set of six works for concerto grosso. Presented by the composer to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of …
Create a Custom SSO Phone App
With the launch of our Digital Concert Stream, we’ve been hearing from you about how excited you are to enjoy the SSO whenever you want! We have a ton of great opportunities to learn and …
Seeing the Light with Reena Esmail
It’s not everyday that a wind quintet has the chance to learn music featuring Hindustani ragas – its part of what makes The Light Stays the Same a high light of our La Chambre performance. …
