Music Talks are back and in a new format!
Maestra Tania Miller sat down with SSO CEO & Creative Producer Mark Turner to talk about the upcoming season 94 opener Enigma.
Thank you to Black Fox Farm & Distillery for letting us film in their space.
Enigma
SSO’s Live Streaming for 2024-2025
ConcertStream.tv continues to give incredible access to your SSO. Not only do you get to see fantastic content whenever you want, you get an up close and personal experience all from the comfort of wherever you are!
Streaming has changed the SSO forever. We love sharing our performances with viewers around the world. We are bringing our music-making to the hearts and homes of our patrons. Whether you’re live streaming the performance or watching it a second time on demand, we’ve curated an online season that highlights the best we have to offer this season.
ConcertStream.tv
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Enigma
Maestra Tania Miller returns to open our 94th season by leading the SSO in Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Pianist Sara Davis Buechner makes her long-awaited SSO debut with Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concert No. 1.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Controlled Burn
Cellist/composer Cris Derksen joins the SSO to perform her fiery new work Controlled Burn. Maestra Janna Sailor returns home to lead the orchestra in a new work by Saskatoon’s own Artist/Activist/Educator Zoey Roy.
Friday, December 13, 2024
Handel’s Messiah
Conductor Karl Hirzer leads the SSO Chorus, spectacular soloists, and your orchestra in Handel’s timeless work The Messiah. A beloved holiday tradition in Saskatoon since it was first performed here in 1913.
Saturday, January 18, 2025
The Medium
What does the future hold for you? An intimate staging of Menotti’s haunting opera The Medium. It’s a spooky two-act dramatic opera where phony psychic Madame Flora uses her clients’ grief to deceive them with the help of her daughter and a mute servant. But one night, an uncanny encounter leads to murder and madness.
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Sleeping Beauty
Violinist Timothy Chooi returns for a concert filled with music that’s perfect for you and your valentine. Led by Maestra Judith Yan, Chooi and your orchestra will wow us with Bruch’s stunning Scottish Fantasy. The romantic evening is made complete with selections from Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Sleeping Beauty curated by ballet aficionado Yan herself.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Dixit – Baroque Resonance
Maestra Cosette Justo Valdés returns to once again show us what magic she can create with your orchestra and the SSO chorus. Together they will highlight some of the greatest baroque works including Handel’s stunning Dixit Dominus.
Saturday, March 8, 2025
The Lost Birds
We’re celebrating 40 seasons with our very own concertmaster Michael Swan! He’ll take centre stage to perform Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No.1. Conductor Evan Mitchell leads your SSO, and choir, in Christopher Tin’s moving choral work The Lost Birds. Sweeping and elegiac, it’s a haunting tribute to those soaring flocks that once filled our skies, but whose songs have since been silenced.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Pictures at an Exhibition
Conductor Karl Hirzer returns to lead your SSO in Mussorgsky’s iconic Pictures at an Exhibition. Pianist Meagan Milatz makes her way back home to the prairies to help us celebrate composer David L. McIntyre’s 75th birthday with a performance of his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra.
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Symphonic Sci-Fi
Our favourite sci-fi shows and movies would be very different without their iconic soundtracks. We’re highlighting our favourite works from galaxies near and far! With a special guest host to lead the way, it’s going to be out of this world.
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Chopin and the New World
After his triumphant orchestral debut with us in 2021, pianist Jerry Hu returns home to perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto no.1. Led by Maestra Tania Miller, your SSO will finish our mainstage series with Dvořák’s New World Symphony and Goulet’s Citius, Altius, Fortius.
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Metamorphosis
We end our season with an incredible immersive experience created by visual artist Monique Martin. She will fill St. John’s with thousands of silkscreened paper butterflies, while Maestra Judith Yan and your orchestra fill the space with incredible music.
Watch our social media for future announcements! There are more great options to come on ConcertStream.tv.
Edward Elgar, composer
Edward William Elgar was an English composer for orchestral and choral works. Born in Lower Broadheath near Worcester on June 2, 1857. His father was a piano turner, and his mother was supportive in his musical development. Elgar began composing at an early age, and one his musical draft written from ten years old was rearranged and orchestrated by himself forty years later, becoming the suites titled The Wand of Youth.
When Elgar was 29, he met Caroline Alice Roberts (known as Alice) who was an accomplished English author of verse and process fiction. They got married three years later, and since then Alice acted as Elgar’s business manager and social secretary and tried to bring supported Elgar with much encouragement. She gave up some of her personal aspirations f]to further his career. In her diary, Alice wrote “The care of a genius is enough of a life work for any woman.” When they got engaged, Elgar wrote a short violin and piano piece Salut d’Amour to her, and she gave him one of her poems The Wind at Dawn.
Through ups and downs, by 1890s Elgar was finally catching attentions from prominent critics and built up his reputation as a composer. In 1899, the Enigma Variation finally took off and received general acclaim for its originality, charm and craftsmanship. The year after Enigma’s premiere, Elgar was awarded an honorary doctorate by Cambridge University, and was subsequently knighted in 1904. Elgar’s Variations were his first major success and his first truly successful full-scale orchestral work.
Enigma Variations
English composer Edward William Elgar (1857-1934) had a habit to improvise on the piano in the evening. After a long day of teaching violin lessons, he began noodling away at the keyboard when he happened upon a particularly pleasing melody. “Whom does that remind you of?” he asked his wife, and Alice replied, “Billy Baker [a good friend of the couple] going out of a room.” And so were born Elgar’s Enigma Variations in 1898.
Elgar dedicated the work “to my friends pictured within”. The theme is followed by 14 variations, each variation being a musical sketch of one of his circle of close acquaintances. Some variations represent characteristics of the individuals:
Enigma no. 10, “Dorabella,” includes a staccato woodwind section intended to imitate his friend’s laugh.
Elgar wrote the program note below for a performance of the Enigma Variations in 1911:
“This work, commenced in a spirit of humour & continued in deep seriousness, contains sketches of the composer’s friends. It may be understood that these personages comment or reflect on the original theme & each one attempts a solution of the Enigma, for so the theme is called. The sketches are not ‘portraits’ but each variation contains a distinct idea founded on some particular personality or perhaps on some incident known only to two people. This is the basis of the composition, but the work may be listened to as a ‘piece of music’ apart from any extraneous consideration.”
Here are all the variations and who they represent.
Enigma: Andante
Theme
Variation I. “C.A.E.”: L’istesso tempo
Caroline Alice Elgar, the composer’s wife. They were happy together, and he relied on her. when she died in 1920, he mostly stopped composing.
Variation II. “H.D.S-P”: Allegro
Hew David Steuart-Powell was a pianist Elgar often played chamber music with. His variation is perky and excited.
Variation III. “R.B.T.”: Allegretto
Richard Baxter Townshend was an Oxford classicist who also performed in amateur theater productions and rode a bicycle around town.
Variation IV. “W.M.B.”: Allegro di molto
William Meath Baker, a country squire, in a brief, bombastic variation.
Variation V. “R.P.A.”: Moderato
Richard Penrose Arnold was the son of the poet Matthew Arnold and also a pianist.
Variation VI. “Ysobel”: Andantino
A respelling instead of initials for Isabel Fitton, an amateur violist he played chamber music with.
Variation VII. “Troyte”: Presto
Arthur Troyte Griffith, a Malvern architect and one of Elgar’s firmest friends.
Variation VIII. “W.N.”: Allegretto
Winifred Norbury, one of the secretaries of the Worcester Philharmonic Society who was more connected to music than others in the family.
Variation IX. “Nimrod”: Moderato
Augustus J. Jaeger is a music editor and close friend with Elgar.
Variation X. “Dorabella”: Intermezzo: Allegretto
Dora Penny, a friend whose stutter is gently parodied by the woodwinds.
Variation XI. “G.R.S.”: Allegro di molto
George Robertson Sinclair is an energetic organist of Hereford Cathedral.
Variation XII. “B.G.N.”: Andante
Basil George Nevinson, an accomplished amateur cellist who played chamber music with Elgar.
Variation XIII. “***” Romanza: Moderato
The asterisks possibly represents Lady Mary Lygon, a sponsor of a local music festival and was on a sea voyage at the time.
Variation XIV. “E.D.U.” Finale: Allegro
Elgar himself. The themes from two variations are echoed: “Nimrod” and “C.A.E.”, referring to Jaeger and Elgar’s wife Alice, “two great influences on the life and art of the composer”, as Elgar wrote in 1927.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer
Born on May 7, 1840 during the Romantic Period, Tchaikovsky was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally.
Growing up with education for a civil servant career, Tchaikovsky was able to find an opportunity for music education and entered the nascent Saint Petersburg Conservatory.
Despite his popular successes in composing Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, First Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto, Romeo and Juliet and many more, Tchaikovsky’s life was punctuated by personal crises and depression. Contributory factors included his early separation from his mother for boarding school followed by his mother’s early death, the death of his close friend and colleague Nikolai Rubinstein, his failed marriage with Antonina Miliukova, and the collapse of his 13-year association with the wealthy patroness Nadezhda von Meck. Tchaikovsky’s homosexuality, which he kept private, has traditionally also been considered a major factor though some scholars have played down its importance.
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1
The Piano Concerto No.1 in Bb minor, Op. 23 was composed between 1874-1875 and revised three times until 1888. The premiere of this concerto would mark ten years after Tchaikovsky’s first public performance, so he was determined to make this work a big hit. However, after he showed the work to his desired pianist, Nikolai Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky received much criticism from his friend that he turnt his head away and reached out to Hans von Bülow, who adored Tchaikovsky and this work very much.
The premiere took place in 1875 in Boston, and it was so successful with the audience that Bülow was obliged to repeat the Finale. Although it was not initially welcomed, Rubinstein later had a change of heart and became a fan of the work. Now, this piano concerto is one of the most popular of Tchaikovsky’s works.
Fans of Monty Python’s Flying Circus will recognize the piano concerto’s iconic opening from a sketch featuring Terry Jones as world-famous soloist Sviatoslav Richter. It is announced that “during the performance, he will escape from a sack, three padlocks, and a pair of handcuffs.”
Here’s a breakdown of all of the movements.
The concerto follows the traditional form of three movements:
- Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito (B♭ minor – B♭ major)
- Andantino semplice – Prestissimo – Tempo I (D♭ major)
- Allegro con fuoco – Molto meno mosso – Allegro vivo (B♭ minor – B♭major)
The first movement introduction starts with a short theme in french horn’s and the following accompaniment suggests a “wrong” key of Db major. The exposition begins in the tonic minor, with a Ukrainian folk theme, followed by a call and response section between tutti and the piano. The second subject consists of two alternating themes, one has a melodic contour from the introduction, the other is more gentle and sets the subtonic key. The woodwind and piano arpeggios together builds a stormy climax in C minor, and closes the exposition in Ab major with a variation on the second subject. The upper register twinkling in the piano seems to foreshadow Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet which will come in later in his career.
The development contains snapshots of the first subject material: first in Eb major after a flurry of piano octaves, followed by a second repeat in G minor. Then the piano and strings play it in E major for the third repetition. The recapitulation builds excitement with reapperance of a powerful orchestral build from the exposition in Bb major, but was quickly cut short. The piano cadenza soon appears, followed with snatches of the first theme and led to a triumphant coda with the full orchestra.
The second movement begins with the flute singing over strings’ pizzacato, which becomes the main motif for the rest of the movement. The melody is past onto the piano with a modulation to F major, echoed by instruments from different spot in the orchestra, then later cello and oboe return with it in Db. The second section becomes more active and contrasting with light and bouncy piano passages demonstrating the soloist’s virtuosity. Following glides in the piano, the music return to the opening melody again, and this time it resolved in Db in a conversation between the piano and oboe. The final movement is in rondo form with a brief introduction, followed by two themes with one being uplifting and the other being more lyrical. A third theme later appears with modulation through different keys with dotted rhythm. Finally, the orchestra and pianist respond and challenge each other, and build towards a heroic ending.
Michael Oesterle, composer
Michael Oesterle was born in Ulm, Germany, in 1968. He immigrated to Canada in 1982, and since 1996 has been living in Montréal. He has received several awards, such as the Gaudeamus Prize, the Grand Prize at the 12th CBC Radio National Competition for Young Composers, and the Canada Council Jules Léger Prize. Oesterle’s works have been performed and commissioned by ensembles and soloists in Canada and throughout the world including Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt), the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (NEM), cellist Yegor Dyachkov, the Ives Ensemble (Amsterdam), sopranos Karina Gauvin and Suzie Leblanc. He has produced projects in collaboration with composer Gerhard Staebler, violinist Clemens Merkel, painter Christine Unger, video/installation artist Wanda Koop and Bonnie Baxter and choreographer Isabelle Van Grimde. He composed the music for cNOTE, a film by animator Christopher Hinton, produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). cNOTE won the 2005 GENIE award for best animated-short. In 1997 he founded the Montréal based Ensemble Kore with pianist Marc Couroux, and between 2001 and 2004 he was composer-in-residence with l’Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montréal.
Join us at the Hub
The concert ends, you exit TCU Place, and you’re still brimming with excitement after such a fabulous evening. Where to next?
Cross the street and join us over at the Hub at Holiday Inn!
It’s the perfect place to grab a post-concert drink, and snack, alongside fellow SSO patrons, musicians, and the feature guest artists.
We have complimentary appetizers on a first come first-serve basis!
What’s happening at the Bassment
The Bassment is one of Canada’s premier jazz clubs and provides musicians of all skill levels a venue to showcase their talents in front of a live audience while accessing a variety of professional, concert-grade instruments. The club offers an intimate, personal concert space with a world-class stage for local, national, and international artists.
Here’s a sample of what’s happening next at The Bassment
Marianne Trudel & John Hollenbeck: Dédé Java Espiritu
Thursday, April 11
PIANO SERIES • DOORS @ 6:30PM • SHOW @ 7:30PM
A piano, a drum set, and a thousand ideas. This is the happy and highly creative encounter ofpianist and composer Marianne Trudel with world-renowned drummer and composer John Hollenbeck. An electrifying, fascinating, enveloping duo, Dédé Java Espiritu plunges the listener into an infinite panorama of colours and grooves inspired by nature. Filled with catchy grooves, enchanting melodies, surprising sonorities, and joyous spontaneity, these compositions are rhythmically and melodically arranged to perfection.
Marianne Trudel is a veritable powerhouse in Canada’s jazz scene. She has produced and multiple artistic projects that showcase her considerable skills as well as her keen sense of creativity. Both energetic and passionate, her music covers a wide array of musical interests. Marianne has performed across North America, Europe, and China and has released 10 critically acclaimed recordings as a leader.
John Hollenbeck possesses a playful versatility and a virtuosic wit. Whether putting pen to paper or conjuring spontaneous sound allergic to repetition, he is essentially a musical thinker and is forever seeking to surprise himself and his audiences. John has received five GRAMMY nominations, a 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship, and is currently a member of the faculty at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.
Sponsored by David’s Distinctive Men’s Apparel
Dallas Alexander
Thursday, April 18
COUNTRY ROADS SERIES • DOORS @ 6:30PM • SHOW@7:30
Hailing from a rough-and-tumble backwoods upbringing in Fishing Lake Métis Settlement in Northern Alberta, Dallas Alexander weaves his Métis roots with stories amassed over a decade-plus career serving in a tier-one special operations unit in the Canadian military. Dallas serves up a unique sound and country music lovers are in for a gritty-outlaw vibe inspired by music legends Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash.
Sponsored by Black Fox Farm & Distillery
Abigail Lapell
Friday, April 19
SONGWRITER SERIES • DOORS @ 7:30pm • SHOW @ 8:30pm
Toronto songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Abigail Lapell returns with Anniversary, an evocative collection of original love songs produced by Great Lake Swimmers’ Tony Dekker. Lapell’s deft lyrics jostle with love song tropes, grappling with love’s finitude and the irony of how codependency and longing are revered in popular music. Balancing upbeat earworms with elegiac ballads, Anniversary ultimately emerges as an earnest celebration of commitment. A stellar cast of musicians rounds out Lapell’s powerhouse vocals, piano, harmonica and fingerstyle guitar. Anniversary is out May 10, 2024 on Outside Music.
Sponsored by Backyard Living Center
Claude Bourbon
Tuesday, April 23
BLUES SERIES • DOORS @ 6:30PM • SHOW 7:30
Guitarist Claude Bourbon is known for his amazing performances that are a breathtaking acoustic fusion of blues, jazz, classical, and Spanish guitar. His inimitable style takes the acoustic guitar into uncharted territories, with all five digits on each hand dancing independently but in unison, plucking, picking, and strumming with such speed and precision that his fingers often merge into a blur. Having built up a following of loyal fans all over the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America, Claude returns for his fifth visit to the Bassment.
Sponsored by CFCR
Daniel Champagne
Wednesday, April 24
GUITAR SERIES • DOORS @ 6:30PM • SHOW@ 7:30PM
Daniel Champagne lives and breathes live music. Described as “a leading light in acoustic music”, Daniel picked up the guitar as a five-year-old following in the footsteps of his musical father. He began writing songs at 12, training classically throughout his teens and performing wherever he could. At 18 he finished school, turned professional, and hit the road. Since then Daniel has released seven studio albums, toured relentlessly around the globe playing some of the biggest festivals under the sun, and shared stages with the likes of Tommy Emmanuel, INXS, Lucinda Williams, and Judy Collins. His latest Canadian tour will include 56 shows from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland!
Sponsored by David’s Distinctive Men’s Apparel
The Mary Ancheta Quartet
Friday, April 26
JAZZ GROOVE SERIES • DOORS @ 7:30PM • SHOW @ 8:30PM
Keyboardist Mary Ancheta is a Canadian Filipina artist who steps into the spotlight with her genre-bending organic, modern take on jazz and electro-funk. Inspired by the likes of Squarepusher, The Meters, John Scofield, and Prince, Ancheta knows what’s up when it comes to arresting melodies and irresistible grooves. Her quartet includes Trent Otter (drums), Dominic Conway (sax), and Matt Reid (bass). Encompassing her experience in film scoring Ancheta seeks to tap into raw fuelled moments favouring grittiness over perfection.
Sponsored by David’s Distinctive Men’s Apparel