CEO and Creative Producer Mark Turner took some time to chat all about the SSO’s 93rd season!
You can subscribe today by going to our Season 93 page. Click on the Order Form button and select all your favourite concerts! Need more information? You can send an email to subscriptions@saskatoonsymphony.org, give us a call at 306-665-6414, or come visit our office!
Our early bird deadline is May 1st. By subscribing before May 1st you get to keep your subscriber seats (or select your preferred seats as a new subscriber), you get special discounts on ticket packages, and you are entered to win an iPad 10! Get an additional giveaway entry by adding a donation of $50, or more, to your subscription.
All donations made by May 31st are matched by the Frank & Ellen Remai Foundation.
With each season, the SSO’s goal has been to offer you thrilling performances that are more than just concerts – they’re experiences. We cannot wait for you to experience what we have prepared for the 2023/2024 season! Our season opens this fall with a multi-sensory event that features Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon. The … Read more
The SSO is thrilled to present a podcast in collaboration with Saskatchewan’s very own Olivia Adams.
Olivia is a pianist, music clinician, and teacher. She holds a MA in Music and Feminist Studies from the University of Ottawa and a B.Mus. in Piano Performance from Western University. Olivia speaks and adjudicates across Canada and the US. She is a researcher on gender and music in Canadian music conservatories and is the author of the forthcoming book “Loud and Clear: Graded Piano Music by Women Composers” centering on the voices of female BIPOC composers comes out this October with Debra Wanless Music & 80 Days Publishing. She has written articles for the Canadian Music Teacher Magazine, Opus, and the book Hands On Piano. In 2020 received a Canadian Government SSHRC grant for her research on gender and race in the conservatory curriculum. Olivia works as a piano teacher and collaborative pianist in Ottawa, and a Music Director at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. She is passionate about equity in the music studio, writing curriculum, and increasing inclusionary practices in classical music.
Olivia’s new podcast Loud and Clear, amplifies the voices of women in music. In conversation with composers, artists, and musical leaders, the podcast explores the experiences of women in all areas of music creation and production, including conducting, composing, producing, broadcasting, directing, teaching, performance, and research.
New episodes launch each Tuesday everywhere you get your podcasts.
Loud and Clear is also available for listening on ConcertStream.tv
Streaming has changed the SSO forever. It’s a great joy to be able to share our performances with viewers around the world, and bring our music making in 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!
September 24th – Orchestration – Sense of Adventure
To kick off the new season, we’re thrilled to be joined by two of the season’s artistic partners – violist Ryan Davis returns home to make his SSO solo debut in one of the most beautiful pieces of the season, while Maestra Judith Yan leads us on an orchestral soundscape fit for a cinematic epic in Ruth Gipps’ Symphony No 2. Your SSO performs a world debut of a new commission by renowned composer Christos Hatzis – Up to Her Waist in Lupins is a memorial tribute to the SSO’s Randi Nelson.
October 29th – Halloween Bash!
It’s about to get spooky…
Maestro Armand Birk makes his SSO debut with a concert full of ghoulish treats. We’ve been dying to do a full Halloween concert for a long time so we’re pulling out all the stops: Night on Bald Mountain, Berlioz’s Witches Sabbath, Danse Macabre, the Monster Mash, and so much more!
November 19th – Bolero
What could be better than to spend a November night with exotic aromas and the intoxicating beauty of the gardens of Spain? That’s just what we have in store when pianist Angela Cheng returns to the SSO stage for de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain. Maestra Judith Yan leads the SSO in the North America premiere of Fernando Velazquez’s Viento del Oeste, and caps the night off with Ravel’s passionate and sensuous Bolero!
December release – Handel’s Messiah
Fill your hearts with the joyous musical tradition of Handel’s Messiah throughout the holiday season. We’re releasing the concert film just in time for the holidays so that you can rejoice greatly from the comfort (ye) of home!
February 11th – The Idea of North – only available to SSO Streaming Subscribers
A night for the history books. Pianist Jan Lisiecki returns to the SSO to give an earth-shattering performance of Grieg’s powerhouse Piano Concerto in A minor. Maestro Rune Bergmann joins the SSO for the first time for this night of music from the north, culminating in Sibelius’ glorious Symphony No 1.
February 25th – Nordic Light
After his sensational debut with the SSO, Maestro Nicolas Ellis returns to lead the SSO, Aurora Voce, and Greystone Singers in Erik Essenvalds’ Nordic Light – this symphony for orchestra, chorus, and soundscape is paired with breath-taking visuals of the arctic circle and northern lights.
April 2nd – Farm Fresh
Judith Yan and Ryan Davis team up one more time…and it’s literally in a barn! We’re off to the Barn Playhouse to showcase the musicians of the SSO in Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Suite and Wagner’s bucolic Siegfried Idyll. Ryan Davis creates a new work for this concert experience.
April 15th – Vibrant Light
It’s not every day the conductor is also the composer! Dinuk Wijeratne leads his own Concerto for Tabla and Orchestra, with Shawn Mativetsky, and pairs it with the wildly colourful and explosive Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov.
May 6th – And Tomorrow…
…the sun shall rise again. We may have saved the most stunning concert for May. Soprano Danika Lorèn returns to perform the stunningly gorgeous Vier Lieder by Richard Strauss, featuring his beloved work Morgen. Maestro Nicolas Ellis is back on the podium for this performance that culminates in Stravinsky’s wild and impassioned Firebird.
May 27th – Baroque Soul
Saskatoon’s very own Alexa Haynes-Pilon returns home to lead from the cello! With her growing reputation as a leading baroque cellist, Alexa has programmed a performance that showcases why the cello is truly the soul of the beautiful baroque.
*Most of these concerts will be available to view in a live stream with a streaming ticket. All of the SSO’s streamed season and back catalogue is available with SSO Streaming Subscriptions.
SSO Streaming Subscriptions are available for $99.99 for 12 months.
Streaming Tickets and SSO Streaming Subscriptions are available for purchase at ConcertStream.tv
We pulled off a fun surprise…
In spring 2022 we gathered together an audience for a concert with a surprise guest artist. No one knew who was coming, but we put together an elegant evening of torch songs with the sensational Julie Nesrallah!
Star of stage and host of CBC Radio’s Tempo, Nesrallah has become the voice Canadian classical music lovers turn to for their daily dose of morning radio. Known for her incredibly artistry on operatic and concert stages, Nesrallah stepped into new shoes (literally!) to sing some of her favourite standards, specially arranged by Saskatoon’s own Paul Suchan.
Ahead of her concert filming, Julie sat down her the SSO’s Mark Turner to taste test some exceptional gin from Black Fox Distillery.
At the current time, purchases of tickets and subscription to the streaming must be made on the ConcertStream.tv website
Live Stream Digital Ticket
For as little as $19.99 per Digital Ticket you and your household can watch the concert as it happens from the comfort of your own home, or wherever you have internet access.
You can watch all SSO concerts from home
When you purchase live stream access you will need to sign in to or create an account. Once your account is set up you can log in any time to see what you have access to. There will be a countdown for the upcoming live stream and you can even add a calendar reminder! You will get an email alert when the concert begins, but you can log in and get ready to view the live stream at any time. Once the live stream is complete there will be a recording available for you for 24 hours. It may take an hour or two to appear in your library.
Digital Tickets start at $19.99 and gives you access to one concert for 24 hours. You can also purchase $35 and $50 Supporter Tickets – these still get you the same 24hr streaming, but give you a way to support the SSO at this time!
Tickets must be purchased on the ConcertStream.tv website – no in-app purchases are allowed at this time.
Plan on watching 6 or more concerts? Wish you could watch them whenever you want and as many times as you want? An SSO Streaming Subscription is for you!
For only $99.99 you can have access to all SSO live streamed concerts for the year. You will also have full access to the SSO’s concert videos on demand. This means you can watch all our concert and bonus content wherever you want, whenever you want, and as many times as you want.
Love our opening night concert and want to see it again? You could watch it every day and its all covered by your $99.99 subscription!
Have major FOMO because you missed one of the live streams? Have no fear! You can catch all our incredible concerts at a later date and it still only costs you $99.99.
No FOMO for these lake goers. They have a subscription to the SSO Digital Concert Stream.
You’ll be able to set up your account, with your own password, and you’ll get a confirmation email for your purchase.
Once your subscription is set up you’ll be able to login to watch videos whenever you want!
Live streamed performances are available for 24 hours – 7 days after all live streamed concerts you’ll be able to watch the concert film of that concert on demand by logging into ConcertStream.tv.
Enjoy unprecedented access to the SSO for a year!
You not only get a fantastic discount for all the live-streamed concerts by getting the SSO Streaming Subscription, but you also get the benefits of video on demand all while supporting your orchestra. How can you go wrong?
Subscriptions must be purchased on the ConcertStream.tv website – no in-app purchases are allowed at this time. But once you’re logged in on the apps, you’ll stay logged to be able to enjoy concerts whenever you want!
At the end of his 7 season, Maestro Eric Paetkau steps down from the role of Music Director. Ahead of his final concert as Music Director, Eric sat down with CEO Mark Turner for one final chance for a music talk.
Exploring the highlights, memorable moments, and special stories never told before the pair reminisce about performances spanning back to Eric’s SSO debut in 2014.
It’s a walk down memory lane and a chance acknowledge Eric’s considerable achievements at the helm of the SSO.
Eric’s last concert as Music Director is Mahler 4 on May 7th. While we hope you can join us there, we know it might not be possible to say goodbye in person. If you have a message or memory you wish to share with Eric, enter it in the form below! We will make sure he gets all your kind messages as we celebrate his incredible tenure here at the SSO.
The SSO announces the retirement of Lahni Russell after more than three decades as Principal Cellist.
Ms. Russell earned a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music (both with High Distinction) from Indiana University studying with world-renowned cellist, Janos Starker. Post-graduation she spent two years at the Banff Centre of the Arts and was the first ‘cellist to win the Regina Concerto Competition (1987) before winning the audition for Principal Cellist in Saskatoon in 1989.
Performing Morlock’s Exaudi
During her tenure she captivated SSO audiences with many solo concerto performances including Haydn D Major, Kabalevsky, Haydn C Major, Vivaldi and Piazzolla’s Four Seasons, and in 2018, Jocelyn Morlock’s remarkable ‘Exaudi’ with the Canadian Chamber Choir. In the wider community, Ms. Russell was a founding member of Prairie Virtuosi and the U of S Amati Quartet, she sat as first chair for the Saskatoon Opera and accompanied the Saskatoon Children’s Choir on many occasions. Across Canada, she performed as guest artist with the Calgary Philharmonic in Banff, as guest Principal Cello in Regina and in the Victoria and Vancouver Symphony sections. She was Solo cello for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet during performances in Saskatoon and Victoria and was hired for that same position on the Ballet’s tours across the U.S.
In addition to her orchestral performances, Ms. Russell teaches private lessons (in person and online), coaches string ensembles and has mentored advanced string students prior to competitions and exams.
Ms. Russell is also an accomplished luthier and bowmaker. She has provided stringed instrument and bow repair, restoration services, and appraisals to professional musicians and students province-wide and beyond. Her clients have included visiting guest artists and principal string players in professional orchestras. She has operated her own business, LJ Russell Violin and Bowmaker, since 1995. She will continue to teach and offer violin shop services.
Ms. Russell is the longest serving Principal Cellist in the SSO. To recognize her contribution to the orchestra, we are happy to bestow upon her the honorary title of Principal Cellist Emeritus. We thank Lahni for her years of service and wish her well.
It’s hard to believe that I’m enjoying my seventh season as Music Director of the SSO. I’ve had so many unforgettable experiences and memorable moments over the years. Not only has the organization as a whole been incredible (the musicians, Mark Turner and the whole staff, the Board) but the welcome and warmth Karen and I received from the audience, the city, and the community has been special. And that’s why it’s not easy to say that I’ve decided to move on from the SSO at the end of this season and hand over the musical reins of this wonderful orchestra
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as an organization over the years and how we’ve been an innovative force in the Canadian music scene. Some highlights have been the many Saskatchewan and Canadian musicians and music we’ve featured, our growing presence in the community, and simply daring to try new things and making them work. Part of this is creative momentum and I strongly believe new ideas and fresh perspectives are paramount to artistic growth. That’s why I’m very excited in passing the torch to new musical leaders and seeing how they contribute to the future of the SSO.
We’ve already been seeing fresh faces on the podium in the last year and I’m delighted to see many more this coming season. I’m making this announcement now to ensure a smooth transition and for everyone (orchestra, audience, and community) to experience what great things are in store for the orchestra moving forward. Thanks to all of the hard work from everyone involved, the SSO is in a prime position for an exciting future.
But I’m not done yet! I’m excited for the Brahms Requiem this month and then officially saying goodbye in May. I look forward to my last season and continuing to experience not only this great orchestra but the wonderful city of Saskatoon and its incredibly warm and inviting people.
Thank you Saskatoon and see you soon!
Eric Paetkau
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as an organization over the years and how we’ve been an innovative force in the Canadian music scene. Some highlights have been the many Saskatchewan and Canadian musicians and music we’ve featured, our growing presence in the community, and simply daring to try new things and making them work. Part of this is creative momentum and I strongly believe new ideas and fresh perspectives are paramount to artistic growth. That’s why I’m very excited in passing the torch to new musical leaders and seeing how they contribute to the future of the SSO.