SSO News – Page 13 – Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra

An Ode to Joy – Beethoven’s Symphony 9

Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125

Ludwig van Beethoven – Bonn, Germany / December 15, 1770; d. Vienna, Austria / March 26, 1827

The evolution of this towering piece, one of the supreme achievements of western art, spanned more than three decades. Beethoven read Friedrich Schiller’s poem Ode to Joy in 1793, and determined to set it to music one day. By 1822, he had two symphonic projects in mind. The first was a purely instrumental work; the second a “German Symphony,” with a finale to be sung in that language. Eventually, they merged in his mind, stimulated in part by a commission from the Philharmonic Society of London. It struck Beethoven that his English patrons would not be pleased with a symphony containing words in a foreign tongue, so he decided to write them a purely instrumental work instead. Later still, he came to feel that his conception, whose first three movements he completed by mid 1823, cried out for words to express its goals more clearly. It was only then that his long-delayed rendezvous with the Ode to Joy finally arrived.

Considering the reverence which he felt for Schiller’s poem, it is surprising that he set only half of it, and changed the sequence of those sections he did use. At the time, he still seems to have been considering using the symphony to fulfill his English commission. His final decisions were to trust the judgment of his patrons and leave Schiller’s words in their original German, and to have the premiere take place in Vienna, rather than in London.

The Ninth Symphony was heard for the first time on May 7, 1824, with Michael Umlauf conducting. The composer sat in the midst of the orchestra, score in hand, in order to indicate tempos. The performance, which had been allotted only two rehearsals, was at best a mediocre one, yet it still drew an enthusiastic response from the audience.

According to Fraulein Unger, the alto soloist, “The Master, though placed in the midst of this confluence of music, heard nothing of it at all, and was not even sensible to the applause of the audience at the end of his great work. He continued standing with his back to the audience and beating the time, until I turned him, to face the people, who were still clapping their hands and giving way to the greatest demonstrations of pleasure. His turning about, and the sudden conviction thereby forced on everyone that he had not done so before because he could not hear what was going on, acted like an electric shock on all present, and a volcanic explosion of sympathy and admiration followed.”

By setting particular words in the Ninth, Beethoven let it be known that he considered it more than an abstract work. This prompts speculation as to whether he had conceived every movement with specific extra musical ideas in mind. He left no direct indications; such considerations must rest with listeners. In general terms, however, the sequence of moods in its three opening sections is as easy to follow as the Finale’s.

The first movement begins quietly, yet it vibrates with the expectancy of drama. Throughout this movement’s dramatic course, interludes of repose crop up, but tension and turmoil stand squarely at center stage. The following scherzo raises this type of piece, formerly a simple jest or dance, to Olympian heights of drive and brilliance. Beethoven gave the timpani player one of the finest opportunities for display in all music. The prayer like third movement offers strong, devout contrast. It consists of variations on two gloriously warm-hearted themes.

After the finale’s turbulent introduction, Beethoven reviews, then rejects, material from the preceding movements. Cellos and basses quietly state the finale’s principal theme, a melody whose very lack of guile makes it completely appropriate to its function. It gathers momentum slowly, yet inexorably, until a reprise of the movement’s opening outburst sets the scene for the baritone soloist’s entry – and a whole new era in music.

Beethoven’s setting of the Ode to Joy contains a tremendous variety of incident. Its kaleidoscope of episodes include passages of almost frenzied choral celebration; a march like tenor solo spiked with Turkish percussion; a brilliant fugue for orchestra alone; and the simple, affecting piety of the central call to faith in God. Finally, orchestra and chorus rush headlong to the exultant conclusion.

Program Notes by D. Anderson

One of the great birthday gifts – Wagner’s Idyll

On July 7, 1864, the most infamous ménage á trois in music history took place in the Villa Pelle on Lake Starnberg. It resulted in a divorce, a child, a marriage, lots of rumors, and a mythical piece of music.

Cosima Liszt, daughter of the famed Franz Liszt, was married to Hans von Bülow, one of the most famous conductors and pianists of the day, and a close friend of Wagner’s. The triangle between Hans, Cosima, and Wagner at the Lake Starnberg Villa supposedly inspired a “Starnberg” quartet from him, of which only the theme survived. However, it is now thought that even the “Starnberg” theme originated four months later, while Wagner was alone in Munich.

A definite product of Lake Starnberg was Wagner and Cosima’s child, Isolde. Because Wagner feared that an illegitimate child would anger his patrons, causing him to lose financial support, he didn’t claim Isolde as his own, and acted only as her godfather. Five years and two more illegitimate children later, Richard and Cosima were finally married, on August 25, 1870. Von Bülow never remarried.

During this time Wagner was at work on Siegfried, the third part of his imposing Ring tetralogy. He used the “Starnberg” theme to set the love duet between Siegfried and Brunnhilde, no doubt a reference to Wagner’s own love for Cosima. On June 6, 1869, a son was born to him and Cosima. “[Cosima] has borne to me a wonderfully beautiful and vigorous boy whom I could boldly call ‘Siegfried’; he is now growing, together with my work . . .”

In Siegfried Idyll, Wagner wove together a set of musical references to his love for Cosima and their newborn son Siegfried. The “Starnberg” theme is not only a reference to his and Cosima’s love, but also to Siegfried and Brunnhilde’s in Act III of Siegfried. Wagner’s love for his son is expressed in the Idyll via “Sleep, Children, Sleep”, a German cradlesong. The Idyll is a labor of love, a sumptuous piece of music that expressed Wagner’s paternal and romantic love in a tender and unforgettable way.

Originally entitled Tribschen Idyll, the Siegfried Idyll was composed in Tribschen in 1870 as a birthday present for Cosima. Rehearsals took place with the utmost of privacy; the trumpeter is said to have rowed to the middle of the lake in order to practice without giving the secret away. The work was performed on Christmas morning, on the stairs outside the bedroom. Cosima recorded the performance in her diary: “As I awoke, my ear caught a sound, which swelled fuller and fuller; no longer could I imagine myself to be dreaming, music was sounding, and such music! When it died away, Richard came into my room . . . and offered me the score of the symphonic birthday poem.”

Hearing the impact of Share in the Future

Some one recently said to me that the SSO is “punching above its weight class”. It has been a wonderful season and the last few events have not only been incredible concerts but show exactly how important Share in the Future was.

For many Share in the Future was the tangible reality of being debt free – for the SSO, truly Share in the Future was about so much more than that.

This season has allowed the SSO to boldly make some big artistic statements. Making music that speaks loudly to the wider audience. Creating meaningful concerts that are more than just a concert.

At the beginning of this month we launched a brand new experimental concert series called After Dark. With only a few days notice, music lovers came out of the wood work and we sold out both performances – our Core musicians played some incredible new music, and we transformed our dull old rehearsal studio on 20th Street into a hopping night club, complete with musician led pub trivia.

On Valentines Day we brought back the Chamber Orchestra for the first time in years. The smaller version of a full sized orchestra allows the SSO to program highly detailed and expressive Baroque repertoire that Saskatoon and this entire region is dying to hear. Many would consider it a success because we had a big crowd, who clearly loved what they were hearing, on the Sunday of a long weekend. But for me, the bench mark of success was hearing our SSO musicians perform beautiful Baroque music as it was supposed to be played. It felt light and buoyant, it danced. Exactly like Baroque music should. Our SSO Chorus added an extra level of artistry to the whole experience. It will not soon be forgotten by those who were there!

And I am, and likely you are too, still speechless and still in a state of awe from the experience that was Tanya Tagaq’s ground breaking performance with the SSO. Whether you were moved, or scared, or inspired, I am certain that the performance made you feel something very deeply. Nothing else needs to be said.

Next weekend will be the same level of emotional intensity with Jan Lisiecki – I might even go as far as to say that it has been decades since the SSO played with an artist of this depth and caliber. I’ve heard him play Beethoven Concerto 4 three times, and I am certain that this will be one of those nights that people talk about for years to come as a highlight of music making in Saskatoon. Besides that we get to take him to perform in La Ronge, a once in a lifetime event!

Share in the Future did this. Having a conductor who calls Saskatoon home and who believes in the artistry of his musicians and sets the bar high, that is because of Share in the Future. Share in the Future allows the staff to work towards new programming and new outreach opportunities for next season. It allows Eric and I to take a step back from programming and look years ahead to musical ideas that we want to bring to life for our audience. It has allowed the SSO as an organization to begin to talk about what turning 100 will look like.

Share in the Future allowed all of you to feel part of the big picture too. It wasn’t just the SSO that achieved this amazing thing, it was people who care about their orchestra. And that speaks volumes.

I’m a pretty big music geek, and a few years ago I was thinking that I might have to move because Saskatchewan, wasn’t offering me the musical experiences I needed to feel that I was enjoying living here. Now I am proud to tell people across this country that what we Saskatoon is in a renaissance – we are the lucky few who are seeing an orchestra rise from the ashes to not only make great music but tackle social dialogues, build new musical partnerships, reach out to perform for people who wouldn’t have the chance to see anything like this if it weren’t for the SSO.

We needed Share in the Future, and its transformation, but it should be just the beginning. $100 is really easy to give, even when times are tough. And each of those $100 allowed us to take major leaps forward. Its now time for the SSO to have an annual spring giving campaign because both Eric and I have some big plans.

We see a future where we get to have more concerts so that our audience can enjoy more and our musicians get more work. Where we get our musicians performing more for students and seniors and the people in our society who most need music. A future where our musicians truly get to make some great musical moments on stage alongside real artists who aren’t just good at playing their instrument, but who really have something to say. Where the SSO connects visiting musicians with the public and students to learn more and expand our musical horizons. We want to create unique musical opportunities that connect us with other art forms and build partnerships that not only enrich what we do but enhances our music community.

This is what a community can do. It can create one heck of a good orchestra. And it can have a lot of fun doing it. Let’s see what weight class we’ll be punching in next year…want to help?

See you at the symphony,
Mark Turner
Executive Director

Bach’s Orchestral Suites

For a long time, most of Johann Sebastian Bach’s chamber and ensemble music was assigned to the years 1717 to 1723, when he served as Kapellmeister at the princely court of Cöthen. However, more recent studies based on original sources and style criticism have led to a thorough revision of the traditional chronology affecting this part of his output, including the four Orchestral Suites BWV1066–1069. It now seems that only the smaller part of the instrumental ensemble music (or at least the part which survives) belongs to the Cöthen period, while the greater part was composed at Leipzig — principally for the Collegium Musicum, a concert society consisting of active professional and amateur musicians as well as passive members.
Throughout the 17th century, students primarily from the University of Leipzig had formed private societies that played an increasingly important role in public musical life — they were often led by the city’s most prominent professionals, such as Adam Krieger, Johann Rosenmüller, Sebastian Knüpfer, and Johann Kuhnau. In 1701, the young and energetic law student and first organist of the recently rebuilt New Church, Georg Philipp Telemann, founded a new Collegium that he led for four years and that attracted the most capable musicians from within and outside the city. Bach was associated with this organization throughout his Leipzig years, and he served as its music director from 1729 until the early 1740s.
There is no question that the Collegium directorship amounted to a major commitment. Bach was now responsible, in addition to his regular church music obligations, for preparing and carrying out a weekly series of performances throughout the year. The schedule of these ‘ordinaire Concerten’ was made even more demanding by the additional commitments of the thrice-yearly trade fairs, when the Collegium performed twice weekly. Programmes were printed only for very special occasions such as the reception of members of the Electoral Saxon and Royal Polish Court
in Dresden. However, vocal and instrumental pieces by a great variety of composers must have been included in the weekly concert series; it is impossible to reconstruct, even in the broadest outlines, any of the more than 500 two-hour programmes for which Bach was responsible.
Pertinent performing materials from the 1730s are extremely sparse. Nevertheless, among the traceable compositions are four overtures by Bach’s cousin, Johann Bernhard Bach of Eisenach, the cantata Armida abbandonata by Handel, four Italian solo cantatas by Porpora and Scarlatti, and a Concerto Grosso in F minor by Locatelli. Additionally, “Mr. Bach de Leipzig” is found among the subscribers to Telemann’s Nouveaux Quatuors, published in Paris in 1738, which suggests that he wanted these pieces for his Collegium series. Although these few works and composers cannot be considered representative at all, they confirm that the repertoire was both instrumental and vocal, and that the most modern kind of music — such as the Porpora cantatas and the Telemann flute
quartets — played a role. This is definitely also the primary context for most of Bach’s extant instrumental chamber music. The concertos for one, two, three, and four harpsichords and strings, for example, were among his major contributions to a new kind of instrumental music.
The four Orchestral Suites belong here, too. Their sources definitely point to Leipzig, even though it remains unclear whether they were specifically written for the Collegium Musicum or perhaps for Bach’s activities outside of Leipzig. One needs to keep in mind that the Thomaskantor maintained the position of titular court Kapellmeister after leaving Cöthen until the death of Prince Leopold in 1728, and that he immediately accepted another titular Kapellmeister appointment at the ducal court of Saxe-Weißenfels in 1729, followed in 1736 by the appointment as Electoral-Royal court composer in Dresden.
Moreover, a recently analysed inventory of the old St Thomas School library indicates that at least some of the Orchestral Suites and the Brandenburg Concertos were used for student
performances. This happens to be corroborated by some extant early copies of scores and performing parts that point to their use even during the decade after Bach’s death. There is new general evidence that instrumental music played a much larger role in the life of the St Thomas School students than heretofore assumed. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries the school produced a significant number of professional musicians so that it earned the reputation of a true conservatory of music.
The use at the School does not mean, however, that any of Bach’s instrumental ensemble works were composed for this purpose, it only suggests their broader function. The principal sources of the Orchestral Suites indicate that the first and forth originated from around 1725 whereas the third Suite can be dated to 1731. No.2, with its hybrid mixture of concerto elements and suite form and the extraordinary virtuosity of its flute writing, dates from 1738–39 and hence counts as Bach’s very last orchestral work.
In terms of format, the Orchestral Suites differ significantly from the keyboard suites in that they do not adhere to any kind of pattern in their organization of movements. However, they all have in common an ouverture that serves as an opening movement — a tradition going back to the ballet suites in 17th-century French opera. Apart from this, no suite resembles any other and taken together they offer the broadest possible spectrum of traditional dance types and modern gallantry movements: Courante, Gavotte, Forlane, Minuet, Bourrée, Passepied, Rondeau, Polonaise, Badinerie, Air, Gigue, and Réjouissance — presenting a much more innovative mixture than can be found in the keyboard suites. In quite a few movements Bach also takes an adventurous approach. Characteristic examples in this respect are on the one hand in No.3 the tantalizing and lilting melody of the ‘Air on the G string’ that put Bach right next to the very best tunesmiths in the business, and on the other the daring venture of strict canonic treatment of the outer voices in the Sarabande of the B minor Suite.
Another differentiating element consists in the orchestral scoring of the works. Nos. 3 and 4 resemble each other the most because both of them make use of three trumpets and timpani, two and three oboes, respectively, and a standard string ensemble. Suites nos.1 and 2, however, feature two completely different orchestral sounds: oboes, bassoons, and strings versus solo flute and strings.
Above all, the four Orchestral Suites serve as a vivid reminder of the general importance of Bach’s art of dance composition that Forkel so rightly emphasized in his 1802 biography. This art transcends the genre proper as it indeed affects all facets of instrumental and vocal music, notably the arias and their expanded expressive range. By composing dances Bach significantly refined his musical language, not so much in the basic realm of vocabulary, syntax, and grammar but notably in the area of articulation and expression. Nowhere else but in his suites of dances do we encounter a more systematic, sophisticated, and far ranging exploration of the subtleties of musical articulation and along with it the fine tuning of musical expression.

Cameco and SSO bring Jan Lisiecki to La Ronge

For many in Saskatchewan’s north, this will be the first time they’ve heard a classical pianist of this calibre.

On Thursday March 3, internationally acclaimed concert pianist Jan Lisiecki will bring his talents to Senator Myles Venne School in La Ronge. Lisiecki will perform and talk with students during the day and in the evening he will give a free public performance at Churchill Community School.

Lisiecki is no stranger to Saskatoon crowds – his three recitals here have all been sellouts. Last year while finalizing his SSO appearance, Jan requested an opportunity to visit a community in northern Saskatchewan and the La Ronge project was set in motion.

That’s when Cameco stepped in to help make Lisiecki’s request a reality. “Nothing like this has ever been done before,” says SSO executive director Mark Turner. “Thanks to Cameco, we’re bringing a world class artist from the stages of Carnegie Hall right to La Ronge.”

For Cameco, it’s about giving northern youth a chance to dream. “No matter what the youth are interested in, they may look at Jan and say, ‘There’s a role model to be like,’” explains Jonathan Huntington, Cameco’s director of corporate relations.

On March 4, 1:30 p.m. Lisiecki will return to Saskatoon to play and speak in Quance Theatre at the University of Saskatchewan. That event—celebrating the SSO’s continuing strong relationship with the U of S Department of Music—is free and open to the public.

At the age of 20 years old, Jan Lisiecki has made a major impact in the music industry. His recent Carnegie Hall debut garnered him a very loud standing ovation and triumphant reviews. He is known for his poetic and refined sound at the instrument – his sense of tone and style are paramount to his success. Jan records exclusively for the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon record label. His recent release features the Schumann piano concerto.

His Saskatchewan visit will wrap with a concert March 5 with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra at TCU Place in a performance of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto.

For more information about Jan Lisiecki visit www.janlisiecki.com

Connect on social media:

@camecocommunity / @ssoyxe / @janlisiecki

jan-lisiecki-poster-La Ronge-01

A hometown pianist worth championing

Samuel Deason has made a habit of impressing Saskatoon audiences. Since his days of capturing the attention of adjudicators and judges as a teen who made playing monstrously difficult music look easy, to his annual performance in his hometown each summer that has garnered him a devoted following, Samuel has made people sit up and listen.

The young pianist has an incredible pedigree having studied with the likes of Marc Durand and Menahem Pressler and getting his start right here at home with Bonnie Nicholson, and has a string of competition titles under his belt. He’s a seasoned performer, and next spring embarks on a solo tour of Saskatchewan.

Not every pianist is a good fit in the idiom of the concerto – it requires a special talent. For a piano to sing out over the full body texture of an orchestra the pianist must find such intense clarity in tone, rhythm, and refinement of the piece. A unique position of being both soloist and ensemble at once. It takes endless precision and commitment to finding something new to say…something that is their own. These are the skills that seem to come effortlessly to Deason.

Samuel made his SSO debut after winning the Saskatchewan Concerto Competition…and people are still talking about his Khachaturian more than a year later. It was clear as he took his last bow on that debut performance that he was a perfect fit to open our 85th season. A powerful sound at the instrument driven by his physically economic style – as one recent reviewer noted “No ounce of energy is wasted, and the powerful weighted sound easily pours out of Deason’s stature…The body stays distant from the keyboard, and the arms move little despite the wide leaps and difficult dissonant rhythmic passages he is undertaking.”

The Shostakovich Piano Concerto 2 is one of the true triumphs of the genre’s 20th century sound – the composer wrote it for his son as a vehicle to not only make music but show off. Samuel will make the Shostakovich look like child’s play. The concerto sparkles and bounces and avoids getting too serious with itself, yet the second movement’s simple melody is a heart breaker.

We are certain that Samuel’s performance will have you instantly out of your seat – and we’re certain it won’t be the last time he brings the SSO audience to their feet.

See Deason’s return to the SSO – click here

Volunteer with the SSO!

Looking to share your volunteer time with Saskatoon’s orchestra? There are many ways to support the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra!

VOLUNTEER BENEFITS

Not only is volunteering beneficial to the SSO, it’s beneficial to volunteers! Volunteer benefits include:

Complimentary tickets to SSO concerts.
Invitations to Volunteer Appreciation Events.
Invitations to other special events.

All volunteers are required to:

Complete an application form.
Be over 18 years of age.
Attend a personal interview.
Read, understand, sign a form for, and adhere to the SSO’s confidentiality policy.
Possess excellent communication skills.
Have a professional demeanor and appearance as dictated by the volunteer role and activity.
Have a positive attitude.
Act as an ambassador of the SSO.
Have their own transportation to and from volunteer activities.
Have a willingness to perform a variety of tasks.
Be available to volunteer for at least two activities during a season.
Be punctual.

Opportunities for volunteers are provided without regard to religion, creed, race, national origin, age, sex, disability or sexual orientation. Please read the volunteer role descriptions and then complete the form.

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER!

Volunteer Roles

Concert/Event Greeters – one or more positions per event
- Stationed at the Information Desk set up just inside the venue, greeters will welcome guests and help them pre- and post-event and during intermission.
- Interact with patrons in a warm, welcoming way as they arrive at the event or approach the Information Desk.
- Arrive at the venue 65 minutes prior to the start of the concert and check in at the Information Desk with the supervisor.
- Assist patrons as needed, particularly directing them to the various facilities or stations set up at the venue.
- Handout special materials for the SSO, and be familiar with the information contained therein. (Saskatoon Youth Orchestra members and parents are ushers at TCU Place events and hand out the concert programs.)
- Concert/Event Greeters are expected to adhere to the list of requirements for all volunteers.

Information Desk Supervisor – one position per concert
- Lead activities pre- and post-concert and during intermission at the information table set up at the entrance to concerts.
- Perform the same duties as and supervise the activities of the Concert Greeters.
- Be knowledgeable of the types of questions expected from and answers to give to patrons and advise Concert Greeters of that information.
- Monitor the need for materials to be handed out.
- Liase with SSO and TCU Place (or other venue) staff as needed.
- Arrive at the venue 75 minutes prior to the start of the concert to set-up the information table.
- In addition to the requirements of all volunteers, Information Desk Supervisors are expected to have the interest and ability to monitor/supervise other volunteers.

Boutique Assistants – one or more positions per event
- Stationed at the Boutique tables, help to sell SSO items and tickets/subscriptions pre- and post-concert and during intermission.
- Interact with patrons in a warm, welcoming way as they shop the Boutique.
- Arrive at the venue 75 minutes prior to the start of the concert and check in at the Boutique table with the supervisor.
- Assist patrons with their shopping and purchases.
- Have experience handling money. Experience with cash registers, POS machines a plus.
- Boutique Assistants are expected to adhere to the list of requirements for all volunteers.

Boutique Supervisor – one position per event
- Lead activities pre- and post-concert and during intermission at the boutique table.
- Supervise the activities of Boutique Assistants.
- Help to sell boutique items, visiting vendors’ items as needed, and/or SSO event tickets and subscriptions.
- Have experience handling money.
- Have experience processing transactions on a cash register, POS machine, and/or online payment system.
- Have retail sales experience and great customer service.
- Liase with SSO, TCU Place (or other venue), and visiting vendors’ staff as needed.
- Arrive at the venue 90 minutes prior to the start of the concert to help set-up the Boutique tables.
- In addition to the requirements of all volunteers, Boutique Supervisors are expected to have the interest and ability to monitor/supervise other volunteers.

Fundraising Assistants – one or more per concert or event
- Stationed at/near the Boutique tables, help to sell SSO take and answer questions about donations pre- and post-concert and during intermission.
- Arrive at the venue 65 minutes prior to the start of the concert and check in at the Boutique table with the supervisor.Interact with patrons in a warm, welcoming way.
- Assist patrons with their donations including completing paper and online forms.
- Have experience handling money. Experience with POS machines and completing online forms a plus.
- Fundraising Assistants are expected to adhere to the list of requirements for all volunteers.

Special Event Assistants – one or more per event
- Duties will vary by event, but could include greeting/registering guests, serving food or beverages, selling tickets or other items, taking donations, etc.
- Interact with guests in a warm, welcoming way.
- Arrive at the venue prior to the event as requested and check in with SSO staff.
- Assist guests as needed, particularly directing them to the various facilities or stations set up at the venue.
- Have a willingness to help solve problems quickly and maintain a professional demeanor during event emergencies.
- Understand the role of volunteering as event helper and not patron/guest/attendee.
- Special events volunteers are expected to adhere to the list of requirements for all volunteers as well as any additional requirements of the event at which they are volunteering.

Poster distribution/hanging – multiple volunteers needed throughout the season
- Pick up a stack of posters from the SSO office and distribute them in areas of Saskatoon as mutually agreed upon with the SSO office staff.
- Volunteers will be provided with a packet of supplies for hanging posters. This must be returned with any leftover posters within 48 hours of receipt from the SSO office.
- In addition to the requirements of all volunteers, poster distribution/hanging volunteers are expected to
  - have their own transportation to access the SSO office and the location of poster distribution.
  - be knowledgeable of the area of town in which they will be distributing posters.
  - have attention to detail.
  - communicate well with supervisors/owners of businesses where posters will be distributed.
  - make sure that posters are well-placed and visible.

Office Assistants
- From time to time, the SSO needs extra assistance performing light clerical activities in the office. There are no set times, but schedules will be arranged with those expressing interest in volunteering in this way.
- Activities could include:
  - updating electronic and paper files
  - database entry
  - mailings (sorting, stuffing, and stamping)
  - photocopying
  - answering phones
  - assisting with donations to the Book and Music Sale
  - assisting patrons visiting the office as needed
- Office Assistants are expected to adhere to the list of requirements for all volunteers.

Special Projects/committees
- Some special events or projects require additional planning and committee work.
- Serving on such a committee may involve working with SSO staff, members of the Board of Directors, SSO musicians, members of the public, or others.
- Volunteers for special projects will be invited to participate based on their indication of interest in the area of the project and their availability.
- Volunteering for a special project or committee will require a longer commitment than volunteer shift work.
- Special Project/Committee volunteers are expected to adhere to the list of requirements for all volunteers as well as any additional responsibilities required of the project.

Book and Music Sale
- Volunteer positions and assignments are made by the Book and Music Sale leadership.

- Visit http://sale.wgpotter.com/bms_contact.html#volunteer for more information.

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

Only 2 weeks left for Share in the Future

Last December our colleagues at Orchestra London closed up shop. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, with what appeared to be very little warning, they canceled concerts, and musicians were left with an uncertain future. The city of London, Ont, is now putting the process in place to figure out if there is any way to bring the organization back from the dead.

Why did it all happen so fast? From what I understand, they hit a point where they couldn’t make payroll as they came to the end of their cash flow deficit. A familiar story in the orchestra world.

A friend of mine who lives in London said to me “I was just at their last concert…it was packed. How could this happen?”

The business of orchestras is very complex; the business model relies entirely on volatile variables: ticket sales, funding, and patron and corporate support.

Ticket Sales – While many people think concert tickets can be expensive, the fact is that the ticket price covers only 1/3 of what it costs to put you in that seat for the night. To properly sustain the operations of the SSO we would have to move to a model where our “cheap seats” were $65….for students. Grand circle seats would be well over $200 a night. It’s important to remember that when you come to a concert you are covering not only the performers on stage, but also the staff behind the scenes, the tech crew, the folks at the door, the program you’re reading, and quite literally renting that seat you’re sitting in for the night.

We keep our prices accessible, because after all we’re here to engage a community in a creative dialogue – we want to keep our prices affordable for all. We want a vibrant audience who represents all facets of our city, no matter socio-economic background, age, or place in life. To move to a for-profit model where ticket sales created profit would go against the bigger picture.

Funding – now this is where it gets bleak. Earlier this year, the Canada Council for the Arts announced that it would be “simplifying” over the next three years. What does that mean exactly? Your guess is as good as mine. It likely means that we are in for major cuts to the arts. Hopefully what it means is that the money allocated to the Canada Council will end up being spent more directly in the arts community, creating more opportunities for the arts to have an impact. But I’m not holding my breath.

Also important to understand is that the SSO receives a great deal less funding than other orchestras our size in Canada – our funding from provincial and civic levels are half of what the Regina Symphony receives respectively.

Based on the recent work of the SSO, the new strategic plan and direction, the successful programming, and the truly remarkable renaissance that we’re experiencing I hope that our funding opportunities improve. But it’s going to take more than just me waving my arms to fix this situation.

Support – for the last many years I wasn’t giving to the SSO either. I would buy my tickets but I was not giving. I, like you, was worried that my support was going to a black hole of long term financial troubles.

This was a systemic problem that the SSO had – it dates back decades, and I know that the organization has had to cry wolf many times.

But, we’ve almost fixed it. No crying wolf after this…after this, there won’t be a need to.

Our ticket sales for the Masters series this year are up 33% over last year…and if the last few weeks are indicative of results, subscription sales are about to leap. We have exceptionally strong board leadership – a board that is not only passionate about the arts, but truly passionate about fixing the financial model for the organization.

People have told me for over a year that I just shouldn’t talk about deficit, but guess what folks, without facing these issues head on we can’t fix them. Our quiet Tuesday will come, and we could be exactly where Orchestra London is now.

Personally, I refuse to let this thing die when everything else is going so well.

People are loving our concerts…so much so they’re showing up in massive numbers. At countless different performances this year I’ve had people tell me that “this was the best SSO concert I’ve ever been to” – the orchestra is playing well, and people are taking notice. Each and every day a new opportunity for expansion comes up…a new conductor, new educational programs, new partnerships, new ideas for old partnerships, growth opportunities literally walk through the door each day.

Share in the Future moves the orchestra, the entire organization, past 20+ years of deficit. It’s some kind of magically time machine that catches us up to the speed of what we’re doing. Your gift then instantly matched by the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation – not only is it incredibly generous but it’s pretty visionary.

You give. The gift is matched. You get your tax receipt, and we’ll give you a free concert in November so that we can properly say thank you. And your name is added to the list of 2000 that stand and say that for them an orchestra is an essential part of their city.

I’m telling you, begging you, to not let this opportunity slip through our fingers. To my knowledge, magical time machines like this don’t come along very often. And frankly if we miss this chance, I’m not sure I’d want to live in a city that didn’t seize this moment and make it clear that music matters.

Please click here to give.

Hopefully see you at the symphony,

Mark Turner
Executive Director

And the winner is…

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