Earlier today (January 30), Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett proclaimed this week (January 30th to February 5th) as Symphony Week in Peterborough.
Mayor Bennett’s proclamation at Peterborough City Hall recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO). With a reputation as one of Canada’s finest community-based orchestras, the PSO has been a cultural cornerstone in Peterborough since it was founded in 1967.
Several special events are planned to celebrate Symphony Week in Peterborough, culminating with “Northern Voyage”, the PSO’s 50th anniversary gala concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 4th at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
VIDEO: Proclamation of Symphony Week in Peterborough
Northern Voyage, presented by Terry Windrem in partnership with The Canadian Canoe Museum (which is celebrating its 20th anniversary), will take audience members on a tour around the Arctic Circle via the music of Grieg, Svendsen, Sibelius and Borodin.
The concert will be hosted by James Raffan — adventurer, author, and Director of External Relations at The Canadian Canoe Museum, James Raffan. Raffan will narrate the concert with inspiration from his travels and bestselling book Circling the Midnight Sun.
The gala concert also includes the debut of Christine Donkin’s new music “Canoe Legends”.
Donkin was commissioned by the PSO and The Canadian Canoe Museum to compose a new work in honour of the organizations’ 2016/17 partnership and their respective 50th and 20th anniversaries. “Canoe Legends”, which will features the wordless water song of local Indigenous vocal ensemble Unity, explores water and the canoe and draw inspiration from the Indigenous legend of The White Stone Canoe and the voyageurs legend of The Flying Canoe (La chasse-galerie).
Also joining the PSO for the Northern Voyage concert is internationally renowned American classical violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn. Pitcairn will perform the Sibelius Violin Concerto on her legendary 1720 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius, a violin with a mysterious past that inspired the Academy Award-winning 1998 film The Red Violin by Canadian director Francois Girard.
The gala concert is almost sold out, so don’t delay getting tickets. Tickets are $50 and are available online at www.showplace.org, by phone at 705-742-7469, or in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N, Peterborough).
Ticket holders are also invited to attend “Meet the Maestro”, a free pre-concert chat with PSO Music Director and Conductor Michael Newnham, in the Showplace theatre at 6:40 p.m. Following the concert, there will be a special 50th anniversary reception for audience members, musicians, and guest artists in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace.
Other special events planned during Symphony Week in Peterborough include:
- The 2017 Intermediate Band Festival on Thursday, February 2nd at Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute in Peterborough, where 200 intermediate music students from nine area schools will gather for instrument-specific master classes led by PSO musicians. Students will then rehearse as a massed band with Maestro Newnham. The day will culminate with performances by each individual school band and a special massed band performance directed by Maestro Newnham, in front of the students’ peers and teachers.
- As part of its education initiative, the PSO has organized workshops for students and young musicians with Canadian composer Christine Donkin on Thursday, February 2nd in Apsley and on Saturday, February 4th in Peterborough.
- On Thursday, February 2nd, the PSO’s Board of Directors is hosting a small, private event at Showplace featuring violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn and her 1720 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius.
Note: the above three events are not open to the general public.
