Ottawa Symphony Orchestra
The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (OSO) is a full size
History
In 1944, Ottawa musicians formed an orchestra with
In 1965, the largely amateur Ottawa Civic Symphony was formed by former auxiliary Ottawa Philharmonic members, under the baton of Maurice Haycock. The Ottawa Civic Orchestra was renamed the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra in 1976. The annual concert series - four concerts in 1991 - was at first performed in Ottawa high schools. In the early 1970s, the OSO began performing in the large concert hall of the National Arts Centre. Previous conductors have included Thomas Mayer (late 1950s), Clifford Hunt (1965-6), Nicholas Goldschmidt (1966-7), James Coles (1969–75), Brian Law (1975–91), and David Currie (1992-2016). Since early 2016, the Orchestra has been led by Maestro Alain Trudel.
Description
The OSO's Mission Statement is "to enrich the life of the community through, and to foster public appreciation for and interest in, symphonic music." OSO activities such as its concert series, educational outreach activities, and its mentorship program help to support this mission statement.
Almost all of the musicians and audience of the OSO are drawn from Ottawa and the local municipalities. The OSO musicians consist of professional musicians (including performers from the National Arts Centre Orchestra), advanced university-level music students from the University of Ottawa, and highly skilled and experienced local amateur musicians.
Support for the OSO comes from the
The OSO has a different repertoire from the National Arts Centre Orchestra. The OSO is a larger orchestra than the NACO, which allows the OSO to perform works for large orchestra that would not be possible for the NACO. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, "The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra has co-existed gracefully with the NACO, playing in the same magnificent auditorium (the Opera of the NAC) and planning its program to complement the more complex fare of the full-time orchestra."[3]
The OSO has frequently collaborated with other Ottawa-area music ensembles, such as the now defunct Opera Lyra,[4] the Ottawa Youth Orchestra, the Ottawa Choral Society, the Central Youth Choir and the University of Ottawa Chorale. The University of Ottawa has had a longstanding relationship with the OSO, which includes the mentorship program (which allows advanced University of Ottawa music students to perform in the OSO).
The OSO has premiered music by Canadian composers such as Jan Jarvlepp, Jean Coulthard, Robert Fleming, Andrew Huggett and Colin Mack.
Music Director
Praised by La Presse for his “immense talent as conductor, musician and performer”,
Concertmaster
Principal Musicians
Strings
- Second violin - Sarah Williams: Sarah currently plays in the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (assistant concertmaster), and the University of Ottawa Orchestra (concertmaster).[7]
- Viola - Rennie Regehr: Professor of Viola at the University of Ottawa School of Music.
- Cello - Thaddeus Morden
- Double Bass- Samuel-San Vachon
Wind and Brass
- Clarinet - Shauna McDonald: holds a master's degree from DePaul University in Chicago
- Lewis and Clark College, Oregon.
- Oboe - Susan Morris: Holds a bachelor's degree in performance from the University of Ottawa, is an active freelance musician throughout the Ottawa area, and is director of the Summermusic music camp in Deep River ON.
- Bassoon - Ben Glossop: Holds a master's degree in Music Performance from McGill University in Montreal, is also Principal Bassoon of the Kingston Symphony, works regularly with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and is an active freelance musician and teacher based in Ottawa.
- Horn - Nigel Bell
- Trumpet - Travis Mandel: a native of Ottawa, who holds a master's degree in Music Performance from the University of Ottawa and teacher of trumpet
- Tenor Trombone - Angus Armstrong, native of Ottawa
- Bass Trombone - Potsdam, NY
- Canadian Forces.
- Paris Conservatoire.
- University of Montreal.
Educational programmes
The OSO has three educational programmes: a mentorship programme for young musicians, the Symphony for Schools concert series in local elementary schools and the Students at the Symphony programme of complimentary tickets for high school students.
Further reading
Gardner, David. Twenty-one Seasons of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra: A Celebration (Ottawa 1986)
See also
References
- ^ https://www.uottawa.ca/vr-etudes-academic/en/ee_39.html Information about the OSO and its connection to University of Ottawa, from the university
- ^ http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?id=2f5d4e59-2e4b-4a80-b766-f902d3e2c0c3&k=22955 Archived 2012-11-06 at the Wayback Machine Ottawa Citizen story about a performance of the OSO
- ^ The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ "Opera Lyra | Opera Lyra (OL) is one of the largest independent arts organizations in the National Capital Region". Archived from the original on 2016-07-28. Retrieved 2016-07-19.
- ^ "Alain Trudel: brillant retour au National Youth | Claude Gingras | Musique classique". Archived from the original on 2013-07-24.
- ^ "Bio — Mary-Elizabeth Brown". www.maryelizabethbrown.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13.
- ^ "Sarah Williams, violin | Cadenza Strings". Retrieved 2019-12-12.
- ^ "Andrew HARRIS". School of Music. Retrieved 2019-12-12.