The Stratford Symphony Orchestra's sixth and final concert of Season Eight on Saturday, May 11, will feature epic works by Robert Schumann and Antonin Dvořák, conducted by Evan Mitchell.

This glorious season finale showcases the orchestra front and centre while taking an extraordinary trip through the late symphonies of two masters of the art, Schumann and Dvořák. Schumann's "Rhenish" symphony is the last symphony he composed (his fourth symphony was actually his second, but it was published last.) In the traditionally heroic key of Eb major, the Rhenish symphony contains some of Schumann's most powerful and mature writing for orchestra, even managing to shoehorn a fifth movement into the symphonic form, usually structured for four.

-- Evan Mitchell

Evan Mitchell was named Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in August 2011, after completing his residency as the Assistant Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony. He led the Vancouver Symphony in more than 100 concerts over a three-year period, and served as consultant to the Vancouver Olympic Committee and assistant producer for the recording of the medal ceremony national anthems. He has taught extensively with student musicians of all ages and is an award-winning percussionist both home and abroad.

Mr. Mitchell continues a more than seven-year partnership with the National Academy Orchestra, Canada's largest orchestral music festival, where he holds the title of Associate Mentor to the orchestral conducting and percussive apprentices.

The winner of the 2013 SSO Emerging Artists Concerto Competition is a third-year music student at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Edward Cho, who won the SSO competition with his cello, is also an award-winning pianist. At one time a dean's list mechatronics (mechanical, electrical, control and computer) engineering student at UW, Mr. Cho opted out to pursue music. In addition to winning the SSO competition, Mr. Cho has also won Laurier's Ken Murray Concerto Competition on piano.

He will be featured cello soloist with the SSO in its April 12, 2014, concert, playing Franz Joseph Haydn's Cello Concert in C major. The concert will be conducted by Paul Pulford, who is Mr. Cho's cello teacher at Laurier. Also featured in the SSO's Season Nine will be violist Keith Hamm, 2011 SSO concerto competition winner. He will perform Carl Maria von Weber's Andante and Hungarian Rondo, Op. 35 for viola and orchestra in the SSO's March 1, 2014, concert.

The SSO's 2013 competition, held March 9, was open to performers on standard orchestral instruments and to singers 15 to 24 years of age.

As we approach the end of our successful Season Eight and look forward to Season Nine, it's a good time to reflect on where we are at as an organization and what we have accomplished in a relatively short period of time. Less than 18 months ago we were struggling under a mountain of debt and the prospects for the future of our orchestra looked dim. Today, the debt has been substantially reduced and our financial picture is much healthier. This progress is a credit to our hardworking Board, our excellent team of volunteers and the generosity of corporate and personal donors. We couldn't have done it without all of you.

 

Earlier this year, a Trillium grant from the Ontario government enabled us to hire Sharon McDonald as SSO office manager. Already her organizational skills and enthusiasm are paying dividends. Several new Board members have joined us and are making strong contributions. As well, having Bert Carriere join us as Music Director and Barbara Young as Associate Music Director has been a big boost to the SSO.

 

We have come a long way, and I cannot thank everyone enough for all their efforts and contributions. At the same time we will continue to strengthen our financial foundation and expand our base of supporters. We have a terrific program planned for Season Nine, one that responds in many ways to observations and suggestions we have received from our valued concertgoers.

 

We hope to see you often in the new season. Stratford is fortunate to have its own symphony and the symphony is fortunate to have your support. Thank you.

Nigel Howard, President

Stratford Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors