Usher in the festivities of the holiday season with traditional works for organ and brass, with keyboardist Valerie Hall performing on the Holy Rosary Cathedral’s magnificent Cassavant organ. Max Richter recomposes Vivaldi’s iconic Four Seasons, a reworking which he intends as “an act of love towards this fantastic masterpiece.” RSO Concertmaster Christian Robinson dazzles in this virtuoso writing for solo violin.
Rubaboo
Since becoming the first Métis artist to perform with a symphony orchestra at her RSO debut in 2014, singer-songwriter Andrea Menard has shared her advocacy for reconciliation and unity on our ground-breaking Forward Currents Festival, and headlined at Symphony Under the Sky. She returns with guitarist and co-songwriter Robert Walsh to share her latest musical adventures with you. Rubaboo is the Métis word for stew, and is a delicious musical declaration of love, sovereignty, Métis culture, and as always…some jazz to mix into the flavours.
Classical Inspiration
The unforgettable melodies of Mozart weave together the first two works on this program. Jocelyn Morlock’s Zart is inspired by the sweet sounds of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute. Another woodwind then takes centre stage with Hyonsuk Kim, RSO Principal Clarinet, featured as soloist in one of the most famous clarinet concertos. The RSO celebrates the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with his energetic and noble Second Symphony.
Bold Horizons
Canadian composer Harry Stafylakis pushes boundaries in a work that reaches forward for new horizons while also hearkening to the past. Strauss’s lyrical and youthful Wind Serenade is a soothing interlude before the brilliance of Mozart’s “Linz” Symphony.
Prairie Pops Redux
An audience favourite since his sold-out orchestral debut with the RSO in 2011, Regina’s singer-songwriter-pianist Jeffery Straker returns to perform his original songs arranged for orchestra, including Birch Bark Canoe and The Wonderful Mrs. Bell. “Rufus Wainwright, as well as k.d. lang are among the Canadians making essential and beautiful music. Add the name Jeffery Straker to that list.” — Chicago Free Press
Symphony in the Spotlight
Canadian composer Kevin Lau’s evocative and dreamlike Prelude to Dawn is the pivot point between Haydn’s light and inventive Symphony No. 96, written at the height of his symphonic powers, and Shostakovich’s dramatic Chamber Symphony. Barshai’s arrangement for chamber orchestra of Shostakovich’s Third String Quartet combines playfulness with profundity.