Saskatchewan Orchestral Association, Inc. NEWSLETTER

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1 SOA June 2012 Newsletter Inside this issue President s Message 1 Saskatchewan Orchestral Association, Inc. NEWSLETTER President s Message June 2012 By Curtis Scheschuk Summer Workshop Information Suzuki Summer String Experience South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra Tisdale and District Strings Regina Mandolin Orchestra Friendly Folk 8 SOA Info & 6 7 With the seasons changing, I trust that all our member groups are busier than ever. With our many member groups nearing the end of their season, I can assure you that there will be many opportunities in the coming months to support your local community groups and their projects. Your Board of s has also been hard at work to help to define the Saskatchewan Music Alliance (SMA). The SMA is made up of the five music Provincial Cultural Organizations (PCO s) with the goal being to provide more long term programs and opportunities for our community to learn through music. It has been many years of hard work to define the SMA. The SMA is in the process of finalizing the content for the 2012 Dream Brokers Summer Music Camp. We believe that music must be shared and gifted to our future generations. The 2012 Dream Brokers Camp will provide musical and instructional opportunities that are not possible and or available in normal school settings. We see the 2012 Dream Brokers Summer Music Camp as an opportunity to encourage youth to take an interest in music which will in turn develop a long term appreciation for and a desire to participate in our member groups. SOA acknowledges the generous support of: The SOA welcomes new members to the Board of s: Ramses Calderon Doug Hilderman Ken McCaw We are happy to have you working with us!

2 SOA June 2012 Newsletter SOA International Conducting Workshop The 2012 Saskatchewan Orchestral Association International Conducting Workshop with Wayne Toews will be held July 21 to 28 in Saskatoon. Saskatchewan musicians are invited to apply for a substantial bursary. Requests should be sent to admin@conductorschool.com. Participants in the workshop will conduct duo pianists and a string orchestra. See the website at for more detail Saskatoon Summer String Workshop The Saskatoon Summer String Workshop (previously entitled Saskatoon Chamber Workshop) is for intermediate to advanced, young string players, grades 7-12 with experience on violin, viola, cello and double bass. Working with professionals throughout the week, the focus is on large and small ensemble playing. We also offer master classes, private lessons and much more! The workshop will take place July 22-27, 2012 at the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Music. Workshop fees are: On or before June 25, 2012: $195 - early bird registration and After June 25, 2012: $220 - regular registration. For more information contact Marie Sellar or Troy Linsley at marieandtroy@sasktel.net or phone Regina Summer Strings 2012 Regina Summer Strings 2012 will be held Monday July 2 to Friday July 6 at Westminster Church, in the heart of the Cathedral Village. This summer day music camp is programmed for about 50 young string musicians ranging in age from 8 to 20. Junior level musicians will have experienced music note reading. The program offers the young artists the opportunity to work with professional musicians from across North America to enhance their performance skills through individual, ensemble, and orchestral instruction. For more information about Regina Summer Strings, please contact us at: info@reginasummerstrings.ca, call (306) or visit the website at SOA Prairie Harvest CD Prairie Harvest, the SOA s CD project, features twelve ensembles consisting of 330 performers from Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon, Swift Current and Tisdale. Copies of the CD are available from participating groups and the SOA office for $10.00.

3 SOA June 2012 Newsletter 3 Earlybird Registration deadline extended to Friday, June 15!

4 South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra Update Submitted by Sara Cryderman SOA June 2012 Newsletter 4 The musicians of the SSYO are enjoying another busy season. On February 11 th they performed as guests of the Youth Ballet Company of Saskatchewan at their Limelight Gala, held at the Conexus Arts Centre. The Orchestra provided live music for Rodeo by Aaron Copeland, and played Massenet's Le Cid Ballet Suite while the dancers presented Living Room. On March 10 th the orchestra was excited to join the Regina Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Wagner's Reinzi Overture at an RSO Masterworks Concert. This annual joint performance is always a highlight of the SSYO season. Our annual Spring Fête was held on March 24 th at F.W. Johnson Collegiate. To open the concert the SSYO was augmented by twenty-five junior string players, students from the Conservatory of Performing Arts, to present Farandole from Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite #2. The Dancers from the Youth Ballet were also guests, reprising their numbers from the Limelight Gala, accompanied by the orchestra. Violin soloist, Laura Hillis, concertmaster of the SSYO and winner of last year's Concerto Competition, performed the finale of Saint-Saens Concerto No. 3 in b minor. SSYO musicians with members of the Junior Strings Upcoming performances include this year's Concerto Competition, to be held on Monday May 21 st at the Rex Schneider Auditorium, Luther College, University of Regina, and also our final concert, Sunday June 10, 7:30 pm at Knox Metropolitan Church. The program for the final concert will include Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as well as a performance of the entire Saint-Saens Violin Concerto. Auditions for the SSYO's season will be held on September 7 and 8. Membership is open to all orchestral instrumentalists ages 12 to 26. For more information about the orchestra or auditions, contact Sara Cryderman at sara.cryderman@accesscomm.ca

5 SOA June 2012 Newsletter 5 Tisdale and District Strings Submitted by Rebecca Hankins-Vopni Tisdale and District Strings is an energetic and exciting group of musicians from preschoolers to seniors studying violin, viola, cello and string bass in North East Saskatchewan. In November of 2011 this group had the wonderful opportunity of travelling to Saskatoon to attend the Nov. 19 Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra concert Spanish Flair. This is a major undertaking for a group from a number of Northeast Saskatchewan communities including: Tisdale, Arborfield, Zenon Park, Carrot River, Nipawin, Ethelton, Rose Valley, Bjorkdale, Melfort, Kinistino, Naicam, Pleasantdale, Archerwill, Hudson Bay, Beatty and Archerwill. Many of the 80 musicians and their families that travelled to Saskatoon to not only attend the concert but also to participate in the pre-concert and intermission program, had never been to TCU Place and had never been to a symphony concert before. It is very important that musicians of all ages and from all areas of the province have opportunities to hear our own Saskatchewan Symphony Orchestras. Annika Forsyth from Beatty, SK, age 4, getting ready to perform at TCU Place on Nov. 19. The young musicians had the opportunity to go to a dressing room, rehearse at TCU Place in Saskatoon, have a tour of TCU Place, and perform before the Saskatoon Symphony Concert and at intermission. Sitting together in the third balcony and hearing and seeing the Saskatoon Symphony and the Canadian Guitar Quartet was obviously the highlight of not only the day but also the year for many of these young people. At the end of the day when students went back to their dressing room at TCU Place to pick up their instruments they were tired but had had a wonderful day, an exciting day and a great learning experience. The SOA makes such projects a reality for young musicians in rural Saskatchewan. Annika Forsyth, age 4, a young violin student who lives on a farm near Beatty, Saskatchewan says: I liked the sound of the violins. I also really liked the big drums. Her brother, Dylan, age 7, says I like playing my violin and liked playing for all the people. I also liked hearing all the grownups playing their violins. I liked guessing the stories of the music while they were playing. Heidi Klettberg, age 7, who lives on a farm near Archerwill, Saskatchewan, and who attended her first symphony concert on November 19, 2011, keeps asking when can we go back. Rebecca Hankins-Vopni with one of the students from Tisdale, SK, Nathan Tremblay, just before the performance at TCU Place. Thank you for your continued support of cultural programs in rural Saskatchewan. These pictures are of students who were at the symphony for the first time.

6 SOA June 2012 Newsletter 6 Anna Clapson and her father from Zenon Park, SK, getting ready to rehearse. Alex Colyn from Naicam, SK, his first time at the symphony and he was quite excited. Why am I receiving this newsletter? You are receiving this newsletter because you or someone in your family has been a member of an orchestral group under the umbrella of the Saskatchewan Orchestral Association in the past year. If you wish to be removed from our list, please contact the SOA office at or info@saskorchestras.com. If you know of someone in your community who you would recommend to receive the newsletter, please let the SOA office know as well.

7 SOA June 2012 Newsletter 7 Regina Mandolin Orchestra Submitted by Susan McLaughlin The weather on Sunday, April 22 nd was a glorious reminder that spring is in the air, and the Regina Mandolin Orchestra capitalized on that feeling with its String Fever concert that afternoon. The collective sound of 200+ strings resonated through the auditorium as the RMO played both old favorites as well as newer material drawn from pop culture as well as world music. Adding to our String Fever theme were our guest artists, Eighteen Strings, comprised of Gary Robertson (fiddle), Mike O Krancy (mandolin) and Dennis Dumont (guitar). This relaxed trio got everyone s toes tapping with some favorite traditional tunes. The R.M.O. played at the Regina Lutheran Home on April 29 th, and then performed a public concert as part of the Cathedral Village Arts Festival on Monday, May 21 st. This brings our season to a close. Where did the time go? ADULT MANDOLIN TEACHING PROGRAM Students in the Regina Mandolin Orchestra s Adult Mandolin Teaching Program performed in the foyer of Shumiatcher Theatre at the McKenzie Art Gallery, prior to the RMO s Spring Fever concert on Sunday, April 22 nd.

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9 SOA June 2012 Newsletter Events Calendar Date Event Location May 5 SMA All Board Meeting Regina May 11 SFO spring concert Saskatoon June 6 Swift Current Fiddle Workshop Swift Current June 12 SSYO Year End Regina July 2-6 Regina Summer Strings Regina July 2-6 Dream Brokers Summer Music Camp Saskatoon July 8-13 Suzuki Summer String Experience Saskatoon July SOA Conducting Workshop Saskatoon Saskatchewan Orchestral Association Tara Dawn Solheim Executive # th Ave. Regina, SK., S4T 1P9 Ph: (306) info@saskorchestras.com Next newsletter: Deadline: Sept. 28, 2012 Publication: Oct. 5, 2012 Deadlines Publications July Saskatoon Summer String Workshop Saskatoon July Dream Brokers Summer Music Camp Regina Nov 1-3 Saskatchewan Music Conference Saskatoon September 28, 2012 November 30, 2012 October 5, 2012 December 7, 2012 Nov Honour Orchestra Saskatoon SOA Board of s THE SOA PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING MEMBER GROUPS Conservatory of Performing Arts Friendly Folk Magpie Strings Moose jaw String Orchestra Moose Jaw Youth String Orchestra Poltava Ensemble Orchestra Prince Albert Strings Orchestra Regina Community Orchestra Regina Mandolin Orchestra Regina Symphony Orchestra Sakewewak 1st Nations Artists Collective Saskatoon Fiddle Orchestra Saskatoon Philharmonic Orchestra Saskatoon Suzuki Strings Program Inc. Saskatoon Youth Orchestra Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra Swift Current Strings Tisdale and District Strings President Past President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Curtis Scheschuk Hugh Wood Birgitta Heidt Wayne Toews Ray Pacholek Ramses Calderon Rebecca Hankins -Vopni Doug Hilderman Ken McCaw John Payzant Nicole Shaw Rudy Sternadel