NEWSLETTER. Saskatchewan Orchestral Association, Inc. President s Message Autumn 2015 By Curtis Scheschuk. SOA acknowledges the generous support of:

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1 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter Saskatchewan Orchestral Association, Inc. NEWSLETTER Celebrating 30 years of support for orchestral music in Saskatchewan Inside this issue: President s Message 1 Friendly Folk 2 SOA Celebrates 30th Ann. 3 Saskatoon Philharmonic 3 SSYO Update 4 SSSP Update 5 SK Music Conference 6 RMO Update 7-9 SK Music Fest Winners 10 PD Grant Impact: Marie- Noelle Berthelet International Cello Festival 13 SOA Info & Events President s Message Autumn 2015 By Curtis Scheschuk Once again we are looking back at a successful summer filled with wonderful musical activities and looking forward to more of the same. I would like to congratulate all the volunteers and employees who come together every year to make sure that all our programs continue to grow and enrich this diverse population we have across Saskatchewan. SOA is once again proud to be working alongside the other PCOs for another year of the Saskatchewan Music Conference. I am sure it will be interesting and educational for everyone. SOA will be presenting on topics from technology in teaching to fiddle music for youth. The conference is a great opportunity for music educators as well as music lovers to get together and share ideas as well as simply enjoy the beauty of music. Through my tenure as president of the SOA, the organization has constantly been changing and growing. Earlier in October, delegates from the SOA attended a mediated session with SaskCulture to discuss the possibility that by 2019 the five music organizations on the eligibility list would become one organization. This is something that we have been working on for many years. It was good to finally be able to sit down with SaskCulture and discuss the future. The SOA feels that being part of the conversation is the best way to ensure continued support for the orchestral community. The SOA is working hard to try to build a structure that secures continued support for SOA member groups and orchestras across the province as we move into the future. I wish you all the best as we move forward this year. SOA acknowledges the generous support of: SOA Grant Deadline The deadline for SOA Operating, Project and New Initiative Grants is approaching. The SOA Grant deadline will be Monday, Nov. 2 as the usual Nov. 1 deadline falls on a weekend. Information and grant forms can be found on the SOA website at: Honour Orchestra The 2015 Honour Orchestra will take place on November 6-7, 2015 in Regina. The Honour Orchestra set-up is a bit different this year. Individuals from across the province who wish to participate are welcome to join players from the 2015 host orchestra, the South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra. Details for schedule, music and registration can be found on the SOA website at: Free String Workshops The SOA is offering free string workshops during the Saskatchewan Music Conference on November 7th at the Delta Hotel in Regina. String players of all levels are welcome. Developing left hand technique for string players - Wayne Toews Sat. Nov. 7th 1:30 2:30 pm Finding your fiddle groove! - Karley Parovsky Sat. Nov. 7th 2:45 3:45 pm

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3 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 3 Saskatchewan Orchestral Association Celebrates 30th Anniversary 2015 marks the SOA s 30th Anniversary! Founded in 1985, the organization is celebrating 30 years of support for orchestral music in Saskatchewan. The SOA will be doing special things to celebrate throughout the year. If your member organization has ideas for how to help celebrate the anniversary, feel free to get in touch with the office and we ll be happy to assist you. We look forward to celebrating with you! We encourage member organizations to display the SOA banner at their concerts in order to celebrate support for orchestras across the province and acknowledge the SOA s support. If you have a concert coming up, contact to SOA office for details about banner delivery at or info@saskorchestras.com. The Saskatoon Philharmonic Community Orchestra, conducted by George Charpentier, has just started its 18th season of rehearsals! A warm welcome is offered to all new and returning members! It looks like we will be having a fun and productive musical season. Rehearsals take place on Monday nights, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the newly and beautifully renovated John Schoen Rehearsal Hall at 238 Avenue V North, Saskatoon. Concerts will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday January 16, 2016 and May 7, 2016 (location to be announced). Save the date! Ticket prices are $15.00 adults. $10.00 for students. Children under 6 are admitted free of charge. Refreshments are available during intermissions. Although subject to change (you know how temperamental artists can be!) the first concert will include a lovely selection of traditional and modern works including: Shostakovich Ballet Suite No. 2 Toews Themes and Distractions Norodom Cambodian Suite Muczynski Charade Salute to the Big Apple and a little Mozart Divertimento KV 138 So please plan to come and enjoy a pleasant evening and support your community orchestra. For more information:

4 South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra Update Submitted by: Rod Amberson SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 4 The South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra finished its season with our final concert, held June 14, 2015, at Knox-Metropolitan Church in Regina. The audience enjoyed the program which included music by Sibelius and featured violinist Samantha Leech as soloist. Following the concert, the audience was invited downstairs for a wonderful reception. The SSYO final concert included music by Sibelius and feature violinist Samantha Leech as soloist. The SSYO was represented at the Regina Symphony Orchestra's Symphony Under the Sky, held at The Motherwell Homestead near Abernathy. SSYO youth volunteered, along with Music for Young Children, to lead the "Musical Petting Zoo", where aspiring musicians, young and old, were encouraged to try their hand with a selection of orchestral instruments. This year will mark the 39th season of the SSYO, and the 27th season under the superb leadership of Artistic and Conductor, Alan Denike. Auditions for this year s orchestra were held in early September and this year's 45 young musicians are currently busy preparing for their upcoming trip to the Youth Orchestra Symposium at The Banff Centre from November 12th to 16th. The SSYO will be giving four performances this season, with possibilities under consideration in additional communities. The Annual Christmas Brunch will be held December 13th at the Conexus Arts Centre. The Spring Fête will be on March 5th, at Darke Hall. On April 9th, the SSYO will be joining the Regina Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Dvor ak. The season concludes with a concert at Knox-Metropolitan Church on June 12th where Concerto Competition winner, clarinetist Madison Engen, will be featured. We look forward to a wonderful season and to more opportunities to partner with the rest of the musical community throughout Southern Saskatchewan. We are very grateful to be a part of the musical heritage of this province! For more information on the SSYO, please visit our website,

5 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 5 Saskatoon Suzuki Strings Program Update Our program got off to a great start this year with a new Orientation Night. In the past, orientation was only given to new parents to the program. This year ALL parents were refreshed in the importance of practice, attendance at Group Lessons and why playing a stringed instrument can be so good for you! Our Co-s Agata and Karen touched on these topics as well as giving a talk on Growth Mindset. Two short TED Talks were shared with parents about Grit and Growth Mindset. While the parents were busy learning in one room, our students enjoyed having large group Play-ins and Musical Marathon nights. Orchestra practice rounded out both of our Orientation evenings. The students have lots to look forward to this fall. Our fun What s Your Other Talent? talent night will be held on Oct. 29 th. Students will also be dressing up for our Halloween party that happens at the same time. Solo Day will be coming up in November as well as our performance at the Festival of the Trees. We will round out 2015 with a concert at the Sundog Arts and Crafts Show Dec. 6 th and our always fun and popular Christmas Concert Dec.10! You can always check out our website for more information about our program.

6 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 6 SOA Sessions at the 2015 Saskatchewan Music Conference November Delta Hotel in Regina For further details on the Saskatchewan Music Conference visit Assessing student progress in music classes Wayne Toews Friday 9:30 10:30 am Based on more than 30 years teaching band, choir, orchestra and general music, Wayne Toews will share practical ideas for assessing student progress in music classes. Participants will learn about strategies and practices that have been employed to determine grades in music classes at all levels. Technology in the Music Studio Gregory Chase Friday 11:00 am 12:00 pm Believe it or not, the first generation iphone was released only eight years ago, now iphones and smartphones, ipads and tablets, permeate our day-to-day life. Technology is advancing at alarming rates, and often faster than what we are able to keep up with and has advanced to the place where we are now able to obtain full master degrees and PhD degrees online. This session will take a look at using technology in the private music studio, not only in teaching students in our own studio, but how it can be incorporated to teaching students in other parts of our country. A closer look will be taken at the advantages and disadvantages of using technology and how to overcome the disadvantages ( technical problems) that accompany the use of technology. Incorporating experiences to develop student creativity in music classes Wayne Toews Friday 1:30 2:30 pm Wayne Toews will share material and activities that he has collected and developed to enhance the creative dimension of studying music. The classroom-proven material and ideas can be adapted to music classes at all levels. (Free String Workshop) Developing left hand technique for string players Wayne Toews Saturday 1:30 2:30 pm Based on the teachings of Dounis, Applebaum, Karr and many others Wayne Toews will share ideas and material to develop left hand flexibility, accuracy and endurance while accommodating individual differences and avoiding injury. The session is suitable for all string players from beginner to advanced. (Free String Workshop) Finding your fiddle groove! Karley Parovsky Saturday 2:45 3:45 pm Fiddle music is such a vast genre. There are many ways in which we can find our own unique fiddle groove! In the session we will discuss and experiment the different ways in which we can develop our own individual voices while learning some new tunes! Please bring a recording device if you d like to record the session. String players of all levels are welcome for the free string workshops. Contact the SOA office for details.

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10 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 10 The Saskatchewan Orchestral Association offered scholarships to string players at Saskatchewan Music Festivals in nine locations again this year. Generally, Beginner and Elementary level award winners each receive a $25 award cheque. Junior, Intermediate and Senior level award winners each received a $150 award voucher. Vouchers can be used towards string workshops or annual participation fees with any SOA member group. Unique award denominations amounts may be requested to better suit each community. Many thanks to the local festival committee members in each location who help to administer and process the awards! Questions or suggestions regarding the awards can be directed to the SOA office.

11 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 11 SOA Professional Development Grant Impact By Marie-Noelle Berthelet Principal Flutist Regina Symphony Orchestra In May 2015, I had the chance to participate to the 2015 International Workshop on the Link Up Program, presented by the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall in New York. We all know how much artistic energy New York exudes. We all have heard about Carnegie Hall, its fame and reputation. But have you heard about Link Up? Link Up is the new cherished treasure of the Weill Institute. It is an interactive orchestral education program for students in grades 3-5. And it is making marvels around the world. When I first walked into Carnegie Hall to experience the Link Up concert, the first thing that strikes me is the excited screams of almost 2000 children they are screaming with excitement and the concert hasn t even start yet. But the children know what is about to come. The thrill is contagious and the screams come in waves through the concert hall. Why? Today, along with thousands of kids their age, they will get to experience performing an ENTIRE concert with a live symphony orchestra! They have their recorders, they know their music, and they are ready to go. This is the strength of the Link Up program. It is designed for the orchestra to work in collaboration with the school divisions and local teachers to create this live experience. The kids learn the music through the year. Teaching artists and musicians collaborate with the schools. The orchestra is involved. This is a huge community effort. What it creates is a personal connection between every single student, the music and the orchestra. It works. The workshop in New York was an incredible experience. Musicians and staff members of 41 orchestras around the world were present to exchange ideas about educational programming and get familiar with the Link Up program. The staff of Carnegie Hall s educational wing shared their mission, their curriculum and their success at implementing Link Up internationally. We had workshops with an actor, a recorder specialist, a singer and a designated teacher. We experienced a concert first hand!

12 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter 12 SOA Professional Development Grant Impact by Marie-Noelle Berthelet continued It was an amazing learning experience to witness the success of such an organization. I personally gained a new perspective as a music teacher on how to reach our children on a large scale. I learned how to better connect them with classical music through the live orchestra concert. Since the conference, the Regina Symphony Orchestra has agreed to partner with Carnegie Hall to implement the Link up program in Regina and to work to secure funding to support this wonderful initiative. We are in constant contact with Carnegie Hall, the Weill Institute and our school divisions. We are projecting our first interactive concert Orchestra Sings for children in April It will be a blast! Thank you again to the SOA for your generous support of my trip to the 2015 Link Up National Conference. 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 would like to receive the newsletter, please let the SOA office know.

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14 SOA Autumn 2015 Newsletter / 16 Events Calendar Date Event Location 2015 Oct 29 SSSP Talent Show Saskatoon Nov 28 Tisdale & District Strings Concert Tisdale Dec 6 RMO Christmas Concert Regina Dec 10 SSSP Christmas Concert Saskatoon Dec 13 SSYO Annual Christmas Brunch Regina 2016 Jan 16 Saskatoon Philharmonic Concert Saskatoon Saskatchewan Orchestral Association Tara Dawn Solheim Executive 2042 Princess Street Regina, SK., S4T 3Z4 Ph: (306) info@saskorchestras.com Next newsletter: December 2015 SOA Board of s President Curtis Scheschuk Mar 5 SSYO Spring Fête Regina Past President Hugh Wood May 7 Saskatoon Philharmonic Concert Saskatoon June 12 SSYO Season Finale Regina Vice President Jennifer Peak Secretary Wayne Toews THE SOA PROUDLY SUPPORTS ITS MEMBERS AND GROUPS Battlefords Community Strings Conservatory of Performing Arts Friendly Folk Poltava Ensemble Orchestra Prairie Cello Institute Prince Albert Strings Orchestra Regina Community Orchestra Regina Mandolin Orchestra Regina Symphony Orchestra Saskatoon Fiddle Orchestra Saskatoon Philharmonic Orchestra Saskatoon Suzuki Strings Program Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra Saskatoon Youth Orchestra South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra Swift Current Strings Tisdale and District Strings Treasurer Ken McCaw Adrian Casas Chris Engen Rebecca Hankins-Vopni Doug Hilderman Barbara Levorson Joel McDonald Karley Parovsky Carol Ann Patterson John Payzant