This October, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra will launch its 56th season with a special festival that will celebrate Canada’s Sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary). Since the festival will combine three different concerts – the first Masterworks, the first Pops, and a recital – it is a great way for casual symphony-goers or new fans to sample what the TBSO has to offer.
Festival-goers can choose to enjoy any one of three concerts individually, or they can opt for the Festival Pass (which saves 10% off single ticket prices).
The celebration will kick-off on October 20th with renowned Canadian soprano Sharleen Joynt (audiences may also recall her as a contestant on the 18th season of The Bachelor) as she lends her impressive talents to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Sharleen’s voice has been described in The Globe and Mail as being “full of power and control” and both “seductive and serene.” The show will also feature the debut of a new work by globally acclaimed Greek Canadian composer Christos Hatzis.
Two days later, Canadian powerhouse fiddling duo Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy will take the stage in a rousing Celtic-infused performance. Natalie and Donnell make a brilliant and electrifying musical pair, with Natalie’s rural Nova Scotian upbringing influencing her playing at every turn and Donnell, a native of Selwyn, Ontario, using his own genius on the fiddle to create a truly dynamic energy between the two. The duo, (who were married in 2002) have an impressive discography between them but their first collaborative album, One, was released just last year.
The final event of the festival is a double celebration. As Canada gears up to turn 150 years old, violin master James Ehnes has been celebrating his own 40th birthday all across the country and on October 24th the James Ehnes @40 Canadian concert tour hits Thunder Bay. James and his frequent music collaborator, pianist Andrew Armstrong, have been touring since the spring, showcasing their amazing talents in a recital that features works by George Frideric Handel and Ludwig van Beethoven, as well as a new piece written especially for James by Bramwell Tovey, the award-winning composer and Music Director of the Vancouver Symphony. The show will also feature surprise works which are to be announced from the stage during the concert.
Festival Passes or single tickets for each individual concert can be purchased at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Tuesday to Saturday 11:30am to 5:30pm, 807-684-4444 or tbca.com.For more information about the TBSO visit tbso.ca, find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (@TBaySO).