December 3, 2016 – 7:30 p.m. (an early start for families with young children)
This concert will celebrate various Canadian musical traditions, as well as music for the holiday season. Classical music, jazz, traditional Canadian carols, children’s music and First Nations music will be represented on this concert.
The SPO will feature First Nations guest artist Cat Criger who will discuss and demonstrate the role of music in his culture. The concert will feature 150 young singers from three choirs from our Scarborough community: Sistema Toronto, Woburn Collegiate and St. Paul’s L’Amoreaux Anglican Church. The SPO has strong relationships with all three choirs and strongly believes in the importance of offering opportunities for young people to perform with a symphony orchestra, many of them for the first time.
Of the eight pieces planned for the concert, five are by Canadian composers: the SPO’s Ronald Royer (Fantasia on Canadian Christmas Carols – a premiere), Chris Meyer (A children’s Winter Story for narrator and orchestra – another premiere), Kye Marshall (Why Not Blues – also a premiere), David Couzens (Celtic Fantasy, for violin and orchestra), and Howard Cable (Christmas Songbook for Choir and Orchestra). It’s all part of the SPO’s celebration of Canada’s 150 birthday next year.
