Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) is an important part of Winnipeg’s rich cultural life. With its 2013-2014 season the orchestra will complete its 66 years in the music industry and plans to celebrate it by participating in the annual festival held at Carnegie Hall titled, ‘Spring for Music’. According to WSO’s Executive Director, Trudy Schroeder, “Every musician dreams of performing at Carnegie Hall, and I think every orchestra executive director hopes to be able to take an orchestra to Carnegie Hall”.
Spring for Music Festival
Spring for Music Festival is recognized to celebrate the creativity of North American Orchestras every year and since the early nineties, has presented more than 700 performances by 300 composers. Also, it has been the chosen site for conducting world premiers and has been the host for more than 200 premiere events so far. Owing to its popularity, the festival’s attendance on an average is recorded to be 10,300 every year. This time with the performance of WSO, it is expecting an even greater turnout. About the festival, WSO’s Music Director, Alexander Mickelthwate stated, “This is a historic moment for the orchestra. This program represents the essence and soul of the orchestra’s creative spirit and what we bring to the music lovers of Winnipeg.”
WSO’s Program- Carnegie Hall
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra will be presenting Derek Charke’s 13 Inuit Throat Song Games featuring the well known throat singer Tanya Tagaq, R.Murray Schafer’s Symphony No.1 and Vincent Ho’s The Shaman: Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra featuring Dame Evelyn Glennie at the festival. All these pieces have been performed at WSO’s New Music Festival already and due to huge appreciation, are now taken to Carnegie Hall. The composers are excited about this opportunity and according to Glennie, “I am absolutely thrilled to be having my work presented at the Carnegie Hall by WSO”.
About Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
WSO performs more than 80 concerts every year to entertain 100,000 people from around the world. It offers a wide range of musical experiences that includes music by master composers, educational performances, family and special concerts. Other than this, it also provides musical foundation to a few art groups such as Manitoba Opera and Royal Winnipeg Ballet. WSO’s musicians perform with Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and visit rural Manitoba for its Holiday Express Tour annually. Its upcoming event at the Carnegie Hall is not one of its regular performances of the year and excited fans are already purchasing Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra tickets.