Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra
announces an outstanding 2015/16 Season!

 

Thunder Bay, ON –The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO) is proud to announce the 2015/16 season led by Music Director Arthur Post. Subscriptions are now available at the Community Auditorium Box Office, offering substantial savings over single ticket prices.

 

2015/16 Season - Hear the music, Share the experience

 

Season Highlights

·         Canadian Juno Winner Meaghan Smith

·         Return of Violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou

·         Best of Broadway with Brian Jackson

·         Celebrate Sibelius with Music Director Arthur Post

·         Women of Rock with Jeans ‘n Classics

·         World Premiere - Christos Hatzis’ Ecstasy

·         Cirque de la Symphonie

·         Nikki Chooi performs Sibelius’ Violin Concerto

·         Jim Witter’s Simon & Garfunkel

 

Overview

The entire TBSO season comprises classical, pops, and children’s concerts, amazing specials, fundraiser initiatives and concerts, education and outreach concerts, and two tours, East and West, throughout Northwestern Ontario. The regularly scheduled concerts are divided into five separate series – Masterworks, Pops, Classical Plus, Cabaret, and Family – as well as Special and Fundraiser Concerts.

 

Subscriptions are available for our individual series – Masterworks, Pops, Classical Plus, and Cabaret Series – as well as the complete season, which comprises tickets to all series concerts including Family, and our flexible Select 6 package, which provides 6 tickets that can be exchanged for any Series concert.

 

Why Subscribe to the TBSO?

·         Subscriber benefits – Subscribers enjoy the best prices, the best seats, and the best benefits, including ticket exchange privileges and exclusive offers.

·         Convenience – Subscribing is the best way for patrons to enjoy great music and guarantee their preferred seats.

·         Affordability – Subscribers save up to 30% off single ticket prices with the purchase of a subscription.

·         Subscribers enjoy incredible music performed by the world’s most outstanding artists, including classical masterpieces, exciting new works, spectacular pops entertainment and more.

·         Subscribers experience great music – live!

Masterworks Series

Enjoy the renowned acoustics of the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium where the TBSO and brilliant guest artists guide patrons on a journey through the world’s greatest music, past and present. All Masterworks concert ticket holders are invited to attend pre-concert chats before all Masterworks concerts beginning at 7:10 pm. Venue: Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (TBCA)

 

1. Violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou Returns

Thursday, October 22, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, violin

 

Sibelius: Finlandia

Lalo: Symphonie espagnole

Sibelius: Symphony No. 2

 

Internationally celebrated Yi-Jia Susanne Hou returns to Thunder Bay for an awe-inspiring performance of Édouard Lalo’s dramatic Symphonie espagnole, and the TBSO celebrates Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ 150^th birthday, with rousing performances of Finlandia and his Second Symphony.

 

2. Pianist Avan Yu performs Mozart

Thursday, November 12, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Avan Yu, pianist

 

Kurka: The Good Soldier Schweik Suite, Op. 22 / Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 / Shostakovich: Symphony for Strings and Woodwinds, Op. 73a

 

A “pianistic force with an astonishing sensitivity far beyond his years”, Avan Yu, one of Canada’s most exciting young pianists, performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23, in his TBSO debut. In contrast to Mozart’s touching harmony, Dimitri Shostakovich’s Symphony and Robert Kurka’s Suite showcase the intense personal expression of artists working in the shadow of political strife.

 

3. Pianist Katherine Chi plays Grieg

Thursday, January 28, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Leslie Dala, conductor ● Katherine Chi, piano

 

Gluck: Overture to Alceste

Grieg: Piano Concerto, Op. 16

Schumann: Symphony No. 2

 

Guest conductor Leslie Dala makes his TBSO debut in a dynamic concert, featuring Overture to Alceste by Christoph Willibald Gluck and Robert Schumann’s Second Symphony. Pianist Katherine Chi returns to Thunder Bay to mesmerize in a captivating performance of composer Edvard Grieg’s beloved Piano Concerto.

 

4. Barber & Beethoven

Thursday, March 3, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Nathan Brock, conductor ● Thomas Cosbey, violin

 

Gougeon: Primus Tempus

Barber: Violin Concerto, Op. 14

Beethoven: Symphony No. 4, Op. 60

 

Guest conductor Nathan Brock returns to lead the TBSO in an unforgettable concert featuring Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony and Denis Gougeon’s Primus Tempus. TBSO’s Concertmaster, Thomas Cosbey, performs Samuel Barber’s melodic masterpiece, his Violin Concerto.

 

5. The Transcendent Spirit

Thursday, March 31, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor ● Sarah Slean, vocals ● TBS Chorus

 

Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture

Hatzis: Ecstasy

Brahms: Schicksalslied “Song of Destiny,” Op. 54

Mahler: Adagietto from Symphony No. 5

Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region

 

Join the TBSO for the world premiere of Ecstasy by Canadian composer Christos Hatzis, performed by Canadian chanteuse Sarah Slean. Ecstasy is the companion piece to Lamento, which was enthusiastically received in the TBSO’s 2014/15 season. This commission is complemented by the radiant voices of the TBS Chorus in spiritual and transcendent works by Johannes Brahms and Ralph Vaughan Williams, and orchestral masterpieces by Felix Mendelssohn and Gustav Mahler.

 

6. Violinist Nikki Chooi performs Sibelius

Thursday, April 28, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor ● Nikki Chooi, violin

 

Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3

Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Op. 47

Brahms: Symphony No.2

 

Concluding our celebration of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ 150^th birthday, the TBSO ends the season with a captivating performance of his Violin Concerto showcasing Canadian violinist Nikki Chooi. Beethoven’s monumental Leonore Overture No. 3 and Brahms’ idyllic Symphony No. 2, round out the evening.

 

Pops Series

The TBSO presents an all-star line-up of guest artists and a wide range of popular music, from holiday classical to pop music rockers! Venue: Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (TBCA)

 

1. Meaghan Smith

Saturday, October 17, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Meaghan Smith, vocals

Meaghan Smith, Canadian Juno Award winner, brings her honest, insightful songwriting, vintage sound, and smooth, evocative voice to the TBSO stage in brand new orchestral concert.

 

2. Best of Broadway

Saturday, November 28, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Brian Jackson, conductor

Thunder Bay favourite Brian Jackson reunites with the TBSO to present an evening of the Best of Broadway, with songs from some of Broadway’s hit shows including Wicked and Les Misérables.

 

3. Holiday Pops

Saturday, December 12, 2015 / 7PM / TBCA

Kevin Mallon, conductor / Cast of local Thunder Bay talent / Thunder Bay Symphony Chorus

A TBSO classic and Thunder Bay seasonal-must, the Holiday Pops is one of the most popular presentation of the year. Join guest conductor, Kevin Mallon, and local Thunder Bay talent as they bring wit and charm to this holiday classic featuring your favourites.

4. Women of Rock

Saturday, February 20, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA
Arthur Post, conductor / Jeans ‘n Classics

Rique Franks / Stephanie Martin / Kathryn Rose / Leah Salomaa

Jeans ‘n Classics and the TBSO present Women of Rock – a concert highlighting five decades of some of the most dynamic and influential women in rock and pop music, including  Martha and the Vandellas, Heart, Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics, Sinead O’Connor, Alicia Keys, Adele, and many more. You’ll hear many hits including Dancin’ In The Streets, Barracuda, Sweet Dreams, Firework, and Skyfall.

 

5. Cirque de la Symphonie

Saturday, March 19, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Giuseppe Pietraroia, conductor / Cirque de la Symphonie

Guest conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia makes his TBSO debut to bring the world-famous Cirque de la Symphonie to Thunder Bay for the first time! Don’t miss this visual and aural spectacle featuring some of the world’s best circus artists – including aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen – in exceptional performances choreographed to classical masterpieces and popular contemporary music performed by the TBSO.

 

6. Jim Witter’s “Feelin’ Groovy” Simon & Garfunkel

Saturday, April 23, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Jim Witter

Jim Witter returns after a sold out debut to present “Feelin’ Groovy” Simon & Garfunkel with the TBSO – a musical journey through the 60s and 70s featuring the timeless music of Simon & Garfunkel.

 

Classical + Series

The serene atmosphere of Hilldale Lutheran Church provides a brilliant and intimate backdrop to the unexpected alongside audience favourites. This season Classical + features music from around the world, and showcases the talents of TBSO musicians. Venue: Hilldale Lutheran Church (HLC)

 

1. A London Symphony

Wednesday, October 28, 2015 / 8PM / HLC

Arthur Post, conductor / Peter Shackleton, clarinet

 

Elgar: Chanson de matin

Finzi: Clarinet Concerto, Op. 83

Oesterle: Short Symphony

Haydn: Symphony No. 93

 

2. Midnight in Paris

Wednesday, December 9, 2015 / 8PM / HLC

Richard Lee, conductor / Colleen Kennedy, oboe

 

Korndorf: The Smile of Maud Lewis

Francaix: L’Horloge de flore

Faure: Masque et bergamasques

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 2 

 

3. Northern Lights

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 / 8PM / HLC

Arthur Post, conductor / Janelle Wiebe, horn

 

Sibelius: Valse triste Op.44, No. 1

Larsson: Horn Concertino No. 5, Op. 45

Walton: Façade Suite No. 2

Buhr: Jyotir (Brilliance)

Mozart: Symphony No. 36, “Linz”

4. Bohemian Rhapsody

Wednesday, April 13, 2016 / 8PM / HLC

Arthur Post, conductor / Jean-François Breton, marimba

 

Chatman: Over Thorns to Stars

Dvořák: Czech Suite, Op. 39

Séjourné: Concerto for Marimba & Strings

Martinu: Sinfonietta La Jolla

 

Cabaret Series

Cabaret blends the sounds of the TBSO with guest artists from Thunder Bay and Canada’s incredibly vibrant and diverse musical community. Venue: Italian Cultural Centre (ICC)

 

1. Tracy K

Friday, November 6 & Saturday, November 7, 2015 / 8PM / ICC

Arthur Post, conductor / Tracy K, vocals & harmonica

Canadian blues and roots artist, Tracy K, returns to the TBSO stage bringing her versatility, energy and charisma to a unique harmonica-driven symphony concert.

 

2. In the Spotlight

Friday, February 5 & Saturday, February 6, 2016 / 8PM / ICC

Arthur Post, conductor / Thunder Bay’s young vocalists

Thunder Bay’s talent knows no bounds – come and discover some of the city’s best young vocalists in an evening of rock with the TBSO.

 

2. A World of Dance with Dahab Novoa

Friday, April 8 & Saturday, April 9, 2016 / 8PM / ICC

Arthur Post, conductor / Dahab Novoa

Join the TBSO and Thunder Bay’s World Dance Centre founder Dahab Novoa as we tour through some of the world’s most intriguing and exciting dance from around the globe, including Bollywood, the Middle East and Latin America!

 

Family Series

The TBSO brings the joy of music to the family. Created especially for children ages 4 and up, these concerts will delight and captivate. Venue: Grassroots Church (GRC)

 

1. Peter & the Wolf

Sunday, November 1, 2015 / 3:30PM / GRC

Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf? The classic tale of Peter and the Wolf is a great way to introduce a child to the wonderful world of the symphony orchestra, as each character is brought to life by a different instrument.

 

2. The Hockey Sweater

Sunday, January 26, 2016 / 3:30PM / GRC

Experience the Canadian classic The Hockey Sweater as never before – brought to life by the sounds of the TBSO. This iconic story is inspired by the writers Roch Carrier’s own childhood, which tells the tale of a boy growing up in Sainte-Justine, Quebec, where everyone is a fan of the Montreal Canadians. When he is mistakenly sent a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater, Carrier faces persecution of his peers and his coach prevents him from playing.

 

3. Orchestra Games

Sunday, April 17, 2016 / 3:30PM / GRC

Come out and cheer on your favourite instrument, section or piece of music at the Orchestra Games, a concert that will be sure to get you excited about symphonic music.

 

Specials

Subscribers can add the Special The Music of ABBA to their subscription to guarantee seating before single tickets go on sale.

 

1. The Music of ABBA

Saturday, March 5, 2016 / 8PM / TBCA

Lucas Waldin, conductor ● Rajaton

 

With a name that translates as “boundless,” Finnish vocal phenomenon Rajaton joins the TBSO for an unforgettable ABBA extravaganza that will have you singing along and dancing in the aisles to hits including Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, and Take a Chance on Me. An international sensation, Rajaton's ABBA album with Lahti Symphony Orchestra climbed to No.1 in Finland, achieving platinum sales in a month.

 

2. Consortium Aurora Borealis

Saturday, December 5, 2015 / 8PM / St. Paul’s United Church

Mélanie Léonard, conductor

 

Join the TBSO and Consortium Aurora Borealis for a concert of delightful music from the 18th-century Mannheim School, including Carl Stamitz’s warmly lyrical Concerto for Clarinet and Violin with Peter Shackleton and Kathlyn Stevens, a lively Haydn symphony, plus Mozart’s noble Symphony No. 40.

 

Fundraiser Specials

From an evening of music, food and martinis to a casual drinks-and-music celebration, the TBSO is proud to present our exciting lineup of fundraising events.

 

Mozart & Martinis

Wednesday, November 25, 2015 / 7:30PM / Bight Restaurant & Bar

Join the TBSO for an evening of glitz and glamour at Mozart & Martinis. Sample an exquisite pairing of live symphonic music, delicious appetizers, and delectable martinis. The evening marries the music of renowned composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by the TBSO, with four distinct courses, each featuring a signature martini and appetizer pairing created with Mozart in mind.

For more information contact: TBSO Office 807.474.2284 or visit www.tbso.ca.

Minimum age requirement: 19 years

Tickets available: October 2015

 

Brew & Beethoven

Saturday, April 2, 2016 / 8PM

Enjoy a tall cold one while listening to the TBSO perform works ranging from Beethoven to Williams. Presented in a unique casual atmosphere, B&B is your chance to hear the musicians up close and personal. Book before it’s too late, tickets sell out every year!

For more information contact: TBSO Office 807.474.2284 or visit www.tbso.ca.

Minimum age requirement: 19 years

Tickets available: January 2016

 

Gala Ball: The Great Gatsby

Saturday, April 30, 2016 / 6PM / Valhalla Inn

Don’t miss the social event of the year! Our annual Gala Ball fundraiser, in support of TBSO’s Youth and Education programs, guarantees an evening of gorgeous food, outstanding music and great silent auction prizes!  Show us your best Charleston, Foxtrot and Lindy Hop as you dance the night away to the live symphony orchestra!

For more information contact: TBSO Office 807.474.2284 or visit www.tbso.ca.

Minimum age requirement: 19 years

Tickets available: October 2015

 

How to Subscribe

Subscribers enjoy significant benefits, including the best seats in the house, the best prices, exclusive offers, and ticket exchange privileges. 

Subscribe at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Box Office:

·         In person Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30a.m.–5:30p.m.

·         By phone at 807.684.4444 or 1.800.463.8817, Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30a.m.–5:30p.m.

 

Single Tickets for TBSO Series concerts and Specials will go on sale September 16, 2015.

 

Special Offers

·         Early Bird Deadline Subscriber Incentive - Subscribe before June 28 to guarantee seats and receive one free ticket voucher per subscription order.

·         Select 6 – Build your own season with the flexible Select 6 ticket package.

·         Season Pass – Save 30% off single ticket prices and enjoy all 22 series concerts.

·         Priority Seating for Subscribers – The Music of ABBA!

 

Connect with the TBSO

·         Find the TBSO on Facebook

·         Follow the TBSO on Twitter: twitter.com/TBaySO

·         Watch the TBSO on YouTube

·         Connect with the TBSO via the e-newsletter for concert reminders, news, announcements, and special offers at tbso.ca/news/tbso-e-newsletter/

·         Find out about all this and more by visiting www.tbso.ca or become a friend on Facebook

 

For additional information, visit the TBSO website at www.tbso.ca

Masterworks Series

6 concerts for only $216 – Savings of 20% off single tickets

Subscribers enjoy the renowned acoustics of the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium where the TBSO and brilliant guest artists guide patrons on a journey through the world’s greatest music, past and present. All concert ticket holders are invited to attend pre-concert chats before all Masterworks concerts beginning at 7:10 pm.

Venue: Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (TBCA)

1.      Scheherazade – Our Tale Begins

Thursday, October 23, 2014 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Thomas Cosbey, violin

Estacio: “Bootleggers Tarantella” from Filumena

Debussy: Prélude à “L’après-midi d’un faune”

(Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”)

Wagner: “Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey” from Götterdämmerung

(Twilight of the Gods)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade

 

2.      2. Lara St. John performs Mendelssohn

Thursday, November 13, 2014 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Lara St. John, violin / Mario Crudo, narrator

Mozart: Symphony No. 29

Poulenc: The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto

 

3.      Denise Djokic performs Tchaikovsky

Thursday, January 22, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Denise Djokic, cello

Tchaikovsky: Music from The Nutcracker

Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme

Liadov: Kikimora

Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 83a

 

4.      Beethoven’s Emperor

Thursday, March 5, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Stewart Goodyear, piano

Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream, Overture

Pal: Into the Wonder *World Premiere*

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”

 

5.      Carmina Burana

Thursday, March 26, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Jacqueline Woodley, soprano / Christopher Pfund, tenor / Michael Nyby, baritone / Lakehead University Vocal Ensemble / Thunder Bay Symphony Chorus

Berlioz: Le carnival romain, Overture (The Roman Carnival)

Messiaen: Les offrandes oubliées (The Forgotten Offerings)

Orff: Carmina Burana

 

6.      Our Tale Ends

Thursday, April 23, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Alain Trudel, conductor / Madeline Hildebrand, piano

Rossini: La gazza ladra, Overture (The Thieving Magpie)

Kabalevsky: The Comedians

Peters: The ADVENTURES of PianoWoman!®

Ravel: Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose)

Pops Series

6 concerts for $216 – Savings of 20% off single tickets

The TBSO presents an all-star line-up of guest artists and a wide range of popular music, from holiday classical to pop music rockers!

Venue: Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (TBCA)

 

1.      Sarah Slean

Saturday, October 18, 2014 / 8PM / TBCA

Sarah Slean, piano & vocals / Arthur Post, conductor

 

2.      Silent Film: The Immigrant

Saturday, November 22, 2014 / 8PM / TBCA

Melanie Léonard, conductor

 

3.      Holiday Pops

Friday, December 12, 2014 / 7PM / TBCA

Cast of local Thunder Bay talent / Thunder Bay Symphony Chorus / Arthur Post, conductor

 

4.      A Night at the Oscars

Saturday, February 21, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA
Brian Jackson, conductor

 

 

5.      The Ultimate Symphonic Rock Show

Saturday, March 21, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Jeans ‘n Classics / Jean Meilleur, lead vocals / Arthur Post, conductor

 

6.      The Best of the Crooners

Saturday, May 2, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA

Michael Vanhevel, vocals / Arthur Post, conductor

 

Classical Plus Series

4 concerts for $112 – Savings of 20% off single tickets

Timeless tales and classical symphonies intertwine in this season’s Classical Plus series. Journey with the TBSO to discover what awaits in the musical landscape of fantasy and imagination.

Venue: Hilldale Lutheran Church (HLC)

 

1.      Schubert’s Symphony No. 5

Wednesday, October 29, 2014 / 8PM / HLC

Arthur Post, conductor / Evgueni Tchougounov, piano

Morawetz: Overture to a Fairy Tale

Poulenc: Aubade, concerto chorégraphique

Haas: Slam

Schubert: Symphony No. 5

 

2.      Schubert’s Symphony No. 3

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 / 8PM / HLC

Arthur Post, conductor / George Holborn, baritone / Thunder Bay Symphony Chorus

Taylor: Through the Looking Glass

Mahler: Songs of a Wayfarer

Richardson: New Work

Commissioned by the National Arts Centre (Pinchas Zukerman, Music Director), The World Remembers, and the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (Arthur Post, Music Director) in honour of the Centennial of The Great War.

Schubert: Symphony No. 3

 

3.      Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2

Wednesday, January 28, 2015 / 8PM / HLC

Arthur Post, conductor / Thomas Cosbey, violin

Bach: Concerto for Two Violins

Buhr: Symphony No. 2, Adagio Pathetique

McCauley: Five Miniatures for 10 Winds

Beethoven: Symphony No. 2

 

4.      Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1

Wednesday, April 15, 2015 / 8PM / HLC

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor / Woosol Cho, viola

Bell: Spirit Trail

Hindemith: Der Schwanendreher

Schubert: Rosamunde Extract No. 3

Beethoven: Symphony No.

Family Series

The TBSO brings the joy of music to the family. Created especially for children ages 4 and up, these concerts will delight and captivate.

Venue: Grassroots Church (GRC)

 

1.      The Final Frontier

Sunday, November 2, 2014 / 3:30PM / GRC

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor

 

2.      Beethoven on Balmoral!

Sunday, February 8, 2015 / 3:30PM / GRC

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor

 

3.      Summertime!

Sunday, April 25, 2015 / 3:30PM / GRC

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor

 

Specials

Subscribers can add the Specials Cinderella and/or Joel Plaskett to their subscription to guarantee seating before single tickets go on sale.

 

1.      Cinderella

Wednesday, February 4, 2015 / 7PM / TBCA

Arthur Post, conductor / Canada’s Ballet Jörgen

 

2.      Joel Plaskett

Saturday, April 11, 2015 / 8PM / TBCA
Joel Plaskett, guitar & vocals / Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor

 

3.      Consortium Aurora Borelais

Saturday, December 6, 2014 / 8PM / St. Paul’s United Church

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor

 

1.      Mozart & Martinis

Fall 2014

 

2.      Brew & Beethoven

Spring 2015

 

3.      Gala Ball: A Night at the Moulin Rouge

Friday, May 1, 2015 / 6PM / Valhalla Inn