I wrote about the latest fundraising efforts of the Niagara Symphony about a month ago, and at that point the drive was winding down and there was speculation the goal of $ 150,000 had not been met. Last week, the symphony confirmed they had, in fact, failed to reach their projected goal, but also confirmed the 2008-2009 season is indeed a go.
The campaign, led since March by Shaw Festival artistic director emeritus Christopher Newton and wealth management consultant Peter Partridge, had lofty expectations. But you have to reach high when you shoot for the stars, as it were, and although the goal was not completely met, the symphony is happy with the results: at the end of May, a total of $ 86,000 had been raised, meaning, according to acting executive director Candice Turner Smith, they will not be able to retire an accumulated debt of $ 66,000. They were, however, able to pay off a $ 75,000 line of credit incurred earlier this year to stabilize the orchestra and put them on a firm financial footing. Turner-Smith says the debt, comprising only 10 per cent of the operating budget, will eventually be paid down with a debt-reduction plan now in place.
The really good news out of all this is the fact audience attendance rose 14 per cent last season, mostly with single-ticket purchases. Although the subscriber base has not increased, let's hope those single-ticket buyers liked what they saw and heard last season and decide to get on board for the full season that begins again in October. If that means you, keep in mind new subscriptions will be accepted after June 27th, when present subscribers no longer have the right to renew their same seats for next season. Single tickets, incidentally, go on sale starting August 21st. And although ticket prices will rise eight per cent for the coming season, the orchestra is still comparatively a bargain compared to other neighbouring orchestras.
The other thing to consider is the repertoire, and music director Daniel Swift has crafted another interesting, varied program of 12 concerts, made up of both Masterworks and Pops performances. In fact, I had lunch just this past week with a friend from Buffalo who feels the Niagara Symphony programs far more imaginatively than other orchestras in his area, and were it not for the price of gas these days, he would be inclined to come over for concerts more often.
That raises another interesting conundrum for the Niagara Symphony as well as other arts organizations in the area: with fuel and food prices rising, will people still be willing or able to spend on arts and culture in the region? Let's hope so, because the Niagara Symphony and other arts organizations in the area have a lot to offer, and need our help to keep the music playing.
You can show your support for the Niagara Symphony this coming Tuesday, July 1st at Market Square in downtown St. Catharines as they perform their annual Canada Concert from 2 to 3 pm. It's free, fun, and a great way to celebrate our country's birthday. Come on out, and enjoy the music!
June 28th, 2008.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Senior Star Regional Competition a Great Success!
Last evening (June 18th) I was in downtown Niagara Falls, Ontario, for the second annual Senior Star regional competition, held at Club 4555 on Queen Street. In May, I was asked to MC the event, and I made my first visit to Club 4555 in late May for a planning session for the event. It is a lovely space; pretty funky in a quirky sort of way, but an indication of what is slowly but surely happening with dear ol' downtown Niagara Falls.
The Senior Star competition is a national appreciation of seniors by Chartwell Seniors Housing Reit, operators of a number of seniors residences across the country, including Willoughby Manor in Niagara Falls. They feel, basically, it was time to give some of our talented seniors the star treatment and give them their own Canadian Idol-like venue in which to perform. Last year, the national finals were held at the swank Imperial Room at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. This year the regional competitions will again send their top winners to the national final and we'll crown another Senior Star for 2008.
Getting back to last evening, we had five contestants originally, with a sixth joining the competition just before we began. There was a heavy dose of old-time country performances last evening, and in fact the winner, Richard (Dick) van Trigt, is a fan of the Grand Ol' Opry from away back. Dick performed a medley of Eddy Arnold's "Make The World Go Away" and Hank Snow's "I Don't Hurt Anymore". He was in fine form and easily took the regional crown for the second straight year. He comes by his country roots naturally, as he has taken part in the Oakville-area Polka Fest, performed at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall during Senior's Week, and in fact he is the founder of Opry Niagara Classic Country Music Association, which meets every Wednesday evening from 7 to 11 pm at their meeting place on Garner Road in Niagara Falls. Last evening, he left Club 4555 for the Opry gig with one of the other country performers last evening, Gabe LaPointe.
The judges last evening were the Mayor of Niagara Falls, Ted Salci, musician Martin Wall and local choir performer Carol Martin. While the three judges of American Idol have nothing to fear from this trio, they spoke from the heart and genuinely seemed to enjoy all the performers last evening. For the record, the others who performed last evening were Winston Harper, Marie Sharpe, George Bruklis and Liam (Bill) Black. Everyone came prepared and ready to go, and I felt any of them could have walked off with the top prize if it were not for Dick's obvious experience on stage and on television, where he hosted a show in New Brunswick for three years some time ago. The one other notable "performer" last evening was the Town Crier for the City of Niagara Falls, Derek Tidd, who kicked the proceedings off with a "cry" of epic proportions. I say notable performer because, besides being an official town crier, he also happens to be 84 years old, and has a set of pipes on him the envy of many, including myself!
All in all, it was a great evening of music and fun, comraderie and showing what our talented seniors can do. All the best to Dick in the finals, and my thanks to Chartwell Reit for the chance to be a part of it at Club 4555 last evening.
January 19th, 2008.
The Senior Star competition is a national appreciation of seniors by Chartwell Seniors Housing Reit, operators of a number of seniors residences across the country, including Willoughby Manor in Niagara Falls. They feel, basically, it was time to give some of our talented seniors the star treatment and give them their own Canadian Idol-like venue in which to perform. Last year, the national finals were held at the swank Imperial Room at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. This year the regional competitions will again send their top winners to the national final and we'll crown another Senior Star for 2008.
Getting back to last evening, we had five contestants originally, with a sixth joining the competition just before we began. There was a heavy dose of old-time country performances last evening, and in fact the winner, Richard (Dick) van Trigt, is a fan of the Grand Ol' Opry from away back. Dick performed a medley of Eddy Arnold's "Make The World Go Away" and Hank Snow's "I Don't Hurt Anymore". He was in fine form and easily took the regional crown for the second straight year. He comes by his country roots naturally, as he has taken part in the Oakville-area Polka Fest, performed at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall during Senior's Week, and in fact he is the founder of Opry Niagara Classic Country Music Association, which meets every Wednesday evening from 7 to 11 pm at their meeting place on Garner Road in Niagara Falls. Last evening, he left Club 4555 for the Opry gig with one of the other country performers last evening, Gabe LaPointe.
The judges last evening were the Mayor of Niagara Falls, Ted Salci, musician Martin Wall and local choir performer Carol Martin. While the three judges of American Idol have nothing to fear from this trio, they spoke from the heart and genuinely seemed to enjoy all the performers last evening. For the record, the others who performed last evening were Winston Harper, Marie Sharpe, George Bruklis and Liam (Bill) Black. Everyone came prepared and ready to go, and I felt any of them could have walked off with the top prize if it were not for Dick's obvious experience on stage and on television, where he hosted a show in New Brunswick for three years some time ago. The one other notable "performer" last evening was the Town Crier for the City of Niagara Falls, Derek Tidd, who kicked the proceedings off with a "cry" of epic proportions. I say notable performer because, besides being an official town crier, he also happens to be 84 years old, and has a set of pipes on him the envy of many, including myself!
All in all, it was a great evening of music and fun, comraderie and showing what our talented seniors can do. All the best to Dick in the finals, and my thanks to Chartwell Reit for the chance to be a part of it at Club 4555 last evening.
January 19th, 2008.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
LOCAL RADIO ICON PASSES AWAY
It was with a great deal of sadness we learned last week of the passing of talk radio pioneer John Michael, following a heart attack. News reports listed his age as 72, but we were never sure of his age at CKTB Radio, where John ended his lengthy career in 2003. That was his second tour of duty at the station, having first arrived in the mid-80s full of fire and brimstone. He left a few years later, returning to CJRN in Niagara Falls, where he had been since the early 60s. But it was not long before John returned to CKTB and he ended his radio career with a splashy live broadcast from a local restaurant in September of 2003.
John had a career that took him from his native England where he began as a copy boy for the Reuters news agency to the Chicago Tribune's London office, where he covered part of the Queen's Coronation in 1953, to Canada in 1961. He moved from one radio job to another, eventually settling with his young family in Niagara Falls. There, his controversial and caustic style of talk radio began to take shape, and he developed a huge and devoted following. He also caught the attention of the CRTC and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters on more than one occasion due to his often times controversial views.
So what does all this have to do with me, and you? Well, in my career as a radio broadcaster I had the opportunity to work with John during both of his tours of duty at CKTB, and although I often disagreed with his views on things, I always admired his honesty, passion for radio, and his way of "stirring the pot" to generate calls from listeners. But more than that, I grew to admire his off-air demeanor more, which was totally different from his on air persona. He was quiet, very friendly and really cared about those around him. Many times, he and I had great conversations about the business of radio and, of course, the business of music as well. John loved music and incorporated it into his show at every opportunity.
That brings us to the other point about my connection to John: his love of music. During the 90s I had a consulting association with Downtown Fine Music in St. Catharines, and the store supplied some music to John to use on the show, in exchange for an occasional mention on the show. Given what his advertisers were spending, we thought it was a cheap way to get a mention on John's show. And what mentions we got! If John played a song and mentioned in passing you could buy it at the store, the phone would literally ring off the wall with orders: such was the power of John's recommendation. At one point, the store stocked up on every available copy of "The Collection" by Mr. Acker Bilk, causing the supplier to call and ask why we were ordering so many. The reason? John regularly ended his show with "Sailing", a lovely, lilting song he remembered from years ago, and to which he danced an imaginary dance with his wife, Maggy, describing the many ways they would display their love for each other. The thing is, the love was always genuine, it was never schtick. And the listeners simply had to have a copy of the CD! I still have a few copies of the CD here for sale through the website, A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca); it is long out of print, sadly. Ah, the power of a recommendation!
Anyway, that was then and this is now. John will be missed by many; especially by his family who meant everything to him. But he will not soon be forgotten by anyone he touched either in person or through the magic of radio. His last day was spent doing one of his favourite pastimes in retirement: gardening. Thanks for everything, John; the gardening is now done. It is time for "Sailing"...
June 10th, 2008.
John had a career that took him from his native England where he began as a copy boy for the Reuters news agency to the Chicago Tribune's London office, where he covered part of the Queen's Coronation in 1953, to Canada in 1961. He moved from one radio job to another, eventually settling with his young family in Niagara Falls. There, his controversial and caustic style of talk radio began to take shape, and he developed a huge and devoted following. He also caught the attention of the CRTC and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters on more than one occasion due to his often times controversial views.
So what does all this have to do with me, and you? Well, in my career as a radio broadcaster I had the opportunity to work with John during both of his tours of duty at CKTB, and although I often disagreed with his views on things, I always admired his honesty, passion for radio, and his way of "stirring the pot" to generate calls from listeners. But more than that, I grew to admire his off-air demeanor more, which was totally different from his on air persona. He was quiet, very friendly and really cared about those around him. Many times, he and I had great conversations about the business of radio and, of course, the business of music as well. John loved music and incorporated it into his show at every opportunity.
That brings us to the other point about my connection to John: his love of music. During the 90s I had a consulting association with Downtown Fine Music in St. Catharines, and the store supplied some music to John to use on the show, in exchange for an occasional mention on the show. Given what his advertisers were spending, we thought it was a cheap way to get a mention on John's show. And what mentions we got! If John played a song and mentioned in passing you could buy it at the store, the phone would literally ring off the wall with orders: such was the power of John's recommendation. At one point, the store stocked up on every available copy of "The Collection" by Mr. Acker Bilk, causing the supplier to call and ask why we were ordering so many. The reason? John regularly ended his show with "Sailing", a lovely, lilting song he remembered from years ago, and to which he danced an imaginary dance with his wife, Maggy, describing the many ways they would display their love for each other. The thing is, the love was always genuine, it was never schtick. And the listeners simply had to have a copy of the CD! I still have a few copies of the CD here for sale through the website, A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca); it is long out of print, sadly. Ah, the power of a recommendation!
Anyway, that was then and this is now. John will be missed by many; especially by his family who meant everything to him. But he will not soon be forgotten by anyone he touched either in person or through the magic of radio. His last day was spent doing one of his favourite pastimes in retirement: gardening. Thanks for everything, John; the gardening is now done. It is time for "Sailing"...
June 10th, 2008.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Another season ends for Niagara and Hamilton Orchestras
It is the end of May, and once again the Niagara Symphony and Hamilton Philharmonic Orchdestras prepare for the summer break. The Niagara Symphony season ended with their final Pops! concerts the first weekend of May; the Hamilton Philharmonic season ends this weekend with the final Masterworks concert Saturday evening at 7:30 at Hamilton Place. It promises to be an exhilarating concert finale with the Beethoven Ninth Symphony planned for the grande finale.
So, at the end of the season, how do things look for both orchestras as they struggle to survive in an ever more difficult arts and culture environment? Well, things are not perfect, but they are managing quite well, thank you very much. Let's take a look at both orchestras as the season draws to a close and we look forward to next year.
The Niagara Symphony launched their "Thanks and Thoughts" campaign earlier this spring, with the intention of raising $ 150,000 to help keep the orchestra on a sound financial footing while they prepare for the upcoming season. Two arts heavyweights were brought on board to co-chair the campaign: Christopher Newton, artisic director emiritus of the Shaw Festival and Peter Partridge, well-know arts supporter and wealth management consultant. As of this writing, it appears they have fallen short of their goal; however, contributions will still be accepted after the end of May when the campaign was expected to wrap up, and hopes are high the goal will be achieved. I was in the Niagara Symphony offices this week with my donation, and plans are in full swing for the next season. It looks exciting: everything from the Beethoven Third Piano Concerto to a number of neglected treasures such as Kalinnikov's highly-romantic First Symphony. On the Pops side, there will be a tribute to Arthur Fiedler and a musical story based on Dicken's A Christmas Carol, among other things. So, things are looking up. But if you have not had a chance to show your financial support for the Niagara Symphony yet, there is no better time than the present to do so. The new season is ready to go: are you ready to become a part of it?
On the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra front, they conclude their season tonight, as mentioned, with the Beethoven Nine along with the Brahms Tragic Overture and Alto Rhapsody. With exceptional soloists and the Bach-Elgar Choir and Grand Philharmonic Chamber Singers, it promises to be a great end to the inaugural season for new artistic director James Sommerville. Overall, the season would have to be considered a success, with strong sales and renewed interest in the orchestra with Sommerville's arrival a year ago. For the upcoming season, the Masterworks series includes everything from the Mahler Fourth Symphony to a performance featuring pianist Anton Kuerti along with his son, conductor Julian Kuerti. On the Pops side, musical comedienne Natalie Choquette returns to kick off the season in September, and John McDermott will be joined by the orchestra in March. The season looks great! On the fundraising front, the Hamilton Philharmonic is always looking for new ways to raise money, and on Monday, May 19th, they held a fundraiser at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area: walkers had their choice of a one-kilometre Chopin Shuffle, a four-kilometre Mozart Meander or the eight-kilometre Handel Hike. It was a great idea, and hardy souls came out for the day of fun and exercise, pledge forms in hand, but alas, the weather did not co-operate. I was on hand for the morning, set up in a tent with other vendors on site, and business was light due to the wind, rain, cold temperatures and even a brief hailstorm! But everyone was pleased with the outcome, in spite of the inclement weather, apparently, so we'll have to see if this becomes an annual event.
So, a tale of two orchestras, and two seasons coming to a close. Both look to 2008/2009 with renewed optimism, as do their subscribers. If you have not had a chance to hear either orchestra for some time or even ever, what is holding you back? You are guaranteed a great afternoon or evening, and the performers are all exceptional musicians. All they need is you!
Next time, I'll step out for my first foray to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and begin my yearly reviews of plays at Shaw as their 47th season gets underway. And later in the summer, it will be off to Stratford for their season. That should keep your humble scribe out of trouble for the summer!
May 31st, 2008.
So, at the end of the season, how do things look for both orchestras as they struggle to survive in an ever more difficult arts and culture environment? Well, things are not perfect, but they are managing quite well, thank you very much. Let's take a look at both orchestras as the season draws to a close and we look forward to next year.
The Niagara Symphony launched their "Thanks and Thoughts" campaign earlier this spring, with the intention of raising $ 150,000 to help keep the orchestra on a sound financial footing while they prepare for the upcoming season. Two arts heavyweights were brought on board to co-chair the campaign: Christopher Newton, artisic director emiritus of the Shaw Festival and Peter Partridge, well-know arts supporter and wealth management consultant. As of this writing, it appears they have fallen short of their goal; however, contributions will still be accepted after the end of May when the campaign was expected to wrap up, and hopes are high the goal will be achieved. I was in the Niagara Symphony offices this week with my donation, and plans are in full swing for the next season. It looks exciting: everything from the Beethoven Third Piano Concerto to a number of neglected treasures such as Kalinnikov's highly-romantic First Symphony. On the Pops side, there will be a tribute to Arthur Fiedler and a musical story based on Dicken's A Christmas Carol, among other things. So, things are looking up. But if you have not had a chance to show your financial support for the Niagara Symphony yet, there is no better time than the present to do so. The new season is ready to go: are you ready to become a part of it?
On the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra front, they conclude their season tonight, as mentioned, with the Beethoven Nine along with the Brahms Tragic Overture and Alto Rhapsody. With exceptional soloists and the Bach-Elgar Choir and Grand Philharmonic Chamber Singers, it promises to be a great end to the inaugural season for new artistic director James Sommerville. Overall, the season would have to be considered a success, with strong sales and renewed interest in the orchestra with Sommerville's arrival a year ago. For the upcoming season, the Masterworks series includes everything from the Mahler Fourth Symphony to a performance featuring pianist Anton Kuerti along with his son, conductor Julian Kuerti. On the Pops side, musical comedienne Natalie Choquette returns to kick off the season in September, and John McDermott will be joined by the orchestra in March. The season looks great! On the fundraising front, the Hamilton Philharmonic is always looking for new ways to raise money, and on Monday, May 19th, they held a fundraiser at the Dundas Valley Conservation Area: walkers had their choice of a one-kilometre Chopin Shuffle, a four-kilometre Mozart Meander or the eight-kilometre Handel Hike. It was a great idea, and hardy souls came out for the day of fun and exercise, pledge forms in hand, but alas, the weather did not co-operate. I was on hand for the morning, set up in a tent with other vendors on site, and business was light due to the wind, rain, cold temperatures and even a brief hailstorm! But everyone was pleased with the outcome, in spite of the inclement weather, apparently, so we'll have to see if this becomes an annual event.
So, a tale of two orchestras, and two seasons coming to a close. Both look to 2008/2009 with renewed optimism, as do their subscribers. If you have not had a chance to hear either orchestra for some time or even ever, what is holding you back? You are guaranteed a great afternoon or evening, and the performers are all exceptional musicians. All they need is you!
Next time, I'll step out for my first foray to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and begin my yearly reviews of plays at Shaw as their 47th season gets underway. And later in the summer, it will be off to Stratford for their season. That should keep your humble scribe out of trouble for the summer!
May 31st, 2008.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Spring Is Here - finally!
I know I might be straying from my usual music-themed posts, as is usually the case, but with the wonderful spring weather we are now experiencing, I think we are all feeling a little bit of spring fever right now. There is a method to my madness...this time, at least...
Spring is the time we finally get out into that warm sunshine and take stock of what needs to be done in the yard and to the lawn for another year. That is my project today once I write this: try to bring my lawn back from the abyss and see if I can make it look half-way decent for another season. Raking, de-thatching, seeding, topsoil, core aeration, the whole deal. I know by mid-summer it will look awful again with crabgrass and large brown spots, but hope springs eternal. I may not have the best lawn on the street, but I will try my very best to make sure it is not the worst, either.
So, what does all this have to do with music, you ask? Well, at this time of the year, I find it hard to listen to music while I'm outside, as the music of the birds and other sounds of spring tend to take over. That's not to say I ignore the music altogether: I always install the outside speakers on the patio for when company is over or we want music while dining on the patio. They are probably the worst-looking imitation rock speakers around, but they work and that's all that matters, really. But when I am working around in the yard, I rarely use them. It is just so nice to be outside at this time of the year and hear the music of nature.
There is still much music to listen to, of course, and at the end of the day when I return to my office to catch up on work after toiling away in the garden, I find myself turning to a couple of CDs quite frequently now. The first has been around since the '80s, and features Quebec-based pianist Andre Gagnon with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London (England), titled "Impressions". This came out as an LP back around 1983 and I acquired the CD version about 10 years ago on the Star label. I can't imagine it not being available, as it is clearly one of his best efforts. Lush orchestral backdrops to his sensitive piano playing, and all original Gagnon tunes. I always think of a misty movie scene when I hear this music, but even in the springtime with the sun shining, it just sounds right. The other collection is a wonderful new 5-CD set of all nine Beethoven Symphonies conducted by Herbert von Karajan, recorded in the late 1950's at EMI's famed Abbey Road studios with the Philharmonia Orchestra. The sound is amazing given the age of the recordings - over 50 years old in some cases. The individual discs come in the small cardboard sleeves rather than the usual jewel boxes, but there is is nice booklet that accompanies the set, and for the price, you can't complain. At A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca), you can order it for only $ 30.00 CDN, plus tax. Free shipping is offered anywhere in Canada. If you find yourself in need of a new copy of the complete Beethoven symphonies, this is a wonderful set to have. I might just put it on again today while working in the garden! Speaking of which, off I go to make some sense of the mess created over the winter months...
Enjoy the spring!
Spring is the time we finally get out into that warm sunshine and take stock of what needs to be done in the yard and to the lawn for another year. That is my project today once I write this: try to bring my lawn back from the abyss and see if I can make it look half-way decent for another season. Raking, de-thatching, seeding, topsoil, core aeration, the whole deal. I know by mid-summer it will look awful again with crabgrass and large brown spots, but hope springs eternal. I may not have the best lawn on the street, but I will try my very best to make sure it is not the worst, either.
So, what does all this have to do with music, you ask? Well, at this time of the year, I find it hard to listen to music while I'm outside, as the music of the birds and other sounds of spring tend to take over. That's not to say I ignore the music altogether: I always install the outside speakers on the patio for when company is over or we want music while dining on the patio. They are probably the worst-looking imitation rock speakers around, but they work and that's all that matters, really. But when I am working around in the yard, I rarely use them. It is just so nice to be outside at this time of the year and hear the music of nature.
There is still much music to listen to, of course, and at the end of the day when I return to my office to catch up on work after toiling away in the garden, I find myself turning to a couple of CDs quite frequently now. The first has been around since the '80s, and features Quebec-based pianist Andre Gagnon with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London (England), titled "Impressions". This came out as an LP back around 1983 and I acquired the CD version about 10 years ago on the Star label. I can't imagine it not being available, as it is clearly one of his best efforts. Lush orchestral backdrops to his sensitive piano playing, and all original Gagnon tunes. I always think of a misty movie scene when I hear this music, but even in the springtime with the sun shining, it just sounds right. The other collection is a wonderful new 5-CD set of all nine Beethoven Symphonies conducted by Herbert von Karajan, recorded in the late 1950's at EMI's famed Abbey Road studios with the Philharmonia Orchestra. The sound is amazing given the age of the recordings - over 50 years old in some cases. The individual discs come in the small cardboard sleeves rather than the usual jewel boxes, but there is is nice booklet that accompanies the set, and for the price, you can't complain. At A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca), you can order it for only $ 30.00 CDN, plus tax. Free shipping is offered anywhere in Canada. If you find yourself in need of a new copy of the complete Beethoven symphonies, this is a wonderful set to have. I might just put it on again today while working in the garden! Speaking of which, off I go to make some sense of the mess created over the winter months...
Enjoy the spring!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Niagara Symphony Reaches Out to Community for Help
It has been awhile since we last addressed the issue of funding of our arts organizations in this space, and frankly, since the last time I wrote not much has changed. The Niagara Symphony has just launched their "Thanks and Thoughts" fundraising campaign, co-chaired by two prominent arts supporters in the Niagara area: Christopher Newton, Artistic Director Emeritus for the Shaw Festival, and Peter Partridge, wealth-management consultant in St. Catharines. The goal is an ambitious but attainable $ 150,000 by May 30th. The campaign will be formally announced at this weekend's final Masterworks concert at Brock Centre for the Arts, Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm.
Last spring, you might recall, the symphony launched an SOS Campaign to raise a staggering $ 500,000 to keep the organization afloat. The goal proved to be overly ambitious, of course, as only $ 85,000 was raised through donations, including $ 14,000 alone from board members. Still, it was announced in June there was enough money raised to keep the symphony going into the next season - their 60th - at Brock Centre for the Arts. However, in January of this year, things appeared bleak again following the sudden departure of new Executive Director Denise Stone last November. The board, faced with another cash crunch, collaborated with several staff members and musicians to provide personal loans to buy a shared GIC to serve as collateral for a six-month line of credit for the symphony. Together, board members and friends made pledges toward the purchase of the $ 75,000 GIC. This GIC secured a line of credit to help guarantee the completion of the current season and buy them some time to re-start their fundraising efforts. And that brings us to this weekend's announcement of the $ 150,000 campaign.
In short, the symphony is stuck between a rock and a hard place yet again, as public funding for the arts is at an all-time low, and people are growing weary of supporting yet another organization in need of our donations. But, can we afford to let the symphony die? Clearly, the answer is no. Everyone must do what they can to help out during this fundraising campaign, no matter how large or small the amount. The Niagara Symphony provides community outreach programs besides their 12 concerts during the season, and these programs touch many who otherwise might not be exposed to quality music. The Niagara Symphony Summer Camp is a prime example of community outreach paying dividends for the public at large, as many young musicians get their first taste of creating music for themselves. But there's more. Many of the orchestra's musicians teach in the area, either in structured programs or on their own, and that enriches the community as well.
Two things must be done to solve this problem: we must give what we can to help out the Niagara Symphony during this current fundraising campaign. But on a larger scale, we must work to persuade our elected officials that support for the arts must be taken into consideration when planning their budgets. And this goes not only for municipal politicians, but also regional, provincial and federal representatives as well. Locally, only the City of St. Catharines contributes to the Niagara Symphony; can not other municipalities contribute as well? It has become clear from similar campaigns in Brantford, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo that fundraising campaigns can be successful if everyone works together to pool their resources. But the bigger picture also needs to be addressed: we need to properly fund these organizations so they don't have to go to the public cap in hand on a regular basis; while these same organizations have to be able to better manage the finances they have. Only then will we finally reap the rewards of a properly funded and well managed arts organization.
Come on, Niagara, support your Niagara Symphony Orchestra this spring!
April 12th, 2008.
Last spring, you might recall, the symphony launched an SOS Campaign to raise a staggering $ 500,000 to keep the organization afloat. The goal proved to be overly ambitious, of course, as only $ 85,000 was raised through donations, including $ 14,000 alone from board members. Still, it was announced in June there was enough money raised to keep the symphony going into the next season - their 60th - at Brock Centre for the Arts. However, in January of this year, things appeared bleak again following the sudden departure of new Executive Director Denise Stone last November. The board, faced with another cash crunch, collaborated with several staff members and musicians to provide personal loans to buy a shared GIC to serve as collateral for a six-month line of credit for the symphony. Together, board members and friends made pledges toward the purchase of the $ 75,000 GIC. This GIC secured a line of credit to help guarantee the completion of the current season and buy them some time to re-start their fundraising efforts. And that brings us to this weekend's announcement of the $ 150,000 campaign.
In short, the symphony is stuck between a rock and a hard place yet again, as public funding for the arts is at an all-time low, and people are growing weary of supporting yet another organization in need of our donations. But, can we afford to let the symphony die? Clearly, the answer is no. Everyone must do what they can to help out during this fundraising campaign, no matter how large or small the amount. The Niagara Symphony provides community outreach programs besides their 12 concerts during the season, and these programs touch many who otherwise might not be exposed to quality music. The Niagara Symphony Summer Camp is a prime example of community outreach paying dividends for the public at large, as many young musicians get their first taste of creating music for themselves. But there's more. Many of the orchestra's musicians teach in the area, either in structured programs or on their own, and that enriches the community as well.
Two things must be done to solve this problem: we must give what we can to help out the Niagara Symphony during this current fundraising campaign. But on a larger scale, we must work to persuade our elected officials that support for the arts must be taken into consideration when planning their budgets. And this goes not only for municipal politicians, but also regional, provincial and federal representatives as well. Locally, only the City of St. Catharines contributes to the Niagara Symphony; can not other municipalities contribute as well? It has become clear from similar campaigns in Brantford, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo that fundraising campaigns can be successful if everyone works together to pool their resources. But the bigger picture also needs to be addressed: we need to properly fund these organizations so they don't have to go to the public cap in hand on a regular basis; while these same organizations have to be able to better manage the finances they have. Only then will we finally reap the rewards of a properly funded and well managed arts organization.
Come on, Niagara, support your Niagara Symphony Orchestra this spring!
April 12th, 2008.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Happy Easter - early this year!
Well, here we are, on the cusp of Spring, finally, and Easter arrives this very weekend. Earlier than usual, you say? Right you are! We'll talk a little Easter trivia this week before getting to some Easter-related music you might be interested in, courtesy my website, A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca).
I received some of this information courtesy my website designer, the affable Lex Parker of St. Catharines, who is always searching for interesting information to share. First of all, let's talk about Lent, the 46-day period (including Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. The word Lent is from the Anglo-Saxon lencten, meaning spring. Lenctentid, or springtide, was the Saxon name for March because March is the month in which days begin to lengthen (also a root of "tent"). The Great Fast, falling as it does largely in the month of March, adopted the term.
Okay, so we're almost at the end of Lent this year, as Holy Week is upon us. So why is Easter so early this year? Well, as you may know, Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which this year is March 20th. This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar. So, based on that information, Easter can actually be one day earlier than this year, on March 22nd, but that is pretty rare.
Quite frankly, this year is the earliest Easter many of us will ever see in our lifetimes, and only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early before. If you were, say, 95 years old this year, you might have remembered the last time Easter fell on March 23rd, in 1913. The next time Easter will be this early again will be in the year 2228, or 220 years from now. The next time Easter will fall a day earlier than this year, March 22nd, will be in the year 2285, or 277 years from now. The last time it fell on March 22nd was in 1818, so no one alive today has or ever will see it any earlier than this year. Something to think about, right?
So, how do we tie this in with music, which is what we usually write about in this forum? Well for many, myself included, Easter is synonymous with music, and specifically the music written by Johann Sebastian Bach. His several Easter cantatas have been recorded many times over the years, but four of them, numbers 4, 31, 66 and 134 have been collected onto a wonderful two-cd package from Berlin Classics featuring the Thomanerchor, Leipzig, with the Leipzig Gewandaus Orchestra. Very well priced at $ 27.00 plus tax for the collection. Another very well priced Easter collection is Music for Eastertide, featuring various artists and excerpts from Bach's St. Matthew Passion, as well as the cantatas 4, 56, 106 and 134. This is exceptionally well priced at $ 10.00 plus tax, from Edel Classics. Also available at the same price from Berlin Classics, although not Easter-themed but again the music of Bach, is a collection featuring the Kammerorchester Berlin directed by Peter Schreier and soloists Edith Mathis and Theo Adam along with Schreier in performances of Bach's Coffee and Peasant Cantatas. Still not enough Bach for you? How about an exceptionally well-priced 10-cd set from Berlin Classics featuring complete performances of the Mass in B minor; St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion and the Christmas Oratorio? Many ensembles and soloists are featured here, and the price of only $ 60.00 plus tax is truly astounding. All of these collections just arrived and are available for ordering through A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca). And as always, shipping is free within Canada.
Happy Easter, everyone!
I received some of this information courtesy my website designer, the affable Lex Parker of St. Catharines, who is always searching for interesting information to share. First of all, let's talk about Lent, the 46-day period (including Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. The word Lent is from the Anglo-Saxon lencten, meaning spring. Lenctentid, or springtide, was the Saxon name for March because March is the month in which days begin to lengthen (also a root of "tent"). The Great Fast, falling as it does largely in the month of March, adopted the term.
Okay, so we're almost at the end of Lent this year, as Holy Week is upon us. So why is Easter so early this year? Well, as you may know, Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which this year is March 20th. This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar. So, based on that information, Easter can actually be one day earlier than this year, on March 22nd, but that is pretty rare.
Quite frankly, this year is the earliest Easter many of us will ever see in our lifetimes, and only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early before. If you were, say, 95 years old this year, you might have remembered the last time Easter fell on March 23rd, in 1913. The next time Easter will be this early again will be in the year 2228, or 220 years from now. The next time Easter will fall a day earlier than this year, March 22nd, will be in the year 2285, or 277 years from now. The last time it fell on March 22nd was in 1818, so no one alive today has or ever will see it any earlier than this year. Something to think about, right?
So, how do we tie this in with music, which is what we usually write about in this forum? Well for many, myself included, Easter is synonymous with music, and specifically the music written by Johann Sebastian Bach. His several Easter cantatas have been recorded many times over the years, but four of them, numbers 4, 31, 66 and 134 have been collected onto a wonderful two-cd package from Berlin Classics featuring the Thomanerchor, Leipzig, with the Leipzig Gewandaus Orchestra. Very well priced at $ 27.00 plus tax for the collection. Another very well priced Easter collection is Music for Eastertide, featuring various artists and excerpts from Bach's St. Matthew Passion, as well as the cantatas 4, 56, 106 and 134. This is exceptionally well priced at $ 10.00 plus tax, from Edel Classics. Also available at the same price from Berlin Classics, although not Easter-themed but again the music of Bach, is a collection featuring the Kammerorchester Berlin directed by Peter Schreier and soloists Edith Mathis and Theo Adam along with Schreier in performances of Bach's Coffee and Peasant Cantatas. Still not enough Bach for you? How about an exceptionally well-priced 10-cd set from Berlin Classics featuring complete performances of the Mass in B minor; St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion and the Christmas Oratorio? Many ensembles and soloists are featured here, and the price of only $ 60.00 plus tax is truly astounding. All of these collections just arrived and are available for ordering through A Web of Fine Music (www.finemusic.ca). And as always, shipping is free within Canada.
Happy Easter, everyone!
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