Prelude Magazine Spring 2026

All the World's a Stage for Calgary Phil's Award-Winning

Principal Guest Conductor

Prelude

SPRING 2026 / VOLUME 50 NO. 3

ZOLTAN VARADI

EDITOR

OMAR JEHA

ART DIRECTOR

JANET BWITITI

EDITORIAL ADVISOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth

Jun-long Lee

Charlotte Lilley

Stephania Romaniuk

David Sussman

Calgary Arts Development

Hallo everyone,

on the cover:

Karen Kamensek by HarderLee Photography Cover story on page 26

We are excited to welcome back Principal Guest Conductor Karen Kamensek to conduct Verdi's dramatic and deeply moving Requiem this spring, and also former Music Director, now Emeritus, the beloved Hans Graf. He will end this glorious season with Mendelssohn's iridescent music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, and more.

In between those we join once more with our friends from the Edmonton Symphony for Holst's The Planets, we'll "Dance, Dance" to Disco and Latin hits — both on the Pops series, and partner with rising star Tenille Townes for our Taylor Family Foundation Concerts. We'll travel to a galaxy far, far away for Return of the Jedi, and weather Vivaldi's Four Seasons with violinist Timothy Chooi. As always there is something for everyone!

And we'll celebrate Juliane Gallant's wonderful three-year tenure as Resident Conductor, which has launched her career across the continent. Juliane conducts Broadway Hits at the end of May, and plenty before that too.

We're also deeply moved to share that an anonymous donor has made a gift to endow the Principal Tuba position in honour of former Principal, Tom McCaslin, who passed away in December. Tom was a kind and splendid person, a prolific music educator, and a dedicated family man, as well as being an incredible tuba player and a superb musician. He is much missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him, and this gift is a wonderful tribute which we're all very grateful for.

205 8 Avenue SE, Calgary AB T2G 0K9

Box Office: 403.571.0849

For advertising inquires, please email Zoltan Varadi at zvaradi@calgaryphil.com

Prelude is published three times a year by the Calgary Philharmonic Society. Copyright 2026 by Calgary Philharmonic Society. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher.

calgaryphil.com

Marc Stevens President + CEO Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

acknowledge that we come together and create music on land known by the Blackfoot name Moh-kíns-tsis, which we also call

This land is on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), the Stoney Nakoda (Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney

Nations), and the Tsuut'ina First Nations, as well as the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Districts 5 and 6. We honour this land and all those who share it in a spirit of peace, friendship, and respect.

A PILLAR OF CALGARY'S VIBRANT ARTS COMMUNITY SINCE 1955.

For seven decades, the Calgary Philharmonic has been bringing communities together through the power of music. A pillar of the Calgary arts scene and one of Canada's most celebrated live music ensembles, the Calgary Phil presents more than 60 concerts a season across a wide range of programming — epic classics, thrilling collaborations, rockin' pops, family fun, and much more. The Calgary Phil also engages thousands of children each season through innovative and accessible Education and Outreach initiatives.

In addition to 66 full-time orchestra musicians, the Calgary Phil has its own chorus of over 140 volunteer singers. In a typical season, the Calgary Phil welcomes over 100,000 visitors, connecting audiences to live music experiences and serving the city of Calgary by fostering creativity and belonging.

Learn more about the Orchestra and Chorus at calgaryphil.com.

Since 1976, we've been sharing the world’s finest chamber ensembles with Calgarians. Thanks to your support, we celebrate this milestone season together!

www.calgarypromusica.ca

2026/27 CONCERT SEASON

MASTERS SERIES

Gryphon Trio

Poesis Quartet

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Quartetto di Cremona

New Orford String Quartet

HORIZON SERIES

SPA Trio

Attacca Quartet with Caroline Shaw

DISCOVER World-Class Chamber Music SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS available MAY 1, 2026

Galvin Cello Quartet

SPECIAL EVENT

James Ehnes & Andrew Armstrong

Artists subject to change –

Savour a complimentary appetizer* with your entrée, just steps from the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

FAQs

Where will I park? What if I clap at the wrong moment?

Can I wear Crocs? Taking in a performance at the Calgary Phil is meant to be a joyful — not stressful — experience. So don't worry, we've got you covered with these handy answers to a few of our most frequently asked questions (and, yes, you can wear Crocs).

What do I wear to the Orchestra?

You'll see everything from designer gowns to business casual to jeans 'n tees at Calgary Phil performances. We have no formal dress code and just want you to feel happy, comfortable, and relaxed!

What is your mobile phone policy?

While we hope everyone has the chance to experience live music without distractions, we realize that there are times when you don't want to miss an important message. If you need to leave your device on, please turn the brightness down, the sound off, and be considerate of other audience members.

Where can I find parking?

There are several parking lots in the area, but we suggest you leave yourself plenty of time to find a spot — they fill up fast! Underground parking is available at Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) and the nearby Civic Plaza and TELUS Convention Centre parkades. If you take the CTrain, the stations are located one block from Werklund Centre. Bike racks can also be found on Stephen Avenue in front of the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

Are drinks allowed in the concert hall?

Aside from the occasional concert, drinks are permitted! You're invited to arrive a little early, mingle with your fellow music fans, and enjoy a beverage in the lobby before the show begins. You can also pre-order a round for pick up from the bar at intermission.

Can I take photos in the concert hall?

For most concerts, you can take a quick photo, but don't use flash — it can interfere with the musicians' performance. Don't forget to tag us in your favourite moments! You can find @calgaryphil on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.

When do I clap?

Did you know that the 'no clapping' rule, in which audiences are expected to hold their applause between movements, only really started to take hold in the mid-19th century? Prior to that, concerts were pretty boisterous affairs. Today, orchestras still largely follow the tradition as a way of respecting the focus of performers and the flow of the music. You'll know when the piece is finished because the conductor typically puts their arms down completely and turns to the audience. But, if you do happen to clap before the piece is finished, that's okay! The musicians will be happy to know you're enjoying the performance.

What happens if I'm late?

Sometimes even the best laid plans go sideways. Ushers do their best to seat latecomers at appropriate breaks in the performance, but in some cases this may not be possible until the completion of an entire work. We don't want you to miss anything, so you can listen to the music and watch the screens in the lobby.

How long is a concert?

For more useful tips, visit calgaryphil.com/FAQ

While the length varies, most evening performances are about two-hours long including intermission (shorter concerts may forgo the break). Symphony Sundays for Kids concerts are usually one hour long with no intermission.

Orchestra

Karen Kamensek

PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR

Juliane Gallant* RESIDENT CONDUCTOR + ARTISTIC ADVISOR, POPS

Cris Derksen

ARTISTIC ADVISOR

Roberto Minczuk MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE

Hans Graf

MUSIC DIRECTOR LAUREATE

Mario Bernardi CONDUCTOR LAUREATE

Cenek Vrba

CONCERTMASTER EMERITUS

First Violins

Diana Cohen* CONCERTMASTER

John Lowry* ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER

Donovan Seidle ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER

Eric Auerbach

Jeongah Choi

Edmund Chung

Danielle Greene

Olga Kotova* Genevieve Micheletti

Maria van der Sloot* Hojean Yoo

Second Violins

Lorna Tsai* PRINCIPAL

Stephanie Soltice-Johnson* ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Erin Burkholder

Jeremy Gabbert

Hyewon Grillet-Kim*

Craig Hutchenreuther*

Minnie Min Kyung Kwon*

Theresa Dumbrique

Adriana Lebedovich*

Steven Lubiarz

Elisa Milner

Roberta Yee

Violas

Laurent Grillet-Kim** PRINCIPAL

Marcin Swoboda ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Alexander Beggs

Jeremy Bauman

Peter Blake

Michael Bursey

Alisa Klebanov

Jesse Morrison

Cellos

Arnold Choi* PRINCIPAL

Josué Valdepeñas ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Clare Bradford

Kathleen de Caen*

Thomas Megee

David Morrissey*

Robyn Neidhold

Daniel Poceta

Basses

Jonathan Yeoh ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Matthew Heller

Trish Bereti-Reid

Patrick Staples

Flutes

Sara Hahn-Scinocco* PRINCIPAL

Gwen Klassen ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Piccolo

Gwen Klassen*

Oboes

David Sussman ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

English Horn

David Sussman*

Clarinets

Laurie Blanchet ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Bassoons

Antoine St-Onge PRINCIPAL

Michael Hope ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Horns

Nikolette LaBonte PRINCIPAL

Jennifer Frank-Umana ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

Peter Clark ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Maxwell Stein ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Trumpets

Adam Zinatelli* PRINCIPAL

Miranda Cairns ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Trombones

James Scott PRINCIPAL

Kristofer Leslie ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Bass Trombone

David Reid PRINCIPAL

Tuba

*

ENDOWED CHAIR IN HONOUR OF TOM MCCASLIN

Timpani

Alexander Cohen PRINCIPAL

Percussion

Chris Sies* PRINCIPAL

Harp

Emily Melendes PRINCIPAL

REPERTOIRE OFTEN REQUIRES EXTRA MUSICIANS:

Lidia Haeju Lee, Violin

Christine Chen, Violin

Dean O'Brien, Viola

Ronelle Schaufele, Viola

Patricia Higgins, Viola

Janet Kuschak, Cello

Sheila Garrett, Bass

Daniel Nava, Bass

Sarah MacDonald, Flute

Emily Phernambucq, Flute

Katrina Kwantes-Oliveira, Oboe

Lief Mosbaugh, Oboe

Aura Pon, Oboe

Stan Climie, Clarinet

Ilana Dahl, Clarinet

Natalia Peric, Clarinet

John Feldberg, Bassoon

Heather Wootton, Horn

Laurie Matiation, Horn

Richard Scholz, Trumpet

Gareth Jones, Trumpet

Nikki McCaslin, Trombone

Mark Harding, Trombone

Greg Burns, Trombone

Tyler Cairns, Bass Trombone

Sean Buckley, Percussion

Graeme Tofflemiere, Percussion

Rolf Bertsch, Piano

Darren Young, Guitar

Kodi Hutchinson, E. Bass

Tyler Hornby, Drums

Gerry Hebert, Saxophone

Jeremy Brown, Saxophone

Richard Harding, Saxophone

KAREN KAMENSEK

PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR

Grammy Award-winning conductor

Karen Kamensek's expansive artistry coupled with her deep commitment for championing composers of the 20th and 21st centuries is reflected in her work in both the opera house and on the concert stage. Frequently in demand as a guest conductor with many of today's most prominent opera companies, Karen's recent opera highlights include her performances at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca; the English National Opera in Philip Glass' Akhnaten and Satyagraha; the Welsh National Opera in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking and Leonard Bernstein's Candide; the Metropolitan Opera in Glass' Akhnaten, Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto, and Jake Heggie's Moby Dick; the Houston Grand Opera in Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, and the San Francisco Opera in Poul Ruders' The Handmaid's Tale, among others. Karen's recent symphonic work has brought her to the podia of such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Sydney Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Oslo Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Orquestra Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, and the Orchestre Chambre de Paris, among others. Karen served as the Music Director of the Staatsoper Hannover from 2011 to 2016. She has also served as 1st Kapellmeister at the Volksoper Wien (2000–2002), Music Director of the Theater Freiburg (2003–2006), and Associate Music Director at the Staatsoper Hamburg (2008–2011). Karen joins the Calgary Philharmonic this season in the role of Principal Guest Conductor.

JULIANE GALLANT RESIDENT CONDUCTOR + ARTISTIC ADVISOR, POPS

New Brunswick-born Juliane Gallant is the Resident Conductor and Artistic Advisor, Pops of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Following a decade working in the UK, her relocation to Canada has led her to appear as guest conductor with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, PEI Symphony Orchestra, Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, and Symphony New Brunswick. In 2025/2026, she will be returning to Ottawa and New Brunswick and will make her début with the Regina Symphony Orchestra and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. Initially a collaborative pianist, répétiteur, and vocal coach, Juliane began her conducting career in opera. She has led productions of Carmen, La bohème, Tosca, Eugene Onegin, La Traviata, Don Giovanni, and numerous others, in Canada, the United States, and the UK. In 2021, she made her Royal Opera House conducting début in Mami Wata in collaboration with Pegasus Opera. In symphonic Pops, she has performed a wide array of genres, from musical theatre and film scores to the music of Tina Turner and Nirvana. She has collaborated with a variety of artists, such as Chantal Kreviazuk, Kiesza, Serena Ryder, and Brett Kissel. Juliane is a graduate of the National Opera Studio, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique de Montréal, the University of Ottawa and the Université de Moncton. She is an alumna of Tapestry Opera's Women in Musical Leadership Fellowship.

CRIS DERKSEN

ARTISTIC ADVISOR

JUNO-nominated Cris Derksen is an Internationally respected Indigenous cellist and composer. Originally from Treaty 8 in Northern Alberta, she comes from NorthTall Cree Reserve on her father's side and Mennonite homesteaders on her mother's. Cris' composition strength lies in their diversity for all artistic fields including dance, theatre, film, television, animation, fashion, podcasts, symphonic, chamber, choral, and installations. She performs as soloistcomposer for symphonies and chamber orchestras across Canada and has been commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Thunder Bay Symphony, and Orchestre Metropolitan. Cris was the composer for the Canadian Pavilion for the World Expo in Dubai in 2022 and in Osaka, Japan 2025. They are the founder of the Banff Indigenous Classical Residency at the Banff Centre, and Artistic Advisor for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Her work on the Podcast Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's by Connie Walker and Gimlet media won both a Pulitzer and Peabody. Recent achievements include: her Carnegie Hall Debut with a new symphonic piece, Controlled Burn, with Orchestra Metropolitan conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin; a collaboration with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra of a new ballet, Tel Wild Man of the woods; and scoring a National Geographic documentary. Cris is always up for the challenge of bringing an Indigenous perspective to all aspects of sonic storytelling.

Chorus

Mark Bartel* CHORUS DIRECTOR

Evan Mounce ASSISTANT CHORUS DIRECTOR

Sopranos

Heather Allen

Karine Baumgardner

Ellen Borak

Michelle Bozynski

SECTION REPRESENTATIVE

Tricia Bray

Carolyn Byers

Tanya Chow

Twylla Jayne Conn

Laura A Davis

Ina Dobrinski

Barb Dolter

Anne Marie Espiritu

Diane Fenton

Sim Galloway

Nairilys Garcia Sogamozo

Carolyn Hatt

Robyn Hauck

Rachelle Henkel

Dale Hensley

Linda Janzen

Amy Jensen

Amethyst Klintberg

Shelby Lake

Melody Littel

Allison Marquette

Chantelle Nelson

Kathleen Pierson

Gillian Posey

Colleen Potter

Brier Reid

Lisa Schalk

Lisa Sears-Walsh

Joan Simmins

Barbara Soles

Becky Standing

Melissa Symanczyk

Carol Topley

Tamara Vardomskaya

Norma Webb

Chelsea Woodard

SECTION PRINCIPAL

Betsy Woolner

Altos

Margaret Anderson

Jessica Baedke

Kayla Bazzana-Adams

Susan Bell

Barbara Boland

Elizabeth Bowers

Rhea Buckingham

Michelle Cariou

Kelsey Chambers

Indrani Chatterjee

SECTION REPRESENTATIVE

Breanne Coady

Bernie Constantin

Joanne Cosentino

Yvonne Courtney

Ruth A. Cross

Shirley Cumming

Sharon Fehr

Rebecca Frederick

Sabine Gilch

Jo Griffin

Alexandra Guebert

Karen Hanlon

Kay Harrison

Pat Heitman

Julie Heyland

Helen Isaac

Aigerim Kaliyeva

Cynthia Klaassen

Heather Klassen

Marlene L Krickhan

Catherine Lasuita

Carol Latter

Betty Liu

CALGARY PHIL YOUTH CHORISTER

Shawna MacGillivary

Emma MacKay

Barbara Mathies

Julia Millen

SECTION PRINCIPAL

Lucinda Neufeld

Britt Odegard

Mara Osis

Andrea Radford

Anne Rodger

Patti Vaillant

Corné van Nierop

Julia Vanden Heuvel

Alexandra Wang

Emma Woo

Karen Yackel

Tenors

Tim Ahrenholz

Dean Allatt

Neil Bazzana-Adams

Tim Bell

SECTION REPRESENTATIVE

Keevin Berg

Stephen Burke

Rob Burns

Gabriel Castro

Christopher Chiemejonam

Tristram Chivers

Fergus Crawford

Philip Dano

Pat Favaro

Lorna Gilfedder

Richard Harding

Katt Hryciw

CHORUS ADMINISTRATOR

James Hume

Jungsoo Kim

Diana M Klaassen

Joycelyn Kristoff

Caroline Lambert

Juan Manuel López

Brian Mol

Darrell Morden

Abraham Ortega

Alexander Pacunayen

Michael Pierson

Jason Ragan

SECTION PRINCIPAL

Peter Rilstone

Dennis Voth

Joel Wabo

Basses

Archibald Adams

Aaron Bartholomew

SECTION PRINCIPAL

Pearson Berko

Glenn Bontje

Maxime Chambers-Dumont

SECTION REPRESENTATIVE

Ian Charter

Mauro Cimolai

Chad Conrad

Lloyd Crosby

David Daly

Kevin Di Filippo

Arthur Dick

Carel du Toit

Allan Huber

Adam Kennedy

Drew Kotchan

Darcy Krahn

David Kroeger

David Mark

Keith Odegard

Kori Patrick

Dave Pattison

Dana Salter

Daniel Sanguinetti

David Schey

Albi Sole

Rainier Trinidad

Vinu Varghese

Richard Wanner

Jim Weisert

Peter Wong

Keith Wyenberg

* ENDOWED CHAIR (PAGE 64)

MARK BARTEL CHORUS DIRECTOR

Mark Bartel is in demand as a versatile conductor and music educator. He is known for his musical, educational, and community collaborations and has established a reputation as a successful builder of choirs and choral programs. Mark is a passionate advocate of the impact of music in the lives of choristers, audiences, and communities. He has conducted university choirs for over 25 years and has extensive experience leading a wide range of community choirs in both the United States and Canada. After a 16-year tenure in the U.S, he returned to Canada in 2019 to join the faculty at Calgary's Ambrose University as Associate Professor of Music and Chair of Ambrose Arts. Since arriving in Calgary, he has also served as Director of the Spiritus Chamber Choir. In addition to his interest in choral-orchestral works and choral music of the Baroque era, he brings expertise as a singer and voice pedagogue to his work with choirs. His current research focuses on how choirs around the world engage in active peacebuilding through the choral experience. A native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Mark is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg and Canadian Mennonite University. He holds the Master of Music and Master of Sacred Music degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Where Passion Meets Performance

Many Voices as One

Funding the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

By Stephania Romaniuk

Of all the professional orchestras nationwide, only two have choruses that rehearse and perform the full season's choral repertoire in-house — one of them proudly being your Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Donations to the Chorus allow for the Orchestra to program challenging vocal repertoire; commission important choral pieces by living composers; secure a dedicated Chorus Director, Assistant Director, Administrator, and section leads; and equip and provide professional development for its members. This level of structural support allows for the kind of continuous improvement that this season will see the Chorus undertake one of the most important and demanding pieces in the repertoire — Verdi's Requiem. It is a test of vocal endurance and technique, requires the heightened emotional commitment and drama of an opera, and could only have been programmed knowing the Chorus was vocally and artistically ready.

In 2010, donors Ellen and Allen Borak founded the Borak Forte program, a donation fund specifically dedicated to the needs of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Until the end of this season, this fund will bear their last name in recognition of their visionary support, which they will then transition to other areas of need for the organization. In supporting the Chorus, the Boraks have been driven by the conviction that great choral works with orchestra deserve to be heard, that they must be performed at the highest level, and that there is every reason they can be performed right here in Calgary. Milestones over that time have included commissions such as Jeffrey Ryan and Suzanne Steele's deeply moving Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation and John Estacio's High Flight for the Chorus' 60th anniversary, memorable performances of major works like Mahler's Symphony No. 8, and collaborations with guest conductors and vocalists who regularly comment that they were impressed to find an orchestral chorus of such calibre in Calgary. Ellen would know: she has sung with the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus for 30 seasons.

"As a chorister, there's a great deal of personal value in being able to transmit these musical stories," she shares.

"But with the Forte program, I take a great deal of pride in everyone around me who is also doing their very best and putting it out there."

She also admits enjoying when audience members share their surprise at the performance they've just heard. "I'll call it the 'wow' factor where they come out into the lobby and say, 'Oh, that was astoundingly good.' I think the words and music reawaken emotions and touch them in a new way."

At a time when many choirs have struggled to rebound in numbers since the pandemic, the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus has grown exponentially. "There's been a huge uptick in the number of people wanting to join the Chorus," shares Allen, "and much younger people wanting to join, which I think is a very positive sign."

Since 2021, its numbers have increased to the point that interested and qualified vocalists have been capped simply because of rehearsal capacity constraints. The Chorus often attracts individuals who sang in youth choirs or undertook serious professional vocal study but went on to pursue careers in other fields. Musicmaking remains a special joy and an earnest artistic pursuit for the choristers, and every Wednesday evening you will find them rehearsing for one of the five to seven performances they give with the Orchestra each season.

For over 15 years, the Boraks have contributed to the sustainability and growth of the Chorus, both as financial supporters and advocates for the rightful place of the Chorus within the organization.

"Support like theirs has ensured stability and growth," says Chorus Administrator Katt Hryciw. "When the Chorus is part of the organization, like with the Calgary Philharmonic, it gives it a purpose and a home."

What most people don't realize, however, is that even with philanthropic support the costs for the Chorus to train, rehearse, and perform still outweigh contributed revenue. Director of Development Chris Petrik believes that broadening the reach of the Chorus Forte program will signal an important opportunity for others to support this vital area of the organization.

"This type of support can't be shouldered by one or two people alone; it truly takes a community to make it possible," he says. "The needs always outweigh the contributions we receive, and we are looking for more individuals who believe in this vision to support the remarkable work of the Chorus going forward."

In many ways, the impact of supporting the Chorus can be seen immediately: the scores each chorister holds, the confidence of soloists, section leads, and the Chorus Director as they stand to perform, and the sound of 162 passionate vocalists resonating up to the rafters of the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Each of these needs represents an opportunity to give back, and, for choral lovers across Calgary, a way to make your voice heard — forte!

6 + 7 March

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Dance Dance Disco

Concert Supporters: Michelle Bailey + John Whelan

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, conductor

Alita Moses, vocals

Shakura S'Aida, vocals

Schadrack Pierre, vocals

Brendan Reilly, vocals

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Boogie with your Calgary Phil in this far-out concert inspired by the sounds of legendary New York nightclub Studio 54. Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, who led this production's premiere at BBC Proms, conducts the Orchestra and a hip cast of vocalists in the disco era's grooviest hits from Donna Summer, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, Diana Ross, Chic, and more!

Performing songs from the list below:

A Fifth of Beethoven / Boogie Nights / Dancing Queen / Disco Inferno / Everybody Dance / Le Freak / Feels Like I'm in Love / Got to Be Real / Hot Stuff / I Will Survive / I'm Coming Out / If I Can't Have You /Mamma Mia / Manhattan Skyline / Native New Yorker / Never Can Say Goodbye / Night Fever / Rock the Boat / Runaway / Turn the Beat Around / You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

CONCERT INCLUDES A 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

about the music

No. 1

One chilly New Year's Eve in 1977, Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards received an even colder shoulder from the doorman at legendary nightclub Studio 54. After being denied entry with a brusque "____ off," they turned the encounter into a song, Le Freak, but changed the bouncer's charmless phrase to the more radio-friendly "Freak Out!" Showing no hard feelings, their lyrics even invite the listener to "Just come on down to 54" where Le Freak soon became a guaranteed dancefloor filler.

No. 2

Much like Chic spun rejection into disco gold, so too did I Will Survive principal songwriter Dino Fekaris, who was inspired to pen the lyrics after being fired from Motown. With Gloria Gaynor's fiery delivery of the song's inspiring message and its subsequent embrace by New York's gay community, I Will Survive quickly evolved into a universal anthem of empowerment.

No. 3

Saturday Night Fever wasn't just a movie; it was a certifiable phenomenon. Its cultural domination extended beyond the box office with its soundtrack jumping to the top of the music charts and remaining there for 24 weeks. By the time the Bee Gees' Night Fever made it to No. 1, two of their other soundtrack contributions — Stayin' Alive' and How Deep is Your Love — were already in Top 10 singles rotation.

No. 4

The Bee Gees weren't the only artists to benefit from Saturday Night Fever mania; none other than Ludwig Van Beethoven made it to the No. 1 slot of Billboard's Hot 100 thanks to Walter Murphy's disco adaptation of his Fifth Symphony — also featured on the film's soundtrack.

No. 5

Thanks to classics like Love to Love You Baby and I Feel Love, Donna Summer emerged as the undisputed Queen of Disco in the 70s. Her 1978 banger Hot Stuff continued to bring the dancefloor heat, though stylistically it incorporated a rock guitar sound, including a solo by Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers' Skunk Baxter.

DANIEL BARTHOLOMEW-POYSER CONDUCTOR

Canadian conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser brings clarity and meaning to the concert hall, fostering deep connections between audiences and performers. He holds the positions of Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education at the San Francisco Symphony, the Barrett Principal Education Conductor and Community Ambassador of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Principal Youth Conductor and Creative Partner with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Daniel is also the Artist in Residence and Community Ambassador of Symphony Nova Scotia, conducting Ballet and Pops with national and international artists and designing diverse and relevant family and outreach shows for the Halifax community. He is the host of the weekly, national Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio show Centre Stage with Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. Daniel has conducted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Detroit Symphony in the US and the Canadian Opera Company, the Toronto Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Hamilton Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony, and Regina Symphony in Canada. Additionally, Daniel has served as the Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Associate Conductor of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Daniel is a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Jean-Marie Beaudet Prize for Orchestral Conducting. He has been awarded RBC Royal Bank Emerging Artist Grant and the Canada Council for the Arts Jean Baudet Prize for Orchestral Conducting. Daniel is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers.

ALITA MOSES VOCALS

Alita Moses is an in-demand vocalist, a "star" whose voice has been described as "sweet and seductive" and "magical." Alita has an expansive range of repertoire, reaching from contemporary vocals to pops, from musical theatre to American classics. Additionally, she has extensive experience with jazz and foreign language repertoire; she is one of today's most versatile voices. She has been a featured vocalist with Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, performing at Wembley Stadium and Radio City Music Hall, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Tori Kelly, at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra with Steve Hackman.

SHAKURA S'AIDA VOCALS

Shakura S'Aida is an acclaimed Americana roots-soul singer/ songwriter and recurring actor on Schitt's Creek whose dynamic performances have captivated audiences in 31 countries. Brooklynborn, Swiss-raised, and based in Toronto, she is a three-time JUNO Award nominee celebrated for her powerful, soul-stirring voice and magnetic stage presence. Summerfolk Festival calls her "engaging, vivacious and exciting," while collaborators praise her artistry and spirit. Her latest single, Keep It Movin', the follow-up to her JUNOnominated, Folk Canada Award–winning Hold On to Love, channels classic soul and R&B with honesty and warmth, backed by vibrant roots-soul grooves. For over 40 years she has contributed to Toronto's music scene not only as a performer but as a curator and producer. Through Shakura S'Aida Presents she creates performance opportunities, producing and curating concerts and festivals that connect diverse artists and communities across Canada, the U.S., and Europe. Dedicated to community, she also organizes food drives and serves on arts boards, using music to uplift and unite.

SCHADRACK PIERRE VOCALS

Introducing Schado, a singersongwriter and captivating live performer whose music traverses an array of genres. Hailing from Trenton, New Jersey, Schado's journey led him to New York City to study at The New School, where he honed his craft. His music is a reflection of his upbringing, blending his Haitian roots, church influences, and exploration of jazz and contemporary styles to craft a sound that is both unique and relatable. Having lent his vocal talents to various artists such as Alicia Olatuja, Yebba, Stormzy, Lawrence and countless others, Schado is poised to step into the spotlight with his debut album, NINE This album is a collection of songs that delve into his personal journey and aspirations. Earlier this year, He released his debut single, Dark Ones, a poignant ode to dark-skinned individuals and is excited to release his second single Retrograde and the album soon. Schado is eager to connect with audiences on a deeper level and make his mark in the musical landscape.

BRENDAN REILLY VOCALS

Perhaps best known for his work touring and/or writing with the likes of Quincy Jones, Disclosure, Shania Twain, Pete Tong's Ibiza Classics projects with the Heritage Orchestra, and Basement Jaxx, Brendan Reilly has also released his own solo material over the years. His 2016 album, The Life of Reilly, received rave reviews and was a hit on Jazz album charts and on jazz radio. His new EP, Re:Cover, and album, Re:Connect, add elements of R&B and world music to his signature soul-jazz style.

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Verdi's Requiem

Concert Supporters: Ellen + Allen Borak

Guest Artist Supporter: The Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso Program

Karen Kamensek, conductor (biography on page 11)

Anna Pompeeva, soprano

Mireille Lebel, mezzo-soprano

Michael Schade, tenor

Geoffrey Sirett, baritone

Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Giuseppe Verdi

Messa da Requiem 84'

I. Requiem and Kyrie

II. Sequence (Dies Irae)

III. Offertorio (Domine Jesu)

IV Sanctus

V Agnus Dei

VI. Lux aeterna

VII. Libera me

Messa da Requiem Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)

Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem is haunted by two great spirits. Though it was written to commemorate the death of the writer Alessandro Manzoni, it had its origins in an earlier Requiem Mass dedicated to another great Italian, the composer Gioachino Rossini. Verdi had composed the final movement, Libera me, as his contribution to a collaborative effort shared with a dozen other notable composers in honour of Rossini's passing in 1868. Messa per Rossini was ready to premiere in 1869 but was shelved; Verdi was disappointed that the planned performance, scheduled for the first year anniversary of Rossini's passing, fell through; he did not want it performed on any other occasion, and it wouldn't be until more than a century later, in 1988. Regarding the colossal impact of Rossini's name in the history of Italian music, Verdi said, "it was a glory of Italy! When the other one who still lives is no more, what will we have left?" The "other one" was Manzoni, in honour of whom Libera me would be reworked and incorporated into Messa da Requiem, which would go on to be one of the most performed major choral works in the repertoire. Alessandro Manzoni was an Italian poet, novelist, and philosopher famous for his novel The Betrothed. This voluminous historical romance follows the trials and triumphs of a young couple in early 17th century Lombardy whose love is thwarted and aided by a colourful cast of characters that paint a vivid picture of Italian life in that era. The novel's enormous success secured Manzoni's place in the pantheon of Italian letters. Verdi read The Betrothed at the age of 16, beginning a life-long admiration that would grow over the years into reverence. He had the chance to meet Manzoni, now an old man, in 1868 — of this meeting he wrote: "I would have gone down on my knees before him if we were allowed to worship men." There is debate about when Verdi decided to continue working on Libera me and develop a Requiem Mass of his own, but many scholars agree that he started in 1873, the year of Manzoni's death. It was composed partly in Villa Verdi, the estate house that the composer built on farmland he owned in Sant'Agata, a village in northern Italy; he also worked on it in Paris, where the Verdis spent the summer of 1873. Messa da Requiem was performed on 22 May 1874 in San Marco church in Milan, on the anniversary of

Manzoni's death; it was performed three more times at the historic Milanese opera house La Scala a few days afterward. Though some thought it was too "operatic" or "dramatic" for a liturgical work, the reception was warm; it enjoyed performances in Paris, London, New York, and beyond. Messa da Requiem counts amongst the masterpieces that comprise the final phase of Verdi's oeuvre. Already in his sixties, and with around two dozen operas under his belt — he had been the leading composer in the sphere of Italian opera since the mid-1840s — the composer had felt ready to retire. Only two other major works would appear afterwards: Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893), and a number of revisions. Though he was agnostic, Verdi approached the liturgical text with the solemnity and stately dignity appropriate to the Catholic funeral mass. The mature Verdi can still be heard here in full force, with many of the techniques, tensions, and emotional textures seen in his operas. It was composed for four soloists — two of which were women, at that time excluded from performing in a Catholic church — a chorus (which also included women's voices), and orchestra. Messa da Requiem is a true marvel, balanced between the sacred and the secular; in it we hear both worlds united by the sorrow, awe, and mystery of death.

PROGRAM NOTES © JUN-LONG LEE (2026)

ANNA POMPEEVA SOPRANO

Anna Pompeeva is a dramatic lyric soprano praised by Opera Canada for her "warm, powerfully unaffected voice, wielded with hopeful longing and operatic command." Since relocating to Canada from Ukraine in 2023, she has quickly established herself on the national opera and concert stage, appearing with Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, the Calgary Civic Symphony, and Orchestre Classique de Montréal under Maestro Jacques Lacombe. Recent highlights include Freia in Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold with Calgary Opera (2024), conducted by Jonathan Brandani with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and her acclaimed debut as Sieglinde in Edmonton Opera's Die Walküre (2025). These performances marked a significant expansion of her repertoire into Wagnerian roles, confirming her dramatic range and vocal stamina. From 2013 to 2022, Anna was a leading soprano with the Kharkiv National Opera and Ballet Theatre, where her repertoire included Giuseppe Verdi's Leonora (Il trovatore) and Desdemona (Otello), Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, Ruggero Leoncavallo's Nedda (Pagliacci), Pytor Illich Tchaikovsky's Lisa (The Queen of Spades), Jules Massenet's Cendrillon, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). Her concert repertoire includes Ludwig Van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Verdi's Requiem, Mozart's Requiem, Johann Sebastion Bach's Magnificat, and Franz Schubert's Mass in G Major She has toured extensively throughout Europe and is a prizewinner of several international vocal competitions. Anna holds a master's degree in Opera and Chamber Singing and a PhD (Candidate of Science) in Music History.

MIREILLE LEBEL MEZZO-SOPRANO

Canadian mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel has built an international career known for its stylistic versatility, performing repertoire from Monteverdi to contemporary composers. She has been praised for her "silky mezzo-soprano, with its admirable range of colours and dynamics" and "handsome, eloquent stage persona" (Opera Canada). In the 2025/2026 Season, she premieres Clown(s) by Ana Sokolović with Opéra de Montréal, joins the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for Handel's Messiah under JeanMarie Zeitouni, and appears at the Festival International Bach Montréal in Mendelssohn's Elijah, conducted by Samy Moussa. On the operatic stage, Mireille has recently performed as Caccini's Alcina and Minerva in Desmarets' Circé with the Boston Early Music Festival, Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice with Vancouver Opera, Ernesto in Il mondo della luna with Opéra-Théâtre de Metz, and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier at Staatstheater Nürnberg. Her engagements have also taken her to Deutsche Oper Berlin, Theater Basel, Opéra de Reims, Opéra de Nice, Národní divadlo Praha, Schwetzingen SWR Festspiele, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. Equally sought-after as a concert artist, Mireille has sung with leading ensembles including Les Violons du Roy, the Houston Symphony, Collegium 1704, and the Victoria Symphony. Her discography also includes Schoenberg's String Quartet No. 2 with the Richter Ensemble and the world premiere recording of Alois Bröder's The Wives of the Dead with Philharmonisches Orchester Erfurt.

MICHAEL SCHADE TENOR

Celebrated as one of the leading tenors of his generation, GermanCanadian tenor Michael Schade appears at festivals including Salzburg, Glyndebourne, Lucerne, Verbier, and Grafenegg, and at renowned houses as the Hamburg and Berlin State Operas, Metropolitan Opera, Bavarian State Opera, La Scala, Royal Opera House London, Opéra Bastille, Liceu Barcelona and Teatro Colón. He worked closely with the Vienna State Opera, singing all major Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Richard Strauss roles of his Fach. Recent highlights include Herod in Strauss' Salome and Hauptmann in Alban Berg's Wozzeck at the Canadian Opera Company, his Australian debut as Flamand in Capriccio, and the title role in Mozart's Idomeneo. Michael's concert repertoire ranges from Johann Sebastian Bach's Passions to Gustav Mahler's Lied von der Erde. He has performed with the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and major Canadian and U.S. symphonies. His artistry was shaped by collaborations with Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Highlights of 2025/2026 include Carmina Burana under Orozco-Estrada, Der Stein der Weisen at Theater an der Wien, Figaro Gets a Divorce in Stockholm, Guiseppe Verdi's Requiem in Calgary, and recitals throughout Austria. Michael's award-winning discography features Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Pierre Boulez, and Claudio Abbado. He was named Austrian Kammersänger in 200, became an Officer to the Order of Canada in 2017, is artistic director of the International Baroque Days at Abbey Melk and teaches at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

GEOFFREY SIRETT BARITONE

Hailed by the Globe and Mail as "a brilliant performer," "with the kind of magnetism that comes from combining realism with exhaustive extremes," baritone Geoffrey Sirett won the 2018 Dora Award for Outstanding Opera Performance singing the leading role of Akaky in The Overcoat (Canadian Stage, Tapestry Opera, Vancouver Opera). Recent engagements include Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Orchestre Philharmonique et Choeur des Mélomanes), Johannes Brahms' Requiem (Victoria Symphony, Richard Eaton Singers), Guiseppe Verdi's Requiem (Toronto Mendelssohn Choir), Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah (Richard Eaton Singers), George Frideric Handel's Brockes Passion (Toronto's Metropolitan United), Maurice Duruflé's Requiem (Ottawa Choral Society), Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Ottawa Bach Choir), and Handel's Messiah (Ottawa Choral Society). Past seasons saw engagements with the Toronto Symphony for Kurt Weill's Seven Deadly Sins, Messiah with the Peterborough Singers, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, St. John Passion with both the Ottawa Choral Society and the Elora Singers, Elijah for the Pax Christi Chorale, and Ludwig Van Beethoven's Missa Solemnis for the Grand Philharmonic Choir. His repertoire also includes Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Orchestre symphonique de Drummondville), Bach's B-Minor Mass (Sweetwater Festival, Ottawa Bach Choir), Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death (Off Centre Music Salon), Damnation of Faust (Calgary Philharmonic) and John Adam's The Wound Dresser (Victoria Symphony).

28 March

7:30PM

Jubilee Auditorium

Gamesymphonic with Eímear Noone

Eímear Noone, conductor + composer Carly Smithson, vocals

Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Delve into awe-inspiring scores from some of the biggest video games ever with your Calgary Phil and award-winning video game music composer and conductor Eímear Noone! She brings her own enduring soundscapes from World of Warcraft, along with music inspired by more beloved games!

This concert features themes inspired by the soundscapes of:

Halo / Call Of Duty WWII / Kingdom Hearts / Mario + Rabbids / Fortnite / Sea of Thieves / Baldur's Gate: The Dark Alliance II / Resident Evil V / Psychonauts 2 / Civilization VI / Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 / Hades / Towerborne / Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers / Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers / World of Warcraft / World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor / League of Legends

CONCERT INCLUDES A 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

EÍMEAR NOONE CONDUCTOR + COMPOSER

Award-winning conductor and composer Eímear Noone transports audiences to magical realms, postapocalyptic worlds, godly labyrinths, and beloved Disney universes through the power of gaming music. Based between LA and Dublin, she is one of the world's leading videogame composers, known for her work on World of Warcraft and other best-selling titles. Her music has reached over 100 million players across a 30-title portfolio spanning film, television, and games, earning accolades including the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Video Game Score. Eímear conducts major orchestras worldwide, including San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Sydney, and Singapore symphony orchestras, as well as the Royal Philharmonic and BBC Concert Orchestra. She conducted Nintendo's first 3D-filmed game score and toured globally with The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, contributing to its record-setting 25th Anniversary soundtrack. A creator of innovative orchestral shows, her productions Electric Arcade and Video Games in Concert sell out venues such as London's Royal Albert Hall and Beijing Stadium. Performing in her signature 'warrior princess' costume, she engages diverse audiences with humour and storytelling. A champion of women in music and tech, she also hosted Classic FM's gaming-music show High Score and made history as the first female conductor to perform at the 92nd Academy Awards.

Bella Concert Hall 7:30pm and with LUMINOUS STRINGS

Friday, April 3, 2026

On Vision and Verdi

As She Prepares for an Epic Requiem, Karen Kamensek Reflects on her Role as Calgary Phil Principal Guest Conductor

By Elizabeth Chorney-Booth Photo HarderLee Photography

As much as any orchestra is about more than any one person, with musicians, administration, and artistic leadership coming together to create a singular creative entity, there still must be someone standing at the front with a baton in hand, both literally and figuratively. This year at the Calgary Philharmonic some of that responsibility lies with the much-celebrated Karen Kamensek, who is serving in the newly created role of Principal Guest Conductor.

Kamensek's role injects a new creative spark into the Calgary Phil as the Orchestra works to fill the Music Director job, left vacant when the great Rune Bergmann ended his tenure at the end of last season. Like any guest conductor, Kamensek's new position involves helming concerts, including the upcoming performance of Verdi's Requiem in March, but she also offers vision and artistic guidance behind the scenes.

"I equate it to a fine and well-established restaurant that brings in a guest chef every once in a while, to change up the menu a bit or to prepare the specials," Kamensek says. "One still has the general menu and structure that everyone is familiar with, but then you hear 'Oooh, yes, she is in the kitchen tonight!' from the clients."

The American-born Grammy Award winning conductor's name will be familiar to avid Calgary Phil fans: she first took the stage with the Orchestra in 2022 to conduct the Karen Gomyo: Virtuoso Violin concert, returned in 2023/2024 to lead Brilliant Bassoon, and this past September she made her debut as Principal Guest Conductor at Gil Shaham Plays Beethoven. Calgary has been enticing to Kamensek since her first visit to the Banff Centre 30 years ago near the beginning

of her career and she already feels like she's clicking well with the Orchestra and its players.

"I have greatly enjoyed working with the Calgary Phil since the first moment we met, and the fact that they have invited me to be their Principal Guest Conductor signals to me the feeling is mutual," Kamensek says. "I feel a great sense of openness, adventure, and humour between us during our rehearsals, and even with the challenging programs I tend to be known for, they have always risen to the occasion. I always have the feeling we also have fun together."

Kamensek certainly comes to the role with an impressive resumé and her decades of experience brings fresh energy to the Calgary Phil that keeps both the musicians and audiences on their toes. She has stood in front of major orchestras as a guest conductor in London, Los Angeles, Stockholm, and other great music cities around the world, and has also held key positions with the Staatsoper Hannover, the Volksoper Wien, and the Theater Freiburg, among other prestigious artistic organizations.

While Kamensek has put in significant hours working with symphonic orchestras, she also has a deep love for and a lifetime of experience working with opera houses. Guest conducting stints with some of the world's best opera companies with works by Giacomo Puccini, Phillip Glass, and Leonard Bernstein gives Kamensek a unique perspective in terms of her upcoming Verdi concert. While the Requiem isn't an opera — there are no characters, costumes, or staging — it certainly possesses the dramatic quality of an operatic work and has a strong vocal element, including a full operatic scena

from the soprano in the final 15 minutes of the piece.

The Requiem marks the first time that Kamensek will work with the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, who will appear alongside four solo vocalists. Given her love for the piece, experience with conducting Giuseppe Verdi's actual operas, and general affection for the combination of choral and orchestral music, the performance is bound to be a highlight of the season for both the Phil and Kamensek herself.

"Endeavoring to understand Verdi's compositional development, as well as his place in musical and cultural history will naturally influence and assist me in developing a collective interpretation with the Calgary Phil and its Chorus and soloists," she says. "I'm very excited, as I discovered the Requiem very early in my musical life, yet, some 30 years into my conducting career, I am conducting it for the first time!"

In addition to being able to work with the Chorus and continue to have an artistic impact on the Calgary Phil, Kamensek relishes the opportunity to spend at least a little bit of time in Calgary to get to know the city. With an upcoming trip to Brazil later this year to conduct the São Paulo Symphony and plenty of other projects on the go, Calgary can serve as a bit of a regular stop while she digs into her new role.

"I enjoy being in the city and getting to know the audience, and something new about the city itself each time," she says. "Every time I have been in Calgary the weather has been optimal in every way. People laugh when I say that I am hoping to experience some heavy snow sometime when I am in town!"

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

La Vida Loca: Latin Pop Hits

Enrico Lopez-Yañez, conductor

Jackie Mendez, vocals

Ender Thomas, vocals

José Sibaja, trumpet

Luisito Quintero, percussion Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Get on Your Feet and Let's Get Loud as your Calgary Phil performs the greatest hits of Latin pop! Conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez leads the Orchestra and an ensemble of vocalists and instrumentalists in this high-octane concert celebrating the music of superstars like Enrique Iglesias, Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and more.

Performing music from the list below:

Get on Your Feet / Let's Get Loud / Bailamos/ Hero / El Dia Que Me Quieras / Celia Cruz Medley / I Need to Vevir (Marc Anthony Medley) / Mas Macarena / Whenever, Wherever / Santana Sinfonico / Como la Flor / Tequila / Despacito / Ricky Martin Medley

CONCERT INCLUDES A 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

about the music

No. 1

Jennifer Lopez announced her arrival on the music scene with Let's Get Loud, the first single from her debut album. By this point in her career, she had already found success as a dancer and actor; in fact, she credited her starring role in a biopic about the life of Tejano music star Selena as having inspired her singing career.

No. 2

Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira's Whenever, Wherever shares a common thread with JLo's Let's Get Loud — both songs were given an assist by Gloria Estefan. The Cuban-American music legend co-wrote the Lopez track and penned the lyrics for the English language version of Shakira's song.

No. 3

Though it had been around since the 1980s, reggaeton — a mix of hip hop, electronic, Latin, and Caribbean music — really began to explode in popularity in the 2000s. Originating in Panama, it was especially embraced by Puerto Rican artists such as Luis Fonsi, whose Despacito (featuring rapper Daddy Yankee) became Spotify's most-streamed song in 2017.

No. 4

Everyone knows the chorus — "Heyyyy Macarena" — but can you name the artists behind one of the most infectious earworms of all time? Macarena was a hit in Spain thanks to a dance remix by Fangoria, while Canada's Los Del Mar found success with their version here as well as in France and Australia. But it was the Bayside Boys' remix that sparked a global dance phenomenon. The absolute original, though, titled Mas Macarena, came from Spain's Los del Río.

No. 5

Enrique Iglesias' Hero took on new meaning following the events of September 11, 2001, which occurred just eight days after the song's release. New York DJs remixed the track with audio from first responders at the World Trade Centre site, and Iglesias later performed it at a 9/11 tribute concert that was broadcast across the U.S. and Canada.

ENRICO LOPEZ-YAÑEZ CONDUCTOR

Celebrated for his charismatic stage presence, definitive collaborations, and passion for making orchestral music accessible to all, Enrico LopezYañez is one of the most innovative and in-demand conductors in North America. He currently serves as Principal Pops Conductor of the Detroit and Pacific Symphonies, Principal Conductor of Dallas Symphony Presents, and Principal Guest Conductor of Pops at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He previously spent eight seasons conducting the Nashville Symphony, where he also served as their Principal Pops Conductor. As a trailblazer in the symphonic world, Enrico has premiered dozens of groundbreaking symphonic collaborations with artists including Dolly Parton, Kelsey Ballerini, Portugal. The Man, The Mavericks, Tituss Burgess, and The War and Treaty. As a composer and arranger, Enrico's versatility is equally expansive. He has written for artists like Big Sean and Mariachi Los Camperos, and he has been commissioned by major orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, San Diego Symphony and many more. Highlights of the 2025/2026 Season include performances with Ben Rector, Cody Fry, Common, Trisha Yearwood, Angela, Leonardo, and Pepe Aguilar. He will make appearances with the Cleveland Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra, while returning to lead the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Seattle Symphony, among others.

JACKIE MENDEZ VOCALS

Jackie Mendez is a native Miami singer-songwriter and producer of Cuban and Lebanese decent. She started singing professionally at the young age of 17 when she was signed to Warner Brothers' Elektra Records in her senior year of high school back in 2001. She began writing with the music industry's top artists and songwriters as well as joining several world tours and special appearances throughout the years with artists like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, Ricardo Montaner, and more recently on Camila Cabello's Tiny Desk performance. As an accredited artist with the Latin Grammy Recording Association, you can find her on five Latin Grammy-winning albums singing along with Franco de Vita, Ricky Martin, David Bisbal, and Alejandro Sanz. Jackie's voice is a layered sound full of texture, rasp, and soul. She captures all the emotions in the world of funk, soul, rock, and pop. You can find her music on all streaming platforms.

ENDER THOMAS VOCALS

Ender Thomas is a Venezuelan vocalist renowned for his powerful voice and dynamic stage presence. Born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, he developed a passion for music at a young age, influenced by his Latin roots and the rich cultural traditions of his homeland. Ender's vocal style is characterized by its emotional depth and versatility, allowing him to seamlessly blend genres such as Latin pop, rock, and world music. He gained international recognition as one of the lead vocalists for Yanni's Yanni Voices project, a collaboration that showcased his exceptional vocal talent to a global audience. His work with Yanni not only highlighted his ability to deliver passionate performances but also demonstrated his capacity to connect with diverse audiences through music. Ender's career is marked by collaborations with various artists, as well as his solo work, where he continues to explore new musical horizons. His performances are noted for their intensity and his ability to convey deep emotion, making him a standout figure in the world of Latin and world music. With a career that continues to evolve, Ender Thomas remains a captivating and influential voice in the music industry.

JOSÉ SIBAJA TRUMPET

José Sibaja is one of the most highly acclaimed Costa Rican trumpet players of his generation with worldwide audiences and broadcast media in the classical, Latin, jazz, and pop musical genres. His career ranges from international appearances as an orchestral soloist with Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica Venezuela, and Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Costa Rica, to worldwide tours with Ricky Martin for the Vuelve and Living la Vida Loca tours. Currently, José plays lead trumpet with the world-renowned Boston Brass. Receiving his musical training at the New World School of the Arts and the University of Miami, José's vast musical repertoire and his masterful artistry make him a prominent figure in a new generation of musicians. He has held positions as principal trumpet with the Miami Symphony, the the Sinfonietta de Caracas and Orquesta Sinfonica Venezuela, as well as a position with the Dallas Brass. With televised performances on the American Music Awards, the MTV Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Latin Grammy Awards shows as well as appearances on Conan O'Brian, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show, and Late Night with David Letterman, José's talents are not limited to live audience performances. Having recorded with such artists as Ricky Martin, Celia Cruz, and Gloria Estefan among others; Jose Sibaja redefines the idea of a concert artist with a rich mix of stylistic genres surpassing the very stereotype of today's classical musician.

LUISITO QUINTERO PERCUSSION

Luisito Quintero was born in the populous Caracas, Venezuela neighbourhood of San Agustin in August 1967. A child music prodigy, he hails from a lineage of distinguished musicians and singers. His father, Luis Quintero Sr., a respected percussionist in his native country, tutored and encouraged his son to play timbales at a young age. Luisito's first steps into the professional music arena were performing in the group The New Generation at only eight years old. At the age of 12, he played with one of the most popular bands at that time, El Trabuco Venezolano. A year later he joined world-renowned Salsa singer, Oscar D'León. He remained with D'León for more than a decade until his departure to New York City in 1992. Luisito quickly integrated into the Latin music and jazz scenes. His reputation as one of the best percussionists garnered him opportunities to perform and record with legendary artists as well as serving as the musical director for some acts. This master percussionist is not afraid to push the boundaries of his musical expressions and style, incorporating a variety of percussion instruments: timbales, congas, bongos, drum sets, the West African djembe, and dundun, and a wide variety of other instruments. He has participated in over 700 musical productions spanning a variety of genres and between the Grammys and Latin Grammys, Luisito has over 60 Grammy Awards.

21 Questions

with Assistant Principal Bass Jonathan Yeoh

Among the instruments featured in the Orchestra, the double bass is perhaps second only to the timpani in terms of heft. Which might lead you to think that is the reason Calgary Phil Assistant Principal Bass Jonathan Yeoh decided to take up powerlifting. For his part, though, he says his dedication to the gym is simply how he justifies another passionate pastime: dining.

But before all that comes music, and Jonathan's dedication and skill has seen him perform with orchestras all over the world.

Born and raised in Calgary, Jonathan also serves as Assistant Principal Double Bass with the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra and is a previous fellow at the Music Academy of the West, winning the London Symphony Keston MAX Award in 2019. Between rehearsing, exercising, and eating, Jonathan took some time to answer these pressing questions...

Favourite composer?

This is such a tough question to answer! Probably Mahler, but Schubert is very much up there as well.

Favourite piece of music? Probably Mahler 9, or the Schubert Cello Quintet.

Favourite thing about Calgary?

I think Calgary has an incredible food scene; we really punch above our weight class in this regard!

Currently reading?

I'm finishing up Tolstoy's Anna Karenina as my big reading project!

Currently watching?

I'm on the last season of Better Call Saul!

Favourite thing about springtime? I love when the flowers are in bloom and walks around the city are so fragrant!

Evening or morning rehearsals?

Definitely morning rehearsals. It's nice to have evenings free so I can spend time with my wife and cat!

Conventional Deadlift or Sumo Deadlift?

Whichever one you're stronger with! For me, that happens to be sumo.

Dogs or Cats?

Cats. We have the best lil orange boy, Chico!

Team or solo sports?

I love the self vs self aspect of solo sports, but the social aspect of team sports.

Iced tea or hot tea? Hot tea for cozy vibes!

Beach vacation or mountain retreat?

I love the ocean, so beach vacay!

Long walks or movie marathons? Long walks.

Mashed potatoes or baked potatoes? Baked potatoes! They're the perfect vessel for sour cream and somehow even less work than mashed potatoes.

Sci-fi or Fantasy?

Fantasy, Lord of the Rings is one of the core tenets of my personality.

Comedy club or Karaoke bar? Karaoke!

Eating in or dining out?

Dining out.

Plans or surprises?

I love a good plan!

Pandas or Grizzly Bear? Grizzly bear.

Innovation or Tradition? Innovation.

Loud or quiet?

There's enough of loud in my life, so I'll pick quiet!

April

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Vivaldi's Four Seasons

Concert Supporters: Elizabeth + Ross Middleton

Guest Artist Supporter: The Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso Program

Timothy Chooi, conductor + violin

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Nordic Traditional

arr. Danish String Quartet

Overture: Ye Honest Bridal Couple

Scherzo: Staedelil

Hymn: Now Found is the Fairest of Roses

Menuet No. 60

Finale: The Dromer INTERMISSION

Antonio Vivaldi

Four Seasons, Op. 8, No. 1-4

Capriol Suite

Peter Warlock (1894–1930)

Peter Warlock (a pseudonym for Philip Heseltine), an English composer and music critic, wrote Capriol Suite in the span of several days in October 1926. He had relocated the year before to Eynsford, a village near London, to live and work in a cottage shared with his friend, the composer E. J. Moeran, a Māori housekeeper, and many cats. It was here that the notorious image of Warlock as wild libertine was painted in all its colours, tinted by tales of alcoholdrenched debauchery. The Eynsford years were productive, however, and yielded his most famous work, Capriol Suite. Inspired by Orchésographie, a study of French Renaissance dance by Thoinot Arbeau, the suite unfolds over six movements, each exploring a Renaissance dance (such as the pavane or tordion). It was originally written for piano duet; the composer later arranged it for string orchestra and full orchestra.

Nordic Suite

Nordic Traditional

The Grammy-nominated Danish String Quartet has been exploring the masterpieces of string music together for over two decades. The tight-knit group of friends and elite musicians — three Danes and one Norwegian — have known each other for a while: the Danes met in their pre-teens at a summer camp for amateur musicians; the Norwegian cellist joined them in 2008. Since then they have performed works by composers such as Joesph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and fellow Dane Carl Nielsen. As two of their members had roots in traditional music, it made sense that the quartet would try their hand at arranging renditions of the songs that made up the rich folk tradition of their ancestors. In 2014, they sat down to record Wood Works, a full-length album of their arrangements; this was followed by 2017's Last Leaf and 2024's Keel Road Nordic Suite includes five movements from the first two albums and offers a swirling tapestry of the folk melodies — some joyful, others melancholy — found in the quiet villages of the Scandinavian North.

The Four Seasons, Op. 8 Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

Even casual moviegoers will recognize the opening movement of Antonio Vivaldi's Spring — a go-to soundtrack choice in many films, TV series, and commercials — the first of four violin concertos that comprise The Four Seasons. Bursting with joy from the opening note, it is catchy, energetic, and very memorable. One wonders what Vivaldi (and many other composers) might think of the use of their music in current media, where their compositions are often employed to underscore wealth, luxury, or the entrance of a villain; in the case of The Four Seasons we know exactly what Vivaldi wanted to say with each piece: he provided listeners with four accompanying sonnets (believed to be written by the composer himself) explaining what aspects of each season we might hear in the corresponding concerto. Thanks to these sonnets (and to Vivaldi's commitment to expressing each season in the music) we know we will hear "brooks, amidst gentle breezes" and "the gentle murmur of leaves and plants" (in Spring); "thunder and lightning in the heavens" (in Summer); the dancing and singing of peasants, hunting horns and dogs, the bitter cold of winter winds, and the cracking of ice. Though the exact date of composition is not known, it is believed the four concertos were composed in the years surrounding 1720. Vivaldi held the position of Maestro di Cappella in the court of the governor of Mantua around that time, so some believe the sights and sounds of the surrounding countryside were his source of inspiration; others argue that he may have composed them prior to arriving in Mantua. They were published in 1725 together with eight other violin concertos as The Contest Between Harmony and Invention, Op. 8. Vivaldi was born in Venice in 1678. Though himself a virtuoso violinist, by vocation he initially trained to be a priest. He was ordained in 1703 and even earned the nickname il Prete Rosso (The Red Priest), a reference to his reddish hair; health problems forced him to stop performing the Mass not long after. He was appointed initially as violin master at the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage; he would continue to work with the institution in different capacities for much of his life.

PROGRAM NOTES © JUN-LONG LEE (2026)

TIMOTHY CHOOI CONDUCTOR + VIOLIN

Internationally acclaimed violinist Timothy Chooi has mesmerized global audiences with his virtuosity and emotional depth. He's celebrated for his extensive repertoire, connecting with millions worldwide. Timothy's accolades include First Prize at the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition and the Yves Paternot Priz at the Verbier Festival. He's graced renowned orchestras and prestigious venues, earning glowing reviews. In the upcoming year, Timothy embarks on a thrilling tour, collaborating with London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and returning to the Toronto Symphony. He also debuts with the European Union Youth Orchestra, Brucknerhaus Orchester, and at the Wimbledon Music Festival in London. Timothy's music resonates globally, with notable recordings and broadcasts. Born in Canada, raised in the U.S. to Chinese-Indonesian parents, he rose to prominence at sixteen, performing with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he's a Professor of Violin at the University of Ottawa, playing two exceptional violins: the Titan Guarneri Del Gesu violin from 1741, on loan from CANIMEX INC. in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, and the Engleman Stradivarius violin from 1709, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation in Japan.

23 April

7:30PM

Bella Concert Hall

25 April

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Tenille Townes + the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Taylor Family Foundation Concert

Resident Conductor Endowed Chair Supporter: Mary Rozsa de Coquet

Juliane Gallant, conductor (biography on page 11)

Tenille Townes, musician

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Country Music Award-winner Tenille Townes performs her biggest hits with your Calgary Phil! Experience the potent stories and open-hearted lyrics of her soul-searching songs and raw ballads amplified with symphonic sounds.

Program to be announced from stage

CONCERT INCLUDES A 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

TENILLE TOWNES MUSICIAN

For Tenille Townes, writing songs is a way of reaching out to anyone longing to make sense of a wildly confusing world. In the last five years alone, the Canada-born artist's full-hearted and soul-searching songwriting has led to such milestones as touring with legends like Stevie Nicks, Miranda Lambert, and Shania Twain and taking home two JUNO Awards — all while building up a globe-spanning fanbase irresistibly drawn to her intensely honest storytelling. With her many accolades also including 17 Canadian Country Music Association Awards and two Academy Of Country Music Awards, the Nashville-based rising star now begins a bold new chapter with her most fully realized work to date: a gorgeously sculpted batch of songs that bring a moodier and more unfettered sound to her compassionate lyrical outpouring. By embracing a more strippedback and free-flowing sound than she'd ever attempted before, Tenille has exponentially magnified the intimacy of her music — an element that's especially abundant in her live performance. "I think a lot of people come to see me for the more emotional songs, but we also love to have those moments that feel like an explosion of joy, where everyone can have fun and stomp around and forget about everything else for a while," she says.

The Spice of Life... and Concert Programming

Calgary Phil fans 'jumped in the line' for Harry Belafonte and the Orchestra at the Jubilee Auditorium in December 1977. A member of the rarefied EmmyGrammy-Oscar-Tony winners club, Belafonte wasn't the only such artist to appear with the Phil — fellow EGOT Marvin Hamlisch joined us in the '80s and '90s.

Tanya Tagaq brought her artistry to 2019's Late Night: Sensory Overload concert. The Calgary Phil has been thrilled to collaborate with musicians such as Tagaq, Jeremy Dutcher, Cris Dersken, and many others, in presenting works that fuse orchestral traditions and Indigenous influences with cutting edge sounds.

Since 2019, the Taylor Family Foundation has sponsored an annual concert series that's run the gamut of guests such as the inimitable Bernadette Peters, international vocal sensations

The Tenors, Canadian country music stars Paul Brandt, Brett Kissel, Corb Lund, and, this season, Tenille Townes.

Yo-Yo Ma as he appeared in the pages of Prelude over 30 years ago. Making his Calgary Phil debut in 1993, he performed Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Orchestra as led by Conductor Laureate Mario Bernardi. Yo-Yo Ma returned to the Calgary Phil in 2017 and 2025 for concerts led by former Music Director Rune Bergmann.

Education and Outreach has played an important role at the Calgary Phil since day one. In 1956, the Orchestra played three concerts at Viscount Bennett for students from that school as well as from Altadore, Currie, King Edward, Melville Scott, Sunalta, and William Rees schools.

Since 1955, variety has been a key ingredient in concocting the magical mix that is a Calgary Phil concert season. This includes, of course, beloved classical works performed with world renowned soloists and conductors, and also: guest artists from every imaginable genre; new works and productions created in collaboration with artists from Canada and around the world; a plentitude of Pops for all tastes; educational and family programming; blockbuster movie concerts; and so much more. As this 70th anniversary season draws to a close, we're taking a look back at just a few of the faces (and places) that have featured with your Calgary Phil throughout the decades.

Calgary's very own dance-pop sensation Kiesza dazzled at a 2024 homecoming concert developed in collaboration with the Calgary Phil. With her orchestral debut here, she joined the ranks of Canadian pop and rock artists such as Jann Arden, Rufus Wainwright, and Chantal Kreviazuk who have performed with the Phil.

Variety extends not just to what you'll hear but where you'll hear it. Over the course of its history, the Orchestra has performed across the city and beyond. From Mozart on the Mountain in the 90s to present day Phil in the Park, and from WinSport this past November to the Corral in 1969, the Calgary Phil loves bringing the music to different venues.

Chewie makes a cameo ahead of Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert in 2024. Movie concerts, in which the Orchestra engage in the exacting feat of playing soundtracks liveto-film, are among the Phil's most popular offerings.

The one, the only... Ray Charles — with your Calgary Phil at the Olympic Saddledome, 2 November 1995. What more can you say?

When Herbie Hancock comes to town, it makes headlines. The venerated jazz genius presented George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in collaboration with the Orchestra.

Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster in concert with the Orchestra in 2008. Other artists from Canada's east coast who have performed with the Phil include Heather Rankin, Ashley MacIsaac, and The Barra MacNeils (plus MacMaster once again in a 2018 return engagement).

True North: A Symphonic Ballet marked Canada's 150th in 2017 with new works by five Canadian composers and featured dancers from H/W Ballet. The Orchestra has a rich history of working with artists and organizations from across the performing arts spectrum, including Calgary Opera and Alberta Ballet.

Alberta in Harmony: The Planets

Concert Sponsor: National Bank

Naomi Woo, conductor

Sopranos + Altos of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Become Ocean

John Luther Adams (b. 1953)

If you stop and think about the oceanic dimension of music, there's this implication of immersion. We came from the ocean, and we're going back to the ocean, right? We're made up mostly of water, and life on earth first emerged from the seas. And with the melting of the polar ice caps and the rising sea levels, we may become ocean sooner than we imagine. So now, a little history: some time ago, I was commissioned to compose a piece for the Seattle Chamber Players. Then a few years later, the Seattle Symphony and their music director Ludovic Morlot approached me, and asked if I would be interested in composing something for the Symphony. One idea that I suggested was to build on the sound world of an earlier piece I'd composed called Dark Waves, which is a 12-minute piece for large orchestra and electronic sounds. To my surprise and delight, Ludo was very interested. I was calling it "Dark Waves on steroids," and I knew early on that I wanted to take that oceanic sound and expand it into a much larger timeframe. So the result was Become Ocean

The Planets

Gustav Holst (1874–1934)

Casting horoscopes was a hobby of Gustav Holst's; one he called his "pet vice." His best-known work, the sevenmovement orchestral suite, The Planets, is inspired and loosely based on his astrological studies. In 1913, Holst's friend and benefactor Henry Balfour Gardiner invited him on a holiday in Spain. Though Holst had fostered interest in the planets and stars prior to the trip, it was there in the company of composer Arnold Bax (and his brother, the writer Clifford Bax) that a keen interest in astrology took off. Long conversations about music, religion, women, and the mysteries of the stars pointed Holst's imagination skywards; not long after, in May 1914, he would begin work on the first movement of The Planets, dedicated to the planet Mars. Mars, the Bringer of War, with its clashing dissonance and martial rhythms, seemed an apt soundtrack to the early rumblings of World War I heard throughout surrounding Europe, though Holst had already completed his first sketch when fighting broke out in July 1914. Holst the Englishman, valiant (at least in spirit), eagerly attempted to enlist; alas, his poor

eyesight and other health problems made him of little use in the war effort, and he was turned away. Throughout the war, Holst would continue to compose and teach; he held several posts, including that of director of music at St. Paul's Girls' School in London. It was partly in the sound-proof room at St. Paul's that Holst toiled away at his masterpiece; he had also purchased a weekend and holiday cottage in Thaxted, a town not far north from London, which offered the peace and quiet required to compose a work of such magnitude. At the outset of the war, the citizens of Thaxted — swept up in the anti-German spirit of the times — grew suspicious of Holst, whose mixed ancestry included German, Latvian, and Swedish roots. Born in Cheltenham, Holst said of himself that "the only German thing about me is my upspringing hair." They even reported him to the authorities; a police investigation yielded nothing, and the Thaxted residents would have to learn to live with the friendly, though often shy composer, who they came to refer as "our Mr. Von." Composition of The Planets continued throughout the war, with final touches completed in 1917. It premiered on 29 September 1918 at the Queen's Hall in London, in a performance funded by Gardiner. Though he employed astrological considerations as a launch pad, Holst chiefly used the characteristics associated with each planet to guide the general mood of each tone poem, following through according to his own ideas and compositional inclinations. The influence of Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra, which Holst had seen performed in London not long before, can be heard (indeed, an early title for The Planets was Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra) as can that of the works of Igor Stravinsky. Kicking off with Mars, the suite moves — in imperfect order — away from the Sun, taking the listener through the personalities of each planet, their colours and textures: Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, regal and energetic; Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age, Holst's favourite movement from the suite, brooding and fateful; ending with Neptune, the Mystic, where a female chorus lends the orchestra its ethereal voice, wordless, eventually taking over as all other instruments fade out into the coldness of space.

PROGRAM NOTES © JOHN LUTHER ADAMS, JUN-LONG LEE (2026)

NAOMI WOO CONDUCTOR

Canadian conductor Naomi Woo is gaining worldwide attention for her spirited dynamism and infectious musicality both on and off the podium. A sought-after symphonic and operatic conductor, she is in her second season as Assistant Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 2025/2026, she debuts with the New York Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and Royal Ballet and Opera, Covent Garden, and returns to Montreal's Orchestre Métropolitain, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, and City of London Sinfonia. A champion of contemporary music, Naomi conducts the world premiere of Oliver Leith's Garland at Bold Tendencies, London, and leads a workshop for Huang Ruo's opera The Wedding Banquet at the Metropolitan Opera. Naomi has appeared with Toronto, Baltimore, Montreal, and National Arts Centre orchestras, and internationally with Philharmonia, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Orchestre de Chambre de Luxembourg, and Tangram Sound at LSO St. Luke's, celebrating transnational Chinese music. Opera credits include the Canadian premiere of Du Yun's Angel's Bone, Edgar at Opera Holland Park, La Cenerentola with English Touring Opera, and the world premiere of Ludwig-Leone's The Night Falls Former Music Director of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and El Sistema Winnipeg, Naomi holds a PhD from Cambridge, studied at Yale and Université de Montréal, and is a 2022 Virginia Parker Prize winner.

EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Edmonton Symphony Society was established in 1952, with Lee Hepner as the now-professional Edmonton Symphony Orchestra's first conductor. The Capitol Theatre was its performance home. Fastforward to the 1990s — the ESO became the first orchestra in Canada to perform at a First Nations reserve. In 1997, the ESO moved into its new performance home, the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. In 2005, the ESO named American conductor William Eddins as Music Director. His tenure was highlighted by progressive, innovative programming, including the ESO's 2012 debut at Carnegie Hall. In February 2025, following a highly competitive international search, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was thrilled to welcome Jean-Marie Zeitouni as its Music Director. He is only the third Canadian and ninth person overall to hold this integral role, making it a significant milestone in the orchestra's long history. Now in its 74th year, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles. Its roster includes musicians from Canada and around the world performing a wideranging repertoire, from classical masterworks to Hollywood scores to new works. The ESO is the resident artistic ensemble of the Winspear Centre, among the best acoustic concert halls in North America.

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Postcards from Italy

Concert Sponsor: Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Cosette Justo Valdés, conductor Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Igor Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite 24'

1 Sinfonia

2 Serenata

3 Scherzino

4 Tarantella

5 Toccata

6 Gavotta con due variazioni

7 Vivo

8 Minuetto

9 Finale

Ottorino Respighi Trittico Botticelliano, P. 151 18'

La primavera (Spring)

L'adorazione dei Magi (Adoration of the Magi)

La nascita di Venere (The Birth of Venus)

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 27' (Italian)

I. Allegro vivace

II. Andante con moto

III. Con moto moderato

IV Saltarello: Presto

Pulcinella Suite Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)

During a 1917 stay in Rome, Igor Stravinsky was introduced to Pablo Picasso. The two hit it off immediately and were seen exploring Naples together: sightseeing, drinking, and taking in the commedia dell'arte and puppet performances, which included the round-bellied and largenosed stock character Pulcinella. Later, back in Switzerland — where Stravinsky had settled with his family to wait out World War I — the Russian composer was delighted to hear Picasso's name proposed alongside an idea for a new ballet. The commission — brought to him by Sergei Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes — was for Pulcinella, which was to be based on fragments of music allegedly composed by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi; Stravinsky would arrange and orchestrate; Picasso would handle scenery and costumes. At first reluctant, Stravinsky was quickly won over by Pergolesi's fragments (which are believed by some to consist of the work of multiple composers) — and the idea of working with Picasso and choreographer Léonide Massine. The ballet premiered on 15 May 1920 in Paris. Later, Stravinsky would form the eight-movement Pulcinella Suite from instrumental extracts. Pulcinella was the beginning of a new phase for Stravinsky, one that moved away from the experimentation of works such as The Firebird and The Rite of Spring (which caused a scandal in Paris at its premiere). Stravinsky referred to it as his "discovery of the past," "a backward look" which would make his neoclassical period possible

Trittico Botticelliano, P. 151

Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936)

In 1927, Ottorino Respighi played a concert in Washington's Library of Congress, whose Coolidge Auditorium was funded by American pianist and patroness of the arts Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge (the supporter of such greats as Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky). The Italian composer decided to write Trittico Botticelliano and dedicate it to Coolidge; it premiered later that year. This triptych draws its inspiration from paintings by the great Italian Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli: La primavera (Spring), L'adorazione dei Magi (The Adoration of the Magi), and La nascita di Venere (The Birth of Venus) Botticelli's La primavera centres on Venus, surrounded by a cast of mythological figures and over a hundred types of plant meticulously

reproduced by the artist; Respighi captures the verdant sounds of spring with joyfully trilling strings and triumphant horns. L'adorazione dei Magi shows the nativity scene and the visitation of the Magi, using as its models a cast of Florentine notables, many of which belonged to the Medici family. Woven into Respighi's rendition can be heard the hymn O come, O come, Emmanuel The final painting returns to the figure of Venus. La nascita di Venere sees the goddess arriving to land atop a shell, pushed to shore by waves — rendered by Respighi into undulating strings.

Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (Italian)

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)

In 1830, a 21-year-old Felix Mendelssohn arrived in Venice. It was the beginning of what would be an extraordinary tenmonth exploration of Italy, whose fine weather, landscape, and art held a strong attraction for the German composer. There — making his way through historical cities such as Rome, Florence, and Naples — he wandered, sketched, painted watercolours, and started on his Symphony No. 4 in A Major The beauty of the country dazzled him, though he found the music to be lacking; Rome's orchestras were "worse than anyone could believe"; in Naples the music was "inferior"; he went so far as to conclude that "the fortunate circumstances which formerly made this country a country of arts seem to have ceased and arts with them." That did not stop the composer from drawing inspiration from the sounds of Italy in his Fourth Symphony: in the second movement, one can hear the influence of the sacred processions that had so impressed him in Rome; in the fourth, lively Italian dances such as the saltarello and tarantella Throughout the work, the light and air of the countryside — he referred to the symphony as "blue sky in A Major" and his letters are full of references to the country's lovely skies — find expression, meeting with the magnificent symmetry of the architecture and the breathtaking art of the masters. Mendelssohn likely completed sketches of three of the movements while in Rome; he wouldn't finish the symphony until March 1833; it premiered in London that May. Never quite satisfied, he did not allow it to be performed in Germany, nor did he publish the score in his lifetime; he would continue to revise it until his death in 1847.

PROGRAM NOTES © JUN-LONG LEE (2026)

COSETTE JUSTO VALDÉS CONDUCTOR

Cuban-born conductor Cosette Justo Valdés has emerged as a rising star on the world concert stage. Beloved as a musician who wins the respect of her colleagues and the hearts of audiences, she currently serves as the Artistic and Music Director of the Vancouver Island Symphony. She has just completed her very successful six-year tenure as Resident Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in Canada. Cosette is quickly being recognized across the globe as an emerging conductor with extraordinary talents. She will grace the stages of major international orchestras in the coming seasons — the Tonkuenstler Orchestra of Austria, the Brussels Philharmonic, the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague, the Ulster Orchestra of Belfast, the Orchestre National de Lille, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and the Zagreb Philharmonic; and in the United States — the Minnesota Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, the San Antonio Philharmonic, the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Orlando Philharmonic, the Elgin Symphony, and the National Philharmonic. In Canada, she returns to the Calgary Philharmonic, appears for the first time with the London Symphonia, and makes her first collaboration with legendary Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear. Cosette holds a bachelor's degree in conducting, as a protégé of Professor Jorge López Marín, from the Instituto Superior de Arte (Cuba) and a master's degree in conducting as a prized student of the revered Professor Klaus Arp, from the Staatsliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst (Germany).

TTop of the Pops

Juliane Gallant looks back on her time as Resident Conductor at the Calgary Phil while looking ahead to

a multi-genre future

By Charlotte Lilley Photo HarderLee Photography

he end of the Calgary Phil's 2025/2026 Season also marks the conclusion of Juliane Gallant's three-year term as the Orchestra's Resident Conductor. Over those three years, Gallant has led the Phil in sold-out concerts, worked with Canadian pop music icons, made debut performances with orchestras across Canada and beyond, and uncovered a love of Pops conducting.

Originally from New Brunswick, and with a musical background as a collaborative pianist, répétiteur, and vocal coach, Gallant's first foray into conducting was in opera. In 2020, she was selected for the inaugural cohort of Tapestry Opera's Women in Musical Leadership program, and, in 2021, made her Royal Opera House debut with Pegasus Opera Company's Mami Wata. In the 2023/2024 Season she joined the Calgary Phil as Resident Conductor, a position supported by the Mary Rosza de Coquet Endowed Chair.

Aside from the administrative work of programming and preparing repertoire, Gallant describes the role of Resident Conductor as being made up of two halves. The first, more visible of those sees Gallant on the podium, often at the Phil's Pops and Symphony Sundays for Kids shows. Less visibly, Gallant is also the cover conductor for the Phil's Classics series. "Even the weeks where you're not seeing me on the podium, I'm always there," she explains. "I'm in the hall, I'm listening for balance, I've learned the scores. I'm very present."

Heading into her third season with the Calgary Phil, Gallant was also given the title of Artistic Advisor, Pops, a role which she says allows her to be "more handson" in developing concert programs and

planning for future seasons, and which aligns well with her newly-discovered interest in Pops conducting. "I literally discovered Pops conducting through this job," she shares. "I did not know that that was the way my career was going to go, but it's really shown me possibilities in the industry that I wasn't aware of."

Among these is the breadth of genres that Pops conducting engages with: "There's just this incredible world of things that you can do, like musical theatre, country music, EDM, film scores — it's such a broad range of repertoire."

This diversity appeals to Gallant not only as a musician, but also as a music lover. "I do listen to some classical music, but I mostly listen to non-classical music at home, and it always kind of felt like the music lover in me lives in non-classical music," she shares. "I'd never considered that I could do it as a career. It never crossed my mind that I could go and actually work in the field that really excites me."

Gallant's final concerts as Resident Conductor highlight the versatility of Pops. April's two Taylor Family Foundation concerts with Tenille Townes feature the country music star performing her own songs with orchestral accompaniment at the Bella Concert Hall and Jack Singer, respectively, while May's Broadway Hits: Hamilton, Rent + More showcases work by Lin Manuel Miranda, Jonathan Larson, Stephen Sondheim, and others.

Despite their non-classical repertoire, for Gallant both concerts connect to her background in opera. "I approach any kind of concert like that in the way I would approach classical music," she explains. "I started my career in opera, so I'm used to working with vocalists."

"I've learned so much from Puccini that I can put in Sondheim."

Reflecting on the highlights of her time with the Phil, it's also the Pops concerts which come to mind. Conducting this past December's Steven Page + the Calgary Phil: A Holiday Special being one.

"That was a really, really special experience, to be able to conduct If I Had a Million Dollars," she says. "When I was growing up, the Barenaked Ladies were on the radio all the time, so there's always this moment where I'm on the podium, and I'm like, this is the literal sound of being in the car with my parents."

Getting to conduct her first live-topicture film concert with 2025's The Princess Bride in Concert was also memorable: "I love anything that has an excuse for people to dress up, so seeing pictures of people in the lobby after The Princess Bride who have really shown up with the enthusiasm for the film, I love all of that."

Thinking ahead to what's next for her career, Gallant is excited to take on more guest conducting roles. Building on recent performances with the Boston Pops, Newfoundland Symphony, and New Brunswick Symphony, she's looking forward to upcoming performances with National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, and the Regina Symphony. Gallant also recently signed with Dean Artist Management; a career move that will continue to open new doors.

Ultimately, as her time as Resident Conductor comes to an end and she looks towards new opportunities, Gallant says she is "hopeful and excited."

10 May

Instrument Discovery Zoo: 2PM Concert: 3PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Wandering with Wonder

Resident Conductor Endowed Chair Supporter: Mary Rozsa de Coquet

Juliane Gallant, conductor (biography on page 11)

Members of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Wandering with Wonder, written and created by Samantha Whelan Kotkas with original compositions by Chris Andrew, Jordan Andrew, Matt Epp, Sherryl Sewepagaham, and Walter MacDonald White Bear, tells the tale of a girl, Wonder, who loses her song and looks to her friends Turtle, Bear, Beaver, and Eagle to help her find it. Through this story with film by Roadwest Pictures, we learn we all have a little Wonder in each of us, which allows us to speak to the animals and listen to the trees. And when we are silent, we can hear our songs in the wind.

THIS CONCERT HAS NO INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

Do

you have a young music fan on your hands?

Symphony Sundays for Kids concerts are about one hour with no intermission and feature orchestral favourites every child should know.

Arrive early for the Instrument Discovery Zoo in the Jack Singer lobby, where kids can visit different stations hosted by Orchestra musicians. Each station features an instrument or musical activity for children to try!

This fun, hands-on experience is the perfect way to indulge your child's curiosity and excitement about visiting the Orchestra.

The Instrument Discovery Zoo starts at 2PM and the performance starts at 3PM.

15 + 16 May

Friday: 7:30PM

Saturday: 2:30PM + 7:30PM

Jubilee Auditorium

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert

Anthony Parnther, conductor Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

John Williams Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert 149'

STARRING Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO CO-STARRING David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz DIRECTED BY Richard Marquand PRODUCED BY Howard Kazanjian

SCREENPLAY BY Lawrence Kasdan + George Lucas STORY BY George Lucas

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER George Lucas MUSIC BY John Williams

PRESIDENT, DISNEY MUSIC GROUP Ken Bunt

SVP/GM, DISNEY CONCERTS Chip McLean VP, DISNEY CONCERTS Gina Lorscheider

MUSIC PREPARATION Mark Graham, Matthew Voogt

SUPERVISING TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Alex Levy (Epilogue Media) FILM PREPARATION Ramiro Belgardt

OPERATIONS, DISNEY CONCERTS Brannon Fells, Royd Haston

BUSINESS AFFAIRS, DISNEY CONCERTS Darryl Franklin, Leigh Zeichick, Phil Woods, Narine Minasian, Elena Contreras, Addison Granillo, Christy Swintek, Svetlana Tzaneva

BUSINESS AFFAIRS, LUCASFILM Rhonda Hjort, Chris Holm

BUSINESS AFFAIRS, WARNER-CHAPPELL Scott McDowell

MARKETING & PUBLICITY Lisa Linares, Lillian Matulic

JOANN KANE MUSIC SERVICE / DISNEY MUSIC LIBRARY

© & TM LUCASFILM LTD. PRESENTATION LICENSED BY DISNEY CONCERTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH 20TH CENTURY FOX FILM CORP., LUCASFILM LTD., AND WARNER/CHAPPELL MUSIC. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

CONCERT INCLUDES A 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

ANTHONY PARNTHER CONDUCTOR

"A conductor for the future" with "a flourishing career" (The New York Times), Anthony Parnther is Music Director of California's San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra and conductor of the Gateways Festival Orchestra, which he led at its Chicago and Carnegie Hall debuts. He has also conducted major artists, who range from Joshua Bell and Jessye Norman to Rihanna and John Legend, as well as eminent ensembles including the Atlanta Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and Sydney Symphony. Upcoming highlights include his Chicago Symphony debut and a revival of Anthony Davis' Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, The Central Park Five, at Detroit Opera. Dedicated to amplifying traditionally underrepresented voices, Parnther has reconstructed and performed orchestral works by Margaret Bonds, Duke Ellington, Zenobia Powell Perry, Florence Price, William Grant Still, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; conducted Los Angeles Opera's world premiere production of Tamar-kali's oratorio We Hold These Truths; and premiered and recorded works by Jon Batiste, Kris Bowers, Adolphus Hailstork, Marian Harrison, George Walker, Errollyn Wallen, and many more. As one of today's foremost film conductors, he helms recording sessions for many of the world's top international feature films and television series. Recent projects include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, Encanto, Nope, Tenet, and the Grammy-winning Oppenheimer soundtrack.

PATRON PROGRAMS

Develop a deeper connection to your Calgary Phil and its musicians with our Wolfgang, Amadeus, and Mozart Patron Programs!

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive benefits, access to one-of-a-kind events, and a tax receipt for the majority of your donation while providing critical support for the Calgary Phil's annual operations through your membership donation.

WOLFGANG

22 + 23 May

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Mahler's First Symphony

Concert Supporters: The Hayes Family

Guest Artist Supporter: The Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso Program

Earl Lee, conductor

Steven Isserlis, cello

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Samy Moussa

Robert Schumann Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129

I. Nicht zu schnell

II. Langsam

III. Sehr lebhaft

INTERMISSION

Gustav Mahler

Symphony No. 1 in D Major (Titan)

I. Langsam schleppend

II. Kräftig bewegt

III. Feierlich und gemessen

IV Stürmisch bewegt

Elysium

Samy Moussa (b. 1984)

The title Elysium reflects Moussa's fascination with ancient Greek and Classical sources. Elysium refers to a paradisiacal realm, distinct from the Underworld in Greek mythology, that offered a blissful afterlife to heroes and those favored by the gods. Moussa, however, insists on steering clear of any Romantic idealization of the Hellenic world. He particularly admires the work of the pre-Socratic philosophers and singles out a text on the afterlife by Empedocles, a remarkable fifth-century BCE pioneer of natural philosophy. Moussa notes that he interprets Empedocles's image of Elysium "as the ultimate reward for an ethical life" — a reward no longer limited to an elite of god-favored heroes — as "a metaphor for a beautiful life, for a life welllived on this planet."

Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129

Robert

Schumann (1810–1856)

Robert Schumann's Cello Concerto came to him in a burst of inspiration shortly after the Schumann family moved from Dresden to Düsseldorf in 1850. The German composer had accepted a post there as director of music. Feeling "desires to compose," Schumann set to work; he completed the concerto in a span of two weeks. He tested it out with several cellists but could not find a good match; for the time being, he'd have to put aside thoughts of performing the work. Instead, he sought to sell the score, which he promised prospective publishers would be worth their while, as "there are so few works for this lovely instrument"; at the time of its composition, few concertos had been written for the cello by a major composer (with the exception of Joseph Haydn, Antonio Vivaldi, and a few others). After several rejections, he found a home for the concerto. In February 1854 the publisher sent him proofs for revision. Schumann had been experiencing auditory hallucinations since earlier in the month; these would only get worse; his wife, the pianist and composer Clara Schumann, reports him getting up and "making corrections in the cello concerto, feeling that this might relieve him of the interminable sound of the voices." The revisions were completed and sent off to the publisher just a week before his attempted suicide. In 1856, after several years spent recovering in a private sanatorium, Robert Schumann died; he did not see his Cello Concerto performed.

Symphony No. 1 in D Major (Titan) Gustav Mahler (1860–1911)

Gustav Mahler was meticulous, precise, and a notorious perfectionist. His First Symphony is an early example of this: it underwent several changes and revisions — often corresponding with its next performance — before attaining the form in which we hear it today. Originally titled A Symphonic Poem in Two Sections, it premiered in 1889 in Budapest, where the Austrian-Bohemian composer and conductor had recently started a post as musical director. The audience was not impressed, finding particularly confusing the dramatic change in tone of the last two movements. In a letter, Mahler lamented that following the premiere's poor reception his friends avoided him and he "went around like a sick person or an outcast." The work would undergo several transformations over a decade, not restricted to changes to the music and instrumentation: the addition of the title Titan, after the novel by the German writer Jean Paul; descriptive movement titles — such as The Hunter's Funeral Procession (Funeral March in the Manner of Callot) and From Hell to Paradise — to aid the listener through his program, which was informed by references to literature and the visual arts; the removal of these guiding descriptions; the excision of the movement entitled Blumine; and a simpler title: Symphony No.1 in D Major The final revision took place with the score's publication in 1899. By then Mahler had attained the coveted position of director of the Vienna Opera, where his demanding nature often put him at odds with the orchestra, the singers, and even the stagehands. He had fought hard to gain his post; it is rumoured that the Jewish-born composer converted to Catholicism to ease the process; still, antiSemitic elements in the Viennese press would harass him for much of his career in Vienna. Symphony No. 1 incorporates several ideas, what Mahler called "building blocks, where new buildings are created again and again, using the same blocks" from his own earlier compositions as well as quotes from the works of others (such as Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, and Richard Wagner). One even hears the traditional song Bruder Jakob (aka Frère Jacques) in a minor key throughout the third movement corresponding to the funeral march mentioned above.

PROGRAM NOTES © THOMAS MAY (ABRIDGED), JUN-LONG LEE (2026)

EARL LEE CONDUCTOR

Winner of the 2022 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, KoreanCanadian conductor Earl Lee has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling and versatile artists of his generation. He has led many of the world's foremost ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. In August 2025, he stepped in on short notice to replace Zubin Mehta in the Boston Symphony Orchestra's performance of Ludwing Van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 at Tanglewood, where The Boston Globe hailed his interpretation as "an unhurried, momentous ritual … the finale nothing short of spectacular." In the 2025/2026 Season, Earl appears with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Calgary Philharmonic, and makes debuts with the Korean National Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a special project with MOCA. As Music Director of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Earl has revitalized the ensemble with programming that bridges tradition and innovation, including collaborations with Jacob Collier and Chris Thile. He has worked closely with composers such as Unsuk Chin, Tod Machover, Donghoon Shin, Katherine Balch, and Carlos Simon, leading premieres and championing music that broadens the modern orchestra's expressive range. A former cellist trained at Curtis, Juilliard, and the Marlboro Music Festival, Earl brings a chamber musician's sense of communication and shared purpose to every performance.

STEVEN ISSERLIS CELLO

British cellist Steven Isserlis CBE enjoys an international career as a soloist, chamber musician, author, educator, and broadcaster. He performs with the world's greatest orchestras, from period to modern ensembles, and has given many world premieres. His vast awardwinning discography includes the complete J.S. Bach Cello Suites (Gramophone Instrumental Album of the Year), Ludwig Van Beethoven's complete works for cello and piano, the Johannes Brahms double concerto with Joshua Bell and the Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields, and Grammy-nominated recordings of Joseph Haydn and Bohuslav Martinů. As an author, his latest book is a critically-acclaimed companion to the Bach cello suites, while his two books for children about music are among the genre's most popular and have been translated into many languages. He has also authored a commentary on Schumann's Advice to Young Musicians. As a broadcaster, he has written and presented indepth documentaries for BBC Radio. As an insightful musical explorer and curator, he has programmed imaginative series for London's Wigmore Hall, New York's 92nd St Y, and the Salzburg Festival. He was awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998, in recognition of his services to music. Since 1997, he has been Artistic Director of the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove, Cornwall. He plays the 1726 'Marquis de Corberon' Stradivarius, on loan from the Royal Academy of Music.

Your One Stop Shop for Arts Events

From comprehensive listings to artist resources, CADA provides the portal to culture in Calgary

By Calgary Arts Development

If you've ever found yourself asking, "What should we do tonight?" or "What's going on in Calgary right now?" — you're not alone. Calgary's arts and culture scene is vibrant and diverse, but it can sometimes feel overwhelming, making it hard to know where to start. That's exactly where yycwhatson.ca comes in.

YYC What's On, brought to you by Calgary Arts Development (CADA), is the city's dedicated arts and culture online events calendar. It features a wide range of programming, including theatre, dance, comedy, live music, visual art, film, literary events, festivals, and more! If it's part of Calgary's cultural and creative ecosystem, you'll find it on yycwhatson.ca.

At any given time, the calendar features hundreds of arts events taking place across the city. From large-scale performances at the Jack Singer Concert Hall or the Jubilee Auditorium, to intimate exhibition openings at artist-run galleries and film screenings in venues you wouldn't expect, YYC What's On makes it easy to discover what's happening around town.

Looking for live music? Curious about contemporary dance? Fancy a festival? The events are organized across clear, user-friendly categories. Plus, with the ability to set your desired date range, YYC What's On helps Calgarians find events that speak

to them, whether you're planning a lastminute night out or mapping your cultural calendar a few weeks in advance.

Beyond listings, YYC What's On also features a Picks and Previews section. Regular content includes a curated Free This Week selection of no-cost arts and culture events that are open to all; monthly exhibitions roundups highlighting artworks on view across Calgary's galleries and museums; and other previews that help audiences navigate the summer festival scene, discover holiday art markets, and more.

Artists, arts organizations, and community groups are encouraged to add their own events directly through the submission form, helping ensure the listings reflect the full breadth of Calgary's arts scene, from established institutions to grassroots organizations. So be sure to include yours!

In 2026, YYC What's On will continue to evolve, with a focus on making event listings even more inclusive and comprehensive. The goal is to better capture the diversity of events taking place across disciplines, neighbourhoods, and communities throughout the city. So, who says there's nothing to do in Calgary? We know it's not us. Whether you're a longtime arts supporter, new to the city, or an artist looking for some inspiration, there's always something going on at YYC What's On.

Other CADA Resources

Here are some of the Calgary Arts Development resources available to support artists, artist collectives, and arts organizations in Calgary. You can find them all at calgaryartsdevelopment.com; if you don't see the information you're looking for, you can reach out to info@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

Classifieds

User-submitted free classifieds are a great resource for finding and sharing information about job opportunities, open calls for artists, educational workshops, volunteering and more.

Community Directory for Artists and Organizations

Submit your profile to the community directory for artists, artist collectives, and organizations. This is a free service for the Calgary arts community where you can share your information and learn about others in the community.

Spaces Resources

If you are looking for an event space, if you have an event space you want to advertise to others, or you have any questions about managing a space, CADA can help connect you with the resources you need.

CADA Grant Investment Programs

Their grant investment programs support individual artists, artist collectives. and arts organizations through funding for operations, projects, professional development and other endeavours.

CADA Public Art Opportunities

CADA is responsible for creating new public art opportunities in Calgary and for activating the existing civic art collection. The public art section of their website includes artist calls, residencies and other funding opportunities for emerging and established artists.

Available Supports

They also have an Applicant Support & Accessibility Policy available to support anyone who may need assistance and we will work one-on-one with applicants who experience barriers.

CELEBRATING THE ART OF SOUND AND COMMUNITY

Cassels proudly joins the symphony of support for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

PROUD SPONSOR

Calgary Hotel Association proudly supports the Calgary Phil — working together to bring more visitors to the city and the Orchestra.

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Rent + More!

Resident Conductor Endowed Chair Supporter: Mary Rozsa de Coquet

Juliane Gallant, conductor (biography on page 11)

Alex Getlin, vocals

Jonathan Christopher, vocals

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Grab your seats for this Broadway extravaganza as your Calgary Phil brings the splendour of The Great White Way to Jack Singer Concert Hall! Juliane Gallant and two marvellous vocal stars team up with the Orchestra to perform memorable tunes from modern musicals, including Hamilton and Rent, plus the great Stephen Sondheim's songs from Sweeney Todd and Company

Program to be announced from stage

CONCERT INCLUDES A 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION PROGRAM AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

about the music

No. 1

Loosely based on Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème, RENT, a rock musical about the lives of artists during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, began as an off-Broadway production but proved so popular that it soon moved to the Great White Way. It premiered there in 1996, exactly 100 years after the debut of Puccini's opera.

No. 2

An enduring classic that transposes Romeo and Juliet to the streets of New York City, West Side Story's longevity can be credited to the contributions of two musical titans: Leonard Bernstein, who wrote the score, and a then young-and-upcoming lyricist named Stephen Sondheim. Premiering in 1957, it has had five Broadway revivals, the most recent in 2020.

No. 3

Featuring music, lyrics, and book by Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton, which looks at early U.S. history through a hip-hop lens, earned 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2017. The following year, Miranda released a recording of reworked Hamilton songs by artists including "Weird" Al Yankovic.

No. 4

Carousel, the second offering from legendary duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, began life as 1909 Hungarian stage play called Liliom. That work's creator, Ferenc Molnár, had declined requests from the likes of Giacomo Puccini and Kurt Weill to adapt his drama into a musical, but as an admirer of Rodgers and Hammerstein's first production together — Oklahoma! — he finally relented.

No. 5

Given the recent popularity surrounding the film Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo likely feature as the definitive Glinda and Elphaba in the minds of newer fans. In its first theatrical run, though, the beloved songs were performed by Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. In fact, Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz wrote for Glinda with Chenoweth specifically in mind.

ALEX GETLIN VOCALS

Alex Getlin is a New York-based singer and actress whose voice can "melt stone" (Ben Brantley, The New York Times). Most recently she made her Carnegie Hall debut with Michael Feinstein in Hooray for Hollywood, as part of his Standard Time series. A native New Yorker, she spent the last several years performing around the country in concert tributes to Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and more with SpotOn Entertainment. She has appeared off-Broadway in the company of Anything Can Happen in the Theatre: The Songs of Maury Yeston, after being hand-picked by Yeston to interpret his music. In June 2017, Alex made her symphonic debut with the Pasadena Pops under the baton of Michael Feinstein in Broadway: The Golden Age where she starred alongside Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey in 2016, after graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in theater, she was a featured soloist in Broadway Rising Stars at Town Hall. She made her professional singing debut at seventeen, in a solo cabaret show at The Regency Hotel in New York, presented by Mr. Feinstein and directed by Scott Coulter. The New York Times called her "a confident, engaging young singer with a big voice," and Broadway World hailed her as "a new and rare talent on the entertainment scene." She is also an award-winning filmmaker having written, produced, directed, and starred in Sorry which is currently playing film festivals around the world. Television credits include CBS' Shades of Blue and Netflix's The Break with Michele Wolf

JONATHAN CHRISTOPHER VOCALS

Praised for his "hearty baritone" voice, Bermudian American Jonathan Christopher is swiftly establishing himself as a versatile vocalist. His recent engagement in Oklahoma! In Concert at Carnegie Hall was acclaimed. In New York, Jonathan has performed in critically acclaimed productions on Broadway (Sweeney Todd with Josh Groban), Lincoln Center (A Little Night Music in Concert with Cynthia Erivo; The Black Clown), and Signature Theatre (Heather Christian's Oratorio for Living Things and Dave Malloy's Octet). He played Aaron Burr and George Washington throughout the U.S. and Canada on tour with Hamilton. Regionally, he has worked with Atlanta Opera as Collins in RENT, Atlanta's City Springs Theatre Company in Ragtime, Pittsburgh's Civic Light Opera in the world premiere musical Madame Clicquot, as well as engagements with Eugene Opera, Syracuse Opera, Detroit Opera, Knoxville's Clarence Brown Theater, and Milwaukee's Skylight Music Theater. The musical RENT also brought Jonathan to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Aruba National Theatre. In concert, Jonathan has sung with the Cincinnati, Hilton Head, and Asheville Symphonies, Naples Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and Toronto's Amplified Opera. He's sung gospel in Italy, arias in Germany, and most excitedly sang with Celine Dion on the Today Show. With degrees in voice and opera from the University of Michigan and McGill University, Jonathan hopes to continue using music to connect and bring people together. His EP Shine is available on all streaming platforms.

5 + 6 June

7:30PM

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Hans Graf Returns: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Hans Graf, conductor

Sophia Liu, piano

Maureen Thomas, narrator

Sopranos + Altos of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Frédéric Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21

Maestoso

Larghetto

Allegro vivace

INTERMISSION

Felix Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night's Dream

(Ein Sommernachtstraum), Op. 21 + 61

Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21 Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

In 1829, following an exhilarating solo debut in Vienna, the young Frédéric Chopin returned to Warsaw full of hope, pride, and big ideas. Of his hosts, he wrote: "I don't know what it is, but all these Germans are amazed by me, and I am amazed at them being so amazed by me." That autumn, the Polish pianist and composer embarked on his first piano concerto (though it would be published second as Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor). Chopin's gift at the keyboard was beginning to gain accolades, and the public awaited its completion with anticipation. An initial performance given in the Chopin drawing room drew praises from the Warsaw Courier, who named him the "Paganini of the piano." Shortly after, on 17 March 1830, he premiered his Second Piano Concerto at the National Theater. The work was a success and enjoyed an enthusiastic reception. This youthful concerto, full of beauty and longing, is deeply personal; the second slow movement is inspired by Konstancja Gładkowska, a singer and fellow student at the Warsaw Conservatory, whom Chopin pined for from afar. This passion would not be pursued and remained unrequited, though it wouldn't take long for the young man to fall for others. His contemporary Franz Liszt considered this movement "of a perfection almost ideal; its expression, now radiant with light, now full of tender pathos." Chopin wrote his Piano Concerto No. 2 around the same time as his celebrated Études Full of dreamy passages and melodies reminiscent of moonlight, and punctuated by powerful waves of emotion, it expresses the virtuosity and yearning of a Romantic genius

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Ein Sommernachtstraum), Op. 21 + 61 Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)

The German composer Felix Mendelssohn was a child prodigy and conjured up over 100 compositions between the ages of 11 and 14. In 1826, the 17-year-old would enchant music lovers all over Europe with an early masterpiece: a concert overture (Op. 21) inspired by William Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, which the youth had read in a German translation that same year. A friend reports that he wrote it "in the beautiful summer of that year, in the

open air in the Mendelssohn garden"; he completed it within a month. The overture is remarkable for its maturity; Richard Wagner marveled: "how finished the form is already!" It enjoyed immediate and great popularity; Mendelssohn himself had the opportunity of conducting it in Shakespeare's homeland in 1829. Many years later, enjoying a prestigious position as director of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig (where he met Robert and Clara Schumann), Mendelssohn was summoned to Berlin by the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV to assist him in "raising music in all its scope"; the king, who had ascended to the throne in 1840, wanted to put Berlin on the map as a centre for the arts and had been advised that Mendelssohn could help him do that. Mendelssohn was hesitant to accept his duties — it was unclear exactly what those might be — and negotiations went on for some time. Eventually he did move to Berlin, though he also kept ties with the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig; his commitment to music in that city can be shown by his opening of the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843. The king was familiar with Mendelssohn's famous overture and tasked him with writing incidental music for a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which would take place on 14 October 1843, in honour of the king's birthday (on the 15th). The overture would make its way into the complete work (Op. 61) as the opening movement. In 14 movements we hear Mendelssohn bring Shakespeare's world to life: the dancing fairies, the slumbering lovers, and Bottom, transformed into a donkey, whose braying is expressed by the strings. Of particular delight is the Wedding March, which modern listeners will recognize as one used in so many nuptial ceremonies even to this day.

PROGRAM NOTES © JUN-LONG LEE (2026)

HANS GRAF CONDUCTOR

Known for his wide range of repertoire and creative programming, the distinguished Austrian conductor Hans Graf is one of today's most highly respected and experienced musicians. Hans Graf, "a brave new world of music-making under inspired direction" (The Straits Times) began at the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, where he was unanimously appointed Chief Conductor from the 2020/2021 season, and then Music Director from the 2022/2023 season. Hans also currently holds the title of Principal Guest Conductor of the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra of Denmark and formerly served as Music Director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, L'Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, The Basque National Orchestra Euskadi and the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. He has appeared with nearly all major orchestras of the United States and in Canada with Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra Ottawa. In Europe, Hans has conducted the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the DSO Berlin, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, the Danish National Radio Orchestra, the Oslo Symphony, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the Finnish National Radio Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Budapest Festival Orchestra and many, many others. In the Far East and Southern Hemispheres, Hans is a regular guest with orchestras in Australia, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

At the age of 17, Canadian pianist Sophia Liu is rapidly emerging as one of the most compelling artists of her generation. Sophia's "extremely clear, delicate, refined and almost supernaturally fluid" touch (Le Monde) coupled with her "phenomenal virtuosity" (Bachtrack) have captivated and mesmerized audiences worldwide. Sophia's 2025/2026 season opens with her NHK Symphony debut in Tokyo and Osaka, where she performs Camille Saint-Saëns's Piano Concert No. 2. As a soloist with orchestra, she appears with the Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Hawaii Symphony and Sinfonia Varsovia in 2025/2026, among others. Recent appearances have included performances with the Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice at the La Folle Journée de Nantes, and Orchestre National de Cannes at La Roque d'Anthéron. Born in Shanghai, Sophia was raised in Japan until moving to Montreal at age seven to study with Dang Thai Son. She has won various prizes at international piano competitions, including First Prize at the 18th Ettlingen International Piano Competition, First Prize at the Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition, and various prizes at the first edition of the Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli International Piano Competition. In October 2025, Sophia released her first studio album of solo piano, featuring Franz Liszt's Réminiscences de Norma and Frédéric Chopin's Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise

MAUREEN THOMAS NARRATOR

Maureen Thomas is a Calgary actor with extensive theatre experience in both classical and contemporary works, most recently in ATP's Liars at a Funeral and Stage West's Driving Miss Daisy. In film she's had the privilege of working with Alexander Skarsgård in Hold the Dark, with Bradley Whitford in Burn Up, and with Lena Headey in The Abandons One very special performance though, has stayed with her for a very long run — and it's been absolutely precious. Maestro Hans Graf, when he was music director of the Calgary Philharmonic, invited Maureen to choose and present segments of scenes from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream that would fit into and under the magnificent music that Mendelssohn wrote. Maureen worked with John Murrell, an acclaimed playwright, to shape a script that would fit as much of the story to as much of the music as possible. That text was later expanded with advice from Maestro Graf so that the complete Mendelssohn score could be played. The result — with orchestra, chorus, actor and every note of music — is unique in the world. It is a brilliant work of imagination — Shakespeare's, Mendelssohn's, and tonight, yours. That's not a single actress on the stage — it's a fairy, it's a goblin, it's the fairy king and queen, it's star-crossed lovers, it's a donkey… and more fairies, and more lovers and a party and, and...

Enjoy. Audiences all over North America, in France, Croatia, and Singapore have.

A Woven Experience

Calgary Phil Musician Maxwell Stein on Finding Connectivity in the Fibre Arts

By Maxwell Stein Photo Dennis Envoldsen

Alife in music is a true gift. It's marked by extremes — moments of transcendence balanced by the deeply humbling, even humiliating ones. It's not a life I think anyone chooses so much as one that chooses you.

Music has always been a safe place for me — a space to be creative, to explore individuality, and to grow continually. I came to it as an escape. At eleven, I didn't understand why my classmates in sixth grade seemed to go out of their way to bully me. As an adult, I see that kids can sense difference — and sometimes fear it. I was a quirky, talkative, artsy boy, and perhaps something in me reflected parts of themselves they weren't ready to face. Choir and band became my refuge, and in those rooms, I found not only safety but passion — and, eventually, a calling. My inclination toward music gave me confidence (and sure, it also helped that I shot up to over six feet tall at 15 years of age). During my undergraduate studies, though, I began to encounter the tougher realities of a musical life — the competitive auditions, the constant self-comparison, and the humbling experiences of performing (and sometimes falling flat) in front of peers. Art, at its core, is about community and shared connection, but pursuing it professionally can feel like a constant test of your sense of self. Not everyone can withstand that pressure or handle the

level of work and time it takes to achieve excellence at an instrument.

Amid those challenges, I needed an outlet — something quieter, more tactile — a way to sit in peace between rehearsals and auditions. That's when I discovered another great artistic love: the fibre arts. I started knitting shortly after I happened upon a gorgeous yarn shop. I distinctly remember the colours, textures, and smells of the yarn. It was an exhilarating experience for the senses. I was thankful to be a knitter, since I had chosen to do my undergraduate in the Arctic tundra that is Ann Arbor, Michigan. Even if school was stressful, at least my ears were warm under an ever-growing collection of handmade toques.

As my music career deepened, so did my fascination with fibre. I learned to spin my own yarn, to weave fabric on looms, and to process raw fleece into finished textiles. What has struck me most since joining the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is how similar these two worlds are. In both music and textiles, we speak about texture, colour, density, and tonality. These aren't coincidences — they reveal how interconnected all art forms are. Can you stand in front of a painting of a mountain/ river landscape and honestly tell me you can't feel a touch of wind on your arms or hear the sound of the rushing water? Or perhaps you recall the feel of the couch in your childhood home? Or its colour?

Chances are those sensory memories are accompanied by sound — laughter, conversation, the hum of a TV, music of its own kind.

These days, I find deep satisfaction in the tangible nature of fibre arts. Unlike music, which exists in fleeting moments, textiles leave behind something you can hold — a physical manifestation of time, patience, and creativity. Recently, I've been spinning yarns for textured woven tapestries on my rigid heddle loom and working with bamboo yarn for the first time on a selfdesigned eight-shaft twill scarf on my 45-inch floor loom (a large loom the size of a decent sofa couch). When I'm not performing with the Calgary Philharmonic or teaching music, you'll find me knitting, spinning, weaving, or washing raw fleece. And when I'm too tired to do any of those things, I do the next best thing — I read about textiles or listen to podcasts on yarn. (Yes, yarn podcasts exist. And yes, they are DELIGHTFUL.)

Making music with the Calgary Philharmonic truly is a dream come true, and I bring the same dedication, patience, and joy to every concert that I bring to my loom, knitting needles, and spinning wheels. I'm not someone who does anything halfway. Whether I'm pouring my heart into the horn on stage or weaving a scarf, I endeavor to make something honest — something that holds a bit of warmth, and maybe, a bit of me.

Ways to Grow your Calgary Phil

Thanks to your dedication and enthusiasm, the Calgary Phil continues to connect our communities and celebrate the transformative power of orchestral music. Your generosity is at the heart of the Calgary Phil as we ensure your financial support is more impactful than ever. Individual and corporate support make up 20% of our revenue and have helped sustain the Orchestra for 70 years. There is a wide range of opportunities and initiatives where your investment makes a significant philanthropic impact.

Support the Endowment

The Calgary Philharmonic Foundation is the largest annual supporter of your Calgary Phil, exceeding all levels of government support, and ensures the permanence of the Orchestra and that future generations have access to the power of orchestral music.

Bring world-class artists to our stage

The Naomi + John Lacey Virtuoso program has been bringing world-class artists to perform with your Calgary Phil since 2008, enhancing musical presentations for both audiences and musicians. Many Virtuoso artists also perform at donor recitals or teach masterclasses to aspiring young musicians in our communities.

Support the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

Calgary Phil is one of two major symphony orchestras in Canada that has its own chorus of over 140 volunteer singers. Elevating the art of choral music by supporting and nurturing the development of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus is done through The Borak Forte Program founded by Ellen and Allen Borak. It provides the singers with the opportunity to grow in their performance of choral music and promotes the enjoyment of choral singing in our communities.

Support Emerging Artists

The MacLachlan/Ridge Emerging Artist Program helps provide outstanding young Canadian musicians an opportunity to advance their careers by performing with the Orchestra to develop Canada's next generation of artists.

Greatest Needs

By supporting the Calgary Phil's Greatest Needs, you are helping to support the overall operations of the Orchestra. For those donors who want to recognize someone special in memoriam, the Joyce and Dick Matthews Philanthropic Program was created in the memory of these dedicated and generous supporters of Calgary Phil for more than 50 years. To support one of these programs,

Sponsors + Supporters

GOVERNMENT

FOUNDATIONS

ARTISTIC + COMMUNITY

SEASON SPONSOR

Donors + Volunteers

Leadership Giving

The Calgary Philharmonic expresses its deep gratitude to the passionate and dedicated supporters whose significant lifetime giving to the Calgary Philharmonic Society and Calgary Philharmonic Foundation helps us achieve our vision.

$10,000,000 and above

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation

Department of Canadian Heritage

Joyce + Dick Matthews

$1,000,000–$9,999,999

Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Calgary Arts Development Authority

Canada Council for the Arts

Irene + Walt DeBoni

Ethelene + John Gareau

Government of Canada

Dr. John Lacey

Morningside Music Bridge Foundation

Drs. Ted + Lola Rozsa

Estate of Mario James Stella

Taylor Family Foundation

Honens Calgary Philharmonic Society Fund at Calgary Foundation

One Anonymous Donor

$500,000–$999,999

Estate of Marjory Barber

Irene + William Bell

Marg + Paul Boëda

Cenovus Energy Inc.

CNOOC (formerly Nexen) Government of Alberta

Carol + Frank Gray

Mary Rozsa de Coquet

Prairies Economic Development Canada

Robbin Shandel

One Anonymous Donor

$250,000–$499,999

Said Arrata

Leslie + David Bissett

Ellen + Allen Borak

Heather + Ian Bourne

Andrea Brussa

Calgary Foundation

Calgary Herald

Mrs. Norma Carroll

Corus Entertainment

Judith + Terry Dalgleish

Heather Edwards

Enbridge Pipelines Inc.

Encana Corporation

Jan + Larry Fichtner

Liz + Tony Fricke

Lois + Richard Haskayne

Judith Kilbourne

KPMG LLP

Estate of Murray Lipsey

Letha MacLachlan, K.C.

Nickle Family Foundation

Palmer Family Foundation

Repsol Oil & Gas Canada Inc

Gerard Rostoker

Rozsa Foundation

Muriel Stewart

Sunesis Consulting Inc.

TC Energy

TD Canada

TELUS Corporation

Deborah Yedlin + Martin Molyneaux

Three Anonymous Donors

$100,000–$249,999

Air Canada

ARC Resources Ltd.

Jeff Arsenych

Jenny Belzberg

Beverly + Gerald Berkhold

BP Petroleum

Canada Life

Canadian Natural

Elaine + Jeremy Clark

Tibor Fekete

Estate of Geraldine Fish

glasswaters foundation

Jacky + Geoff Granville

Jan + Brian Grier

Estate of Winnifred Griffith

Angela + Sam Hayes

Elizabeth + Wayne Henuset

Imperial Oil Limited

Jeanette King

Estate of Evelyn Christine Kings

HD Klebanoff Memorial Fund

Kool 101.5

Ann Lewis-Luppino + Anthony Luppino

Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust

Macquarie Group Foundation

Allan Markin

Masters Gallery Ltd.

Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Estate of Mary McIntosh

Meludia SAS

Janice + James Morton

Jean + John Partridge

Anne Marie Peterson Legacy Fund

National Bank

Rogers Charity Classic

Rabinovitz Family Fund

RBC

Seagram Company Ltd.

Clarice Siebens

Margaret Southern

Carla + Klaus Springer

Josie + Trent Stangl

Ms. Mary Ann Steen

Dori Wood + James Doleman

Shirley Zielsdorf

Three Anonymous donors

Endowed Chairs

Ted + Lola Rozsa Endowed Chair

Music Director

Mary Rozsa de Coquet Endowed Chair

Resident Conductor: Juliane Gallant

Ellen + Allen Borak Endowed Chair

Chorus Director: Mark Bartel

John + Ethelene Gareau Endowed Chair

Concertmaster: Diana Cohen

Peter + Jeanne Lougheed Endowed Chair

Associate Concertmaster: John Lowry

Hotchkiss Endowed Chair

First Violin Section Member

H.D. Klebanoff Endowed Chair

First Violin Section Member: Olga Kotova

Gerard Rostoker in Memory of Pamela Bacchus Endowed Chair

First Violin Section Member: Maria van der Sloot

Esther Violet Hall (née Young) Endowed Chair

Principal Second Violin: Lorna Tsai

Debbie Lynne Hall (daughter of Esther Violet Hall) Endowed Chair

Assistant Principal Second Violin: Stephanie Soltice-Johnson

Dennis Sharp + Hélène Côté-Sharp Endowed Chair

Second Violin Section Member: Craig Hutchenreuther

Dalgleish Endowed Chair 66

Second Violin Section Member:

Minnie Min Kyung Kwon

Eckhardt-Gramatté

Foundation Endowed Chair

Principal Viola: Laurent Grillet-Kim

Naomi Lacey Endowed Chair in Honour of Philip Hansen

Principal Cello: Arnold Choi

John + Jean Partridge Endowed Chair Cello Section Member: David Morrissey

Deborah Yedlin + Martin Molyneaux Endowed Chair

Cello Section Member: Kathleen de Caen

Margaret + Paul Boëda in Memory of Jennifer Boëda-Dahl Endowed Chair Principal Flute: Sara Hahn-Scinocco

Bill + Irene Bell Endowed Chair Piccolo: Gwen Klassen

Janet Poyen Family Foundation

Endowed Chair

English Horn: David Sussman

Judith + William Kilbourne

Named Chair in Recognition of the Kilbournes' long-term support

Assistant Principal Horn

Frank + Carol Gray Endowed Chair in Memory of Vincent Cichowicz

Principal Trumpet: Adam Zinatelli

Endowed Chair in Honour of Tom McCaslin

Principal Tuba

Frank + Carol Gray Endowed Chair in Recognition of Tim Rawlings' 42 years of service to Calgary Phil Principal Percussion: Chris Sies

Joyce + Dick Matthews Endowed Chair

Piano

Gifts of $250,000–$499,999

Calgary Arts Development Authority

Department of Canadian Heritage*

Honens Calgary Philharmonic Society Fund*

Janet Poyen Family Foundation**

Taylor Family Foundation*

Gifts of $100,000–$249,999

National Bank

One Anonymous Donor

Gifts of $50,000–$99,999

The City of Calgary

The Calgary Foundation*

Government of Alberta

Terry Dalgleish*

Liz + Tony Fricke**

Jan + Brian Grier*

Mary Rozsa de Coquet**

Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Erin Thrall + Peter Johnson**

Two Anonymous Donors

Gifts of $25,000–$49,999

Michelle Bailey + John Whelan

Beverly Berkhold*

Ellen + Allen Borak**

Dominique + Réal Doucet

Jacky + Geoff Granville*

Dr. John Lacey**

Letha MacLachlan, K.C.**

Nickle Family Foundation

Nicola Wealth

O'Donoghue Family Fund

Palmer Family Foundation*

Anne Marie Peterson Legacy Fund*

RBC*

United Active Living

Annual Donors

The Calgary Philharmonic expresses its deep gratitude to the following supporters who made generous gifts to the Calgary Philharmonic Society and the Calgary Philharmonic Foundation between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2025. For a complete listing, visit calgaryphil.com/support.

* 10 years or more of lifetime giving

* 20 years or more of lifetime giving

* Gifts to the Calgary Philharmonic Foundation

Gifts of $500,000 and above

Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Canada Council for the Arts*

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation*

Government Of Canada** Prairies Economic Development Canada

Sue + Mac Van Wielingen

One Anonymous Donors

Gifts of $10,000 to $24,999

Bailie Family Foundation

Jenny Belzberg**

Belinda + Tom Boleantu**

Heather + Ian Bourne*

Brookfield Properties

James and Patricia Burns

Flow Through Fund

Burns Memorial Fund for Children

Calgary Hotel Association

Ann Calvert*

Canadian Natural*

Alan D. Castle Endowment for the Arts

Chayka Family Foundation**

Monica Cheng + Ujay Kim

Gertrude Cohos**

Calgary Co-op

Joanne Cox + Chris Haygarov

Irene + Walter DeBoni**

Deloitte

Dream Community Foundation

Shirley Foster**

The Fidelio Foundation

Carol Gray**

Ryan Green

Angela + Sam Hayes**

Juli Hegg + Bill Hogg*

James A, Hughes**

Mary Anne Katzenberg

Judith Kilbourne**

Jeanette King**

Bernice + Jim Love

Heather + Peter Marreck*

Janet + Rick Matthews**

Vickie + Russell McKinnon*

Elizabeth + Ross Middleton

Drs. Marilyn Mooibroek + David Lau*

Michelle O'Reilly Foundation

Maureen Payne**

Lisa Poole

Rabinovitz Family Community Fund**

Sonia + Bob Reynolds*

Rogers Charity Classic

Rozsa Foundation*

Ruchi + Chris Ryley*

The Scotlyn Foundation

Marie + Nathan Smith

Margaret Southern**

Sunesis Consulting Inc.

Susan Swan + Paul Moore

Valerie + Allen Swanson*

TD Canada*

Valentine Volvo + Volvo Cars Royal Oak

The Welty Family Foundation

Gloria Wong + Arthur Hibbard*

Dori Wood + James Doleman**

Bing Wu

One Anonymous Donor

Gifts of $5,000 to $9,999

Andal Family Fund*

AWS InCommunities Calgary Fund

Brad Boychuk*

Andrea Brussa*

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Stephen Chetner*

Rosemarie + Michael D'Avella*

Ute + Walter Dilger**

Joel Douglas + Kate Fischer*

Dream Unlimited

Lisa Evren

E. Ann Falk**

Calgary Finlandia Cultural Association

Emily Grier + Chris Chiasson

Anne + Robert Hobbs

Madeleine King Taylor + Robert Taylor**

Karen Neary-Langill + Robert Langill

Linda Le Geyt

Tricia Leadbeater

Lennox Family Foundation

Chris MacKimmie*

Sharon Martens

Jane McCaig + Richard Waller

Sheelagh Mercer + Henry Schultz

Rosemary Moore

Margareta + Benno Nigg*

Tae Nosal + John Reid**

Michelle O'Reilly Foundation

Jean + John Partridge**

Mark Raffan

Robbin Shandel

Clarice Siebens*

Joan + Geoffrey Simmins*

Betty + David Smith

Claire + Marc Stevens

Swedish Society of Calgary

T. Gai Ward*

Philippa White

Susan + Mark Wittrup

Janet Yuchem*

Four Anonymous Donors

Gifts of $2,500 to $4,999

Dinesh + Rajendra Agrawal*

Roy, Hazel and Nancy Austin Fund

Irene M. Bakker**

Marian + Paul Beer**

Eleanor + Richard Byers*

Lori Caltagirone*

Meredith + Pat Cashion

Ah-Ling Cheng

Judy + Martin Chernos

Kim + Julia Chua

Georgina Clark

Catherine Glaser-Climie + Stan Climie*

Mathilde + Emmanuel Coisne

Rae + Phillip Cram**

Lori Cutler + Nick Kuzyk*

Fern Cyr*

David Daly*

Rao Darsi**

Alexandra De Freitas*

Kolja de Regt

Deborah Delvecchio + John Sandy Baker

Rosemary + Perry Englot

Tibor Fekete*

Pamela Grigg Charitable Fund

Corinne Grigoriu*

Julie + Harold Jacques*

Val + Craig Johnstone

Emily Halliday + Geoff Krause

Jennifer + Oscar Larios

Sarah + Paul Lee

Daphne Lucas

Laurie Matiation

Erica McBeth + Darwin Smith*

Lisa Mackay + Chris Petrik

Janice + James Morton**

Shelagh + Faiz Nadir*

Leanne + Dean Newhouse

Tim Onyett*

Ellen Parker

Kelly Pitaoulis + Zack Laurent*

Wood Pittman Fund

Ruth + Garry Ramsden-Wood

Wendy + Rod Schultz

The Donald Terry Swystun Charitable Fund

John Thompson**

Nadine Tratch + Tyler Cumberford

Catherine+ Bruce Williams**

Christine Woolner*

Mae Yuchem

Helen Young + Don Smith*

Shirley Zielsdorf + Ed Letkeman*

Four Anonymous Donors

Gifts of $1,000 to $2,499

Kristin + Vaclav Albrecht

John Anderson

Karen Ashbee + Dr. Paul Salo**

Barb Atnikov + Albert Rosengarten*

Andrew Azmudeh*

Elizabeth Barker

Kim Berjian

Klaus Exner + Bette Beswick

John Bonnycastle

Barry Bortnick

Sheryl + Bob Bowhay

Callow & Associates Management Consultants Inc.

John Burton

Margaret Cole

C & M

Linda + Jack Crawford*

Ruth A. Cross

Ian + Nan Douglas

Daniel A. Downie

Shouli Fayt Family Foundation

Jan + Larry Fichtner**

Philippa FitzGerald-Finch**

Joan + Donald Greenfield*

Larisa Golovatskaya + Perry Jasson

Glen & Nancy Charitable Gift Fund

Don and Janet Hatch Family

Ian Hawkins*

Lisa Higham + Alan Covington*

Bruce McFarlane & Janice Heard Fund

Horton Family Endowment Fund

Linda + Gordon Hoy

Katt Hryciw

Faye Huggins*

Helen Isaac Fund*

Arlene and Glen Johnston Fund

Katimavik

Michael Kaumeyer

Janice + Christopher Kayser

Rhonda Kerr

Jennifer + Martin King

Judith Phair King + Roland King

Aleksandra Komorowski

Dr. Alice de Koning + Dr. Yrjo Koskinen

Sue +Logan Kruger

James Kusie*

Alison + Andrew Love

Diane + David Macdonald*

Simone Macrae*

Alla Magid

Pat + John Martin

Mary Jo Leslie Endowment Fund

H. Matsune*

Elizabeth and Gene Maurice Fund

Ann McCaig**

Jim McClimans

Dennis McDermott*

Liz McFetridge

Jean + Rod McKay**

Sheila Wappel-McLean*

Andrea Mcmanus

Jim Merchant*

Elizaveta Mironova + William Zho

Sheila Mong

Patricia Moore**

Louise Moore

Glen & Nancy Charitable Gift Fund

One Big JAM

Joaquina + Fritz Painsi*

Sarah Palmer + Tom Plunkett

Patricia + Robert Peabody

Rajiv Ramchandra

Maxine Rystephanick

Dr. Tony Settari**

Greg Shannon

Alfred Sorensen*

Michele Stanners

Mira Starczyk**

Betty J. Stein**

Jody Sutherland + Marco Baldasaro

Heather Treacy, K.C.*

Nicholas Tremblay + Marie-Josee Claveau

Randy Upright

Frank + Cathy Van Humbeck

R Varnam*

Ingrid Vicas

Dixie + Tony Webb

Peggy Wedderburn + Richard Oppenheim

Laura Williams

Rena Willson**

Anne + Terry Wilson*

Agnes + Ray Woods

Reg Worsley*

Lee Woytkiw

Patricia + Frederick Young*

Tamar Zenith

Anne + Frank Zinatelli*

Fourteen Anonymous Donors

Gifts of $500 to $999

Gwen + Ian Anderson*

Matthew Atwood

Mary Bewick

Eileen Butler*

Carole + Steve Clement*

Cheryl Cohen**

Kelly Colberg

Chad Conrad

Linqi Dai

Frank Davis

Chris Dowdeswell

Dianne Ferguson

Audrey + John Fry*

Jan Geggie

Donna Grandan

Kore Grier

Irene + David Hanley*

Carol Hanna*

Gerda Harrity*

Robin Harwig

Cindy Humphrey

Carolyn Hyndman

Elzbieta A Kaminska

Almas Kassam

Mary Anne + Eric Klaassen

Hendrik Kraay*

Wendy Kunsman*

Bill Lee

Blair Lipkind

Marg + Herb Longworth

Dave + Donna Lougheed

Rolf Martin

Gisa + Bernhard Mayer

Melanie + Todd McBride

Jocelyn Michaud

Noela Moffit

Danuta + Francois Montandon*

Walter Moscovitz

Cliff's Notes Fund

Linda + John Nugent

Maureen Jenkins+ James S Pender

Phyllis Peters**

Dan Philips

Mary + Conrad Porth*

Bruce Rabik

Kristýna + Jeff Rempel

Emma Rokosh

Karen Rostad

John Salopek

Kelly + James Scott*

Barb + Ken Smith

Alane Smith

Lila Smith

Barbara Soles + Nathan Berko

Nancy Stapley

Agatha Starczyk + Mike Miller**

Shannon Stevenson*

Margaret + Donald Stinton*

Jonathan Szeto

Alex Wan

Alexandra Wang

Patricia + Richard Wanner

Meghan Waters

Archie Wells

Jan Wittig

Maria Wu

Campbell-Stone United Church

Thirteen Anonymous Donors

Gifts made in honour of

Jenny Belzberg

Gordon + Irene Grier

Dr. Bob Johnston

Dr. John Lacey

Peter Lougheed

Letha MacLachlan

Elizabeth Middleton

Patsy Lou Pantazopoulos

Kristýna + Jeff Rempel

Ken Sawka Family

Jason Stasiuk

Dave + Val Williams

Gifts made in memory of

Brian G. Arcand

Elizabeth Beyer

Susan Fulmer

Susan Kathleen Hanley

Olga Kolar

Alf + Kay Longworth

Tom McCaslin

Larry Paterson

Muriel Roggensack

Barbara Schneider

Heili Puhm Strawbridge

Stacey Christina Worsley

Bonnie Zwack

Legacy Gifts

Ellen Borak

Carol Gray

Angela + Samuel Hayes

Jean + John Partridge

Ryan Stasynec

Valerie + Allen Swanson

Ten Anonymous Donors

Volunteers

These Volunteers contributed their precious time in the 2024/2025 Season — we celebrate them and their ongoing dedication.

Mariah Atkinson

Catalina Barboza

Partow Bayzaee

Andrea Becker

Larry Becker

Frances Bradley

Heather Campbell

Courtney Cathcart

Peggy Chan

Carole Clement

Steve Clement

Carol Dann

Clint Docken

Julie Docken

James Doney

Graham Edwards

Prasad Ganesan

David Grant

Gloria Hare

Robin Harwig

Narmin Ismail-Teja

Cindra Kennedy

Shane Kidd

Wendy Kunsman

Elizabeth Lietz

Vi Llewellyn

Shawna MacGillivary

Erin MacLean-Berko

Moira MacPherson

Marina Milovanova

Minh Nguyen

Jolanta Pawlikowska

Colleen Potter

Dave Stephens

Roy Stuart

Nick Tang

Cindy Wang

Joseph Wang

Gayna Wong

Deborah Yedlin

Janet Yuchem

Board of Directors

Samuel Hayes

BOARD CHAIR

Marc Stevens EX-OFFICIO

Tracy Seaman

GOVERNANCE CHAIR

HUMAN RESOURCES SUB-COMMITTEE CHAIR

Monica Cheng FINANCE + AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIR

Rebecca Finley-Schidlowsky

BOARD SECRETARY

Michelle Bailey

Kim Berjian

Craig Hutchenreuther

Almas Kassam

Geoff Krause

James Kusie

Dr. John Lacey

Paul Lee

Kristofer Leslie

Jane McCaig

Elizabeth Middleton

Alexandra Wang

Maria Wu

Calgary Philharmonic Foundation

The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell

HONOURARY PATRON OF THE CALGARY PHIL FOUNDATION

Joel Douglas

PRESIDENT

Corinne Grigoriu

VICE PRESIDENT

Colin Jackson

TREASURER

Alex Wan

ASSISTANT TREASURER

Ana Cherniak-Kennedy

SECRETARY

Byron Neiles

Elaine Clark

Ellen Parker

Jim Hughes

Letha MacLachlan

Niki Dunne

Monica Cheng

Alberta in Harmony

The Calgary Philharmonic and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras come together once again

By David Sussman, Assistant Principal Oboe

One of the most anticipated concerts for the Calgary Phil musicians this spring is Alberta in Harmony at the end of April, where we perform jointly with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

This is a rare event! We joined forces on Mahler's Eighth Symphony (Symphony of a Thousand) for the opening of the Jack Singer Hall in Calgary in 1985 and then later for the opening of the Winspear Center in Edmonton in 1997. If my memory serves me correctly, we collaborated with the National Arts Centre Orchestra once when they came through on tour.

A couple of seasons ago, the partnership with the Edmonton Symphony was rekindled, and we performed Mahler's Third Symphony in both Calgary and Edmonton.

This is a complicated endeavour. For the Mahler 3, Calgary was the 'lead.' This means that the Calgary Philharmonic musicians played in the principal positions (i.e. playing the solos) and decidedwho was assigned the other parts. Calgary's Music Director at the time, Rune Bergmann, chose the program and conducted. The Calgary Philharmonic Chorus also performed and any required extra players came from Calgary.

We hosted the Edmonton players for rehearsals, and it was presented in Calgary first and then brought up to Edmonton.

This season, Edmonton is the 'lead'. The Edmonton Symphony players will play in the principal positions and we will rehearse and present first in Edmonton, followed by the Calgary concert.

With the expanded forces that combining two orchestras brings, it is important to choose repertoire that will benefit from the union. A Mozart symphony would not work so well, but a big Mahler symphony or The Planets by Gustav Holst would sound spectacular.

Why is it so much fun for the performers?

Well, we get to play with superb colleagues for one. The classical music world is not so big, and we may know many players from music school, youth orchestra, summer festivals, or other orchestras we may have played with. It is great fun to reconnect and catch up. We get to hear skilled artistry that can be inspiring.

It is fun to be caught up in the visceral swirl of all that sound. With so many string players, the sound is lush, and players do not have to work hard to produce it.

We get to nerd out and talk shop with other professional players about instruments,

reed making, supplies, cases, strings, mallets, teaching, chamber music, etc.

We also get to play in another wonderful hall. The Winspear Centre in Edmonton is designed by the same acoustician that designed the Jack Singer Hall here in Calgary. It has a slightly different but lovely sound. Visually, it has slightly more rounded edges on the basic shoebox shape.

It has been decades since the Calgary Philharmonic embarked on a tour (we visited Austria, Switzerland, France, and Germany with Hans Graf — who also returns to close out this season with A Midsummer Night's Dream in June — about 25 years ago!). Going up to Edmonton to play is like a 'lite' version of a tour. We get to experience a different audience and a different city.

When sports teams from Edmonton and Calgary meet, it is often billed as the Battle of Alberta. For us, it is the opposite of that! Rather than a heated rivalry, we get to work together to produce something of beauty. Truly Alberta in Harmony.

Alberta in Harmony: The Planets takes place on 30 April in Edmonton and on 2 May in Calgary.

In loving memory of

Tom McCaslin, Principal Tuba

Friend and colleague, dedicated educator and world-class musician — the Calgary Philharmonic will be forever grateful for the tremendous impact Tom had on all of us, both onstage and off.