Symphony Nova Scotia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Symphony Nova Scotia |
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| Orchestra | |
Bernhard Gueller and the musicians at the Dalhousie Arts Centre, 2010.
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| Founded | 1983 |
| Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Concert hall | Dalhousie Arts Centre |
| Principal conductor | Holly Mathieson |
Symphony Nova Scotia is a Canadian orchestra that plays amazing music! They are based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their main place to perform is the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium at the Dalhousie Arts Centre.
Contents
A Musical Journey: The History of Symphony Nova Scotia
Symphony Nova Scotia started in 1983 with just 13 full-time musicians. Today, it has grown a lot! It now has 37 musicians and a team of ten staff members. Many other artists and technical people also work with them. This orchestra has even won four East Coast Music Awards for their classical music performances.
The First Orchestras in Nova Scotia
Did you know that Symphony Nova Scotia wasn't the first orchestra in Nova Scotia? The very first one was called the Halifax Symphony Orchestra. It started way back in 1897! This orchestra had 39 musicians and played several concerts each year. It stopped performing in 1908 when its conductor, Max Weil, left.
Later, in 1947, another orchestra was formed. It was created to play music for opera and ballet shows. In 1951, this group of 13 professional musicians was officially named the Halifax Sinfoniette.
In 1955, the Sinfoniette became the second version of the Halifax Symphony Orchestra. It started with 17 full-time musicians. By 1966, it had grown to 35 full-time members. They played about 70 concerts every year!
The Atlantic Symphony Orchestra
In 1968, both the Halifax Symphony Orchestra and the New Brunswick Symphony Orchestra stopped performing. To keep music alive, the Atlantic provinces created a new, bigger orchestra. It was called the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra had 48 members and was designed to travel and perform across all four Atlantic provinces.
Even though many people loved the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, it faced some big challenges. It was very expensive to run, and it lost some of its funding. Because of these problems, the orchestra had to close down in 1983.
How Symphony Nova Scotia Began
Right after the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra closed, Symphony Nova Scotia was created! This happened in October 1983. The first conductor was Boris Brott, and Brian Flemming was the Board president.
At first, Symphony Nova Scotia hired 13 full-time musicians. They played from January to May. In their second year, the number of musicians doubled! By 1987, the orchestra had grown to 39 musicians. Boris Brott was the only Canadian to be the music director for Symphony Nova Scotia.
Georg Tintner: A Special Conductor
In 1987, an Austrian conductor named Georg Tintner took over from Boris Brott. Under his leadership, Symphony Nova Scotia became even more famous. They made six recordings and even toured to Ontario and Quebec.
Georg Tintner also started many programs to connect with the community. For example, they put on a show of The Nutcracker with local dance and theatre groups. He was the main conductor until 1994. He stayed as a special advisor until he passed away in 1999.
Challenges and New Beginnings
After 1994, the orchestra faced some tough times financially. They had to make some big changes to save money. The musicians even played for free for two weeks during a tour with a young fiddler named Natalie MacMaster from Cape Breton. This helped the orchestra keep going.
In 1996, the orchestra decided to bring back free public concerts and school visits. These programs had been stopped to save money, but they were important for the community.
Bernhard Gueller: A Long-Serving Director
In July 2002, German conductor Bernhard Gueller became the new Music Director. He led the orchestra for many years, until 2018.
During his time, the orchestra started touring more often. They regularly visited communities all over Nova Scotia. They also worked with schools, artists, and other groups to share music.
People often praise Symphony Nova Scotia for being very flexible. They can play many different styles of music! Conductor Howard Cable even called them "the most versatile orchestra in Canada." The Chronicle Herald newspaper said they can play everything from Beethoven to Tommy Dorsey and Natalie MacMaster.
Recent History: A New Leader
In 2018, Holly Mathieson was a guest conductor for the orchestra. She was one of the top choices for the new music director. In December 2019, Symphony Nova Scotia announced that Holly Mathieson would be their next music director, starting in January 2020. She is the first female conductor to lead Symphony Nova Scotia!
Cross-Over Collaborations: Music for Everyone
Symphony Nova Scotia loves to work with different kinds of musicians. They have played with popular and folk music artists. This shows that orchestras can change and play all sorts of music!
Some of their cool collaborations include:
- Hip hop artist Buck 65 (in 2008).
- Celtic fiddlers like Natalie MacMaster (many times!) and Ashley MacIsaac.
- Pop-rock bands like Mir.
- Singer-songwriters such as Jill Barber, Jenn Grant, and David Myles.
- Indie pop stars like Owen Pallett and Dan Mangan.
- Local artists like Ben Caplan.
- Even TV personality Steve Smith (comedian) from The Red Green Show!
- Drag queen Thorgy Thor (in 2018).
Recordings: Listening to the Symphony
Symphony Nova Scotia has made many recordings over the years. This means you can listen to their music even when they're not playing live!
Discography
Here are some of the albums they have recorded:
- 1990 - 'Down Under', with Georg Tintner as conductor.
- 1991 - Mozart Marches and Dances, also with Georg Tintner.
- 1992 - Opportunity Knocks, with Howard Cable.
- 1994 - Music of Frederick Delius, with Georg Tintner.
- 1997 - Late Romantics, again with Georg Tintner.
- 2003 - Seasons' Celebration, with Howard Cable.
- 2003 - Tintner Memorial Collection (a series of albums with Georg Tintner's recordings).
- 2006 - Dancing in the Light, with Bernhard Gueller.
- 2011 - O Canada: A Celebration of Our National Anthem, with Bernhard Gueller.
- 2012 - The Barra MacNeils with Symphony Nova Scotia (Live).
Recent CBC Recordings for Radio
The orchestra also records concerts for radio broadcasts on the CBC.
2011/12 Season
- April 13, 2012: A concert with Sarah Slean (piano, vocals).
- February 9, 2012: "East Meets West" concert.
- October 21, 2011: A concert with Amelia Curran.
2010/11 Season
- April 28, 2011: Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto, with Jon Kimura Parker.
- April 7/10, 2011: Derek Charke’s Symphony no. 1.
- March 24, 2011: "Mozart’s Jupiter" concert.
- January 27, 2011: Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto no. 3.
- January 21, 2011: A concert with Erin Costelo and Meaghan Smith.
- November 25, 2010: "Piano Prodigy Jan Lisiecki" concert.
- October 1, 2010: "Red Green: With Strings Attached" concert, with Steve Smith (comedian).
2009/10 Season
- May 2, 2010: "Antonín Dvořák Festival: From the New World" concert.
- April 29, 2010: "Antonín Dvořák Festival: The Cello Concerto" concert.
- February 19, 2010: A concert with Jenn Grant.
- November 27, 2010: "A Soldier’s Carol" concert, with Mir (band).
- October 23, 2010: "Final Fantasy" concert, with Owen Pallett.
Awards and Nominations
Symphony Nova Scotia has won several awards and been nominated for others, showing how talented they are!
Awards
- 1995 - East Coast Music Award for Music of Frederick Delius.
- 1998 – East Coast Music Award for Late Romantics.
- 2000 – Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia Special Recognition Award.
- 2002 – East Coast Music Award for MacKinnon's Brook Suite.
Nominations
- 2004 – East Coast Music Award nomination for Tintner Memorial Edition Vol. 1.
- 2004 – East Coast Music Award nomination for Seasons' Celebration des saisons.
- 2007 – East Coast Music Award nomination for Dancing in the Light.
Educational Programs
Symphony Nova Scotia also has many programs to help kids and students learn about music. They believe in sharing the joy of music with everyone!
- School and Public Open Rehearsals: You can watch them practice!
- Pre-Concert Chats: Learn about the music before a show.
- School Matinees: Special concerts just for schools.
- Library Series: Performances at local libraries.
- In-School Concerts: Musicians come to your school!
- Adopt-a-Musician: A chance to learn from a symphony musician.
- Musical Munchkins: Programs for younger children.
