Ottawa Symphony Orchestra
Encyclopedia
The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (OSO) is a full size orchestra
in Ottawa
including professional, student and amateur musicians. With around 100 musicians, the OSO is Ottawa's largest orchestra, which allows it to perform large symphonic
repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Canadian composers.
as the conductor. The 75-player ensemble was officially called the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra until 1952, but it was commonly known as the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra. The Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra was suspended in 1960 because there was not sufficient funding to pay the musicians' salaries. When the National Arts Centre
announced the formation of the National Arts Centre Orchestra
(NACO), a resident, full-time professional orchestra based in Ottawa, the board of the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra dissolved the ensemble.
In 1965, the largely amateur Ottawa Civic Symphony was formed by former auxiliary Ottawa Philharmonic members, under the baton of Maurice Haycock. The Ottawa Civic Orchestra was renamed the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra in 1976. The annual concert series - four concerts in 1991 - was at first performed in Ottawa high schools. In the early 1970s, the OSO began performing in the large concert hall of the National Arts Centre. Previous conductors have included Thomas Mayer (late 1950s), Clifford Hunt (1965-6), Nicholas Goldschmidt
(1966-7), James Coles (1969-75), and Brian Law (1975-91).
Almost all of the musicians and audience of the OSO are drawn from Ottawa and the local municipalities. The OSO musicians consist of professional musicians (including performers from the National Arts Centre Orchestra), advanced university-level music students from the University of Ottawa
, and highly-skilled and experienced local amateur musicians.
Support for the OSO comes from the Province of Ontario through the Ontario Arts Council
, The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Ottawa, the Canada Council for the Arts, the University of Ottawa
, and from private donors, foundations, major companies, and season sponsors.
The OSO has a different repertoire from the National Arts Centre Orchestra. The OSO is a larger orchestra than the NACO, which allows the OSO to perform works for large orchestra that would not be possible for the NACO. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia
, "The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra has co-existed gracefully with the NACO, playing in the same magnificent auditorium (the Opera of the NAC) and planning its program to complement the more complex fare of the full-time orchestra."
The OSO frequently collaborates with other Ottawa-area music ensembles, such as Opera Lyra, the Ottawa Youth Orchestra, the Ottawa Choral Society, the Central Youth Choir and the University of Ottawa Chorale. The University of Ottawa has had a longstanding relationship with the OSO, which includes the mentorship program (which allows advanced University of Ottawa music students to perform in the OSO).
The OSO has premiered music by Canadian composers such as Jan Jarvlepp, Jean Coulthard
, Robert Fleming
, Andrew Huggett and Colin Mack.
was appointed as music director of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. As music director, his duties include leading rehearsals, conducting
the orchestra concerts, and planning the programmes, and engaging in community outreach activities.
Currie is a graduate of the University of Michigan
and the Interlochen Arts Academy. Prior to joining the OSO, Currie was a double bass
player in the National Arts Centre Orchestra
from 1971 until 1991, when he retired as Principal Bass.
Currie studied conducting in Siena, Italy and at the Toho Gakuen School of Music
in Tokyo
, one of Japan's most prestigious private music institutions, where he studied with Professor Morihiro Okabe and Maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama
. Since 1982, Mr. Currie has also been the conductor of the University of Ottawa Orchestra.
of the OSO, David Stewart leads the first violins and performs violin
solos. Stewart is a Professor of Violin at the University of Ottawa
. He studied with Oscar Shumsky
at Yale University
and privately with Camilla Wicks. For many years, he was Concertmaster of the Bergen
Philharmonic in Norway, appearing often as soloist with the Bergen Philharmonic and other Scandinavian orchestras.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
including professional, student and amateur musicians. With around 100 musicians, the OSO is Ottawa's largest orchestra, which allows it to perform large symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Canadian composers.
History
In 1944, Ottawa musicians formed an orchestra with Allard de RidderAllard de Ridder
Allard de Ridder was a Canadian conductor, violist, and composer of Dutch birth. He was notably the first conductor of both the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the latter of which he founded in 1944...
as the conductor. The 75-player ensemble was officially called the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra until 1952, but it was commonly known as the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra. The Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra was suspended in 1960 because there was not sufficient funding to pay the musicians' salaries. When the National Arts Centre
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
announced the formation of the National Arts Centre Orchestra
National Arts Centre Orchestra
The National Arts Centre Orchestra is an orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. It is a classically-sized ensemble currently conducted by Pinchas Zukerman.-Description:Since 1998, Pinchas Zukerman has been the Music Director. Mario Bernardi C.C...
(NACO), a resident, full-time professional orchestra based in Ottawa, the board of the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra dissolved the ensemble.
In 1965, the largely amateur Ottawa Civic Symphony was formed by former auxiliary Ottawa Philharmonic members, under the baton of Maurice Haycock. The Ottawa Civic Orchestra was renamed the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra in 1976. The annual concert series - four concerts in 1991 - was at first performed in Ottawa high schools. In the early 1970s, the OSO began performing in the large concert hall of the National Arts Centre. Previous conductors have included Thomas Mayer (late 1950s), Clifford Hunt (1965-6), Nicholas Goldschmidt
Nicholas Goldschmidt
Nicholas Goldschmidt, was a Canadian conductor, administrator, teacher, performer, music festival entrepreneur and artistic director...
(1966-7), James Coles (1969-75), and Brian Law (1975-91).
Description
The OSO's Mission Statement is "to enrich the life of the community through, and to foster public appreciation for and interest in, symphonic music." OSO activities such as its concert series, educational outreach activities, and its mentorship program help to support this mission statement.Almost all of the musicians and audience of the OSO are drawn from Ottawa and the local municipalities. The OSO musicians consist of professional musicians (including performers from the National Arts Centre Orchestra), advanced university-level music students from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, and highly-skilled and experienced local amateur musicians.
Support for the OSO comes from the Province of Ontario through the Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to promote and assist the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of all Ontarians...
, The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Ottawa, the Canada Council for the Arts, the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, and from private donors, foundations, major companies, and season sponsors.
The OSO has a different repertoire from the National Arts Centre Orchestra. The OSO is a larger orchestra than the NACO, which allows the OSO to perform works for large orchestra that would not be possible for the NACO. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
, "The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra has co-existed gracefully with the NACO, playing in the same magnificent auditorium (the Opera of the NAC) and planning its program to complement the more complex fare of the full-time orchestra."
The OSO frequently collaborates with other Ottawa-area music ensembles, such as Opera Lyra, the Ottawa Youth Orchestra, the Ottawa Choral Society, the Central Youth Choir and the University of Ottawa Chorale. The University of Ottawa has had a longstanding relationship with the OSO, which includes the mentorship program (which allows advanced University of Ottawa music students to perform in the OSO).
The OSO has premiered music by Canadian composers such as Jan Jarvlepp, Jean Coulthard
Jean Coulthard
Jean Coulthard, was a Canadian composer and music educator. She was part of a trio of women composers who dominated Western Canadian music in the twentieth century: Coulthard, Barbara Pentland, and Violet Archer. All three died within weeks of each other in 2000...
, Robert Fleming
Robert Fleming (composer)
Robert James Berkeley Fleming was a Canadian composer, pianist, organist, choirmaster and teacher.Robert was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. At a young age his family settled in Saskatoon where he first studied with his mother...
, Andrew Huggett and Colin Mack.
Music director
In May 1992, David CurrieDavid Currie (conductor)
David Currie is a Canadian conductor who is the music director and conductor for the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Currie is also an assisant professor at the University of Ottawa, where he teaches double bass and conducting, and conducts the university orchestra....
was appointed as music director of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. As music director, his duties include leading rehearsals, conducting
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
the orchestra concerts, and planning the programmes, and engaging in community outreach activities.
Currie is a graduate of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and the Interlochen Arts Academy. Prior to joining the OSO, Currie was a double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
player in the National Arts Centre Orchestra
National Arts Centre Orchestra
The National Arts Centre Orchestra is an orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. It is a classically-sized ensemble currently conducted by Pinchas Zukerman.-Description:Since 1998, Pinchas Zukerman has been the Music Director. Mario Bernardi C.C...
from 1971 until 1991, when he retired as Principal Bass.
Currie studied conducting in Siena, Italy and at the Toho Gakuen School of Music
Toho Gakuen School of Music
is a private conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.-History:Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, one of Japan's most prestigious private music institutions, where he studied with Professor Morihiro Okabe and Maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama
Kazuyoshi Akiyama
is a Japanese conductor.-Biography:Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo Saito...
. Since 1982, Mr. Currie has also been the conductor of the University of Ottawa Orchestra.
Concertmaster
As concertmasterConcertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
of the OSO, David Stewart leads the first violins and performs violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
solos. Stewart is a Professor of Violin at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. He studied with Oscar Shumsky
Oscar Shumsky
Oscar Shumsky was an American violinist and conductor born to Russian-Jewish parents.-Biography:...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and privately with Camilla Wicks. For many years, he was Concertmaster of the Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
Philharmonic in Norway, appearing often as soloist with the Bergen Philharmonic and other Scandinavian orchestras.
Strings
- Second violin - Laura Nerenberg: a native of Montreal, she holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Ottawa and a Master's degree from the Hartt School in Connecticut.
- Viola - Emmanuel Beaudet: a native of the National Capital Region.
- Cello - David Gardner: A professor in the Biology Department at Carleton University, born in England.
- Double Bass - Paul Mach (Acting): holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Ottawa.
Wind and brass
- Clarinet - Shauna McDonald: holds a Masters Degree from DePaul UniversityDePaul UniversityDePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... - Flute - Jeffrey Ray Miller: holds a bachelor degree in performance at Lewis and Clark College, Oregon.
- Oboe - Susan Morris: also a member of l’Orchestre des Concerts Symphoniques de Gatineau.
- Bassoon - Ben Glossop: Holds a Masters Degree in Music Performance from McGill UniversityMcGill UniversityMohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, is also Principal Bassoon of the Kingston SymphonyKingston SymphonyThe Kingston Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Kingston, Ontario. The orchestra was founded in 1953 under the name the New Symphony Association of Kingston. It was renamed the Kingston Symphony in 1963 with the formation of its new umbrella organization the Kingston Symphony Association...
, works regularly with the National Arts Centre OrchestraNational Arts Centre OrchestraThe National Arts Centre Orchestra is an orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. It is a classically-sized ensemble currently conducted by Pinchas Zukerman.-Description:Since 1998, Pinchas Zukerman has been the Music Director. Mario Bernardi C.C...
, and is an active freelance musician and teacher based in OttawaOttawaOttawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. - Horn - Jill Kirwan: a native of Montreal.
- Trumpet - John Ellis: a native of Chicago, Illinois, who holds the Doctor of Music degree and teaches trumpet at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, USA
- Tuba - Martin Labrosse: the First Tuba with The Central Band of the Canadian Forces.
Miscellaneous
- Harp - Caroline Léonardelli: Born in France, she holds a Premier Prix from Paris' Conservatoire.
- Percussion - Kenneth Simpson: holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Ottawa.
- Timpani - Jonathan Wade: holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Ottawa. He went on to obtain a Superior Studies diploma in orchestral repertoire from the University of Montreal.