Dear fellow music lovers,

    I invite you to  experience our most exciting musical season ever!  As we celebrate our fifth season of  SSO symphonic offerings, it is my pleasure to share some of the delectable details with you.

    From our  OPENING NIGHT GALA on October 30 to the special Sunset concert on July 10, we  will present  an abundance of brilliant masterworks and virtuoso performers.   For the initial event on October 30, Canada’s foremost violin celebrity LARA ST. JOHN will join the SSO for a performance of the colourful and dramatic Violin Concerto of Erich KORNGOLD, which will be followed by the perennial favourite of ‘Fifth’ symphonies… that of  TCHAIKOVSKY!   This promises to be an opening night to remember.

    Our second concert in the main series of ‘HIGH FIVE’ programmes will be given on November 28.   BAROQUE AND BEYOND will perfectly suit the more intimate  acoustics of St. James Church, with  a performance of such Baroque favourites as the ‘CHRISTMAS’ CONCERTO of CORELLI, the  ever-popular BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 2, with guests  MATTHEW JONES, recorder, YOOTHA NELLER, oboe, DAVID ROBERTSON, piccolo trumpet, and our newly-appointed concertmaster. 
This  concert will also feature Stratford’s ELIZA JOHNSON, who is this year’s Concerto Competition Winner.  Hear  Eliza singing Mozart’s exquisite EXULTATE JUBILATE for soprano and orchestra.  As well, the companion pieces include the great  SYMPHONY NO. 5 of SCHUBERT and  the FANTASIA ON A THEME OF TALLIS by  VAUGHAN WILLIAMS.

    Concert three will  be our annual fundraising CELTIC SPECTACULAR on January 23.   Enjoy the rousing music of the STRATFORD PIPE BAND, the  high energy of THE CORRIGAN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE, and special guests ANNE LEDERMAN, fiddler, SHARON KAHAN, Irish Flute, and Irish Harpist SHARLENE WALLACE ….all performing with the orchestra as well as in solo spotlights.

    Our FIVE STAR OPERA GALA on February 20 promises to be a great evening with our five superstars:  Tenor DARRYL EDWARDS, sopranos ELIZA JOHNSON and CATHERINE GREEN, and baritones JAMES WESTMAN  and MARK GARDNER.  This exciting event will feature famous opera arias, duets, preludes, overtures and choruses with Stratford’s own STRATFORD CONCERT CHOIR!

    As if   all this isn’t enough, we are delighted to present Canada’s renowned Broadway Star  LOUISE PITRE  on Saturday, April 10.    Hear Louise sing a wonderfully eclectic programme of PRINCIPALLY PIAF!   This very special concert will enthrall you  with memorable hits from Piaf, Jacques Brel, Mama Mia,  and many Broadway Classics.  The symphony will also contribute a  selection of film and pops showpieces to round out the evening.   I know that this will be another season highlight…not to be missed!

    I also welcome you to a new initiative by the Stratford Symphony this season.  Join us at Stratford City Hall  for the three concerts in our WATERMUSIC BY THE AVON series. 

    For  MOSTLY MOZART, on May 15,   we will present Mozart’s EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK and SYMPHONY NO. 29 as well as the magnificent TRIPLE CONCERTO  of BEETHOVEN.   Guest artists are  violinist JOYCE LAI, cellist ANDRAS WEBER, and pianist MICHAEL ESCH.

    On  June 12,  the orchestra will offer SUMMER ‘IDYLL’ TIME,  with guest trumpeter LARRY LARSON performing the brilliant HAYDN TRUMPET CONCERTO!  Companion works include  HAYDN’S dazzling  ‘CLOCK’ SYMPHONY (NO. 101 IN D) and  the powerful SIEGFRIED IDYLL by WAGNER.

    To conclude our season of riches we present the renowned MADAWASKA STRING QUARTET  in a programme of  great quartets on July 10.   This SUNSET SERENADE concert will complete our season with the addition of clarinetist JEROME SUMMERS, to create a ‘fifth’ element for a performance of  one of the great quintets of the classical repertoire.

    It is our wish to truly inspire and entertain you throughout the 2009/10 season, and  I look forward to seeing you and your friends at each of  these very special musical evenings.

        With continued best wishes and a HIGH FIVE,

        Jerome David Summers,  Music Director,
        Stratford Symphony Orchestra