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Clemens Schuldt. Courtesy of the Orchestre symphonique de Québec.

Clemens Schuldt: A Breath of Fresh Air in Quebec City

By Justin Bernard on 31 January 2025 Interviews, Orchestral, Quebec City

Since Clemens Schuldt joined Orchestre symphonique de Québec (OSQ) as music director in 2023, its spirit has changed. A certain pride has settled on the musicians, the organization, even the audiences of the provincial capital. Several factors underlie this, but the personality of the German conductor and his local commitment have certainly contributed. La Scena Musicale met him in Montreal last fall, the day after conducting the closing concert of the International Bach Festival. In a country like Germany, a young conductor is bound to be influenced by the musical geniuses of the past. Schuldt’s father is from Hamburg, the…

Julian Armour & Guylaine Lemaire: Finding Balance

By Kaitlyn Chan on 31 January 2025 Arts Industry, Classical Music, Interviews, Multimedia, Orchestral, Ottawa, Strings

This February, renowned musicians and artistic leaders Julian Armour and Guylaine Lemaire celebrate 20 years of marriage. The Ottawa-based couple have contributed significantly to the Canadian music scene for decades now as both performers and arts administrators. Amidst all this busyness, Armour and Lemaire are also the proud parents of four boys. Armour and Lemaire wear several hats in their professional lives. Armour is the artistic and executive director of Music and Beyond, artistic director of the Chamber Players of Canada, principal cellist of the chamber orchestra Thirteen Strings, and teaches at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. Retired…

Gwen Hoebig: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster extraordinaire

By Holly Harris on 31 January 2025 Canadian Music, Classical, Classical Music, Orchestral, Vancouver

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra wraps up its 2024-25 season on a poignant note this spring as its revered concertmaster, Gwen Hoebig, steps down from the position she’s held for an astonishing 37 years. The Vancouver-born musician lauded for her impeccable artistry currently holds the mantle as Canada’s longest-serving concertmaster, following the retirement of L’orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s Richard Roberts in September 2022 after his own 40 seasons. When asked what she’s most proud of from her decades-long tenure, Hoebig replies succinctly: “My playing, and also my relationship with my colleagues. … My overriding goal as concertmaster has always been to…

Credit: Vancouver Sun

Remembering Kazuyoshi Akiyama (1941-2025)

By Madeline Boldt on 29 January 2025 Arts Industry, Canadian Music, Classical, Classical Music, Obituaries, Orchestral, Toronto, Vancouver

Legendary Japanese conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama has passed away at the age of 84. A cornerstone of Vancouver’s classical music scene, Akiyama led the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for over 13 years. Under his leadership from 1972 to 1985, the VSO transitioned from the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to the Orpheum, marking a new era of growth, increased ticket sales, and a revitalized sound. Early Life and Career Born in Japan in 1941, he launched into the world of classical music in 1964 when he made his debut with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. His immediate success earned him the roles of both Music…

Review | It’s the Band that Shines in Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Hollywood Rocks

By Madeline Boldt on 28 January 2025 Movie soundtrack music, Musical Theatre, Orchestral, Popular Music, Vancouver, Vocal

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra brought Tinseltown glitz and glamour to the Orpheum stage this weekend with Hollywood Rocks, a carefully curated collection of iconic songs from your favourite movies and TV shows. The orchestra was led by Maestro Stuart Chafetz, with Broadway stars Julie Reiber and Bryce Ryness lending their incredible voices. From the moment Chafetz set foot on stage, the tone for the evening was set: lighthearted, energetic, and, above all else, fun. “Tonight’s show is guaranteed to bring back memories, put a smile on your face, and, hopefully, create some new memories” he prefaced, encouraging the audience to…

A scene from the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Madama Butterfly, 2025. Photo: Michael Cooper

Review | COC’s Madama Butterfly a Profound Emotional Journey

By Denise Lai on 28 January 2025 Newswire, Opera, Toronto

With its epic music and heartbreaking story, it is no surprise that Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly remains one of the most popular and beloved operas of all times. It has been over 10 years since Madama Butterfly was last staged by the Canadian Opera Company after the pandemic forced the cancellation of its mainstage performances in 2022. This opera has also struggled with many controversies related to western imperialism, along with cultural and gender stereotypes. In this production (seen Jan. 26), COC has at least in part addressed them by foregoing the traditional geisha makeup, and by having an all-Asian…

Tickets now on sale for Opera 5’s Toronto Opera Festival

By Newswire on 28 January 2025 Chamber Music, Classical, Newswire, Opera, Toronto, Vocal

TORONTO, ON – Tickets are now on sale for Opera 5’s first-ever Toronto Opera Festival, running from June 12-21, 2025 at Factory Theatre. The festival features a series of performances, including the world premiere of Come Closer by Canadian Composer Ryan Trew and with a libretto by Opera 5’s General Director Rachel Krehm, Opera 5’s first musical theatre production, Elegies: A Song Cycle by William Finn, and a Gala Performance – featuring the Portfolio Artist Interns. The Toronto Opera Festival is currently Toronto’s only professional opera festival dedicated to celebrating opera, musical theatre, and new Canadian works. It will also showcase homegrown talent while training the next generation of portfolio artists. Rooted in…

Opera 5 Announces 2025 Portfolio Artist Internship Program Participants

By Newswire on 23 January 2025 Arts Industry, Classical Music, Education, Employment, Newswire, Opera, Toronto

TORONTO, ON – Today Opera 5 announces the 8 singers who will join the Portfolio Artist Internship Program for the 2025 Toronto Opera Festival, in partnership with Opera McGill and the Schulich School of Music. The Portfolio Artist Internship is an innovative new approach to artist training designed to support individuals pursuing a portfolio career: a multi-faceted path, artistic or otherwise, simultaneously. The internship provides three levels of learning opportunities: performance, professional skills development, and secondary artistic/administrative skills. The 2025 interns include Kyle Briscoe, Jayden Burrows, Len Crino, Kate Fogg, Brenna McFarland, Maddelena Ohrbach, MacKenzie Sechi, and Emma Yee. For more information on these artists, click…

Orchestre Métropolitain Cancels Some of Its Concerts Citing Financial Challenges

By Newswire on 21 January 2025 Arts Industry, Classical Music, Montreal, Newswire, Orchestral

Montreal, January 22, 2025 – Due to the significant challenges the entire cultural milieu is currently facing, and which are also affecting us, Orchestre Métropolitain has made the difficult decision to cancel some of its concerts – Fatal Attraction on March 13-14 and Latin Fiesta on May 16. Faced with rising production costs, inflation influencing the public’s cultural habits, and stagnating government subsidies, the OM had a responsibility to make this decision in order to regain a balanced budget and ensure the Orchestra’s long-term stability. All ticket holders will receive a refund within ten working days of the announcement of…

Les Idées heureuses' Musique et danse en Nouvelle-France. Photo: Brenden Friesen

Review | Les Idées heureuses: Enthralling Portrayal of Life in New-France

By Heather Weinreb on 21 January 2025 Baroque and Early, Classical Music, Dance, Montreal, Newswire, Vocal

Les Idées heureuses’ Jan. 16th concert took the notion of historical performance to new heights. Musique et danse en Nouvelle-France was not only performed with period instruments from the 18th century such as viols and harpsichords but also featured dance and costumes from the era. The letters of Élisabeth Bégon were the main historical material. A diplomat’s wife in the early days of New France, Bégon’s letters provide a window into the experience of the colony’s elite. One letter makes light of a priest’s sermonizing against balls, another laments the harsh winters in her new home. Another yet mourns the…

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