Industry News (Feb-March 2024)

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Obituaries

Ewa Podleś

Polish coloratura contralto Ewa Podleś died Jan. 19, 2024. She was 71. Podleś was known for her interpretation of roles such as Arsace in Semiramide, Polinesso in Handel’s Ariodante, and the titular role in Rossini’s Ciro in Babilonia.

Eduardo Villa

Tenor Eduardo Villa has died at the age of 70. The 1982 winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions maintained a successful career in Europe and North America, with appearances in Basel, Paris, Munich, New York City, and Toronto, among many others.

Richard Gaddes

Richard Gaddes died Dec. 12, 2023, at the age of 81. Gaddes will be remembered by the North American classical-music community as the founder of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he was general director until 1985.

János Rolla

Hungarian violinist and conductor János Rolla died Dec. 7, at the age of 79. Rolla will be remembered for his involvement with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra.

Appointments/Retirements

Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio

The Canadian Opera Company has announced that sopranos Emily Rocha and Gabrielle Turgeon, and bass Duncan Stenhouse will be joining their Ensemble Studio for the 2024-25 season. Rocha, Turgeon, and Stenhouse were finalists at the COC’s Centre Stage competition.

Holly Nimmons

The Canadian Music Centre has named Holly Nimmons as President and CEO. Nimmons has held the position of interim CEO since June 2023, succeeding Glenn Hodgins.

Franz Welser-Most (Photo by Julia Wesley)

Franz Welser-Möst has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra, effective in 2027. He has led the orchestra since 2002.

Marin Alsop

Marin Alsop has been appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra for a three-year term, beginning in the 2024-25 season.

Josie Verrillo is stepping down from the position of General Director of the National Congress of Italian-Canadians, and of ItalfestMTL. Francesca Sacerdoti, her longtime collaborator, will inherit the role.

Naomi Woo (Photo by Christa Holka)

Conductor Naomi Woo has been named the first first female Music Director of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

Étienne Lalonde (Photo by Patrick Seguin)

I Musici de Montréal chamber orchestra has appointed Étienne Lalonde as CEO of the orchestra, effective immediately.

Joséphine Bacon

Governor General Mary Simon has announced the most recent appointees to the Order of Canada, including artists, musicians and writers such as poet Joséphine Bacon, master luthier Linda Jane Manzer, composer and singer Deantha Rae Edmunds, and dancer Patricia Sybil Pritchard Fraser, among others.

Following nine years of service, David Pickard has announced that he will move on from his role as Director of the BBC Proms.

Awards

Peter Simon

The Royal Conservatory of Music’s CEO, Dr. Peter Simon, has been honoured with the Order of Ontario.

Conductor Elaine Choi has been awarded the 2023 Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting by the Ontario Arts Council.

The Théâtre Lyrichorégra 20 has announced the winners of this year’s Jeunes Ambassadeurs et Ambassadrices Lyriques. Among the winners are counter-tenor Nicholas Burns; mezzo-sopranos Ilanna Starr, Klara Martel-Laroche and Vero Miller; and sopranos Vanessa Croome, Karoline Podolak and Reilly Nelson.

David Yee

Toronto-based playwright, actor and Artistic Director of fu-GEN Theatre Company David Yee has been named winner of the 2023 Siminovitch Prize. Julie Phan, meanwhile, has been selected as the 2023 Prize Protégé recipient.

Choreographer nora chipaumire has won the 2023 Grand Prix de la danse de Montréal.

Antoine Rivard-Landry

Antoine Rivard-Landry, 27, took home first prize at the 2023 Auguste-Descarries Piano Competition.

Documentary filmmaker Tahani Rached has been awarded the 2023 Albert Tessier Award, the highest honour in Quebec cinema. The award recognizes her contribution to Quebec film, and the impact of her life’s work.

Leland Ko

Chinese-Canadian cellist Leland Ko has won the 2023 OSM Competition. He takes home the Barbara Bronfman prize, along with a residency at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth de Belgique. His recital will be broadcast on ICI Musique, along with a portrait of the artist.

Yair Klartag

The Azrieli Foundation has announced this year’s winners of the biennial Azrieli Music Prizes. Composer Yair Klartag received the Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music; Josef Bardanashvili won the prize for Jewish Music; Jordan Nobles earned the Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music; and Juan Trigos won the inaugural Commission for International Music. Each composer won a prize package valued at over $200,000, which includes a cash award, a world première of their piece, performed by the OSM Chorus, two international performances, and a professional recording of their prize-winning piece.

Igor Levit

Pianist Igor Levit has been named the winner of the 2024 Wigmore Hall Medal, making him the youngest-ever recipient of the award, at age 36.

News

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has announced a new partnership with Sistema Toronto, in the hopes of enriching music education for Sistema Toronto students. The program will include workshops, and opportunities to attend concerts.

Baryshnikov Arts in New York City has announced the receipt of a grant valued at $2 million from the Mellon Foundation, which will support the first iterations of their new Bloodlines Interwoven Festival.

The English National Opera’s musicians and performers have voted to go on strike, protesting planned cuts to the company’s workforce. Chorus members, orchestra and staff intend to walk out on Feb. 1, 2024, the opening night of their upcoming production of The Handmaid’s Tale.