Kingston, ON: The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (“the Isabel”) at Queen’s University announces its 10th anniversary season, including over 30 events and performances featuring local and internationally renowned artists.
“The Isabel’s upcoming 2024/25 season will be a truly exciting celebration of ten years of exceptional artistry,” says Gordon E. Smith, Director of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. “The season has been curated around the theme of “Inspiration and Alliances,” the intent of which is to celebrate inspirational retrospectives from the past ten years, and to explore perspectives for innovative future directions in programming at the Isabel over the next ten years and beyond.”
The Isabel welcomes the National Youth Orchestra of Canada again for their month-long summer residency, which includes open-to-the-public chamber music concerts in June and July, and a full concert program on July 18. Other returning ensembles in the coming season are Les Violons du Roy with soprano Karina Gauvin and contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and Tafelmusik, in a special concert dedicated to Tricia Baldwin, beloved former Director of the Isabel. The Isabel will also welcome back the legendary Branford Marsalis, pianists Angela Hewitt and Bruce Liu, alongside a debut performance by pianist Misha Dichter.
In addition, the Isabel will present performances by a diverse array of artists: pianist Megumi Masaki, cellist Nicolas Altstaedt with pianist Fazil Say, violinist Melissa White with pianist Pallavi Mahidhara, pianist Michelle Cann with the Imani Winds, the Viano String Quartet with guitarist MILOŠ, The Kingdom Choir, singer Andrea Baker and composer, conductor, and keyboard player Howard Moody, VOCES8, Meta4, Près de votre oreille, and The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.
A highlight of the coming season will be a three-day residency and performance by the Vancouver Chamber Choir in March, followed by a performance at the end of that month by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Indigenization continues to be an important priority for the Isabel with September performances by Inuk opera singer Deantha Edmunds with Inuit throat singers, Sylvia Cloutier and Nancy Mike with The New Orford String Quartet, followed by Jeremy Dutcher featuring music from his new recording.
The Isabel has also announced the re-naming of the Isabel’s Karen Hitchcock Rehearsal Hall as the Karen Hitchcock Recital Hall, which will align with the increased use of the space for performances as well as rehearsals. In the upcoming season, the Isabel will offer a new Friday series of four concerts featuring Tiny Horse, Kasador, Alex Mundy, and Chris Brown with Kate Fenner and Tony Scherr in this intimate setting.
Details on programming are contained in the Isabel’s 2024/25 season brochure.
Subscriptions for the 2024/25 season are on sale to the public Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Single tickets are on sale Wednesday, July 24, 2024. For tickets and more information, visit queensu.ca/theisabel.
THE 2024/25 SEASON
*Asterisk denotes the artist’s Isabel debut.VIRTUOSI SOLOIST SERIES
Misha Dichter* on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 2:30pm
Melissa White with Pallavi Mahidhara* on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 7:30pm
Bruce Liu on Friday, January 17, 2025 at 7:30pm
Nicolas Altstaedt with Fazil Say* on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 7:30pm
Angela Hewitt on Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 2:30pmENSEMBLE SERIES
Michelle Cann with Imani Winds* on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 7:30pm
Les Violons du Roy on Friday, October 25, 2024 at 7:30pm
Viano String Quartet with MILOŠ* on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 2:30pm
VOCES8 on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7:30pm
Meta4* on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 2:30pmARTIST SPOTLIGHT CONCERTS
National Youth Orchestra of Canada on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 7:30pm
Deantha Edmunds with The New Orford String Quartet on Sunday, September 8, 2024 at 2:30pm Jeremy Dutcher on Friday, September 20, 2024 at 7:30pm
Megumi Masaki on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 2:30pm
The Kingdom Choir* on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 7:30pm
Près de votre oreille* on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 2:30pm
An Evening with Branford Marsalis on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 7:30pm
Andrea Baker with Howard Moody* on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 7:30pm in the Recital Hall Vancouver Chamber Choir* on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at 7:30pm
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra* on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 7:30pm
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain* on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 7:30pm
Tafelmusik on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 7:30pmFRIDAY NIGHTS IN THE RECITAL HALL
Tiny Horse* on Friday, October 4, 2024 at 8:00pm
Kasador on Friday, November 22, 2024 at 8:00pm
Alex Mundy on Friday, January 31, 2025 at 8:00pm
Chris Brown and Kate Fenner with Tony Scherr* on Friday, February 28, 2025 at 8:00pmMADE FOR KIDS
Shoestring Opera The Shoestring Magic Flute on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 2:30pm
Splash’N Boots* on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 2:30pmSPECIAL EVENTS
My Experiments in Hope by Evan Sharma*
Artist Exhibit from September 16-27, 2024, Monday to Friday 10:00am-4:00pm in the Art and Media Lab Artist Talk on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 2:30pm in the Performance Hall and Livestreamed The Isabel and Alfred Bader Lecture in European Art with Dr. Stephanie Porras on Friday, November 15, 2024 at 6:00pm in the Performance Hall and LivestreamedDetailed event listings are available upon request.
