This Announcement describes an exciting performance opportunity on Sunday, September 25, 2022, officially recognizes the successful end to Playing in the Park 2022, and includes the usual reminders about application forms and important upcoming dates.
1. COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY The CCO has been invited to participate in a community initiative in Allan Gardens, and we have enthusiastically said “Yes!”. As many of our members as possible are invited to get involved, September 25, 1:00 to 5:00pm, Allan Gardens. We have committed to:
hosting a booth describing the CCO to all interested comers
providing music in various combinations all afternoon September 25, from 1:00 to 5:00.
These Announcements provide information about the "Imagine the Park” initiative and the 4 day Festival which is part of that project, describe the expectations for the CCO’s musical contributions, talk about the CCO booth at the Festival, and ask you to please get involved. (i) Imagine the Park and the Festival
"Imagine the Park" is a two year-long series of cultural events and activities in and around Allan Gardens; it is being co-ordinated by Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly Ryerson’s, Office of Social Innovation, and supported by the Friends of Allan Gardens. Its intent is to foster a more welcoming, creative and well-resourced green space for the Allan Gardens community. It has offered story-telling, a residency for an Indigenous artist, history and nature walks, art installations, music, spoken word and poetry events, plus more, including the Festival we will be part of. TMU has described the September Festival, with its working title of “People, Power & the Park”, as follows: “In Septemer 2022, a 4-day community festival will celebrate Allan Gardens’ continuing role as a vital and valued gathering place. For over 125 years, Allan Gardens Park has welcomed communities across a very broad spectrum. From Suffragettes and Oscar Wilde in the 19th century to disabled veterans in the 50’s to 21st century environmentalists, people have come together in Allan Gardens to enjoy the greenspace, celebrate their communities, and express their issues. And, of course, this is a place of great significance to Indigenous communities who have lived and gathered there for millennia." “The intention of PPP is to conjure the spirit of the individuals and groups who have called the park home in the past; and to celebrate the continuing presence of groups from across the entire spectrum of Canadian society who continue to value and contribute to it today.” The fact that the CCO has been providing free classical musical performances on Sunday afternoons in the Park for two years brought us recognition as part of that Allan Gardens community of people who value and contribute to the Park. The Festival will be centred around the Conservatory, a 100 year old architectural marvel of a botanical garden. It will start and end with ceremonies led by Indigenous elders. have projections of still and moving images, life-size banner celebrating historical events and activists, a temporary museum of artifacts, children’s programming, guided walks, and booths for community organizations and local artisan vendors. (ii) CCO’s Musical Contribution to the Festival September 25 is fast approaching and providing classical music over a four hour stretch is a challenge. However, the CCO said yes to this opportunity as, if necessary, it can build its programme around the pieces already rehearsed and performed as part of the concerts recently performed during the Playing in the Park season. The CCO members who featured as soloists or in small ensembles will hopefully be willing and able to perform those same pieces a second time. The music programme is not yet fully set. The number of musician members who can play has no ceiling; musician members who did not participate in Playing in the Park can do so now, and would be very welcome. We want the CCO to look and sound like a full Orchestra at this very public event. The IMSLP links are available now to the pieces that will likely form the core of the Festival programming. There may also be room for ensembles that did not play in the Park this summer, but are eager to be featured now - if you have an ensemble, please volunteer.
If you are interested in joining the CCO on Sunday September 25, please complete and return the Sign-Up Form: https://forms.gle/Fy7i3nQ97XfAKPHH6 .
The Music from the Playing in the Park concerts, which may become the core of the Festival programme is available on this Google spreadsheet, which links to IMSLP.
Later Announcements will provide more details of our musical commitment. This early notice is to ensure you know about it in plenty of time to get involved and to rehearse.
(iii) CCO’s Booth
Similarly to providing classical music over a 4 hour period, the fact that the CCO will sponsor a booth for the same four hours raises a significant challenge.
Volunteers are needed for the booth - especially invited are the non-playing members, as we hope the musician members play.
Volunteer work starts now: designing and printing posters and flyers, figuring out the “look” of the booth, organizing supplies for the booth, and scheduling the volunteers. At the Festival, the booth should have a minimum of two members available to distribute flyers and answer questions from the general public for two hours, and two more volunteers for the final two hours.
This is a significant opportunity to let a lot of new people know about the CCO, its mandate and programming; it could lead to new musicians, expanded audiences, and more donations.
If you can volunteer, please email emitchell1727@gmail.com and put “Festival Booth Volunteer” in the Re line.
Finally, we hope all members will put September 25 in their appointment calendars - come see and hear your colleagues in the CCO, participate in the Festival, and visit the Conservatory.
2. ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PIP SEASON
The final Playing in the Park concert was held on August 14. It drew the largest number this season of musician members to play, plus a larger-than-normal audience. Many thanks to Andrew Chung, Gemma and Chris who were the featured performers last Sunday and all sounded terrific. The casual picnic that followed was fun as many members decided to come and cheer the musicians on, and audience members stopped by to congratulate the performers and ask about the CCO.
Many thanks to the musician members who played and were featured this summer. The CCO is becoming a familiar site in the Park, and we have several “repeat customers” in the audiences. The invitation to join the Festival on September 25 grew directly from those PIP concerts. This CCO initiative is clearly succeeding in the goals of community outreach and contribution.
Special recognition to Daniel Payne, David Brownstone and Chris Yoshida who, along with Andrew, our Music Director, and Gemma, our concertmaster, made the season a success.
3. APPLICATOINS FOR MEMBERSHIP AND UPCOMING CCO DATES
(i) Applications for Membership: The AGM is October 3. If you have not formalized your membership by completing an Application for Membership, please do so and email it to emitchell1727@gmail.com for filing with the Board’s Secretary, Holly Price. The Application Form is attached. The Board has waived membership fees for the balance of this season.The benefits of membership include: the ability to become a Director, vote at the AGM and in CCO elections, serve on CCO Committees, attend CCO Board meetings, access the Members Only portal on the CCO website, and receive members-only emails.
(ii) IMPORTANT CCO DATES Monday September 12, 2022: rehearsals begin on Mondays 8:00 to 10:00pm. St. Barnabas Anglican Church. 361 Danforth Avenue (Chester subway station) Tuesday September 20, 2022: Revised By-Law Information Session, by Zoom, 7:00pm. Sunday September 25, 2022: Festival in Allan Gardens, Performances and a CCO Booth from 1:00 to 5:00 Monday October 3, 2022: Annual General Meeting for first hour of the rehearsal. Members can attend and vote in person or by Zoom. Friday December 9, 2022: Dress rehearsal Saturday December 10, 2022: Concert, “Holiday Cornucopia” (premier of “Journeys of Angela Swan” by Andrew McClure) Monday January 9, 2023: Rehearsals resume Mondays, 8:00 to 10:00pm Friday March 24, 2023: Dress Rehearsal Saturday March 25, 2023: Concert (premier of “A Stone’s Throw” by Justin Peters) Friday June 9, 2023: Dress Rehearsal Saturday June 10, 2023: Concert (Trumpet Concerto by composer Betsy Raum).
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