CCO announcement December 12th 2022

Seasons’ Greetings to this extensive email list. The CCO started the holiday season off for many of us in a terrific way. This edition of CCO Announcements shares some of the lovely feedback received since Saturday from three important participants in our concert, “Holiday Cornucopia”. 

Musicians: Enjoy your holiday break, including tonight - no rehearsal while we recover. Next rehearsal: January 9, 2023, 8:00pm, St. Barnabas Church. 

To the following accolades, I can only add thank you’s to the many volunteers (especially Tai and Tetsuya) who put the concert together in advance, and those who assisted the night of the event (especially our Front of House Co-ordinator, Robert,  and our Hostess, Enza Anderson). 

DECEMBER 10 CONCERT FEEDBACK: Another concert to be Proud in! 

1. ANDREW CHUNG, CCO MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR 

Dear members,Thank you for a wonderful concert on Saturday evening. It was very meaningful and well received, especially Andrew McClure’s Journeys for Angela. For the past few months, things have been challenging as we tried to rebuild the orchestra to its pre-COVID size and strength, dealt with safety protocols and incomplete instrumentation, plus hunted down rehearsal and concert venues.  Thanks to the Board, who have been working tirelessly to make things happen. While everything seemed to be on the right track, the change of the soloist at the last minute was very nerve wracking.  Thanks to your dedication and effort, we pulled it off nicely on concert night.  Up ahead are two concerts with 2 major symphonies and 2 world premieres.  I look forward to working with you after the well deserved break.  I wish you a happy holiday and a happy New Year.CheersAndrew

2. SOLOIST & COLLEAGUE HELEN LI 

"Dear Orchestra,A million thanks for playing the Mozart Adagio with me last night. It was such an honour and privilege for me. In middle school, my dad bought me a cassette tape of Jack Brymer playing the concerto. It became his favourite classical piece. The tape had heavy rotation at the Li household.When Andrew Chung asked me to do the Adagio for this concert, I was slightly terrified due to a suboptimal experience playing the piece accompanied by my high school wind band (i.e. everyone got lost, the band didn't end together).But Counterpoint is not a high school wind band. We sounded amazing last night. I received so much positive feedback from audience members, and even my dad who is usually silently supportive, texted me later saying we did a wonderful job and he really enjoyed it. I can't express how much it meant to me for him to hear me play the piece with a whole orchestra.Thank you Orchestra and Andrew for the opportunity. And thank you board for the lovely flowers!

Helen" 

3.  GUEST OF HONOUR, ANGELA SWAN, OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA 

"Liz,I'd be delighted if you passed this on to the members. I get huge delight from the orchestra — Robert said that I was first on my feet twice, missing only one opportunity!  The playing is so fresh and clear; everyone seems to greatly enjoy what they do; a huge achievement of the conductor.  I was very moved by Andrew’s piece; I've never had anything composed for me before.The selection of what the orchestra played was excellent.  The Mozart clarinet piece is one of my very favourite pieces.My granddaughter was delighted with the concert.  She has been going to the TSO Young People’s concerts ever since she was old enough to go.  She particularly enjoyed the sing-along.  That was spectacularly well done; the transitions from one piece to the next were flawlessly executed, an achievement of the conductor and everyone else.  The whole thing was an absolute delight, and the length was perfect.I look forward to the next concert.Angela"plus…"Please pass on my thanks to your board for their great kindness in honouring me.I reflected, as I listened to Enza, and asked myself, “How could anyone hate someone like her?”.  The CCO does a great deal of good.  I am pleased if I can do anything to lessen the ignorance that fuels so much of the hatred. "