CCO ANNOUNCEMENTS DECEMBER 31 2025
- Lee-Ann
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
DECEMBER 31, 2025
Happy New Year! Some exciting news about “A Thousand and One Notes”. some useful notes about the upcoming rehearsal, January 5, and some good news about our supporters’ generosity.
I. AN EXCITING CHANGE IN “A THOUSAND AND ONE NOTES”
Recently, we received a disappointing email from our double bass soloist, Brian Baty, cancelling his performance with the CCO on March 7 because of an injury, and expressing his regrets After we wished him a speedy recovery, we turned to the question of “who should be our soloist?” Our Guest Conductor, Programme Committee and Board Directors all felt the same way: Jude should do it!
It is truly fortuitous that Jude Littlefield Bushlen, our double bassist and our Bill McQueen Scholarship recipient two years in a row, had performed the Koussevitsky double bass concerto at his student recital last spring, and had already agreed with our Guest Conductor Samuel Tam to play that work during some of our rehearsals. He also received an enthusiastic reference and support from his U of T Professor. Fortunately for the CCO, Jude eagerly accepted this opportunity.
So - thank you Jude for agreeing to be our soloist on March 7, and congratulations as well on the fact that you are so talented that we all know you will be great!
II. JANUARY 5 REHEARSAL & DIRECTIONS TO SHEET MUSIC
(i) Rehearsals resume on Monday January 5 at the 519 Community Centre, 519 Church Street, 7:30 to 9:30pm. Musicians need to bring a music stand and their part. Snacks - first violin.
(ii) On January 5, we will be welcoming our new Guest Conductor Samuel Tam. Although he is “new”, Samuel has been working with the Programme Committee and the Board for a while to ensure we will be ready for a great concert on March 7.
(iii) Rehearsal note from Guest Conductor Tam:
January 5 will be an all Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade rehearsal. Movements 1 and 2 before the break, Movement 4 after the break, and Movement 3 if there is time. We will work on the Koussevitzky and Chaminade works on an ongoing basis from January 12.
(iv) Sticky Notes is a classical music podcast by Joshua Weilerstein, an American conductor and violinist. He does an interesting 57 minute analysis of Sheherezade at
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherezade
Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast
Rimsky-Korsakov, above anything else, is regarded as a master of orchestration, the art of creating orchestral sound and color. As Rachmaninoff said about Rimsky-Korsakov's music: "When there is a snowstorm, the flakes seem to dance and drift. When the sun is high, all instruments shine with an almost fiery glow. When there is water, the waves ripple and splash audibly throughout the orchestra … ; the sound is cool and glassy when he describes a calm winter night with glittering starlit sky." Nowhere is this gift more on display than in one of Rimsky-Korsakov's seminal works, Scheherezade. But this work is far more than only orchestration. It is a shining example of a number of complicated facets of both Rimsky-Korsakov's and Russian Nationalist music of the time. It also displays so many of the contradictions that marked this era of classical music, and in particular, Russian classical music. Rimsky-Korsakov originally gave the piece a clear narrative, but then withdrew it angrily, saying that any programmatic narrative was merely meant peripherally, and "I meant these hints to direct but slightly the hearer's fancy…All I had desired was that the hearer, if he liked my piece as symphonic music, should carry away the impression that it is beyond doubt an oriental narrative of some numerous and varied fairy-tale wonders and not merely four pieces played one after the other…" And that word, oriental, a complicated word in our modern times to be sure, plays a huge and unavoidable role in this piece. This was a time when Imperial Russia occupied lands in Central Asia, and when the Russian public became obsessed with so called "oriental" literature and music. Composers drew liberally on these sources for their music, and Rimsky Korsakov's mentor, the great composer Mily Balakirev, heavily encouraged Russian composers to use these sources as a way to set their music apart from German composers of the time. A group of composers, the not at all egotistically named "Mighty Five" Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, and Cesar Cui, almost all became famous through their use of Central Asian and Middle Eastern themes and stories. But no piece has captured the imagination of listeners around the world more than Scheherezade, a piece that drew upon the collection of Middle Eastern folk tales known and One Thousand and One Nights, and features some of the most legendary melodies in the history of Western Classical Music. We're going to talk about all of this today on this Patreon sponsored episode, so please join us!
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sticky-notes-the-classical-music-podcast/id1215386938?i=1000549874063
(v) Sheet Music is now available for all the works on the March 7 programme at CCOrchestra.com using the Musicians Only - Sheet Music portal. Musicians need to set up an account, following the instructions there. If you have difficulty setting up an account, you can email leeann.ngu01@gmail.com.
(vi) With respect to the Koussevitzky work, the sheet music is temporary. Conductor Tam is still waiting to receive another arrangement. In the meantime, however, here is a note about printing the temporary sheet music from Mario Lo Monaco, Librarian:
"For practicing purposes, please download the Koussevitzky parts from IMSLP under the 'Arrangements and Transcriptions' tab. This arrangement is not the one we will be preforming at the concert and we will forward you the music once it is confirmed by Samuel Tam.
There is a set of parts second from the top under the name Maciel. (This is listed after the Viola solo part.)
This is the set in F# minor, and is the correct one we want to use (for now).
Do NOT use the Maciel parts listed under the E minor, Orchestral tuning (Creative Commons Zero 1.0). We will be playing in F# minor.
Mario has also forwarded a youtube link to a performance of this double bass concerto:
III. TWO SUCCESSFUL “EXTRA” PERFORMANCES IN DECEMBER
Thanks to several CCO musicians, and one volunteer, who played at two extra events on December 13: David, Daniel, Paige, Chris, Rick, Liz and “The Cookie Lady”, Mo. We provided lunch time music at the 519’s Children’s Holiday Party, and, in the afternoon, played carols at Kendall & Co. Interior Design, the store that frequently advertises in our concert programmes. Both events were well received, and quite fun. Kendall’s has posted a video on its Instagram if you are curious.
IV. SHARING SOME FINANCIAL GOOD NEWS
Kevin Seymour, Treasurer, is delighted by the year end totals for CCO donations. The CCO received over $4,000.00 in donations in December alone! Many thanks to everyone who made (or successfully encouraged) an end-of-year charitable donation to the CCO; each donation is much appreciated. In 2025, the CCO received several donations as well honouring one of our musicians who turned 40 and had suggested to his friends and family that donations would be a welcome present.
There is an opportunity on Canada Helps to add a comment when making a donation. One of our December donors made the following comment that will likely bring a smile to everyone involved with the CCO:
“For the past several years I’ve attended the CCO holiday concert and always have such a good time. The community feeling of the concert is unique and such a lovely experience.”
V. IMPORTANT CCO DATES
Rehearsals are Mondays, 7:30 to 9:30pm, unless otherwise noted here, and are normally at the 519 Community Centre, 519 Church Street, Please let your section leader know if you cannot attend a rehearsal. Remaining concerts are March 7 and June 6, with Dress Rehearsals the preceding Friday night, at Eastminister United Church, 310 Danforth (Chester subway station). Musicians must bring their own music stand and sheet music part to each rehearsal. Snacks for the break are provided by sections in rotation: first violins, then seconds, then violas and celli, then winds, brass and piano, then leftovers, and back to the start.
January 5, 2026 - 7:30pm rehearsals resume Mondays at the 519 under Guest Conductor, Dr. Samuel Tam. Snacks first violins (seconds on January 12).
February 16 - no rehearsal - Family Day
March 6 - 7:00 to 10:00pm Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church
March 7 - 7:30pm Concert, “A Thousand and One Notes”, Eastminster Church. Featured soloist Jude Littlefield Bushlen, double bass
March 9 - No rehearsal
March 16 - 7:30pm - rehearsals resume Mondays at the 519 under Guest Conductor “Isaac Page.
April 6 - no rehearsal - Easter Monday
May 18 - no rehearsal - Victoria Day
June 5 - 7:00pm Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church
June 6 - 7:30pm Concert, Eastminster Church. Featured soloist, Gemma Donn, CCO Concertmaster
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