CCO ANNOUNCEMENTS JUNE 17 2025

More concert stuff, summer plans, and special invitations. 

I.              MORE JUNE 7 CONCERT FEEDBACK FROM COMPOSER JOHN GLADWELL  

In an email dated June 10th, John Gladwell sent an enthusiastic email thanking the CCO for a great performance of his piece on June 7: 

"Dear CCO, 

I am still trying to fully take in the overwhelmingly positive response to last Saturday evening’s premiere live performance of my clarinet concerto. Whatever flaws there may have been in the performance itself — and I am referring mainly to my own nervous mistakes on the piano when I say that — everyone who came up to me afterwards as well as those who have written to me since spoke of how moved they were by the music and by how effectively your orchestra brought it to life, making it clear that the emotional power of Saturday’s performance transcended any perceivable imperfections. For this and for so much more I am deeply grateful to you all.  

I am grateful to Maestro Andrew Chung for agreeing to programme this piece in the first place, and for all the time, effort and artistry he devoted to preparing it for performance. Similarly I am grateful to each and every one of you for all the time, effort and artistry you devoted to learning your parts despite several rookie mistakes I made in your scores.

I am grateful for the way each of you I had the pleasure of chatting with at the two rehearsals I was privileged to attend made me feel welcome there, I am grateful for your many kind compliments about my music, and I am grateful for the helpful suggestions several of you made for improved clarity and playability in the notation which I will certainly take to heart as I continue fine tuning the score. 

Of course this performance never would have happened without my good friend clarinetist Peter Stoll whose steadfast belief in this concerto led to him to approach Maestro Chung with the score, and whose stellar solo on Saturday evening lifted the music off the page 

Thank you so much again, CCO. It was a delight meeting and performing with you all and I hope we can work together again sometime!  Wishing you all the very best,

John Gladwell

Ps. Thank you for the gorgeous floral bouquet which is now proudly displayed on my piano."

II. WELCOME TO GUEST CONDUCTOR DANIEL MANLEY 

The Board is delighted to announce that we have appointed Daniel Manley as our Guest Conductor for the CCO holiday concert on December 6, 2025. 

If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Daniel has been involved with the CCO for many years. He participated in the CCO’s Conductor competition in 2016-17, conducting a Nuit Rose concert, has been supporting the CCO ever since, and has performed with us on his tuba in many, many CCO concerts. Among other appointments, Daniel is the Music Director of Highlands Chamber Orchestra and Co-Conductor of Highlands Wind Symphony. 

Look for Daniel’s full biography and his photo on the CCO website in August, when we’ll also share details of the December concert programme. 

Everyone is invited to meet Daniel Manley at the Playing in the Park concert in Allan Gardens on August 17, 2025. 

 III.             MEMBERS’ ZOOM CALL HELD JUNE 16, 2025

Thank you to all the members who attended last night’s Zoom call with the Board. We enjoyed sharing the plans about next season, the beginning of our search for a new conductor/music director, and the results of the Members’ Survey conducted last spring. If you wish to comment on the effectiveness of Zoom as a way of increasing communication within the CCO, please send your comments along to emitchell1727@gmail.com. 

Members will receive Minutes of this meeting and the summary of the Members’ Survey by email.

IV. CONCERTS IN ALLAN GARDENS JULY 27 AND AUGUST 17

During the pandemic, the CCO began offering the community a series of small, Sunday afternoon concerts in Allan Gardens Park, Playing in the Park. That tradition has continued annually since then. This year, there will be two performances by Friends of the CCO, one on July 27 and the other on August 17, both Sunday afternoons at the Children’s Conservatory and Garden on the west side of the Park, near Jarvis. 

On July 27, Kevin Seymour and his small ensemble of wind musicians, Ventilation, will perform in a concert starting at 2:30. 

On August 17, there will be a packed programme:

• Joana Angeles and her students - their solos will be by a pick up orchestra of CCO members*

• Kevin Seymour and Caroline Spearing and their small ensemble Windwerx 

• a chamber group organized by Matias Espinoza. 

* Bring your instrument on August 17. Whomever is there will join the students in performing Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Daniel has parts for all instruments, so do join in. 

There is always a casual picnic following the last concert for CCO members to say hello before the season begins a few weeks later. This year, our Guest Conductor will be attending this picnic as well on Aug. 17. 

IV. A SPECIAL INVITATION: A TIFF SCREENING ON JULY 5, 2024, 2:30PM 

The Toronto Film Festival’s Community Impact department has extended a special invitation to members of the CCO to attend a screening of a children’s pilot show created by two well-known activists. Here are the details:

"TIFF Community Impact wanted to share a special upcoming free event with your group: Caring Cabin with Beverly & Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland. As Canada's first 2SLGBTQIA+ Orchestra that continues to spread the love of music and acceptance, we would be honored for your community to join us.

Legendary musician and transgender activist Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his creative partner and wife, the artist and activist Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland, join us in-person for a free screening of their children’s show pilot Caring Cabin. Caring Cabin is a tender musical tribute to Beverly and Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland’s legacy of community-building, engaging young people, and creative collaboration, including Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s nearly 30 years as a regular performer on the beloved Canadian children’s TV show Mr. Dressup. This event invites intergenerational connection, and families with young children as well as seniors are especially welcome. 

With the promo code 25CARINGCABIN anyone in your network can pull up to 4 free tickets to what will be a very wholesome screening, talk and performance! This promo code will expire Monday,June 30th. I have also attached a photo from the film if that helps in spreading the word!

Details:

Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025

Time: 2:30 PM (Runtime: 1 hour, including a 20-minute Q&A with the film team and a 10-minute performance by Beverly & Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland accompanied by Alex Samaras)

Location: TIFF Lightbox (350 King Street West)"

Note - deadline for accepting the offer isJune30. Great for the CCO to see the CCO described as “Canada’s first 2SLGBTQIA+ Orchestra that continues to spread the love of music and acceptance”! Hope some members can attend what promises to be an interesting afternoon. Families with young children and seniors are both mentioned as especially welcome. 

III.          IMPORTANT CCO DATES (note concerts Dec. 6, March 7, June 6) 

July 2, 2025 - Board meeting. Members may attend. Ask for a Zoom invitation emitchell1727@gmail.com. 

July 27. 2025, 2:00pm  – Playing in the Park, CCO and Friends, concert Allan Gardens Park. Featured Ensemble: Windwerx. 

August 17, 2025, 2:00pm  – Playing in the Park, CCO and Friends, concert, 2:00pm. Picnic to follow with a meet-and greet for our first Guest Conductor

September 15, 2025, 7:30  – rehearsals resume Mondays at The 519 Church Street Community Centre (exclusingThanksgiving) 

December 5, 2025 , 7:00pm - Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church 

December 6, 2025, 7:309pm -  concert, Eastminster Church

March 6, 2026 - Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church  

March 7, 2026 - Concert, Eastminster Church

June 5, 2026 - Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church 

June 6, 2026 - Concert, Eastminster Church 

IV.          PERFORMING SOMEWHERE THIS SUMMER? 

1. Former CCO cellist Everly Conrad-Baldwin has sent the following invitation to attend some light opera this summer:

"Hi everyone,This is Everly, who used to play cello with you. I’m a professional opera singer, and if you're an opera or Gilbert and Sullivan fan then I'm going to be in a few things this summer that might interest you:-Ensemble in The Tender Land, by Aaron Copeland, done by the Toronto City Opera at Al Green Theatre, Wednesday June 18th, Saturday June 21st and Sunday June 22nd, both at 2pm. Tickets at https://www.torontocityopera.com/tenderland-Ensemble in HMS Pinafore, by Gilbert and Sullivan, done by Opera York at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Thursday July 17th and Friday July 18th, both at 7:30pm. A 15% discount is available using Performers15 at https://operayork.com/hms-pinnafore-2025/-I am proud to be performing in my first major supporting opera role, Peter the "Father" (or Patricia the butch lesbian Daddy) in Hansel and Gretel, by Engelbert Humperdinck (I know, wild name, right?), done by No Strings Theatre, on a farm outdoors at 1418 Concession Rd 4 in Loretta, ON, It will run Friday August 8th at 5pm, Saturday August 9th at 1pm and 5pm, and Sunday August 10th at 3pm. Special prices will be determined later for some showings, so save the dates and I’ll try to get you that info later on. Tickets at https://www.nostringstheatre.com/upcoming-a related cabaret, Opera BrewHaHa, at Granite Brewery & Tied House, August 13th at 7:30pm, which I may be singing at (if not, some other great opera singers will be. Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/opera-brew-haha-2025-an-evening-of-dining-wining-and-song-ticketsI'm excited by all these projects, and I hope to see you at whatever you can make it to!Cheers,Everly"

2. If you have a performance you would like your colleagues to know about, email details to emitchell1727@gmail.com, although the Announcements for the summer will be monthly, not weekly. 

3. A new violinist is joining Counterpoint in the fall, Raymond Mak. Raymond is looking for musicians who want to join him playing chamber music this summer, and has asked to circulate his email address so that you can contact him directly if interested: r.hf.mak@gmail.com.