CCO ANNOUNCEMENTS MAY 29 2025

I. REHEARSAL JUNE 2, 2025

With only 11 days to go until Kilts & Clarinets, Conductor Andrew Chung will concentrate the June 2 rehearsal on the Gaelic Symphony, then Rossini’s Overture.

Snacks June 2 winds, brass and piano. Dress Rehearsal snacks: Leftovers. 

Terrific rehearsal on May 26 with composer John Gladwell and soloist Peter Stoll, both of whom are clearly excited about premiering the clarinet concerto with a live orchestra instead of an electronic one. Their enthusiasm is contagious. 

An Audio File of the Clarinet Concerto is available in the Musicians’ Only portal on ccorchestra.org, Sheet Music. Performances of the Gaelic Symphony are available on YouTube. 

If you would like to know more about Amy Beach and the Gaelic Symphony, be sure to read the notes prepared by Hannah Brown (viola) in the concert programme. Here is an excerpt, naming the Irish folk tunes linked to each of the Symphony’s movements:

"There are four total Irish tunes utilized in the symphony: Conchobhar ua Raghallaigh Cluann (Connor O’Reilly of Clounish) in the first movement, Goirtin Ornadh (Little Field of Barley)  in the second movement, and Paisdin Fuinne and Cia an Bealacha Deachaidh Si (Which Way did She Go?) in the third movement. The first movement is in sonata form and includes  an interesting variation: instead of being in the same key as the exposition as expected, the recapitulation is in Ab Major, a semitone above. The third movement is the lengthiest and is  written in an interesting 'double construction’ variation of sonata form where the two folk tunes are presented and developed independently in the exposition and then brought together  in the development section of the movement. The fourth movement is built on new melodies composed by Beach that resemble the structure and feel of the folk tunes that provide  thematic material in the previous three movements. Beach described this final movement as representative of “the passions and battles [of the Irish people], and the elemental nature  of the processes of thought and its resulting action.”

II.  UPCOMING CONCERT: KILTS & CLARINETS

June 6 Dress Rehearsal: starts at 7:00, runs until 10:00pm. There is no access to the Green Room. Church doors open at 6:00pm. If you arrive early, please get involved with the set-up. The CCO storage is up three long flights of stairs, and it takes several trips to bring down the concert supplies. Similarly, following the Dress Rehearsal, the Sanctuary must be left free of CCO stuff, so please help with that too if you can. Our set-up crew, Ron Mitchell, Chris Yoshida, and Rick Fraser (second violins) found the extra hands provided at the March Dress and Concert really helped - they would appreciate help again this time.

Concert Poster: The poster for Kilts & Clarinets is attached. Not too late to circulate to your friends and family, and post in your neighbourhood. Printed posters will be available for pick up at the June 2 rehearsal. 

Tickets: $20 for adults, $12 for youth (18 and under). Each musician and CCO member is expected to sell at least two tickets. These are available from Helen Li (clarinet) at the rehearsals, particularly during the break. If your friends buy on line, ask them to include a note with their purchase that you are the vendor. 

Concert Dress: It’s official: if you have a kilt, you may wear it, especially if you play clarinet. Otherwise, same old: all black, or black pants, white shirt (with or without a black jacket). Since it’s June, last year’s CCO Anniversary tee-shirt counts as a black shirt. 

June 7 Concert:  7:30pm start, Eastminster United, 310 Danforth Ave. (Chester Station). Musician and Volunteer Report Time: 6:45pm. The Green Room opens at 5:00pm and is on the lower level, with stairs at the side aisle of the Sanctuary. Set-up starts at 5:00pm. Helpers are welcome before and after the concert. 

TTC Warning: The subway between Woodbine and Chester stations will be closed on June 7 for track maintenance.  If travelling east, use Broadview Station and walk east - not a long walk. Shuttle buses will be operating between Woodbine and Broadview. Please warn your guests of this travel disruption. 

June 7 Host: Trish Tervitt 

Fundraising for the CCO:  cookie donations, primarily from musicians,  the 50/50 raffle, and the acceptance of donations at the Donation Table. All donations over $20 receive a charitable tax receipt. Both the cookies at intermission and the raffle are very popular with our audience. The cookies attracted about $270 in donations at the March concert and the 50/50 draw contributed an additional $500 to the CCO’s bottom line, as well as sending an audience member home happy.

Cookies: thank you to all the musicians who have donated either home-made or purchased cookies to past concerts, and will do so again. Although you can bring them on Friday, it’s preferable to bring your cookies on Saturday as we must clear the Sanctuary of CCO stuff at the end of Friday’s Dress Rehearsal. 

Whiskful Thinking Bakery is donating some baked goods for the concert intermission, as well as making a cash donation of whatever it raised for us in May. (Last year that donation was $1,000 - will the Bakery have done as well this year?). 

50/50 tickets: 1 for $5.00, 3 for $10.00, and an “arm’s length” for $20. Please come prepared with cash to purchase tickets yourself. Musicians (but not Board members) are eligible to participate in and win the raffle, as are Volunteers. Please talk up this great investment opportunity to your guests. But cash only. 

Volunteers:  CCO concerts require a lot of volunteers. Our Front of House Manager, Robert, says we could use a few more. If you have friends or family who would like to participate, please have them email emitchell1727@gmail.com. 

III. PLAYING OUTSIDE WHISKFUL THINKING BAKERY 

For the second time, Whiskful Thinking Bakery named the CCO as its local charity for May. Last year that donation was $1,000 - will the Bakery do as well this year? Please stop into the bakery to thank them for their support and return the favour by making a purchase.  

Whiskful asks the charities it sponsors to be available occasionally at the store to tell its customers about the charity. If you have a few minutes or an hour, you could linger there. The Bakery is on Wellesley Street, just east of Church, north side. The Bakery’s owner, Sydney (whose Mom played with the CCO years ago and attended our anniversary concert) was delighted when two CCO members played for an hour on the street in front of the bakery - photo below.

Sydney felt the music attracted extra customers and the musicians had the opportunity to pass out the CCO postcards and tell passersby about the CCO. If you would like to play on the street, let Daniel Payne know and he’ll tell the Bakery you are coming  payne.danny@gmail.com.

IV. MEMBERS ZOOM MEETING JUNE 16, 7:30PM 

The CCO takes a break from rehearsals after our June concert until the 2025-’26 seasons starts, this year on September 15, 2025. The Board is inviting CCO members to a Members’ Meeting by Zoom on Monday June16 at 7:30pm. 

A Zoom invitation will issue to Members shortly before the meeting. The Agenda:  

• the upcoming season and plans for the next year or two 

• the summer schedule for Playing in the Park 

• results of the Members Survey.

V. PLAYING IN THE PARK SUMMER 2025 

Mark your calendars for this year’s free concerts on July 27 and August 17. 3:00pm. In or near the Children’s Conservatory, Jarvis south of College. Rain or shine.  July 27: Windwerx (with Kevin Seymour, Caroline Spearing and some other CCO veterans). August 17: Joana with her students plus several small ensembles. A casual CCO picnic follows the Aug. 17 concert so please come down even if you are not playing. And have a look at the central conservatory at Allan Gardens which officially opened in mid May after 3 years of being closed for refurbishment. 

VI.  IMPORTANT CCO DATES 

Monday June 2 - final rehearsal for the season at the 519, 7:30. Cookies: winds, brass and piano. 

Friday June 6 - Dress Rehearsal, 7:00 to 10:00pm - Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth (Chester station). Doors open 6:00pm (Snacks: leftovers) 

Saturday June 7 - Concert, Kilts & Clairnets, 7:30pm - Eastminster United Church. Doors open 5:00pm. Report time: 6:45pm. (Cookies - all musicians)  TTC alert - Chester station will be closed. Walk east from Broadview or take the shuttle bus from Woodbine. 

Monday June 16 - 7:30pm Members Meeting by Zoom. 

July 27: Counterpoint and Friends Concert in Allan Gardens, 3:00pm

August 17: Counterpoint and Friends Concert in Allan Gardens, 3:00pm. CCO picnic follows.  

September 15, 2025 - first rehearsal, hopefully still held free at The 519, courtesy of the 519 Community Centre. 

VI. OTHER MUSIC AND CCO MEMBERS 

• If you personally are performing somewhere and you would like others to know, you can:

(i) post it in the Musicians Only portal of CCOrchestra.org;

(ii) leave your promotional materials at the entranceway to the rehearsal hall (also OK to leave information there about performing opportunities);

(iii) send details to emitchell1727@gmail.com for including in the CCO Announcements.