CCO ANNOUNCEMENTS NOVEMBER 28 2025

Rehearsal Monday December 1 at The 519 at 7:30. Dress Rehearsal on Friday December 5 at Eastminster Church at 7:00. 

I. DECEMBER 1 REHEARSAL NOTES FROM GUEST CONDUCTOR DANIEL MANLEY

7:30 - 7:50 Xmas Singalong 7:50 - 8:10 March of the Three Kings 8:10 - 8:20 Fantasia on We Three Kings 8:20 - 8:30 Nightmare before Xmas 8:30 - 8:40 break 8:40 - 9:00 Canada Mosaic 9:00 - 9:20 Four Last Songs II, I Hi friends – wonderful rehearsal at the church last Monday! Probably took us 30-45 minutes to really get a feel for the acoustics (and that reverb). Choosing shorter note lengths is generally a good thing - notably in the brass. Continue with the good work practicing! … and keep your wits about you - keep listening! It’s so important to good ensemble work. And please don’t forget to look up - in flight adjustments for dynamics and balance are bound to happen. Please do also take advantage of the recordings – even if you’re playing them in the background while you’re doing chores or making supper – every little bit via osmosis helps the music become second nature.The rehearsal schedule for this final Monday is ambitious - we have our keyboard player for the first time and I'd like to expose him to as much of the rep as possible. Plus some folks/ringers are not able to make the Friday dress, so the more we play on Monday the better.Friday, we’ll run the show top to bottom and then return to any challenging spots. - Dan

II. WINTER MOSAIC DECEMBER 6, 7:30PM 

These notes are mostly repeated from last week - especially for those musicians who forgot to go to Eastminster for last week’s rehearsal: 

Poster: attached. Please add to your Instagram, Fb and other social media accounts, circulate to friends and family, and post in your neighbourhood. 

WM_16 copy.pdf

Download PDF • 2.29MB

Ticket Sales: tickets available on our website, from Helen Li (clarinet) at rehearsals, and by using the QR code on the poster. Everyone is expected to sell at least two tickets. Prices have not changed in years - $20 generally and $12 for Youth. Eastminster Church holds an audience of 500 - there’s lots of room for more. 

Dress Rehearsal: on Dec. 5 starts at 7:00pm. The Church doors will open at 6:00 for musicians, 5:00 for the set-up crew. No Green Room. Help with set up is always welcome, and the set-up will remain in place overnight for the concert. 

Concert Green Room: concert starts on Dec. 6 at 7:30pm. There is a Green Room downstairs to put your things - stairs on the left wall of the Sanctuary. Doors open for musicians at 6:30.

Concert Refreshments: the CCO musicians provide refreshment for the audience during the intermission - water and cookies The cookies are mostly supplied by musicians, with a top-up cookie donation from Whiskful Thinking Bakery. They are served by volunteers under strategically placed donation jars. This initiative has raised at least $150 at each concert. Please be generous with your cookie contribution. Bring your cookies to the Dress Rehearsal or deliver before the concert. 

50/50 Raffle: this is normally a fun fundraiser during intermission. In our best year, the winner took home almost $500 - as did the CCO! Only cash sales. Please tell your friends, and bring some small bills to give them loans plus buy tickets yourself. Musicians and Volunteers can win the raffle prize, although not Directors. One ticket: $5, 3 tickets $10, an “arm’s length” of tickets $20. 

Post Concert Packing Up: we are expected to be out of the church by 10:00pm on concert night. Please help with packing up and storing our concert supplies in the CCO storage area on the third floor of the church.  Fortunately, the Church is allowing us to leave our set-up overnight from the dress to the concert. 

Canada Mosaic Music Parts: Leave these on the music stands at the end of the concert. Mario The Librarian will pick them up and return them to the lender. 

Concert Dress: all black, or black pants/skirt and white shirt with or without a black jacket. 

White Ribbon Day: Dec. 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, White Ribbon Day. Our soloist, Rebecca Gray, is dedicating her performance of Four Last Songs to the 14 young women who lost their lives at the École Polytechnique on Dec. 6 1989. Musicians who wish to can add a white ribbon to their concert wear. There will be ribbon and straight pins available at the dress rehearsal and on concert day to make a ribbon, or bring your own. 

Post Concert Drinks & Snacks: There was a show of support for booking a meeting place after the concert for drinks and snacks. Accordingly, the Auld Spot pub, 347 Danforth (south side of the Danforth, just a few steps east from the church) is expecting about 20 or so of us.

III.  MEMBERS SURVEY 

“Winter Mosaic” marks the end of the audition of Daniel Manley to be the CCO”s long-term Music Director and Conductor. Guest Conductor.  A  Members Survey seeking members opinions will be circulated on Monday December 9, with an end date for submissions of December 16. The questions the survey contains were circulated to members in previous Announcements. 

The Board urges the members to print and keep a copy of their survey answers before sending it back to the Board Secretary, Jessica Fernando; alternatively, if you add your email address to the space provided on the survey form, Jessica will return a copy of your answer sheet to you. Since the surveys are otherwise confidential, it is optional to include your email address, but please keep a copy one way or the other. 

The audition period will not be over until mid June 2025. Members will be asked to complete the same survey after the March and June concerts; at the end of all three concerts, there will be an additional question on which of the three Guest Conductors is each member’s first choice to become the CCO’s  long-term Music Director. It will be easier to recall how you felt about each Guest Conductor with your answer sheets in front of you as an aide memoire.

There will be a copy of the Members’ List at the entrance of the ballroom at the upcoming rehearsal. Please ensure your name is on it so that you receive the survey promptly.

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IV. IMPORTANT CCO DATES 

Rehearsals are Mondays, 7:30 to 9:30pm unless otherwise noted here. The rehearsals are normally held at the 519 Community Centre, 519 Church Street, Please let your section leader know if you cannot attend a rehearsal. Concerts are December 6, March 7 and June 6, with Dress Rehearsals the Friday night, both at Eastminister United Church.

Musicians must bring their own music stand and part to each rehearsal.

Snacks are provided for the break by section in rotation: first violins, then seconds, then violas and celli, then winds, brass and piano, then leftovers, and back to the start. 

December 1 - Rehearsal back at The 519. Snacks viola and celli.

December 5, 7:00 pm - Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church. Snacks winds, brass and piano

December 6, 7:30pm -  concert, “Winter Mosaic”, Eastminster Church, 310 Danforth Ave. (Chester subway). Guest Conductor Mr. Daniel Manley. Soprano soloist Rebecca Gray.

Following the concert, the next rehearsal will be January 5.

January 5, 2026 - 7:30pm rehearsals resume Mondays at the 519 under our new Guest Conductor, Dr. Samuel Tam. Snacks first violins.

February 16 - no rehearsal - Family Day

March 6 - 7:00 to 10:00pm Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church

March 7 - 7:30pm Concert, Eastminster Church, featured soloist Brian Baty, double bass March 9 - No rehearsal

March 16 - 7:30pm - rehearsals resume Mondays at the 519 under our new Guest Conductor Mr. 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, violin