CCO ANNOUNCEMENTS OCTOBER 16 25
- Lee-Ann
- Oct 16
- 7 min read
OCTOBER 16, 2025
Belated Thanksgiving wishes - never too late to be grateful! This edition of Announcements covers rehearsal notes, a New AGM date, a request for urgent payment of overdue fees, notice of some performances of interest,, and other matters.
I. OCTOBER 20 REHEARSAL NOTES FROM GUEST CONDUCTOR DANIEL MANLEY
“Hey gang -- Hope everyone is having or had a good thanksgiving weekend. At the next rehearsal, Rebecca will be joining us, so we'll start with the Four Last Songs. I'm really looking forward to hearing it all together. We'll get our first impression of the real dynamics involved and a clear path forward to get us to the show with it. If you haven't already, be sure to have a listen to Canada Mosaic - hopefully you don't have browser challenges in playing it (I hear Safari might not be supported) -
7:30 - 8:15 Four Last Songs - I to IV 8:15 - 8:35 Christmas Singalong
8:35 - 8:45 break
8:45 - 9:05 Canada Mosaic
9:05 - 9:20 March of the Three Kings
II. MEMBERSHIP FEES AND NEW AGM DATE: NOVEMBER 17
Unpaid fees and moving the AGM to November 17: This change was required as, in preparing for the AGM, the Board discovered that several regular members are not in good standing as their membership fees are not paid. This is, no doubt, inadvertent by the delinquent member, or evidence of a problem of some kind in our record-keeping. However, the CCO By-Laws require that the only persons who can vote on motions at the AGM are persons who have been members “in good standing” for at least 30 days. The Board has moved the AGM to a new date in order to allow unpaid members to pay their fees and restore their good standing. Fees must be paid by this Saturday, October 18. Please pay by e-transfer to the CCO Treasurer at treasurer@ccorchestra.org. (If that is not possible - email emitchell1727@gmail.com with a cash delivery suggestion by Saturday.)
The musicians our records show as unpaid have already received a warning to their email address. If the CCO's records are mistaken, please let us know, and accept our apology.
Potential New Members: We are delighted that more potential new members are contacting the CCO. New musicians - please check in with the Door Volunteers when you first arrive at a rehearsal, pick up a Welcome Package, and say hello to your section leader. Enjoy the two free trial rehearsals, then pay your fees and return your signed documents to be added to the CCO Members List.
Donations - Please consider adding a donation to the CCO when you pay your fees or are considering your end of year charitable donations. If donating along with your fee payment, please indicate the amount of the donation portion.The CCO is a charitable corporation and all donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt. Donors can also use Canada Helps for donations only (not fee payment) and will receive an instant tax receipt.
III. VIDEOS, PHOTOS, AND NEW LINKEDIN CONNECTION
Directors Lee-Ann Ngu and Jessica Fernando have been busy with web content and improving the CCO’s presence on social media.
(i) The CCO is introducing a new video project on Instagram and Facebook called “Meet the Conductor”, providing short video presentations where our Guest Conductors can tell viewers about themselves. These should be of interest to CCO members, but also provide a way of letting our audience, and potential audience members, know of CCO activities and upcoming concerts. When this project is up and running, there will be a link from our website and a notice in the CCO Announcements;
(ii) the Photo portal on our website is marked as “under repair”, which it still is. However, we are resurrecting a former photography initiative, the “Musicians Spotlight”. This will be a still photograph of an individual musician with some written comment about their interests, background, or etc, written or approved by the musician. The photos taken of a handful of musicians a few years ago will be included, and Lee-Ann and her volunteers will be asking musicians to agree to be “spotlighted”. If you want to let Lee-Ann know you are volunteering now, rather than waiting for her invitation, let Lee-Ann know at ccorchestrawebmaster@gmail.com.
(iii) Jessica Fernando has created a CCO page on LinkedIn. Here’s her message:
"Our Social Media Team has created a LinkedIn page. If you are on LinkedIn you can follow the page at this link: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ccorchestra/. CCO Members will soon receive a document from me with instructions for how to add the page to your own LinkedIn profile.”
(iv) Jessica is also setting up a Google Drive account, accessible only to Members, and managed by Jessica, as the CCO’s Secretary. The Google Drive ill give persons on the Members List access to CCO documents, such as Minutes of Board meetings, the By-Laws, Respect Policy, Survey ’25 Results, etc., More information about this Google Drive in a future Announcement, and an email from Jessica.
IV. ITEMS OF INTEREST
(I) Volunteer for Wednesday October 22, 1:00pm - Librarian Mario Lo Monaco has been finding a new home for the CCO’s Music Library, moving into the CCO’s current storage space at Easminster - three stories above Danforth Avenue. There are lots of file boxes to be moved! If you can help for an hour or so next Wednesday afternoon, please email emitchell1727@gmail.com. Volunteer Rick Fraser will be busy before then building new shelves to receive the boxes;
(ii) Search for a New Music-Director/Conductor - there will be an email to persons on the Members List within the next couple of weeks naming the two Guest Conductors for our March and June concerts, and giving members more information about next steps. This email will be followed by broader announcements and publicity for our Guest Conductors and for our upcoming concerts;
(iii) AGM - now November 17, at the beginning of the rehearsal. If you are considering joining the Board as a Director, please let any current Director know. Three vacancies already exist, plus run-off elections are possible if there are more candidates than spaces. At the AGM, the Board will propose a slate and take nominations from the floor;
(iv) December 6 Concert Name: "Winter Mosaic”. Concert volunteers are always welcome - email emitchell17278@gmail.com.
(v) CCO 40th Anniversary T Shirts & Used Music Stands - there will be used music stands available for purchase at the rehearsals until November 17, after which time they will be donated. If there is sufficient interest (26 orders), we will do a new order of CCO 40th Anniversary shirts. Interested purchasers can sign a list kept by the Door Volunteers at rehearsals. So far, we only have 5 orders, so unless there is a rush for holiday presents or lots and lots of new members before November 17, an order is unlikely to be submitted.
V. PERFORMANCES OF INTEREST
Anyone in the CCO wishing to let others know of an upcoming performance that may be of interest can send the details to emitchell1727@gmail.com for inclusion in future Announcements, or leave their brochures at the entrance desk at rehearsals.
1. Rebecca Grey - our soprano soloist, and former CCO violinist, has sent the following messge:
"In case you're interested, Tapestry is presenting 3 mini operas I wrote this fall. I'll be at the show on the 19th. It's a pretty big deal for me!
Rebecca”
Tapestry Opera is described on the internet as “...a Canadian company in Toronto dedicated to creating and performing original, boundary-pushing Canadian opera”. The performances are on October 16 to 19 at different times, at the Nancy and Ed Jackman Performance Centre, 877 Yonge St. The October 19 show is a 2:00 matinee.
2. The CCO’s Daniel Payne, an archivist when he is not playing his cello, is interviewed in a documentary film showing on Gem. The documentary is about the late Michelle Ross, an icon drag performer in Toronto’s LGBTQ community.
3. The Conductor from Rosedale Symphony, Francois Koh, has reached out to invite CCO members to attend that community orchestra’s next concert, November 1, 8:00pm, at Calvin Presbyterian Church, 26 Delisle Avenue. Details on line.
V. IMPORTANT CCO DATES
Musicians are expected to bring their own music stand and part to each rehearsal. Rehearsals are every Monday evening, 7:30 to 9:30 at the 519 Community Centre, 519 Church Street, unless otherwise noted here. Please let your section leader know if you cannot attend a rehearsal. Snacks are provided for the break by section in rotation: first violins, then seconds, then violas and celli, then winds, brass and piano. Concerts this season are on Saturdays December 6, March 7 and June 6, with Dress Rehearsals the Friday night before at the concert venue. All concerts this season will be at Eastminister United Church, 310 Danforth Avenue (Chester subway), 7:30 start.
October 20 - soloist Rebecca Grey will be attending the rehearsal
November 13 - Board meeting, by Zoom. If interested, ask to attend: emitchell1727@gmail.com
November 17 - Annual General Meeting 7:30 to 8:30 at the regular rehearsal. Election of Directors and reports on other CCO business.
November 24 - The 519 is not available. This rehearsal will be at the concert venue, Eastminster Church, 310 Danforth Avenue.
December 5, 7:00 pm - Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church
December 6, 7:30pm - concert, “Winter Mosaic”, Eastminster Church. Featured soloist Rebecca Grey, soprano.
Following the concert, the next rehearsal will be in January.
January 5, 2026 - 7:30pm rehearsals resume Mondays at the 519
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
April 6 - no rehearsal - Easter Monday
May 18 - no rehearsal - Victoria Day
June 6 - 7:00pm Dress Rehearsal, Eastminster Church
June 7 - 7:30pm Concert, Eastminster Church, featured soloist, Gemma Donn, violin.
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