Saskatoon Youth Orchestra

Wayne Toews, Music Director

George Charpentier, Associate Director

 

 

 

A short history of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra

The Saskatoon Youth Orchestra (SYO) was established in 1958 by Murray Adaskin, with the financial support of the Saskatoon Kiwanis Club, as the Saskatoon Junior Symphony . The group was, for many years, closely associated with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (SSO). The current organization dates from 1983 when Wayne Toews and George Charpentier worked with a committee of parents to develop an independent incorporated organization. A dedicated group of parents runs the organization which has been expanded to include a preparatory string group and a Double Bass program.

The SYO represented Saskatchewan at the 1985 and 1987 conventions of the Canadian Music Educators' Association and was selected by audition to participate in the 1988, 1990, and 1992 Canadian Festivals of Youth Orchestras. In 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002 and again in 2003 the orchestra was awarded the Christopher Gledhill Award by the Canadian Music Educators Association in recognition of performance excellence. The orchestra was featured on a CBC radio documentary in February, 1993 and has been the focus of documentaries on both the CBC and CTV television networks. A CTV documentary entitled "Saturday Morning Memories" documented the orchestraÕs preparation for and performance in the 1988 Canadian Festival of Youth Orchestras.

A close association with the Saskatoon Symphony has been maintained through the Youth Orchestra's performance in the Symphony's subscription series. The SYO has consistently earned an "outstanding" rating at the University of Saskatchewan's "Unifest" , held each year in November, and has contributed to the community through performances at the Sundog Handcraft Faire, in schools, and for other community evens. Members of the orchestra have consistently been chosen to represent the province in Honour groups and National festivals.

Of the more than eight hundred alumni of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra many have pursued careers in music. Distinguished graduates of the program include internationally-renowned musicians trumpeter Guy Few, Arlene Dahl (Winnipeg Symphony), Kerri DuWors (Brandon University), Dr. Neil Gripp (Montreal Symphony), Edith Gruber (Monterey Symphony, Mexico), Bede Hanley (Symphonic Orchestra of Galicia, Spain) Allen Harrington (University of Manitoba), Bridget Hunt (Toronto Symphony), Dr. Sonia Leong (University of the Pacific), William Linwood (Victoria Symphony), Kathleen McLean (Toronto Symphony), Kari Nostbakken (Dallas Symphony), Kjersti Nostbakken (Chicago), Sylvia Shaddick (Edmonton), Michael Swan (Saskatoon Symphony's concertmaster), Regan Toews (Orchestre symphonique de Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Ottawa Symphony), Julia Wedman (Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra). Directors have included Alexander Reisman, Dr. David Kaplan, Dwaine Nelson, Alfred Dahl, Jack Johnson, Fred Nelson, Bok Soo Kim, Jeremy Zank, Mel Carey and Francois Mirand.

The SYO consists of three programs. In addition to the orchestra itself the organization includes a group of excellent young string players directed by Bernadette Wilson called the Saskatoon Strings and a Double Bass program which serves beginners as well as experienced players. Members study privately and audition for membership. The groups rehearse every Saturday morning from September through May at Aden Bowman Collegiate. The SYO has served musicians from a broad area around Saskatoon including Biggar, Birch Hills, Dalmeny, Outlook, Osler, Prince Albert, Rosetown, Rosthern and Moose Jaw. The program consists of elementary, high school, and university students. The orchestra's repertoire consists of professional calibre music in a broad range of styles. The directors have made a consistent deliberate effort to select Canadian compositions for the repertoire. The orchestra has premiered works by Canadian composers Jack Johnson, David Kaplan, Monte Keene Pishny-Floyd, Susan Bond-Hurka, Piotr Grella-Mozejko and Gareth Cook. In 1995 the orchestra commissioned American composer David Spear to create Rainbow War using themes from his film score of the same name.

Wayne Toews
1610 Morgan Avenue
Saskatoon, SK., Canada, S7H 2S1
Telephone: (306) 373-6408
Fax: (306) 955-6336

Revised August 306, 2006