Halifax/K’jipuktuk, NS – The weather might be getting cooler, but Symphony Nova Scotia’s three November concerts spark warmth with new and traditional music.

On November 10, 2023, the Canadian Afro-Cuban jazz group OKAN performs with the orchestra for the first time. OKAN musicians Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne received a JUNO Award for World Music Album of the Year in 2021 and are known for their lush and vibrant vocals. Their music evokes powerful messages on immigration, courage, and love. This concert is co-presented by Prismatic Arts Festival, the annual festival that showcases and celebrates innovative work by Indigenous artists and artists of colour from across Canada.

“The greatest thing about fusion concerts with artists like OKAN is the chance to listen, watch, and imbibe their style, rhythm, and pacing,” says Music Director Holly Mathieson. “Orchestras usually sit forward on the beat and play really precisely – it’s a whole other skill to sit back and let the beat be a bit more relaxed.

“Elizabeth and Magdelys are virtuosic in their genre, and have great musical chops, so it will be a really exciting collaboration for the players and I. But more personally, I have dance in my bones. There were professional and semi-professional dancers in my family, and I trained professionally after high school – it’s my first artistic love – so any opportunity to conduct music with dance in its DNA is a brilliant day at work!”

Next up, Music Director Laureate Bernhard Gueller who retired in 2018 returns to conduct the Symphony in a specially-curated program. Gueller spent 16 years with Symphony Nova Scotia and is acclaimed by musicians, critics, and audience for his musical purity, garnering praise for the fresh approach he applies under his “amazingly suggestive baton.”

Gueller will conduct repertoire specifically chosen for the Symphony’s 40th anniversary, featuring powerful works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, and Gustav Mahler – with the “serious and seductive voice” (Globe and Mail) of Canadian baritone Brett Polegato. This concert will also be livestreamed as part of the Symphony’s Digital Series.

Finally, Julia Wedman joins the Symphony for the first time in her new role as Principal Baroque Leader in a dazzling presentation of George Frideric Handel’s Royal Fireworks Music. This festive dance suite remains one of the most popular programs from the 1700s; it’s recognizable today as the backdrop to countless state occasions. Canadian soprano Mireille Asselin – deemed a “treasure” by the Toronto Star – brings beauty and expression to this concert.

Ticket can be purchased through the Dalhousie Arts Centre Box Office at 902.494.3820 , 6101 University Ave, or symphonynovascotia.ca. Tickets range in price between $40 and $85 (HST included, plus DAC service fees). Ticket packages are also still available, offering the best savings.

AFRO-CUBAN ROOTS WITH OKAN
Friday, Nov. 10, 2023 at 7:30 pm
The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Halifax
Featuring Holly Mathieson, conductor; OKAN: Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne; and Symphony Nova Scotia

BERNHARD CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN & MAHLER
Thursday, Nov.16, 2023 at 7:30 pm
The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Halifax
Featuring Bernhard Gueller, conductor; Brett Polegato, baritone; and Symphony Nova Scotia

HANDEL’S ROYAL FIREWORKS
Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023 at 2:00 pm
St. Andrew’s United Church, Halifax
Featuring Julia Wedman, leader; Mireille Asselin, soprano; and Symphony Nova Scotia

To learn more about any of our upcoming concerts, please visit symphonynovascotia.ca.

ABOUT SYMPHONY NOVA SCOTIA
Symphony Nova Scotia is Nova Scotia’s orchestra, championing symphonic music in the province for 40 years. With a home base in Halifax/K’jipuktuk and performances across the province, Symphony Nova Scotia is proud to be a vibrant, vital part of Nova Scotia’s rich cultural community. From sold-out orchestral concerts to free family events, youth and seniors’ activities, and educational partnerships, Symphony Nova Scotia creates unforgettable experiences with truly great music. Visit symphonynovascotia.ca to learn more.

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For more information, please contact:

Carol Kehoe
Director of Marketing and Communications, Symphony Nova Scotia
902.421.5264
[email protected]
symphonynovascotia.ca