PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by Ivy Wigmore

On April 14, the PEI Symphony Orchestra wrapped up the season with a performance entitled “Celebrate Mozart & More.” The major “more” being celebrated was Dr. James Mark’s twelve years as Musical Director. Dr. Mark retires this year to serve as Director Emeritus, while Mark Shapiro, who directed February’s performance, takes over the active role next season.

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Review: PEI Symphony Orchestra

by Ivy Wigmore

On February 10, approximately a day-and-a-half into a two-day snowstorm, the PEI Symphony Orchestra continued this year’s theme with “Celebrate New Directions.” The first new direction was that of guest conductor Mark Shapiro taking over, for this performance, from PEISO musical director James Mark, who will be retiring at the end of this season. The New York

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PEI Symphony Orchestra
Confederation Centre of the Arts

Review by Ivy Wigmore

On November 25th the audience was treated to a spectacular display when the PEI Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Conductor James Mark, presented “Classic Fireworks.” Dr. Mark recently announced that this will be his last season with the PEISO. He’s retiring after more than 12 years as musical director. I was sorry to he

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Autumn Tempest

PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by Ivy Wigmore

On October 14, the PEI Symphony Orchestra stormed into their 45th season with “Autumn Tempest.” First up was Hector Berlioz’s dramatic “Marche Hongraise” from “Le Damnation de Faust.” Berlioz was a sort-of accidental composer. He’d been on-track to be a physician but was completely derailed by the performance of a Gluck opera. In a letter to his sister,

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Classics Old and New
Prince Edward Island Symphony

Review by Ivy Wigmore

Back in 2008, when publisher/managing editor Peter Richards asked me if I was interested in reviewing PEI Symphony Orchestra performances for The Buzz, I said I’d love to—assuming that knowledge of classical music wasn’t a requirement. Because I knew (know) very little. For the record, Peter told me that as long as I was interested and a

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UPEI Wind Symphony

Review by Ivy Wigmore

I’m relieved to see a fair bit of activity around the Confederation Centre as I approach for the UPEI Wind Symphony’s performance of Johan de Meij’s orchestral work, “The Lord of the Rings.” This is my second attempt. The previous week, we arrived—via cleared streets and in the sunshine—to learn that the performance was cancelled due to road conditions. This week, it’s a

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PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by Ivy Wigmore

On February 12th, the ice was thick on the roads, snow was piled high on either side and a bitter wind was lowering the already frigid temperature. Baby, you know it was cold outside. But in the Homburg Theatre? The band was smokin’! The PEI Symphony Orchestra’s celebratory theme for this season continued with the annual pops concert warmer: Celebrate Fire in

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Celebrate the Joy of the Season
Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra

Review by Ivy Wigmore

The PEISO’s November 22nd concert this year was an invitation to “Celebrate the Joy of the Season,” an event so fun-packed that they had to start early to get it all in. At 1 pm, the festivities commenced with the Musical Instrument Petting Zoo, in which instruments on loan from Long & McQuade were made avail

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Celebrate Women In Music
Prince Edward Island Symphony

Review by Ivy Wigmore

The theme for the PEI Symphony Orchestra’s 44th season is “Celebration” and on October 16, that season got underway with a celebration of women in music. October is Women’s History Month; Person’s Day on October 18th commemorates the date in 1929 when women were legally acknowledged to be persons. Little wonder that female composers

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Are they real?

by Ivy Wigmore

When my grandson was about five, he turned to me one day and said “We can’t see ghosts, right, Nana?” I told him I thought that we could see them sometimes and he responded, “Yeah. But we’re not supposed to, right?”

It’s often said that children and animals can see things that adults cannot. And that ability can make things confusing for a while as they sort out what i

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A Fresh Turn
PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by Ivy Wigmore

The final PEI Symphony Orchestra performance of the season, “A Fresh Turn,” featured the premier of Jim O’Leary’s new composition, “Softly at Night the Stars are Shining” with soloist Helen Pridmore. Because I so enjoyed the last O’Leary work the symphony did, I’d been looking forward to this one since it was first announced. Now, having heard it, I find that

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Symphonic Reel
PEI Symphony Orchestra with Kendra MacGillivray

Review by Ivy Wigmore

The PEI Symphony Orchestra’s pops concert this year was “Symphonic Reel.” The title is a contradiction in terms that begins to describe this year’s presentation, which was, in no small part, about musical surprises and new ways of thinking about particular genres. As I looked over the programme for the performance, I wonde

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