The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (KWS) has announced Andrei Feher’s contract as Music Director will be extended through the 2026/27 season.
Feher, at just 26-years-old, was initially appointed to a four-year appointment with the orchestra.
“From the beginning, I’ve felt so welcomed and it has been a pleasure to build relationships with the musicians, the audience, and the community, said Feher in a statement. “Our journey together is well underway, and I’m grateful and eager to have the opportunity to continue building on the foundation we’ve established.”
Going against the trend of large arts organizations reimagining themselves as media companies (looking at you TSO and COC), the KWS has not lost sight of their mandate.
It seems to be paying off:
- The KWS also staged 12 full-orchestra online programs, selling over 3,500 tickets representing 7,000+ audience members tuning in to the paid streams.
What the KWS are doing differently: With its own venue, the orchestra could fit a larger orchestra on stage with two metre spacing between all musicians and plexiglass barriers between the wind players.
The KWS has also offered three Kinderconcerts for young children, one Family Series concert, two Community Outreach concerts, and one concert designed for schools, garnering tens of thousands of views.
The Connecting Through Music program offered complimentary online concerts to local retirement residences, enabling hundreds of residents to experience the joy of music while been isolated.
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