{"id":107886,"date":"2024-09-26T15:47:45","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T19:47:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=107886"},"modified":"2024-09-26T16:09:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T20:09:56","slug":"interview-conductor-martin-macdonald-talks-cathedral-bluffs-symphony-orchestra-new-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/09\/26\/interview-conductor-martin-macdonald-talks-cathedral-bluffs-symphony-orchestra-new-season\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Conductor Martin MacDonald Talks About Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra & The New Season"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Conductor
Conductor Martin MacDonald (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra is a classical music ensemble with strong roots in the neighbourhood. They\u2019re led by Music Director Martin MacDonald, and will kick off their 2024\/25 season with a Beethoven celebration on October 5.<\/p>\n

We caught up with MacDonald to talk about Beethoven\u2019s 9th, and making music with a sense of community.<\/p>\n

Martin MacDonald, conductor<\/h2>\n

Martin MacDonald was the recipient of both the Heinz Unger Award and the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award for orchestral conducting. The native of Cape Breton Island studied at McGill University and Memorial University of Newfoundland.<\/p>\n

As a guest conductor, he has worked from sea to sea across Canada, including with the orchestras of Toronto, the National Arts Centre, Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland, among others. He often works with ballet companies, including as a Cover and Guest Conductor for the National Ballet of Canada, and with the Minnesota Ballet, Atlantic Ballet, and Halifax Dance.<\/p>\n

He was named to the position of Music Director of Toronto\u2019s Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra in 2022. During the summer of 2024 and continuing into the fall, he has been working as an Artistic Partner of the Brott Music Festival in Hamilton.<\/p>\n

Martin has a close association with Symphony Nova Scotia, where he has worked as the Resident Conductor, Associate Conductor, and a regular guest conductor since 2008, leading more than 200 performances.<\/p>\n

\"Cathedral
Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra (Photo courtesy of CBSO)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Interview<\/h3>\n

The season opener for 2024\/25 celebrates the 200th anniversary of Beethoven\u2019s epic 9th Symphony, the Ode to Joy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe choral symphony, the premiere was May of 1824, so we\u2019re a few months off,\u201d MacDonald notes. \u201cMind you, it is a very good season closer, and a great season opener.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beethoven\u2019s symphony, and its message of brotherhood, have an enduring appeal that goes beyond the usual confines of a classical music audience. \u201cIt\u2019s still resonates with people across the board, across the generations, the message of joy and hope,\u201d he says. \u201cFor me, and for us, as an ensemble, it represents community.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the nature of the concert, not only in its musical theme, but in the realities of putting a large undertaking, which includes a large instrumental ensemble along with two choirs, on stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we\u2019ve discovered in putting this concert together,\u201d he adds \u201cit really takes a village to put on a concert of this scope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other than five paid positions for the string principal players, the CBSO is made up of volunteer musicians. And, music is just the end result. \u201cNot only do they donate their music making, but they donate their time,\u201d he says. Setting up chairs, selling tickets \u2014 it\u2019s all handled by the musicians themselves. \u201cIt really is a big community coming together to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The full program includes:<\/p>\n