{"id":120049,"date":"2025-12-05T14:13:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T19:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=120049"},"modified":"2025-12-05T14:13:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T19:13:04","slug":"preview-cathedral-bluffs-symphony-orchestra-presents-new-years-december-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/12\/05\/preview-cathedral-bluffs-symphony-orchestra-presents-new-years-december-13\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra Presents New Year\u2019s On December 13"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_120053\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-120053\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-120053\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW.jpg\" alt=\"The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra with conductor Martin MacDonald (Photo courtesy of CSBO)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-120053\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra with conductor Martin MacDonald (Photo courtesy of CSBO)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra aims to mark the holidays with a celebratory program that brings the spirit of New Year\u2019s Eve to the middle of December. Their concert New Year\u2019s Eve! takes place on December 13, and features 14 year old Wachiyo Cho, the winner of the 2025 North York Music Festival Concerto Competition as a soloist.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHoliday-ish \u2014 we&#8217;ll call it holiday adjacent,\u201d says CSBO Music Director Martin MacDonald.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery year, we try to do something that&#8217;s seasonal [&#8230;] but we still have meaty repertoire for the orchestra to play.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Theme: New Year\u2019s Eve<\/h2>\n<p>The program includes the kind of music that\u2019s typical for a New Year\u2019s Eve\/Day concert. The list includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strauss, Jr.: Fledermaus: Overture<\/li>\n<li>Godfrey Ridout: Frivolit\u00e9s Canadiennes (1973)<\/li>\n<li>Strauss, Jr.: Thunder and Lightning Polka, Op. 324<\/li>\n<li>Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22<\/li>\n<li>Verdi: Nabucco: Overture<\/li>\n<li>Lehar: Gold and Silver Waltz, Op. 79<\/li>\n<li>Rimsky-Korsakov: Polonaise from Christmas Eve Suite<\/li>\n<li>Bizet: L\u2019Arl\u00e9sienne: Suite No. 2<\/li>\n<li>Strauss, Sr.: Radetzky March, Op. 228<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cWe couldn&#8217;t do it without the Strausses,\u201d MacDonald says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDie Fledermaus is a classic New Year&#8217;s Eve\/New Year&#8217;s Day [piece],\u201d he says. \u201cIt&#8217;s sort of a mix of the two. Come celebrate New Year\u2019s Eve on December 13, which is the opposite of 31,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n<p>Incorporating polkas and waltzes, it\u2019s a typical Viennese-style holiday program in many respects. The Overture to Nabucco includes a reference to opera, another European New Year tradition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;ve been doing these holiday-ish programs every year now. We just thought we&#8217;d change it up this year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Outside the holiday theme, Wachiyo Cho will perform the first two movements from Henryk Wieniawski\u2019s Violin Concerto No. 2. As MacDonald points out, the work has become a standard in the concerto repertoire for violinists.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very tuneful and romantic \u2014 a big, flashy violin concerto.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wachiyo Cho<\/strong> began studying the violin before moving to Canada. She currently studies at the Taylor Academy at The Royal Conservatory of Music on a scholarship with Dr. Timothy Ying. Wachiyo has won several awards, including the first prize in the North York Music Festival\u2019s Concerto Competition, which garnered her the performance with the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra. She has served as the concertmaster of the Junior Chamber Orchestra, and is dedicated to using music as community service. She performs each year at nursing homes each year, and in 2024, took part in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.violins-of-hope.com\/up-coming-events\/toronto-ca-wwwviolinsofhopeca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Violins of Hope<\/a> exhibition.<\/p>\n<p>Wachiyo Cho plays the 3rd movement of the Bruch G Minor Violin Concerto:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_-61EBQZVFk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Christmas itself isn\u2019t ignored in the program. MacDonald notes that Bizet\u2019s L\u2019Arl\u00e9sienne Suite does include a nod to the Christmas season, incorporating the traditional Proven\u00e7al carol March of the Kings in the last movement. \u201cThe Lehar Gold &amp; Silver Waltz sounds quite Christmassy,\u201d he adds. In addition, Rimsky Korsakoff\u2019s Polonaise comes from his Christmas Eve Suite.<\/p>\n<h3>Canadian Content<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cThe fun one from me is the <strong>Godfrey Ridout<\/strong>,\u201d Martin says. \u201cHe\u2019s from the old guard of Canadian composers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9bJ-KCr3xNY&amp;list=RD9bJ-KCr3xNY&amp;start_radio=1&amp;t=480s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ridout\u2019s Frivolit\u00e9s Canadiennes<\/a> is based on melodies by Joseph V\u00e9zina, an older conductor, composer, organist and music professor (1849 \u2013 1924) who lived in Qu\u00e9bec City.<\/p>\n<p>Godfrey Ridout (1918 \u2013 1984) was a composer, teacher, writer, and conductor who was born in Toronto. He studied organ and counterpoint at the Toronto Conservatory of Music with Charles Peaker. He also studied conducting (with Ettore Mazzoleni), and piano (with Weldon Kilburn). He received a scholarship for his piece Ballade for Viola and Strings in 1938, which allowed him to continue studying. The Ballade won him recognition early in his career, and was performed in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain.<\/p>\n<p>He began teaching at TCM in 1940, and later at the University of Toronto in 1948, where continued teaching until his retirement in 1982 as professor emeritus.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe last movement is a march, a waltz, and a presto,\u201d MacDonald describes. \u201cIt gives the musicians a bit of a workout,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt\u2019s very tonal in the Viennese style. It&#8217;s a very unknown piece. It doesn\u2019t get much play.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>The Concert<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cRadetzky March is the encore,\u201d MacDonald finishes.<\/p>\n<p>Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra\u2019s NEW YEAR\u2019S EVE! concert takes place December 13 at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find concert details and tickets [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cathedralbluffs.com\/tickets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra aims to mark the holidays with a celebratory program that brings the spirit of New Year\u2019s Eve to the middle of December.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":120053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[41660,76,19,5722,29,4557,63],"tags":[673,42480],"yst_prominent_words":[8465,38713,6616,7192,6688,6826,7251,14879],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Copy-of-PREVIEW.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-veh","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120049"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120049"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120054,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120049\/revisions\/120054"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120049"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=120049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}