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Youth orchestra showcasing ‘A Legacy of Excellence’ starting with an Oct. 18 banquet in Moncton
Oct. 4, 2024. MONCTON: The New Brunswick Youth Orchestra will celebrate a remarkable musical and cultural journey this season – the 60th anniversary of Canada’s largest youth music program. Banquets, concerts and a tour of the 115-member orchestra will kick off with an Oct. 18 banquet and event in Moncton.
Kenn Mainville, NBYO CEO, said the celebration theme "Orchestrating a Legacy of Excellence" aptly describes NBYO’s growth to become a vital part of New Brunswick’s cultural fabric.
“NBYO was the first youth orchestra in Atlantic Canada, born out of the youth orchestra movement of the 1960s, which saw many other youth orchestras formed from coast to coast across Canada,” Mainville said. “Our programs see 1,200 children and youth participating annually, 20 children’s orchestras across New Brunswick, 150 concert events/performances in 2023 alone, and performances that reached 80,000 concert goers. We have lots to celebrate!”
Don Matheson, Director of Community Engagement for NBYO, said for 60 years, music makers and music lovers across the province have welcomed the NBYO to their communities.
“Whether it is a performance by our youngest Sistema NB musicians, our intermediate regional youth orchestras, or our most accomplished provincial ensemble… we promise to move, amaze, and make patrons NB proud,” Matheson said. “We enjoyed our biggest audiences ever last season (2023-24), particularly since the global pandemic. Concert patrons were captivated by both classical masterpieces and contemporary musical gems. Our regional youth orchestras in Miramichi, Moncton, and Saint John continue to welcome huge audiences. They are regularly receiving performance invitations from foundations, municipalities, and the business community.”
Fundraising Banquets
The first fundraising banquet will take place on Oct. 18, at the Delta Hotel Beausejour in Moncton. Three other banquets are planned throughout the season: Nov. 2 in Miramichi at the Rodd Miramichi River Resort; Jan. 25, 2025 in Saint John at the Delta Saint John Hotel and Feb. 22, 2025 in Fredericton at the Delta Fredericton Hotel.
“Featuring an ensemble of our top musicians, the evening will be a celebration of our history, mission, and future. Tickets can be purchased online (https://nbyo-ojnb.com/), with all proceeds going toward our NBYO 60th anniversary tour and the Sistema NB program. The banquet will include a gourmet meal, live performances, and opportunities for attendees to directly engage with our students and teaching artists,” Mainville said. “This event is a wonderful opportunity for businesses, community leaders, and individual supporters to play a pivotal role in the future of youth orchestral music in New Brunswick.”
Matheson said each banquet will feature celebrity entertainer-hosts, with Marshall Button and Monique Poirier co-hosting and performing at the Moncton gala. Guests will enjoy highlights from 60 years of inspired orchestral music-making, dazzling performances by our NBYO Chamber Orchestra, Greetings from NBYO supporters, alumni, and illustrious followers, and recognition of a long-time community champion of the NBYO and Sistema NB. In Moncton we will gratefully honour the contributions of Ray Roberge.
Monique Poirier said she is thrilled to co-host the event.
“I have had the immense privilege to sing with the NBYO on numerous occasions and am always moved and impressed on the quality of the music they bring to the stage. Such an extraordinary example of what is possible when we give young talent resources and adequate training and coaching,” she said.
Co-Host Marshall Button said it’s an honour to be invited to participate. He has collaborated on many projects with the orchestra, including the Wild Symphony concerts featuring Dan Brown, and the We Will Rock You Queen tribute.
“The NBYO and their outreach programs such as Sistema NB and ancillary youth orchestras are one of our province’s greatest treasures. Musicians come from every corner of our province. We need to celebrate, but especially support this jewel,” Button said.
Concert calendar
The 2024-25 regular season NBYO concert calendar kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Miramichi at Carrefour Beausoleil. Other concerts are planned for Jan. 11, 2025 in Moncton at the Wesleyan Celebration Centre; Jan. 12, 2025 in Sackville at Mount Allison University’s Convocation Hall; Feb. 9, 2025 in Saint John at the Imperial Theatre and March 23, 2025 in Fredericton at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.
The musical centrepiece of the season will be performances of The Symphony No. 1 in D major by Gustav Mahler. Maestro Tony Delgado and the orchestra have worked tenaciously in recent years to prepare for this challenging piece.
“We started with a very intense six-day camp. Our amazing staff focused especially on the Symphony, and so far, although we need more work, it is promising. This is a staple for any major Symphony Orchestra, a challenging but highly enjoyable symphony, which requires a high level of technique and musicality, on top of a specific size for every section,” Delgado said. “To make an architecture comparison, we went from a beautiful City church to a Mahler magnificent major Basilica!”
Delgado said this year’s orchestra boasts 115 musicians, the largest NBYO Orchestra in history. Members from 10-years-old to university-aged music majors and graduates will combine talents to produce a powerful and emotional live performance.
Matheson said concert attendees should prepare to be dazzled.
“You can honestly feel the music entering your soul. There is an unmistakable wow factor. Maestro Delgado and the orchestra invariably leave the audience wanting more.”
Eastern Canadian Tour
In celebration of the 60th Anniversary, the NBYO is exploring an Eastern Canadian tour in summer 2025. Planned stops include Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. The tour will showcase talented musicians and share NBYO’s vision for the future. These performances will offer audiences a chance to witness firsthand the excellence NBYO has orchestrated for six decades.
“Is it not common that an orchestra like NBYO gets to perform a symphony of this stature. We will be adding repertory chosen by our members to complement the tours and we hope to have at least a couple of open door concerts with more popular pieces,” Delgado said.
Mainville said the tour will give NBYO members a chance to be New Brunswick ambassadors in Ontario and Quebec.
“The NBYO’s influence extends far beyond New Brunswick. We are recognized both nationally and internationally for using music as a tool for social impact. Our international tours, awards, and commissions have elevated not only the NBYO but New Brunswick’s reputation within the cultural sector,” Mainville said.
To purchase tickets click the link for NBYO TICKETS
The following individuals are available for interviews:
NBYO Maestro—Antonio Delgado tonydelgado@nbyo-ojnb.com (506) 229-4985
NBYO President & CEO—Kenn Mainville kmainville@nbyo-ojnb.com (506) 229-1924
