u Music for the kids who need it the most
For less fortunate youngsters, music program achieves a magic transformation. Continued from page 1
puts a smile on my face. Sometimes people ask me about the next generation of music lovers. Where are they? Will they enjoy classical music? These past few weeks have made the answer very clear – yes, yes, they will. Part of building this appreciation, though, requires helping kids hear classical music as part of the whole spectrum of music they listen to. My kids both take piano lessons, but they are also really inter- ested in pop and musical theatre. For me, it was a learning curve to realize music is music. My son Jack has recorded his first pop song, which is very different from what I do, yet not, as it is about mu- sic, creativity and touch- ing people. At the Winnipeg Sym- phony Orchestra, instill- ing a love and understand- ing of music in the next
Alexander Mickelthwate
Random Notes
generation is actually part of our core mandate. We have a goal that students will not graduate without at least one live encounter with the WSO. To achieve that, we perform for over 30,000 students each year. We have a Soundcheck program which offers students $15 tickets or a whole season of concerts for only $85. Over 3,000 people have joined the program to date. I think this is very important work. To start the love
for music at a young age opens up a whole new world. It connects children with something that is inherently human and part of our DNA. Creating sounds reacting to sounds, together or alone, music becomes essential like the air we breathe. There are, however, some students in our city who
have a dire need for direct contact with music. These are students who have much more limited opportunities, students coming from some of our most economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. To connect these stu- dents with the rich world of classical music we created
u Olympus revealed Continued from page 1
because the WAG is the oldest civic art gallery in Canada. Werner Franz Wnendt, ambassador to Canada of the Federal Republic of Germany; Gian Lorenzo Cornado, ambassador to Canada of the Republic of Italy; George L. Marcantonatos, ambassador to Canada of the Hel- lenic Republic to Canada, along with Prof. Michael Eis- senhauer, general director of the State Museum of Ber- lin and Prof. Andreas Scholl, State Museum antiquity director, each welcomed the guests and explained their relationships to the Olympus exhibition. Dr. Ernest Cholakis, chair of the WAG board of governors, discussed the partnerships formed to bring Olympus to Canada.
A colourful dance display followed the formal presen-
tations and guests then ascended to the exhibit entrance. In passing through this doorway one begins a journey into another world, a period of our civilization that ex- isted in Greece and Rome spanning the seventh century BC through to the second century AD. You find yourself back in a time when our lives would
have been subject to the whims and influences of the gods living atop Mount Olympus. The forces that in- fluence many of us today emanate from an electronic object we hold in the palm of our hands. Back then, our ancestors looked to the mystical, currying favour with the deities to help fulfill their aspirations and dreams for a life well lived. The journey truly begins in the exhibition’s grand ro- tunda, where we are under the eyes of the mythical rul- ers of this old world. The setting and the feel in this one space testifies to the creativity and work that went into presenting this magnificent collection. Zeus, father of the gods, ruler of Mount Olympus,
god of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law, order and justice joins with his wife Hera, queen of the gods, goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires. Together they preside over the rest of the mighty mythical deities and their offspring, gathered in this symbolic structure echoing the architecture of a past age. If you thought today’s lifestyles are on the wild or freakish side, touch the outside of the envelope, or that your family tree may have a few odd branches in it, wait until you study Zeus and Hera’s lineage to see how things were done back in their day. You will be sur- prised to say the least.
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www.lifestyles55.net
The kids of the Sistema program give a benefit concert. Photo courtesy of the WSO.
Sistema Winnipeg, a partnership between the WSO and the Seven Oaks and Winnipeg school districts that of- fers free, intensive music education to those youth who need it most. Our fourth year of Sistema just wrapped up, with over
110 students participating in this incredible after-school orchestra and choir program. The results are quite in- credible. A University of Manitoba study just revealed that the impact of the Sistema program goes far beyond musical learning. Students have increased attendance, improved grades, greater confidence and a larger peer group. Their families develop a stronger connection to school
and community. They start to volunteer, they develop relationships with the teachers and they start to take a keen interest in their child’s progress. A pretty remark- able outcome for a simple music program, if you ask me!
Two weeks ago we held a fundraising concert where members of the Sistema program performed on stage with the orchestra. It was my pleasure to conduct this
concert and to hear these kids perform first-hand. But it left me asking myself a few questions. How can we give them more tools for success? How can we get more children enrolled in the program? I think those are two challenges that all of us at the WSO will readily accept. We are now heading into the summer months. The orchestra will take some downtime before we travel out to Kenora, perform at the Lyric and present a commu- nity pay-what-you-can concert at the concert hall. It is a time for us to re-energize and refresh for the coming season.
During this period I am going to be thinking about
our Sistema students and what they are up to. Are they practicing their instruments? Are they getting ready for another year of music making? Let us hope so. Have a wonderful summer. I hope it is filled with beautiful music. See you back at the concert hall this fall! Alexander
Alexander Mickelthwate is music director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
The Olympus Rotunda. Photo by Leif Norman. The curators at the WAG have done a remarkable job
in crafting a journey back in time that is not only a feast for the senses but also an opportunity to discover how much of the distant past remains with us today. All the actions, thoughts, desires, ambitions, circum- stances and opportunities that surrounded the people living in Greco-Roman times were influenced by the likes of Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Diana, Dionysus, Hades, Herakles, Hermes and Poseidon. You will learn a great deal about the re- lationships among these powerful entities and how the turmoil of their relationships cascaded down upon the mere mortals of the day. If being under the gaze of the gods is not enough to stimulate your thought processes, what follows on the tour will take you to a period that has an impact on our lives today. Here we stand among artifacts cast by arti- sans depicting the triumphs and tragedies of life in the time of the gods, viewing the work of potters and mas- ter painters who lived and worked in Athens between 600 and 300 BC. These are remarkable pieces. A number of them were actually trophies, awarded as prizes to victorious athletes during the Panathenaic Games in Athens. The ancient Greeks and Romans were very competitive and enjoyed contests like chariot races, equestrian competitions and many athletic endeavours, very much a precursor to to- day’s summer and winter Olympics The Olympus exhibition provides a vast perspective on
a civilization viewed across a number of centuries, cov- ering all the humanities including the arts, music and theatre right through to the gladiator. The warrior of those days. Walking amongst artifacts that were created, worn, viewed and used by a people many millennia ago is something that you simply have to experience. With moods ranging from laughter to sadness, with goals and
ambitions on display along with victories won and lost, Olympus takes you on a journey that encompasses the roots of our entire Western civilization. This exhibition will appeal to everyone of every age.
As Dr. Stephen Borys finely puts it,“ Visitors can experi- ence this art in so many ways: the gods and goddesses, myths, stylistic development, or through the eyes of a connoisseur. “The opportunity for children to study ancient civili-
zation and view Olympus is inspiring. A child will recog- nize personalities that are referenced in novels like Percy Jackson and in films like Hercules. These names and characters still penetrate our daily lives. “ “We are working with local groups and scholars to
build rich exhibition programming that will appeal to every age and interest. The generosity of the National Museum in Berlin is astounding. To have a small part of this incredible collection come to Canada, to Winnipeg, is historic and rewarding.” Olympus features over 160 ancient treasures from Berlin’s Antikensammlung, one of the most celebrated holdings of its kind worldwide. Spanning almost 10 centuries of artistic production, these marble statues, terracotta vases and jewelry pieces introduce us to the worlds of Greek and Roman art, mythology, and reli- gion.
From the time of Homer and Hesiod, classical myths
and legends have remained a source of inspiration and discovery, sustained in part by a legacy of artistic expres- sion and innovation, as we see in Olympus. This is an exhibition not to be missed. The gods will
favour your participation just as they must have had a hand in making this exceptional collection available right here in Winnipeg.
Gordon Gage is the former chair of the Winnipeg Art Gal- lery. He is now part of the Lifestyles 55 team.
June 2015
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