News Archive
As of May 2014, KSO-related news are streamlined through the KSO social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Telegram.
2014 Archive
April 2014
Every year, the City of Markham hosts its annual Gala for Giving – a large-scale special event that has for a goal raising the awareness and helping charitable organisations based in York Region. Last year, the event was attended by close to 800 people and raised approximately $250,000, which helped 8 charities to continue developing their community outreach, educational and social programs. This year, the Kindred Spirits Orchestra was invited to this prestigious event again, together with 11 other organisations.
March 2014
Anton Kuerti withdraws from the KSO performance on April 18, 2014 due to health issues. The KSO to proceed with a celebration of Kuerti. The KSO has invited André Laplante to play Beethoven’s “Emperor”.
Click here for more details
2013 Archive
November 2013
Kindred Spirits Orchestra’s Music Director Maestro Kristian Alexander talks about the orchestra, its repertoire, musicians and upcoming concerts. Recorded life by Rogers TV at Cornell Recital Hall, Markham, Ontario, November 2013.
Click here for more details
November 2013
Kindred Spirits Orchestra launched the 2013/14 Season with a wonderful opening night performance and silent auction. The concert featured award winning, Gryphon Trio pianist, James Parker in Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1, Wagner’s Overture to Tannhäuser, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 3, completed the program. The evening also included an Intermission discussion with Alexa Petrenko, host at National Classical 96.3 FM radio as well as post-concert live jazz. SNAP Markham covered the event with a brief article and plenty of photos.
August 2013
The Frank Scarpitti Charitable Foundation held its annual Harvest golf tournament fundriser at the prestigious Angus Glenn Golf Club in Markham, Ontario. The Foundation has donated $10,000 to the Kindred Spirits Orchestra towards the purchase of a Steinway concert grand piano. The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the International Music Academy and the Kindred Spirits Orchestra’s own capital fund have also donated funds towards this project. The piano was purchased and delivered to the Kindred Spirits Orchestra new rehearsal hall at the Cornell Recital hall. Mr. Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, donated the cheque during the Harvest golf tournament gala diner to the Kindred Spirits Orchestra’s General Manager, Mr. Jobert Sevilleno and Director at large, Ms. Carol Walsh.
April 2013
The City of Markham has announced an annual gala to benefit local charities, the Kindred Spirits Orchestra being one of them. On April 25, 800 guests gather at the Crystal Fountain banquet hall for the inaugural Gala for Giving. Through various fundraising initiatives, a total of $208,000 were raised and distributed to the charities.
Click audio below to listen to an interview given on by Mr. William Wong, Kindred Spirits Orchestra’s founding member and Associate Principal Violist for the Chinese Canadian Media Radio.
March 2013
Kristian Alexander leads the Kindred Spirits Orchestra in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde featuring tenor Keith Klassen and mezzo-soprano Andrea Ludwig. A concert preview in the Russian weekly newspaper Nedelnaya Gazeta.
Click here for more details.
2012 Archive
December 2012
Canadian composer Kevin Lau was appointed the Kindred Spirits Orchestra 2012.2013 composer-in-residence. Mr. Lau is also the Toronto Symphony Orchestra affiliate composer for 2012-2014. As the KSO composer-in-residence, Kevin Lau will lead workshops on compositional techniques, participate in Markham Contemporary Music Festival as well as in various community outreach and educational projects focussed on promoting Canadian music throughout York region.
November 2012
The KSO’s concert season opening night gala was reviewed in The Global Chinese Press.
To read the full text, click here.
September 2012
The KSO’s upcoming concert season was featured in an article in The Global Chinese Press.
To read the full text, click here.
To read a translation in English of the article, click here.
The KSO’s upcoming concert season was featured in an article in Chinese media channel 51 News.
To read the full text, click here.
July 2012
The KSO’s upcoming concert season was featured in an article in The Markham Economist and Sun.
June 2012
One of the members of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra programme “Broadway Kids Live!”, Luka Mihajlovic, was featured in an article in The Markham Economist and Sun.
May 2012
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in a news release in SNAP Markham.
To read the full text, click here.
The Heliconian Club (Toronto) wrote a communiqué in regards to the Kindred Spirits Orchestra concert on April 1, 2012.
April 2012
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an article in 24 hours news.
To read the full text, click here.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in the on-line blog Starbuzz.
March 2012
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in a news release in SNAP Markham.
To read the full text, click here.
The online magazine York Scene acknowledged the media conference announcing the grant award of $186,000 to the Kindred Spirits Orchestra by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
February 2012
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in a brief reportage on Rogers TV.
To view the piece, click here.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an article in the Chinese magazine Super Life.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an article in the Chinese newspaper 51 News.
To read the full text, click here.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an article in Corriere Canadese.
To read the full text, click here.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an article in the Chinese TSC TV.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an article in the Chinese media channel Info 51.
January 2012
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in an editorial article in Markham Life magazine.
To read the full text, click here.
2011 Archive
December 2011
Maestro Kristian Alexander and mezzo-soprano Claudia Lemcke discuss the Kindred Spirits Orchestra upcoming nearly sold-out concert on December 15, 2011 at Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts. A live-to-air interview with Jeff Moore and Elaine Yim Spencer about Handel’s Messiah as well as a performance of “Thou art gone up on high” with Claudia Lemcke (mezzo-soprano), Jing Ye (violin) and Samuel Bisson (cello).
To view a recording of the live-to-air broadcasting, click here.
November 2011
Maestro Kristian Alexander and internationally renowned Canadian pianist Christina Petrowska-Quilico were the featured guests at the Rogers TV Daytime show hosted by Jeff Moore and Jacqueline Betterton.
To view a recording of the live-to-air broadcasting, click here.
The KSO appearance during the Milliken Children’s Arts Festival on September 10, 2011 was acknowledged with a brief story in the November issue of SNAP Markham newspaper.
October 2011
On October 28, Music Director Maestro Kristian Alexander and Ms. Christina Petrowska-Quillico were invited by radio personality Ms. Alexa Petrenko for a live-to-air interview at the National 96.3 FM Classical station.
Click below to listen to a recording of the interview
On October 17, the KSO was invited by Deputy Mayor of Markham Mr. Jack Heath to give a presentation before the Town of Markham Standing Committee, the Mayor and the Councillors. Mr. Jobert Sevilleno, President and CEO of the KSO and Mr. Michael Powell, KSO cellist talked about the important role of the KSO in the community, its past and current achievements, future plans, and various needs. The KSO Music Director Maestro Kristian Alexander and Ms. Carol Walsh attended the meeting as well. A complete account of the presentation was given in a large article published on Thursday, October 20, 2011 by Markham’s newspaper Economist & Sun.
The KSO upcoming concert on November 5 was mentioned in a live-to-tape interview of Mr. David Perlman (publisher and editor-in-chief of The WholeNote magazine) with internationally renowned pianist Ms. Christina Petrowska-Quilico.
An announcement about the KSO upcoming concert on November 5 was published in Markham’s Economist & Sun newspaper.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham has appointed the following new musicians for the 2011 | 2012 season:
Le Shi, Associate Principal Cellist (interim)
Eundo Lee, Associate Principal Oboist
Michael Bronson, Principal Percussionist
Marion Wilk, Percussionist
The KSO appearance during the Milliken Children’s Arts Festival on September 10, 2011 was acknowledged with a brief story in the October issue of SNAP Markham newspaper. A photo from the KSO afternoon concert on August 27, 2011 at the Unionville Bandstand was included as well.
September 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham has appointed Andrew Chung Associate Conductor for the 2011 | 2012 season.
August 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham has appointed the following new musicians for the 2011 | 2012 season:
Howard Fong, Associate Concertmaster
Joelle Kee, Principal Violins II
Carolina Rouleau, Associate Principal Violins II
Yulia Kungurova, Sectional Violinist
May 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra, under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham, is performing the last concert of the inaugural Markham New Music Festival on this Saturday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. at the Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery. Created as an annual event by Maestro Kristian Alexander, the founder and music director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, and the first of this type in the York Region, the Festival explores unconventional and new ways of presenting live music to the audience by choosing untraditional concert venues (shopping centres, power plants, construction sites, airports, train stations) as well as by offering unique and unprecedented experiences. The concert at Varley Art Gallery is presented as a reflection of the multifaceted world of fairytales explored in the current art exhibition, “The Book” by Carol Wainio.
According to Maestro Alexander, “The fabulous tableaux by Carol Wainio that will surround both the orchestra and the audience will situate both the performer and the listener in identical context, thus, effacing the habitual line that separates these two groups in the traditional concert hall. In order to further explore the limits of the visual connection between the orchestra and its audience, we will offer our patrons an unparallel experience by placing the entire orchestra behind an 8-foot-tall resonating wall. The audience will be only visually separated from the orchestra, while experiencing the sound as a reflection of the surrounding visual world. We hope that connecting the orchestra with the listeners only through sound will redefine the boundaries of the conventional relationship between the artist and the audience, allowing them both to further enrich their experiences.”
Click here to read the full text of the media release.
April 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham has announced a benefit concert in support of relief efforts in Japan following the devastating earthquake on March 11 and the subsequent tsunamis and aftershocks. The concert will take place on April 30, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. at CBC Glenn Gould Studio under the baton of Maestro Kristian Alexander, Music Director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra.
Click here to read the full text of the media release.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra has announced the winners of the 2011 Broadway Kids Live! Auditions.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Broadway Kids Live! Auditions. Broadway Kids Live! is a new programme created by the Kindred Spirits Orchestra that is designed to provide children with opportunities to acquire important skills in singing, acting, dancing, working with conductor, and performing in front of a large audience. From 115 applications received, 55 children from York Region were invited to audition live in Markham and another 23, in Toronto. During the live auditions, a panel of judges led by Maestro Kristian Alexander, Music Director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, looked for a particular blend of vocal, acting, and dancing skills, as related to a pre-determined list of characters that will later be included in the show. A final cast of 14 children was selected to perform live on stage of Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts on May 6, 2012:
– Aneesah Bari (Stouffville)
– Ayla Neumann (New Market)
– Candace Santos (Mississauga)
– Celeste McGill (Maple)
– Deven Chakravorty (Markham)
– Faith Rauen (Unionville)
– Glenn Edward Montera (Toronto)
– Isabelle Duchene (New Market)
– Leya Herschel (Markham)
– Lia Luz (Scarborough)
– Luka Mihajlovi (Markham)
– May He Tessoro (Unionville)
– Nicole Lazarovski (Markham)
– Samantha Waller (Richmond Hill)
March 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra under the Honorary Patronage of Mayor Frank Scarpitti of Markham is pleased to announce the creation of Markham Contemporary Müsic Festival. Founded by Maestro Kristian Alexander, Music Director of Kindred Spirits Orchestra, the 2011 inaugural Markham Contemporary Müsic Festival will take place from May 1 to May 7 in Markham, Ontario. Created as an annual event, Markham Contemporary Müsic Festival is the first of this type in York Region. The Festival will promote music written in the 20th and the 21st centuries worldwide, as well as will include lectures and seminars in both English and French, workshops, pre-concert chats, post-concert receptions and networking events, documentary films about the life of contemporary composers followed by relaxed and enlightening discussions.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra thanks its supporters: Cultural Strategic Investment Fund of Ontario, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, the SOCAN Foundation, the Town of Markham through the Frederic Horsman Varley Art Gallery and the Markham Theatre for the Performing Arts, as well as the main sponsor of Markham New Music Festival, the International Music Academy.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra has become a member of Association Nationale France-Canada. The KSO web site will soon be available in French. Le KSO est devenu membre de l’Association France-Canada. Le site web de KSO sera disponible en Français bientôt.
February 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra has announced its composer-in-residence for the 2011 | 2012 concert season. Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of the Barlow Prize for Orchestral Music, Brian Current, will give a workshop for young Canadian composers in Markham as well as a seminar on Canadian contemporary music in Unionville. He will also oversee a reading session of newly written works by the Kindred Spirits Orchestra and present his composition Concertino for flute during Markham New Music Festival.
January 2011
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra has become a member of the Ontario Strings Association.
2010 Archive
October 2010
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra Composers’ workshop with renowned Canadian composer and professor at the University of Toronto, Larysa Kuzmenko, was featured on October 14 in Markham’s newspaper Economist & Sun.
Click here to read the article [PDF].
September 2010
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in the September 2010 issue of The WholeNote magazine.
Click here to read the article [PDF].
July 2010
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra is now a member of York Region Arts Council (YRAC).
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra was featured in the July-August 2010 issue of The WholeNote magazine.
Click here to read the article [PDF].
April 2010
On April 8, 2010 Maestro Kristian Alexander was invited for a live-to-air interview at the New Classical 96.3 FM radio station.
Click below to listen to a recording of the interview
On April 1, 2010 KSO was featured in an article in the Toronto newspaper 24 hours.
Click here to read the article [PDF].
March 2010
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra donated concert tickets for the April 8, 2010 performance at Glenn Gould Studio to Dixon Hall Music School (DHMS), a community service organisation that provides children from low-income families with free music lessons.
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra has become a member of Orchestras Canada (OC).
January 2010
The Kindred Spirits Orchestra Members have donated $110 to the World Vision’s Haiti Earthquake Releif Fund. The money will be used to purchase emergency kits for two children. Thanks to all musicians for their kind generosity! KSO fundraising campaign for the World Vision’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund was mentioned in Markham Economist & Sun newspaper.
Click here to read the article [PDF].
2009 Archive
August 2009
KSO has become a member of Markham Arts Council.
July 2009
KSO has obtained a charitable registration status.
June 2009
Mr. Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of Markham, has become our first Honorary Patron.
May 2009
KSO has been approved as a community service organization by the City of Markham.
April 2009
KSO has been incorporated as a non-for-profit organization.
January 2009
KSO has secured a long-term general management contract with the International Music Academy.
Interact with the KSO
Donations
Your generosity enables us to reach out to your community, provide performing and learning opportunities for children, and to enrich people’s lives. Your donation plays a critical part in sustaining the excellence of the KSO!
Phone: 905-604-8339
Email: info@KSOrchestra.ca