We begin our 2022/23 Season with The New World Festival, an exciting multi-day festival showcasing the works of Czech composer Antonin Dvořák with some modern twists, along with several free pop-up events throughout the city.
The first concert of the festival is Dvořák & Jam, taking place on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 pm in Sagebrush Theatre. Music Director Dina Gilbert and the Orchestra will be joined by cellist Stéphane Tétreault to perform Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, a work that continues to captivate audiences worldwide and is often described as the “king” of the cello concertos. Following the concerto will be a community first: a classical “jam session” where amateurs from the Kamloops area will join forces with musicians of the Orchestra to rehearse and perform a one-of-a-kind Slavonic Dance Party as they present a selection of Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances.
The second concert of the festival is New World / New Beats, taking place on Saturday, October 1 at 7:30 pm in Sagebrush Theatre. In this concert, the Orchestra explores multiple versions of the old and new, beginning with Dvořák’s New World Symphony which combines classical musical traditions from Europe with the sounds he heard after coming to North America. The New World Symphony is widely regarded as the most popular of all the symphonies, with astronaut Neil Armstrong bringing a recording with him on the Apollo 11 mission. Then, in a Kamloops first, the concert concludes by combining the motivational hip-hop of local Cree artist K.A.S.P. with the traditional sounds of the Orchestra. Joining K.A.S.P. and the KSO will be hip-hop artists Brandon Peters, K-9, J. Thorn, and DJ MV.
The festival concludes with Dvořák Delights, our first Salmon Arm Series performance of the Season, taking place on Sunday, October 2 at 2:30 pm in The Nexus at First. Cellist Stéphane Tétreault travels to the Shuswap to present Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, and the concert caps off with Dvořák’s New World Symphony, both works imbued with a sense of his homesick longing mixed with local folk music in his quest to discover and compose distinctively American classical music.
In addition to these concerts the Kamloops Symphony will be presenting several FREE pop-up events throughout Kamloops from Wednesday, September 28 through to Sunday, October 2. These will include special musical presentations by KSO Principal Bass player Maggie Hasspacher showcasing her instrument through a variety of musical styles and interactive activities, KSO Principal Horn player Sam McNally bringing the Swiss Alps to Kamloops with Alphorn demonstrations, and performances by the mariachi band Mariachi Los Dorados. There will also be an open rehearsal with the KSO Chorus and several occasions to meet with our musicians and guest artists.
Speaking about the festival, Music Director Dina Gilbert said "In addition to presenting concerts in the Sagebrush Theatre, we are particularly excited to present free performances for everyone in our community in several locations around town. Be it around the corner, in the Park, the Pub or in the Public Library, be ready to connect with our musicians and guest artists like never before, and to feel how music can uplift our life."
Tickets for Dvořák & Jam are $30, and New World / New Beats tickets are $49.99. Both concerts have Youth tickets for $10, and new this season are KSO Up Close tickets, where the first three rows in Sagebrush Theatre are available for the discounted price of $25. Tickets for Dvořák Delights are $35, $15 for KSOundcheck members (age 19-34), $10 for Youth (under 19). All tickets are available from Kamloops Live! Box Office.
Learn More About The New World Festival