Symphony Orchestra
Conductor
Auditions
Audition required. Open to all Western University students.
Rehearsals
Tuesdays & Thursdays
3:30 - 5:30pm
Complete Rehearsal Information
Quick Links
The Western University Symphony Orchestra’s repertoire is representative of works from the symphonic repertoire, opera, oratorio and contemporary compositions. The orchestra also collaborates with Opera Workshop and the university’s choral ensembles. The Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition allows student performers to present a full concerto with orchestra.
2022-23 Performances
Joining us on campus for an in-person event? For always-up-to-date health and safety protocols, check our Audience Information webpage before you leave home.
All concerts are approximately 1.5 hours in length.
Sunday, October 16 | 3pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
Pastiche: Music from Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Brahms and others
A musical journey through centuries, in a variety of styles and colors. Amongst others, the romantic Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave, Reinecke’s Flute concerto in D Major op 283 (featuring Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition winner, Katie Kirkpatrick, flute) and Brahms’ magnificent choral work “Schicksalslied op 54” (Song of Destiny), featuring the Western University Singers (Mark Ramsay, conductor).
Thursday, December 8 | 7:30pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
The enigma I will not explain: Music from Elgar, Ravel, Daniel
A dedication to friends, mentors, loves and important figures of the past. That is what these compositions have in common. Where is the mystery, then? The orchestra will perform Elgar’s Enigma Variations, op 36, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G (featuring Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition winner, Terrence Wu, piano), Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin and Omar Daniel’s “Glauben Sie es wird sich aufklären?”
Sunday, March 26 | 2pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
The Two Titans: Music from Beethoven and Mahler
Titans were the primordial forces of cosmos, gods before gods even existed. Difficult to find a better description for Ludwig and Gustav, who carved at their image the entire century that followed their troubled presence on earth. The orchestra will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 5 "Emperor", op. 73 and Mahler's Symphony No 4 in G Major. A perfect occasion to celebrate Mahler and his treasure that our Library preserves with great care. This performance, the Fridays @ 12:30 concert on March 24, and a special Music Library exhibition are all part of a weekend-long Celebrating Mahler event.
2020-21 Season Recording
Featuring works by Beethoven, Grieg, Schubert, Debussy, Copland, Mahler and Barber.
Selections performed Dec 5, 2020 and April 1, 2021 (rehearsal). Released May 27, 2021.
Conductor, Simone Luti
Download program (PDF)
Performance Excerpts
Excerpt from “Symphony No. 7 (III. Presto-Assai meno presto)”, Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor, Simone Luti
2018-19
Excerpt from: Variations on an Original Theme, "Enigma" (Var. IX "Nimrod"), Edward Elgar
Conductor, Tyrone Paterson
2018-19
Meet the Artists
Each year, winners of the Maritsa Brooks Concerto Competition are awarded a performance with the Symphony Orchestra.
Daniel Dennis
On March 24, 2018, cellist Daniel Dennis, BMus'18, performed Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 107 with the Symphony Orchestra during their final concert of the year. Daniel speaks about his performance and plays an excerpt from the piece.
Christian Golding
On April 1, 2017, pianist Christian Golding, BMus'16, MMus'18 performed Beethoven's majestic "Emperor" Piano Concerto No. 5, Op.73 with the Western University Symphony Orchestra during their final concert of the year. In an interview with conductor Tyrone Paterson, Christian speaks about his performance and plays an excerpt from the piece.
Subscribe to our monthly events email for event notifications year-round, or visit music.uwo.ca/events for more information.
