After nine seasons, the Gemma New era at the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) is drawing to a close.
Her final two appearances as HPO music director are the “Intimate & Immersive: Suspended Doorways” concert on Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. in The Cotton Factory, 270 Sherman Ave. N and the mainstage season finale, “Gemma Conducts Beethoven 9,” on Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in FirstOntario Concert Hall.
“One of the most rewarding experiences in this role is being able to have made meaningful, long-lasting friendships with so many wonderful musicians, staff and supporters of the HPO,” reminisced New. “I’ll be taking with me a bundle of memories full of brightness and warmth, thanks to these incredible people, both onstage and within our community.”
New took the reins of the HPO on May 6, 2015, succeeding Jamie Sommerville who departed after the 2013-2014 season. She had been one of six candidates shortlisted by the search committee from among 79 applicants. In her audition on April 26, 2014, she led the HPO in Abigail Richardson-Schulte’s “A Canadian in Paris,” Saint-Saëns’s “Violin Concerto No. 3” with Martin Beaver, and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 6 — Pastorale.”
Though New held assistant and associate conductor positions at the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the HPO post was her first music directorship aside from leading the Christchurch Youth Symphony at the age of 19 in her native New Zealand. Since the mid-2010s, she’s been successfully climbing the career ladder with an ever-increasing amount of guest conducting dates with orchestras throughout North America including some of the U.S.’s so-called “Big Five,” Europe and Australasia, though with scant operatic engagements.
Joining the roster at Charlotte Lee’s New York-based boutique agency, Primo Artists in 2019, and Keynote Artist Management in the U.K. for her European gigs, cannot be underestimated in the advancement of her career.
From 2016 to 2020, New was resident conductor at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and served as music director of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. From 2019 to 2023, she was principal guest conductor at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
New also scooped up Solti Foundation Career Assistance Awards in 2017 and 2019, and in 2021 was awarded the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award which came with a $30,000 (U.S.) grant. In February 2022, New, then 35, was appointed artistic adviser and principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
In short, her schedule is jam-packed and something had to give. That something is the HPO.
Back in 2015, when asked of her future plans for the HPO, New stated she wanted to “maintain the excellence of performance” and “to work on the amount of Canadian music we’ll be promoting.” Safe to say, she’s checked off both of those boxes.
New also set her sights on programming. Nine seasons later, she looks back on that with pride.
“I’m really proud of our programming,” said New. “Our goal has always been for audiences to leave thinking, ‘Wow!’ We’ve focused on a balance of favourite blockbuster hits and fascinating new discovery pieces, all the while interweaving intellectual and emotional themes that are relatable for audience members who know a lot about music, as well as those walking in the doors for the first time.”
Among her favourite selections with the HPO were Bartók’s “Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta,” Holst’s “The Planets,” Strauss’s “Don Juan,” and Mahler’s “Symphony No. 5.” As far as collaborations go, three came to the top of her mind: Barber’s “Violin Concerto” with James Ehnes, Sibelius’s “Symphony No. 7” celebrating the Bruce Trail, and Mendelssohn’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” with the Glendale School for the Arts.
“Gemma’s commitment to artistic excellence and passion for the orchestra’s role in the community have been her signature over these past nine years,” said HPO executive director Kim Varian. “Her time at the HPO has had a tremendous impact on our programming and stature as a modern Canadian orchestra.”
Disappointments? Topping that list is public enemy No. 1, the coronavirus.
Due to health and safety regulations and cross-border travel restrictions during the pandemic, the California-based New was unable to travel to Hamilton for two full years. Then in mid-2022, after things had opened up somewhat, she had to cancel one of her HPO dates due to COVID-19.
New’s May 1 “I&I” date with the HPO includes Saman Shahi’s “Suspended Doorways,” Michael Maevskiy’s “Serenade,” Ana Sokolovic’s “… and I need a room to receive five thousand people with raised glasses …,” Cecilia Livingston’s “Noyade,” Cris Derksen’s “Rebellion,” and Brian Current’s “For The Time Being.”
Programming Beethoven’s “Ninth” with soprano Carla Hutanen, mezzo Lauren Segal, tenor Lawrence Wiliford, baritone Alexander Dobson, the Bach Elgar Choir, the Strata Vocal Ensemble and the Masterworks of Oakville Chorus for the May 4 season finale was a no-brainer.
After all, this chef d’oeuvre has been heard innumerable times the world over at season openers or closers and all manner of celebrations. It had been scheduled to close the HPO’s 2019-2020 season, but we all know how that turned out.
The Beethoven will be preceded by Andrew Balfour’s 2019 “Mamachimowin (The act of singing praises),” a setting of the composer’s translation of Psalm 67 into Cree, along with three words in English, for six-part chorus, viola, cello and double bass, plus Claude Vivier’s 1980 “Lonely Child” for soprano and chamber orchestra.
Tickets at hpo.org or call 905-526-7756. May 1 “I&I” general admission: $49.20 (all-in). May 4 “Beethoven 9”: $30.10 to $144.85 (all-in).
Saturday, April 27 at 3 p.m. in The First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, 170 Dundurn St. S., the Five at the First Chamber Music Series presents the Szivi Saxophone Quartet with Chase Griffin, Paula Kokot, Lexi Breen, and Glimmer Ng in original works by Glass, Hass, and Escaich plus arrangements of Puccini, Márquez, and more. No tickets at door. Tickets only at universe.com/szivisaxophonequartet: $21.59, senior $16.34, student/unwaged $5.84 (all-in), under 12 free.
Saturday, April 27 at 8 p.m. in St. Cuthbert’s Presbyterian Church, 2 Bond St. N., Zula Presents pianist Marilyn Lerner and trumpeter Nicole Rampersaud’s Brass Knuckle Sandwich, and Montreal-based soundscaper Pierre-Yves Martel. Tickets at door $25, via eventbrite.ca $18.
Sunday, April 28 at 2:30 p.m. in Melrose United Church, 86 Homewood Ave., the Duet Club of Hamilton presents its 135th anniversary concert, “Harmony in the Hammer,” with the Women of Song under Dawn Martens and special guests, the Rosewood Consort. Tickets at door or duetclub.ca: $20, student/senior $15, 12 and under free.
Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. in the Playhouse Cinema, 177 Sherman Ave. N., Ted Harms’s VOC Silent Film Harmonic provides an improvised soundtrack to a Buster Keaton double bill, “Sherlock Jr.” from 1924 and “One Week” from 1920. Tickets at playhousecinema.ca: $18.75.
Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Holiday Inn Burlington, 3063 South Service Rd., Burlington, Joanne Romanow and her Burlington Concert Band present “From Sea to Sea to Sea,” an all-Canadian concert featuring music by Leonard Cohen, Michael Bublé, Shania Twain, Howard Cable and others. Tickets at door or burlingtonconcertband.ca: $20, children’s free ticket required for ages 12 and under.
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