Much like a piece of music can start with just a few simple notes and build towards an exciting crescendo, the Oakville Symphony began small and grew to something grand. This year mark’s their 50th anniversary.

The Oakville Symphony began with 25 musicians, and now has over 80 volunteer musicians plus 11 professionals providing leadership and direction. “We (also) have two original founding members of the orchestra who still play with us – Jean Grieve (cello) and Paul Lancaster (oboe),” says Anna Hewitt, Co-Chair of the Oakville Symphony Board of Directors. Ken Hollier was the founding conductor who sadly passed away during a concert in 1973. “He was known to be a funny, enthusiastic, passionate musician,” Hewitt says. “The orchestra vowed to keep going in his honour. He really inspired a lot of musicians to keep going and his widow is still a great supporter.”

As well as playing countless performances over the last 50 years, the symphony has many community outreach programs in place. One example is the Young Artist Program.

Auditions take place each June, and “this year we have 10 high school students who play with the symphony for the year,” notes Hewitt. “They bring an energy to the symphony which is great. They also benefit from being mentored by the professionals and the senior musicians. When you look at the stage, you see a huge range in ages. It’s pretty cool.”

Other examples of the orchestra’s presence in the community include the annual Young People’s Concert, participation at festivals and culture days, as well as performances in schools and some mini concerts that are held in the lobby of the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. This year, Hewitt says – thanks to some new sponsors – they’ll be able to perform at the Oakville Hospital and some seniors’ homes.

Today the Oakville Symphony is thriving. Under the inspired leadership of Maestro Roberto De Clara, it continues to present exciting and challenging programs for its audiences each season. Music is truly a universal language, and Hewitt notes that “the fact that it’s inclusive to everybody is great. It adds to the cultural fabric of the community.”

In addition to The Oakville Symphony Orchestra, there are several other orchestras in Hamilton, Burlington and Mississauga that enable you to enjoy an evening or afternoon of classical music close to home.

Symphony on the Bay, Burlington

Season: October 29 – May 13, 2018
The Symphony on the Bay began in 1973 as the McMaster Symphony Orchestra, left the university to become Symphony Hamilton in 1988, and rebranded as Symphony on the Bay in 2011 to reflect their role in the wider Hamilton-Burlington community. The current season lineup includes German Masters, Christmas classics, a crowd-pleasing Pops concert, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Canadian composer Louis Applebaum’s Three Stratford Fanfares, and more.
symphonyonthebay.ca

Oakville Chamber Orchestra

Season: October 21 – May 6, 2018
For over 30 years now, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra (OCO) has presented ensemble music featuring favourite classics, contemporary music, and rare gems in intimate settings. This season’s lineup includes the magic of Mozart, Youth Concerto Competitions and more.
oakvillechamber.org

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra

Season: September 23 – May 12, 2018
Reconnect with old classics from Beethoven and Haydn, replenish the senses with a celebration of Russian composers and revive musical passion with a tribute to West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein. 9 performances in the 2017/18 Main Stage Series.
hpo.org

The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra

Season: October 14 – May 26, 2018
The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1972 as the Mississauga Symphonic Association, an amateur community ensemble. Based out of Hammerson Hall, a world-class theatre at the heart of Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre, and offering entertaining and increasingly sophisticated programs.
mississaugasymphony.ca

by Becky Dumais

Local Links

Oakville Symphony Orchestra
oakvillesymphony.com

Symphony on the Bay
symphonyonthebay.ca

Oakville Chamber Orchestra
oakvillechamber.org

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
hpo.org

The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
mississaugasymphony.ca

There are simple, holistic ways to elevate your mood, broaden your creativity and spark your imagination. One way is to visit an art gallery, a perfect, quiet place to explore, reflect and engage – alone, with friends, or even as a family.

Even if you don’t personally wield a paintbrush, hold a camera or fire pottery in a kiln, you still belong in an art gallery. Places like Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) and the Oakville Galleries welcome everyone. “We have so many different kinds of people that come in here: families, seniors, kids, and really it’s a place of community,” says Danielle Gibbons, Marketing, Membership & Events Co-ordinator for the AGB. “Art galleries in general have been shown to lower anxiety and alleviate depression, contribute to longevity, and exploring culture and creativity is all very good for your mental health.” Admission is free, so there’s no reason not to visit. “We really want to make this a space that’s open and accessible to everyone which I think we really do with our open studios… you can come in, work on a project, and explore the gallery,” she says.

The Oakville Galleries is a non-profit contemporary art museum with two locations: inside the Oakville Public Library and at Gairloch Gardens. “The thing that always strikes me with contemporary art is that it sparks a conversation,” says Victoria Borg, Communications Co-ordinator for Oakville Galleries. Even though it might be hard to understand what was visible through the artist’s eye, it opens up a dialogue, and Borg says that’s the point: to ask questions. “A gallery is a place for reflection and discovery,” she adds. Staff are always available to give tours or answer any questions. Borg enjoys seeing each new show go up. “For me, working here, it’s exciting to see a new show go up and how the space can be transformed by the different artworks that are being shown.”

Oakville Galleries runs education programs for adults, kids and the broader community – including parties. They offer summer camps for ages six to 14, March Break Camps, PA Day activities and family workshops. In addition to its camps and classes for all ages, AGB offers Saturday Sessions each month – a fun and affordable way for families to create an art project based on a current exhibition, for a small cost of about $10 for a family of four. “We also offer art therapy programs,” notes Gibbons. These programs are open to individuals who have Alzheimer’s, those who are on the Autism spectrum, or with anxiety disorders. “We focus a lot of our programs on using art as a form of therapy to enrich their lives. We give them another way to communicate with the world.”

To mark Canada’s 150th, AGB will be offering some community projects for the public to come and work on during open studio sessions. “It’s a way to get the community involved in an actual exhibition at the gallery,” says Gibbons. On a bigger scale, quilt artists from across the country will be submitting a quilt square which will be sewn together at the gallery and displayed in an exhibition. The squares are based around the theme of what it means to be Canadian, focusing on the region of where the artist is from. “It will be a nice look at the country through fibre art.”

Galleries on a more intimately sized scale are equally impressive, including those such as the Towne Square Art Gallery and Native Art Gallery in downtown Oakville. This modern space comprises two floors of stunning art from established and emerging Canadian and international artists. The gallery presents an impressive variety of subject matter, on many forms of media, including oil, acrylic, encaustic, and pastel on canvas, wood and paper as well as sculpture.  What strikes the owner of both galleries, Joanna Tomal, most about the native work, she says is the message, especially the sculptures. “When I touch a sculpture, I can almost feel the legends, the history and the hardship.”

Oakville’s In2art Gallery is another relaxed space where both experienced and new collectors can discover great contemporary art for their home. The owners personally select pieces from over 50 artists across Canada and the subject matter is incredibly diverse.  As one of the owners, Susan Hoeltken explains, “Our shared years of experience as artists and gallery curators is the added value as we help guide the client to the right piece.  We love to talk about art and the creative process.”

Drop in for an impromptu visit to an art gallery near you, or sign up for a class. You never know: it could evolve into a whole new hobby or at the very least something to display proudly in your home. 

by Becky Dumais

Local Links

Art Gallery of Burlington
artgalleryofburlington.com

Oakville Galleries
oakvillegalleries.com

in2art, Oakville
in2artgallery.ca

Towne Square Gallery, Oakville
townesquaregallery.com

Trias Gallery, Bronte
triasgallery.com

Art Space, Oakville
artspaceoakville.com

Burlington Artist Gallery
burlingtonartistgallery.com