Taking place March 29-April 12
Join your Hamilton Philharmonic for the annual Composer Festival in April!
Join your HPO for events across our community celebrating the life, music and influence of Baroque and Classical era composers!
Upcoming Composer Festival events:
- Share your musical talents with your favourite short work or movement by Hadyn, Mozart or Beethoven as we explore the cultural shift from the Classical era to early Romantic era.
- Travel through history with our Composer-in-Residence at fascinating talks.
Don’t forget to join us at FirstOntario Concert Hall when we cap the festival off with our mainstage concert, Nosky Conducts Handel, Haydn & Bach.
Composer Festival Events
Haydn Community Recital
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
St Paul’s United Church (29 Park St W, Dundas)
Hosted by Abigail Richardson-Schulte
Free to attend and participate
Registration is now closed.
Doors open for audience at 1:30PM, seating is general admission
Join the HPO for an afternoon celebrating music-making! Community musicians of all ages and experience levels are invited to perform a movement or short piece by Hadyn, Mozart or Beethoven as we explore the cultural shift from the Classical era to early Romantic era.
This event is an opportunity for musicians to perform in a welcoming space with a supportive audience of community members. Please note that this is a non-adjudicated, community outreach event for amateur musicians and students; more seasoned musicians are also encouraged to participate if interested. This event is FREE for both performers and audience members. Anyone is welcome to attend as an audience member, no registration or tickets required.
HPO Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson-Schulte hosts this event with a special performance from an HPO ensemble! Performers and audience members are invited to stay after the recital for coffee, tea and treats.
If you have any questions about the Haydn Community Recital, please email Marketing and Strategic Initiatives Manager Megan Nourse at mnourse@hpo.org.
From Bach to Haydn: exploring the transition between Baroque and Classical Eras
Co-Presented with HAALSA
Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
St. Paul’s United Church (29 Park St W, Dundas)
Hosted by Abigail Richardson-Schulte
Free to attend
Registration required for attendees
Johann Sebastian Bach and Joseph Haydn stand as pillars of their respective eras, Bach in the Baroque and Haydn in the Classical, and are inextricably linked through their contributions to music and the fascinating parallels in their careers. Join HPO Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson Schulte to hear captivating stories from the lives of Bach and Haydn and how their artistic contributions shaped music in society.
Bach and Haydn both rose through the court system, composing for the whims of Dukes and Princes, navigating strict social hierarchies and even imprisonment (in Bach’s case) to advance their careers. Bach and Haydn’s careers saw both composers reach wider, public audiences than their predecessors, reflecting the cultural shift of music from private courts to public spaces and shaping how music was consumed.
Through fascinating storytelling and piano demonstrations by Abigail, we explore these towering figures of music history and their incredible impact as part of the HPO Composer Festival. We also celebrate the HPO’s 140 years of history making music in Hamilton, which began in 1884 with a performance of Joseph Haydn’s Suprise Symphony.
This event is presented in partnership with the Hamilton Association for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Art.
From Bach to Haydn: exploring the transition between Baroque and Classical Eras
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM
Burlington Public Library (2331 New St., Burlington)
Free to attend
Registration required for attendees
Johann Sebastian Bach and Joseph Haydn stand as pillars of their respective eras, Bach in the Baroque and Haydn in the Classical, and are inextricably linked through their contributions to music and the fascinating parallels in their careers. Join HPO Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson Schulte to hear captivating stories from the lives of Bach and Haydn and how their artistic contributions shaped music in society.
Bach and Haydn both rose through the court system, composing for the whims of Dukes and Princes, navigating strict social hierarchies and even imprisonment (in Bach’s case) to advance their careers. Bach and Haydn’s careers saw both composers reach wider, public audiences than their predecessors, reflecting the cultural shift of music from private courts to public spaces and shaping how music was consumed.
Through fascinating storytelling and piano demonstrations by Abigail, we explore these towering figures of music history and their incredible impact as part of the HPO Composer Festival. We also celebrate the HPO’s 140 years of history making music in Hamilton, which began in 1884 with a performance of Joseph Haydn’s Suprise Symphony.
Musically Speaking: From Bach to Haydn
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM
The Westdale Cinema (1014 King St W)
Hosted by Abigail Richardson-Schulte
Discover how Bach laid the foundation for Western classical music, how Haydn’s creativity and humor helped define the symphony and string quartet, and how Mendelssohn revived interest in Bach’s forgotten masterpieces. HPO Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson-Schulte leads us on a fascinating journey following the thread connecting artistic eras through the stories of Bach, Hadyn and Mendelssohn. Experience their timeless music on the big screen with HPO performance recordings and gain a deeper appreciation for their enduring influence.
Talk and Tea: Haydn
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM
FirstOntario Concert Hall Stage Door (1 Summers Lane)
Join us for a captivating talk on the life and work of one of the most influential composers of the Classical era at Talk & Tea: Haydn. Delve into the genius of Joseph Haydn, often referred to as the “Father of the Symphony” for his innovations in symphonic form and enduring influence on generations of composers. Catch a special look at the HPO’s rehearsal of Haydn’s celebrated ‘Surprise’ Symphony, a favourite in HPO history!
Hosted by Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson-Schulte, the HPO’s Talk & Tea Series takes audiences behind the music and composers featured on our Mainstage with special insights into the orchestra’s rehearsal process. Come for coffee or tea and stay for the fascinating stories that enrich the music experience!
Thank you to Caroline Place for sponsoring the Talk & Tea Series!
Nosky Performs Handel, Haydn & Bach
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
FirstOntario Concert Hall (1 Summers Lane)
Enjoy the scintillating textures and diverse instrumental sounds of three lively concertos by Handel and J.S. Bach, featuring notable Canadian violinist and early music specialist Aisslinn Nosky with musicians of the HPO. She also leads the Orchestra in Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 94— aptly nicknamed for its many musical twists and turns, it’s as much a sensation today as when the HPO first performed the piece in 1884!
Pro-Am Jam
Saturday, April 12, 2025, immediately following concert
Time: 7:30 PM
FirstOntario Concert Hall (1 Summers Lane)
Professional and amateur musicians of all ages and levels are invited to join musicians of the HPO on-stage at FirstOntario Concert Hall to play Haydn, Symphony No. 94, “Surprise” ii. Andante with guest conductor Aisslinn Nosky! Participants must have a ticket for Nosky Performs Handel, Haydn & Bach and provide their own instrument.
