The Ontario government has responded to the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant by revisiting Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen with Modifications. The new measures surrounding the closure of many public spaces and restrictions on gathering are in effect from Wednesday, January 5 to January 26, 2022. With this period coming to an end only three days before the HPO’s next scheduled live concert, Postcards from Buenos Aires, the HPO has made the decision to postpone this event to spring. The new concert date for Postcards from Buenos Aires will be announced at a later date. All ticketholders have been contacted by email regarding this announcement.  

“I would first like to express my gratitude and admiration for our HPO musicians, staff and supporters, and for the beautiful, powerful performances our musicians have created during this difficult time,” said HPO Music Director Gemma New regarding the postponement. “I also hold close the memories of our joyous concerts together prior to the pandemic and I am dearly looking forward to joining our exceptional musicians on stage as soon as possible. It is absolutely a disappointment that we cannot reunite this month, but understandable given the circumstances. I used to see live music performance as an invincible art form. Now it feels like it is a rare and precious experience, that I am so grateful to create when the circumstances make it possible. I’m glad to have such a phenomenal team to work with through these tough times, as we patiently hope, resiliently create and carefully plan for better days.” New is scheduled to return to Hamilton to conduct the HPO this March for Gemma Conducts Mendelssohn, which will proceed as planned.  

“We are grateful to have had a successful return to live events with the concerts we presented this fall. While we are disappointed to postpone our January concert Postcards from Buenos Aires, the health and safety of our staff, musicians, patrons and greater community takes priority in these uncertain times,” said HPO Executive Director Kim Varian. “We remain positive as an organization and focused on what we can do in this time to share beautiful music with our community.” 

The HPO artistic team is busy behind the scenes working to share music virtually with our community in the coming weeks. Most notably, our annual Composer Festival makes its return virtually in February 2022 highlighting the life and works of Felix Mendelssohn, a major composer of the Romanic Era. Touted as an even more impressive young prodigy than Mozart, accredited for helping revive Baroque era music and rivaled by his sister Fanny, whom society barred from professional composition, there are many rich stories to be told about Mendelssohn. More details about specific events and dates will be shared in the coming month.  

 

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About the HPO: For over a century, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra has presented orchestral music and education programs with a mission to enrich the wellbeing of the greater Hamilton region. Music Director Gemma New and the professional musicians of the HPO present dynamic orchestral performances ranging from standard classical repertoire to popular music and world premieres by living composers. As one of Canada’s leading professional orchestras, the HPO has proudly contributed to the shaping of Hamilton’s cultural landscape and continues to uphold values of high calibre, inclusive and accessible orchestral music and education for all. 

 

 

Media Contacts: 

Megan Nourse
Marketing and Communications Manager
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
905.526.1677 x 209
mnourse@hpo.org 

Kyla Lacroix Bardsley
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
905.526.1677 x 211
klacroix@hpo.org