Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. An orchestra established in 1949 in Hamilton, Ont, as a mainly amateur organization with a membership of 60, including a few professional musicians. Several prior orchestras had earlier flourished in Hamilton. The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra grew to become one of Canada's major professional orchestras until 1996, when it closed due to financial problems. It was reincarnated on a smaller scale in 1997.
The original Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra made its debut 16 Jan 1950 at Hamilton's Memorial School Auditorium. It was conducted 1949-58 by Jan Wolanek (b Warsaw 25 Jan 1895; founder-conductor of the St Catharines Civic Orchestra). Later conductors were Leonard Pearlman and Bryden Thomson 1958-9, Victor Di Bello 1958-62, and Lee Hepner 1962-9. Boris Brott was music director 1969-90 and Victor Feldbrill 1990-6.
Bankruptcy and Subsequent Revival
Financial problems forced the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra to close its doors in 1996, declaring backruptcy. It re-emerged one year later as the New Hamilton Orchestra, making its debut performance 16 Feb 1997 at Hamilton Place. The company operated as the New Hamilton Orchestra 1997-9 with
Mario Bernardi as part-time artistic advisor. In 2000 it reclaimed the name Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Daniel Lipton was appointed part-time artistic advisor for the 1999-2000 season. The final phase of the orchestra's rebuilding program was accomplished 1 Mar 2001 with the appointment of Michael Reason as full-time artistic director 2001-6. He was followed by interim artistic advisor Timothy Vernon, and in 2007 by James Sommerville.
Personnel
Concertmasters have included
Arthur Garami,
Hyman Goodman,
Marta Hidy,
Otto Armin, and Lance Elbeck. The core orchestra consists of about 31 full-time players, with additional musicians contracted for individual concerts.
More History
Venues
Following nine seasons at the Memorial Auditorium, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the Westdale Auditorium 1958-62, the Palace Theatre 1962-71, and the Mohawk Theatre 1971-3. It moved into
Hamilton Place in 1973.
Financial Operations
Recognition and support for the original Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra came slowly at first; in 1952 the City of Hamilton awarded it a $500 grant. As a semi-professional ensemble in 1961 it received a
Canada Council grant of $1000 to assist in the presentation of a youth concert. In 1975 it was receiving $115,000 in operational grants and $12,500 for special projects from the Canada Council. By 1990 it had an operating budget of just under $3 million. After the orchestra's one-year hiatus, this budget was substantially reduced and slowly rebuilt to $1.2 million.
Expansion After 1969
The activities of the orchestra expanded greatly under the artistic directorship of Boris Brott, who, with Betty Webster (b Toronto 2 Feb 1925; BA Victoria College, Toronto, 1946), the orchestra's first full-time executive director 1967-75, and with co-operation from the
Ontario Arts Council (OAC), raised the orchestra by stages to major status by expanding and diversifying its market and reorganizing its players' contracts accordingly. The OAC helped subsidize an increased number of professional musicians-in-residence in return for a commensurate increase in the orchestra's regional and provincial services. Several ensembles emerged, the most noted of which was the
Canadian Brass; but other groups - the Czech Quartet, the Sentiri Wind Quintet, H.P.O. Bach, the
Lorcini-Elliott Duo, the Lorien Woodwind Quintet, and three more string quartets - performed, particularly in the Hamilton area.
Training Bodies
The Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, formed in 1965 under the direction of Glenn Mallory, was initially sponsored by the senior orchestra. It operated as a separate entity. In addition, the Hamilton Philharmonic Institute was created in 1974 to provide opportunities for fledgling professionals to play in the senior orchestra as part of their schooling. This was the first program of its kind to be undertaken by a Canadian orchestra. After the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra's collapse in 1996, the institute was discontinued. Taking its place was a mentorship program pairing gifted students with members of the orchestra. In 2002 the orchestra launched a Young Composer's Competition for Ontario-based composers under age 30.
General Managers
Jacques Druelle succeeded Betty Webster in 1975 with the new title of general manager. He was followed in the position by Mark Warren 1979-81, Hamish Robertson 1981-3, Paul Eck 1983-7, Jorgen Holgersen 1987-90, and Stephen Bye 1990. Jack Nelson, general manager 1997-2003, left an executive position with the
Hamilton Spectator to help rebuild the orchestra. He was followed by Alex Baran in 2003.
Performances
Series and Sponsors
Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s numerous series were sponsored by corporations, notably Dofasco, du Maurier, Seagrams, the
Hamilton Spectator, and Stelco. After its re-emergence in 1997, the orchestra offered only two series: Masterworks and Pops. Major corporate sponsors have included Cogeco and Proctor & Gamble.
Special Appearances
The orchestra has played frequently outside Hamilton. It has appeared at the
Algoma Fall Festival, the
Guelph Spring Festival, and the
Shaw Festival; in Burlington; and regularly at
Ontario Place, Toronto. At the opening of Hamilton Place 24 Sep 1973 it participated with the
Ontario Youth Choir and soloists in the premiere of
Galt MacDermot's
A Mass in Our Time, commissioned for the occasion and conducted by Thomas Pierson. Since 1997, the orchestra has provided orchestral accompaniment for a number of local arts organizations including
Opera Ontario,
Opera Hamilton, the
Bach-Elgar Choir, Hamilton Youth Ballet and Theatre Aquarius.
Guest Performers and Conductors
The Hamilton Philharmonic in its early years featured only Canadian solo performers, and 1950-4 six of these were Hamiltonians. As the orchestra expanded, this policy was no longer feasible; however, a high proportion of Canadian artists have continued to be engaged as soloists, along with international artists, among them
Jean Bonhomme,
Michael Burgess,
Anna Chornodolska,
Corey Cerovsek, Denise Djokic, Leslie Fagan,
Janina Fialkowska,
Maureen Forrester,
Ida Haendel, Rebecca Haas,
Anton Kuerti,
André Laplante,
Malcolm Lowe,
Phyllis Mailing, Tara-Louise Montour,
Mari-Elizabeth Morgen,
Zara Nelsova,
Arthur Ozolins,
Joel Quarrington,
Louis Quilico,
Shauna Rolston,
Joseph Rouleau,
Steven Staryk,
Jean Stilwell,
Valerie Tryon,
Ronald Turini,
Riki Turofsky, Laura Whalen, the
Bach-Elgar Choir of Hamilton, the
Festival Singers, the
Moe Koffman jazz group, the Rankin Sisters, the
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and True North Brass.
Guest conductors have included Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Aaron Copland, Arthur Fiedler, Horst Foerster, Piero Gamba, André Kostelanetz, Stéphane Laforest, André Moisan, Simon Streatfeild, Joseph Silverstein, Daniel Swift, Alain Trudel and Newton Wayland. Ella Fitzgerald was the guest artist at a 25th-anniversary benefit concert 10 May 1975.
Composition Commissions
The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra has commissioned works by
Lorne Betts (
Kandario),
Alexander Brott (
Thunder and Lightning),
Srul Irving Glick (
Psalm for Orchestra),
Eldon Rathburn (
Three Ironies),
Norman Symonds (
Three Atmospheres), and William Wallace (
Canticle for Orchestra). It has premiered these and also works of
Louis Applebaum (
Place Setting), Lorne Betts (
Music for Orchestra, Variants for Orchestra), Alexander Brott (
H.B.S., B 22),
Steven Gellman (
Odyssey),
William McCauley (
Concerto Grosso), Wallace (
Ceremonies), and
John Weinzweig (
Divertimento No 11) and has performed numerous other Canadian works, eg, by John Estacio,
Colin McPhee,
Pierre Mercure and
Oskar Morawetz. The orchestra appointed Heather Schmidt as composer-in-residence 2002-5, commissioning
Prelude for Hamilton (2002),
Light and Shadow (2003) and
Symphony No. 1 (2005).
Author
Stanley Saunders, Lynn McGuigan
Discography
Bizet - Gellman Symphony in Two Movements - Fauré - Delius. Hamilton Phil Virtuosi, Brott conductor. 1975. CBC SM-295
A. Brott Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra - Ravel Pavane pour une infante défunte, Mother Goose Suite. Armin violin, Hamilton Phil Virtuosi, Brott conductor. 1975. CBC SM-291/(Brott) 7-ACM 20
Christmas Brott to You. Brott conductor. (1971?). CTL 477-5153
A Fifth of Broadway. Brott conductor. 1983. CBC SM-5022
Joplin 'The Entertainer,' 'Ragtime Dance'. Brott conductor. 1976. CBC LM-428
McCauley Concerto Grosso - Poulenc Sinfonietta. Canadian Brass, Brott conductor. 1974. CBC SM-264
Ravel - Sibelius - Stravinsky. Hamilton Phil Virtuosi, Brott conductor. 1972-3. CBC SM-200
The HPO also accompanied composer-conductor-flugelhornist Chuck Mangione on Land of Make Believe, Mer SRM1-684/Mer 6336-570/Poly 822-539-2, recorded in Massey Hall, 1973.
Bibliography
'Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra,' CanComp, 24, Dec 1967
Graham, June. 'Boris Brott,' CanComp, 51, Jun 1970
Montagnes, Anne. 'HPI's students really know the score,' PfAC, vol 13, Spring 1976
Dale, Stephen. 'Meet the man who keeps the HPO in business,' Hamilton Random Scan, Apr 1979
Schulman, Michael. 'Boris Brott,' CanComp, 142, Jun 1979
Palango, Paul. 'Brott's opus,' Hamilton, Jun 1980
'Another first for the Hamilton Philharmonic: a century celebration in 1983-84,' OCan, vol 10, Nov 1983
'Celebrating 100 years of music,' Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, vol 1, Feb 1984
Quigley, Michael. 'A lively century of music in Hamilton,' Music, vol 7, Sep-Oct 1984
Fraser, Hugh. 'Honeymoon over between Brott, HPO,' Hamilton Spectator, 6 Jun 1986
- 'Hamilton's "orchestra" has evolved through the years,' PfAC, vol 23, Nov 1986
- 'Keeping the HPO afloat,' Hamilton Spectator, 5 Mar 1988
MacPhail, Wayne. 'The Brott dream: what went wrong?' Hamilton Spectator, 21 Jan 1989
Newman, Richard. 'Brighter days ahead for the Hamilton Philharmonic?' Site Sound, Jan-Feb 1991
'Hamilton loses orchestra after 113 years,' Canadian Press NewsWire, 4 Jan 1996
'The day the music died (the 113-year-old Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra closed due to $1.2 million in debt; efforts to revive the orchestra are underway),' Maclean's, 15 Jan 1996
'Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra comes back under its old name,' Canadian Press Newswire, 21 Jan 2000
'Michael Reason announces his retirement from Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra,' Canadian Press Newswire, 26 Sep 2004
'Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra Young Composer's Competition Announced,' Orchestras Canada Sound Bytes, Feb 2005
Links to Other Sites
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
Check out the latest concert calendar for the orchestra. Also features a profile of the orchestra’s artistic director, a historical overview and news about educational programs.
Classical Archives
Browse or search this extensive site for biographies, discographies, and brief audio excerpts from recordings featuring Canadian and international classical composers and performers. Also search for details and audio clips of Canadian orchestras and other classical music groups. Subscription required to access full tracks.
James Sommerville
A biography of James Sommerville, Music Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. From the website for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
HPO Jamie Sommerville Interview '09
A video clip in which Jamie Sommerville talks about the music that influenced his own career as a musician. From YouTube.
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
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