Okanagan Symphony Orchestra

Okanagan Symphony Orchestra
Orchestra
Former nameOkanagan Valley Symphony Orchestra
Founded1959 (1959)[1]
LocationOkanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Concert hall
Music director
Julian Pellicano[2]
WebsiteOfficial website

The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian instrumental music ensemble based in Kelowna, British Columbia. From 2006 to 2023, the orchestra's principal conductor was Rosemary Thomson.[3][4][5] Since 2025, the orchestra's music director has been Julian Pellicano.[6] The orchestra performs both classical and contemporary orchestral works.[7] The orchestra plays throughout the Okanagan valley, in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon.[8]

History

The orchestra was founded in 1960 by its first conductor, Willem Bertsch. In 1964, Douglas Talney became the conductor. In 1965, Leonard Camplin took over and remained the conductor for years.[1]

In 1970, the Okanagan Symphony Choir was established. It was directed at first by Jocelyn Pritchard, who was succeeded in 1978 by Imant Raminsh.[1]

In 1974, the orchestra received a Canada Council grant to hire a resident cellist.[9] In 1991, the principal violinist was Imant Raminsh.[10]

In 1981, OSO members organized Sinfonia, a chamber orchestra.[1] In 1988, a youth orchestra was organized by Raminsh.[11]

A performance of the OSO was heard nation-wide on a CBC Radio broadcast in 1989.[1]

The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra performed a series of concerts in 2017 with guest musician Sean Bray to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday.[12]

For many years, the principal horn player for the orchestra was Edmond House; he retired in 2017.[13]

In April 2018, the orchestra performed in concert with singer/songwriter Sarah Slean.[14] A 2018 concert, "Prodigy," featured 12-year-old pianist and composer Kevin Chen performing early works by Mozart.[15]

In 2019, the orchestra presented two Masterworks concerts titled "Themes and Innovations".[16] In December of that year, in anticipation of its 60th anniversary, the symphony, along with the OSO Chorus, presented Handel's Messiah, the first in a series of planned special performances.[17]

Recent history

Rosemary Thomson conducted her final concerts with the orchestra in May 2024 and assumed the title of conductor emeritus.[18]

The orchestra's search for a new music director considered more than thirty applicants. Each of the four finalists, Nadege Foofat, James Sommerville, Grant Harville, and Julian Pellicano, conducted a Mainstage program during the 2024-25 season. In June 2025, the OSO announced Pellicano as its sixth music director and conductor, beginning with the 2025-26 season.[19]

Pellicano remained a conductor with the National Ballet of Canada and music director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Before his OSO appointment, he had spent more than a decade as associate conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. He made his OSO music-director debut in February 2026 with "Julian Conducts Tchaikovsky", a three-concert series presented in Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon.[20]

Venues

The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra performs regular-season concerts in three Okanagan Valley communities: Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon.[21][22]

Its Kelowna venue is Kelowna Community Theatre. Its Penticton venue is Cleland Community Theatre, which is located in the Penticton Community Centre and seats 443 people.[23] Its Vernon venue is Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.[24]

Affiliated ensembles

The Okanagan Symphony Choir was established in 1970 and was first directed by Joycelyn Pritchard of Vernon. Imant Raminsh became choir director in 1978.[25] The current Okanagan Symphony Chorus rehearses at Winfield United Church and performs in one or two OSO concerts per season.[26]

The Okanagan Symphony Youth Orchestra was organized in 1988 by Raminsh.[25] The current youth orchestra is conducted by Zeena Zaiyouna and participates in OSO programs and community projects, including the Apollo Initiative.[27][28]

Community engagement and education

The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra operates community and education programs with schools, libraries, cultural organizations, and community partners across the Okanagan Valley.[29]

Symphony Storytime is a series of interactive concerts for toddlers and families. The concerts are based on nursery rhymes, stories, or fables, feature different families of orchestral instruments, and include musicians from the OSO and the Okanagan Symphony Youth Orchestra. The program has been presented at the Centre culturel francophone de l'Okanagan in Kelowna.[30]

Other OSO community programs include Symphony School Shows, coordinated with School Districts 23, 53, and 83, Pocket Orchestra events, and Musicians in the Making pre-concert presentations.[31]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Orchestras". The Canadian Encyclopedia, by Kevin James, Patricia Wardrop, Kenneth Winters. November 29, 2010
  2. ↑ "OSO hires new conductor". Okanagan Edge. June 3, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  3. ↑ "'Brokenhearted': Former Okanagan Symphony music director will sue after surprise termination. Castanet, Dec 8, 2023
  4. ↑ "Review: Okanagan Symphony dazzles with Verdi’s Requiem". Vernon Morning Star, Nov. 12, 2018, Concert review by Anita Perry
  5. ↑ "Concert review: Yuletide Tales". Summerland Review, Dec. 25, 2018, by Anita Perry.
  6. ↑ "Okanagan Symphony Orchestra names new conductor, music director". Castanet. June 3, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Symphony concert a fusion of east and west". Keremeos REview, May. 13, 2019, by Anita Perry.
  8. ↑ Warren R. Bland. Retire In Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across The Usa and Canada. Next Decade, Inc.; 2005. ISBN 978-1-932919-19-6. p. 307.
  9. ↑ "44 music groups to get grants". Lethbridge Herald, via Newspaper Archives, October 30, 1974 - Page 6
  10. ↑ "Raminsh taking it easy". Medicine Hat News, via Newspaper Archives. January 07, 1991 - Page 15
  11. ↑ "Review and photos: Okanagan Symphony Youth Orchestra". Kelowna Capital News, Anita PerryNov. 28, 2016
  12. ↑ " Staple on valley’s music scene". Kelowna Daily Courier, Anna Jacyszyn, Oct 20, 2018
  13. ↑ "Influential musician passes the horn". Vernon Morning Star, May. 5, 2017
  14. ↑ "Sarah Slean wins over Okanagan with OSO". Kelowna Capital News.Parker Crook, Apr. 10, 2018
  15. ↑ "Concert Review: Okanagan Symphony rings in spring". Kelowna Capital News, Anita Perry, Mar. 11, 2018
  16. ↑ "Perry: Okanagan Symphony presents innovative evening: review of the OSO Masterworks II series Themes and Innovations". Penticton News, Jordyn Thomson, Anita Perry. Nov. 26, 2019
  17. ↑ "Perry: Okanagan Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Messiah energizing". Review by Anita Perry, BC Local News, Dec. 23, 2019. Archived November 18, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ "Okanagan Symphony Orchestra gets back longtime maestro for one last program". Global News. May 1, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Okanagan Symphony Orchestra names new conductor, music director". Castanet. June 3, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Okanagan Symphony Orchestra's new director to debut with Tchaikovsky". Vernon Morning Star. January 28, 2026. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  21. ↑ Bland, Warren R. (2005). Retire In Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across The USA and Canada. Next Decade, Inc. p. 307. ISBN 978-1-932919-19-6.
  22. ↑ "Okanagan Symphony Orchestra's new director to debut with Tchaikovsky". Vernon Morning Star. January 28, 2026. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Cleland Community Theatre". City of Penticton. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Community Connections". Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Kevin James, Patricia Wardrop, Kenneth Winters (November 29, 2010). "Orchestras". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 7, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ↑ "Community Connections". Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Musicians". Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Community Connections". Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Community Connections". Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Okanagan Symphony Orchestra Presents 'Storytime' for Young Music Lovers". Gonzo Okanagan. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Community Connections". Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
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