Special feature: In a national series of Canada 150 fanfares and co-commissioned with Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO), Ontario Philharmonic (OP) presents “Launch!”, by Canadian composer, Vivian Fung, with financial assistance from the Government of Canada.
This program consists of two pieces by Hungarian and Bohemian composers Franz Liszt and Antonin Dvorak.  Although Liszt was well-known and loved as a pianist, his place as a serious composer was more difficult to secure; however, the metaphysical and spiritual leanings that shaped his later life and contributed to his acceptance as a composer are found in his mid-career composition Les Preludes (Symphonic Poem 3). For the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1, Liszt turned to his native Hungary for inspiration.  An innovator, Liszt is credited with inventing the symphonic poem and the use of the word rhapsody in a musical way to define a narrative, story-like quality he insisted he found in the original gypsy songs that form the basis of his Hungarian Rhapsodies.  Bohemia’s most famous musical son, Antonin Dvorak, rounds out the program with his well-known Slavonic Dance No. 2 and the Cello Concerto in E minor - works that owe their genesis to the rhythms of the Slavonic language and Dvorak’s fierce national pride.

Steven Page joins Ontario Philharmonic Strings for an evening of songs spanning his entire 30-year career, arranged for chamber orchestra in this Benefit Concert. 

Featuring some of his most popular compositions from his time as co-founder, lead singer and songwriter for Barenaked Ladies, including “Jane,” “Call and Answer” and “Brian Wilson,” alongside newer pieces from his most recent solo albums Page One and Heal Thyself Pt. I: Instinct, reimagined orchestrally.

Steven will be joined by Kevin Fox on cello and vocals and by Craig Northey of Canadian rock icons Odds on guitar and vocals.