NEWS RELEASE

Immediate (25 July 2009)

Subject / MCO launches 2009/10 season with Western Canada tour

No sooner will the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra open its season on September 9th with percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie in Westminster Church than it will take off for points west &emdash; with the superstar in tow. MCO Music Director and Conductor Anne Manson and the Orchestra will embark on a ten-concert tour with gigs mostly in British Columbia, but with an additional stop in Edmonton and wrapping up back in Manitoba in Brandon September 21st.

The repertoire includes the Piccolo concerto by Antonio Vivaldi, arranged for vibraphone and strings; Jose Evangelista's l'Airs d'Espagne; Joe Duddell's Snowblind, for strings, crotales, vibraphone and marimba; Mirage?by Christos Hatzis, a CBC commission for vibraphone and strings; and Dmitri Shostakovich's 10th string quartet, arranged by Rudolf Barshai.

The cities the group will visit are Kelowna (Kelowna Community Theatre), Mission (ClarkeTheatre), Sechelt (Ravenscry Theatre), Trail (Charles Bailey Theatre), Kamloops (Sagebrush Theatre), Salt Spring (Art Spring Theatre), White Rock (Baptist Church), Vancouver (Chan Centre), Edmonton (Convocation Hall, University of Alberta) and Brandon (Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium).

The Chan Centre concert in Vancouver will be recorded by CBC Radio for national broadcast.

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra explores the section of the repertoire rarely touched by large

symphony orchestras. Established in 1972, the MCO presents an annual nine-concert subscription series in Winnipeg. Co-presentations with CBC Radio have enabled Canadians across the country and fans around the world enjoy the Orchestra in frequent broadcasts and online.

Anne Manson

Anne Manson is recognized throughout the world for her conducting achievements. She was the first woman to conduct at the Salzburg Festival, where she led the Vienna Philharmonic and is one of only three women to have been appointed director of a leading American symphony orchestra. Manson is distinguished by her dynamic podium presence, stylistic versatility, and ability to draw audiences into the inner world of the composer. A reputation for excellence in the central German repertory, combined with a passionate advocacy of music of the present, has led to invitations leading orchestras worldwide. Ms. Manson's opera repertoire ranges from the 17th to the 21st century.

Anne Manson was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the MCO in 2008.

Tour sponsors and supporters

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra gratefully acknowledges the support of the following:

Richardson Foundation

Canada Council for the Arts

Manitoba Arts Council

Province of Manitoba

Gail Asper Family Foundation

LBL Holdings

Unit Y300, Portage Place, 393 Portage Avenue / Winnipeg MB / R3B 3H6

Tel 204 783 7377 / Fax 204 783 7383 / mco@mts.net

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra's 2009/10 season is sponsored by The Great-West Life Assurance Company. Media sponsors:

The Winnipeg Free Press, CBC Radio One 990, CBC Radio Two 98.3, Golden West Radioand Shaw Cable. Chamber Chatternewsletter

sponsor: PricewaterhouseCoopers. Heartstrings gala sponsor: Mann Financial Assurance.