"People want to experience something special. They want to be at special events that after it's over, they feel moved or swayed in significant ways," begins Symphony conductor Lorenzo Guggenheim.
"That's why we titled this season Experience Emotion. It’s not just about listening to music - going to a concert is part of being a larger experience. I believe that."
So begins my conversation with Guggenheim, music director and conductor for the Oakville Symphony (OS). Next week, the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts will come alive in dazzling harmony as the OS opens their 2024/25 season, their 57th since first taking the stage in the late 60s.
Lorenzo is brimming with excitement about their concert series for this year, which they've titled Experience Emotion. He says the literal experience of hearing live music and the feeling of communal music are what local audiences should be getting excited about.
"People have access to so much entertainment at home, and that ability has changed things," he says.
"But the larger experience of hearing live music, especially in the rare case of a full orchestra, is something special. That’s why we have 80 musicians on stage. Those things matter."
With the intimacy of the (almost) 500 seat Oakville Centre, Guggenheim points out Oakville's theatre has just the right level of intimacy to experience the grandeur and, yes, emotions, of seeing the music live and in person.
Their opening show of the 2024/25 season plays next weekend, on Nov. 2 and 3, 2024. It's the first of four concerts they'll play in their main subscription season:
- Majestic, playing Nov. 2 and 3
- Passionate, playing Feb. 1 and 2, 2025
- Fearless, playing April 5 and 6, 2025
- Vibrant, playing May 3 and 4, 2025
They'll also play a fifth set of shows, their annual family Holiday Concert, with two performances on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (That concert is a joint performance with the Oakville Youth Symphony (OSYO) and the Oakville Choir for Children and Youth.)
"The main goal with us to connect with our audiences," he continues. "I mean really connect - we’re trying to create a channel of communication with our audiences, which is playing this music. And that’s not just the technical aspect. These works are an opportunity to connect with something and create these unique moments."
Guggenheim was first a guest conductor with the Oakville symphony in 2021, before being named the new permanent director in 2022. This year will be his third season of programming with the OS.
Read more here: New Oakville Symphony music director announced
"When we're planning full seasons, we like to think of things that are varied," he explains. "With the full season, we get to have four unique opportunities to share these ideas and our range of emotions."
He's quick to point out too: "It’s not just classical music!", and that's true. Their February show has a focus on love themes, including Pops selections by John Williams. And their closing concert in May has a connection to dance and vocal music, too.
Why program such a variety of styles and genres? Simple: Lorenzo wants as many people as possible to feel welcome in the audience, and not inhibited by what they might hear.
"I really hope people feel welcome," he says. "The symphony, and especially the Oakville Symphony, is place for everyone, and a place we hope people who come can feel curious."
"We want to make this an experience for everyone, and we want for people to come as they are. If you’ve never seen a full orchestra playing acoustic instruments, it’s the kind of thing that everyone should experience what that feels like."
"Most of all," he says with a smile, "we do this with love, passion and care for our community."
Tickets for the OS opening concert "Majestic" and the full 2024/25 subscription season are on sale now with the Oakville Centre.