Behind the scenes of ‘November 1963'
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CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra wants public to participate in 2-year search for new artistic director
Social Sharing The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO) is embarking on a two-year journey in search of a new artistic director, and wants members of the public to "sound off" in the process. Executive director and general manager Ryleigh Dupuis says TBSO has already completed a number of steps in the process, including the selection of nine are: Evan Mitchell. Geneviève Leclair. Alexander Prior. Benoit Gauthier. Martin MacDonald. William Rowson. Francisco Hernández Bolaños. Trevor Wilson. Jaelem Bhate. Mitchell has been serving as music director since 2024. The TBSO says artistic director is a new position reflecting a broader, community-focused vision for the orchestra's next chapter. Beginning in October, each finalist will conduct a "masterworks performance" with the TBSO, offering audiences a unique opportunity to experience their artistry first hand and participate in the selection as part of a community-engaged audition process. "We really think that it's important that our community sounds off on what we're doing and that they're engaged in this process with us," Dupuis said on Superior Morning. Before each concert, the symphony will host a question and answer session for people to ask potential candidates questions directly. "There'll be some surveys involved and a little bit of social media questions, and just really trying to get as much feedback as we can about the person that we want to come and be our artistic leader," added Dupuis. In addition to the concerts, Dupuis said, the next two years will include public events and educational opportunities so members of the public can participate fully in the journey and help shape the future of the orchestra. "We are a performing arts organization, but we're the only professional orchestra between Toronto and Winnipeg, and we have 30 musicians here that are performing a service in our community and we want our community to feel like that means something, and that they're part of that experience." 'A really incredible group of people' While acknowledging that two years is a long time, Dupuis is not worried about the finalists losing interest. "I think they will remain interested. We have a really incredible group of people … and this is a group of people who, individually, are excellent," she said. "They're really committed to orchestral music in Canada and the community of that, and I think that's why I'm confident they will remain interested." Orchestras Canada — the national association for Canadian orchestras — has welcomed the process TBSO is using in hiring a new artistic director. "Canadian orchestras are often named after the communities in which they work and play, serving as anchors of a vibrant cultural life," Lauren Drew, director of operations and member services, wrote in an email to CBC News. "It's exciting to see Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra welcome its community into their search for artistic leadership — they're building reciprocity and exchange into the process, identifying it as a priority." The TBSO says more details about the masterworks series and the appearance schedule of each candidate will be announced in the coming weeks on social media as part of its season programming.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Stampede will 'evaluate' which artists it books for free shows amid crowd safety concerns
Social Sharing The Calgary Stampede will be "evaluating" which artists it books for free concerts at the Coca-Cola Stage following concerns around overcrowding. The stage, which offers free outdoor concerts headlined by up-and-coming local artists and international stars, was subject to questions around its choice of talent when a crowd crush reportedly occurred during a performance by hip-hop superstar Don Toliver on July 8. During a media availability on Sunday, Calgary Stampede CEO Joel Cowley said the safety of attendees is "at the very, very top of our list" as the organization moves forward. "Going into 2026, one of our focal points will be continuing to evolve the Coke Stage, because we want our guests there to be comfortable, and feel safe and secure," he said. Cowley pointed to two shows in particular — those headlined by Toliver and R&B singer Khalid — as drawing the largest crowds. "We had two very large, high-volume nights this last week, and we know that some of our guests did not feel comfortable, so we will continue to evaluate that," he said. Kerrie Blizard, the Calgary Stampede's director of public safety, said during a media availability last week following the Toliver concert that she thought it "was a great success" based on attendance and audience feedback. WATCH: Stampede incidents lead to safety concerns: Three stabbings and reported crowd crushing in one night at the Calgary Stampede 5 days ago Duration 2:07 Police say multiple assaults on the midway Tuesday night at the Calgary Stampede are not believed to be random, but no suspects have been arrested. Across the grounds, concertgoers recount feelings of being crushed and trapped in the audience at a concert by American rapper Don Toliver. The CBC's Acton Clarkin reports. Cowley pointed to preparations put in place ahead of those concerts, including alternate viewing locations being set up with livestreams of the shows — which he acknowledged were poorly attended by concertgoers — and collaborations with the Calgary Police Service, which put out a statement ahead of the Toliver concert to offer safety tips. "We also have to evaluate which artists we place on that stage," he said. "We know these high-demand artists, those that draw a younger crowd, tend to be a little less ruly than, say, a classic rock band that goes there, and so all of those things will be evaluated." Admission to concerts at the Coca-Cola Stage are included with admission to the Calgary Stampede. There are no age restrictions or attendance limits. Cowley said the organization is looking at adding "additional barriers" to prevent overcrowding toward the front of the stage. He said Stampede staffers will be "travelling to another event" to observe safety measures in place there. "We pride ourselves on being a music festival," he said, pointing to the over 100 acts that took the stage across the Stampede's three major concert venues: the indoor Big Four Roadhouse, Nashville North party tent and Coca-Cola Stage. "There are people who come to Calgary during these 10 days with the sole intent of watching [concerts]," Cowley said. "It's a way you can draw a very diverse audience and share our Western hospitality." Attendance high, but falls short of last year's record According to the Calgary Stampede, 1,470,288 people visited Stampede Park over the course of this year's event. The figure falls short of the attendance record set in 2024 — 1,477,953 visitors — but earns the 113th Calgary Stampede the title of second-most-attended. Stuart O'Connor, president and chair of the Calgary Stampede board, said those numbers reflect the diverse nature of the event. "No matter where you're coming from, and no matter what you're interested in, there is something for everyone during Stampede," he said. The most-attended day this year — and second-most-attended day in Stampede history — was Tuesday, July 8, which offered free admission early in the day, as well as being the date of the controversial Toliver concert. Cowley said the Stampede works to manage its growing crowd sizes in a variety of ways. "We know which days are gonna be more attractive to attend than others," he said. "Those free admission days, we know that we're going to get great attendance on those days," he continued. "The great thing about those is that we require those people to come in free early. They typically don't stay all day." Cowley said the demolition of the Scotiabank Saddledome, which he said happens "hopefully by 2030," will help the Stampede increase attendance and better accommodate larger crowds by adding 11 acres to the park.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Comedian Steph Tolev wants women to feel comfortable farting in front of people
Steph Tolev has a gross sense of humour, but her raunchy jokes about sex and bodily functions are also very real. The Toronto-born comedian says there isn't anything in her first Netflix special, Filth Queen, that didn't actually happen to her. "A lot of weird, gross things normally happen to me, especially in my like sex life," she tells Q guest host Talia Schlanger in an interview. "Like I got choked in a basement. I fooled around with a 65-year-old man. Nothing is made up." For the past 23 years, Tolev has built her career on tackling subjects that others might find embarrassing or shameful. She's out to prove that it's OK for people, especially women, to talk about their bodies openly. "I think when women are together with themselves, they are like this," she says. "I'm just trying to give a voice to people so they can feel more comfortable. And I'm not saying anything that people don't normally say or do. Like, I'm just talking out loud about bodily functions that we all do every day." In one case, Tolev asked a woman in the audience when the last time she farted in front of her husband was. The woman said it had been 50 years. "I was like, 'What is happening? How can you live like this?'" Tolev recalls. WATCH | Official teaser for Filth Queen: But even Tolev feels self-conscious sometimes. She says internet trolls can be particularly cruel to female comedians. "Personally, I'm not that confident," she tells Schlanger. "I still read the comments and sometimes I cry because they're so mean…. But I think when I am on stage, I just feel this, I don't know, this different power, and I feel like I don't feel self-conscious when I'm up there. But the second I get off, I'm still a normal gal." When it comes to her own comedy and crowd work, Tolev is wild but never mean. "I never make fun of anyone's physical appearance because I don't find that funny," she says. "If you've seen a clip of me where I'm coming at somebody kind of hard, it's because they've done something, like they've heckled [or] they've been rude to other comedians. I don't want to upset anybody…. I'm demented in lots of ways, but I'm not mean." The full interview with Steph Tolev is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. She also talks about how she developed her niche and why she had to leave Canada to get her big break. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
