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Calgary Herald

Ford: Singing the praises of the underappreciated Calgary Civic Symphony

(Caution: the following contains effusive praise, unbridled admiration and lacks the usual biting criticism. Reader discretion is advised.) Article content Very little is new at my age. 'Been there, done that' is my usual response. But when something new and shiny unfolds before one's eyes and ears, it's magic. Article content Article content It happened two Sundays ago, and the charm and its music still lingers — the youthful appeal of the soloists, the music they played and the accompanying symphony orchestra. Article content Article content This collection of musicians is one of the true gems of Calgary and something too few people know about. (I hesitate to say too few people care, but how can one care about something largely unknown by the general public?) Article content Article content The Calgary Civic Symphony, led by Rolf Bertsch, the music director and conductor of this professional but amateur collection of artists, performs five Sunday afternoon concerts at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. ('Amateur' has come to be a pejorative word, but for these musicians, it merely means they aren't paid for their performances, which are up to the standard of any 'professional' symphony.) Article content Bertsch, the ebullient conductor, has an international reputation and led the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for almost three decades. In his 'spare' time he was the pianist for the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, and was pianist and principal conductor for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Article content Article content These days, you'll find him at Mount Royal University Conservatory. Article content The Sunday program I was privileged to attend was the annual Rising Stars performance of the orchestra, featuring solos from the four young winners of the 2025 Rotary Calgary Concerto Competition: pianists Charlotte Giraudeau, 16; Coco Zhang, 17; Oscar Hanqi Zhang, 14; and cellist Aaron Janse-Deng, 15. Article content I'm not usually given to positive and uplifting opinions, but this concert of classical standards blew me away, especially the featured young people. To say they were amazing is not strong enough praise for their talent and hard work. (Having spent many childhood years practising the piano, it boggles my mind to consider the hours these young people have devoted to honing their natural talent. It also explains why I have a piano but don't play, yet am quick to appreciate those who can and do.)