Watch above: One of the country’s oldest orchestras is ushering in a new maestro. Joel Senick finds out who will lead the Saskatoon Symphonic Orchestra into the next number of years.
SASKATOON – The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (SSO) introduced Eric Paetkau as its new music director Wednesday evening at the Persephone Theatre. Paetkau takes over for Victor Sawa, who is leaving the orchestra after a five year stint as its maestro.
“My goal for the Saskatoon symphony is for it to realize its full potential,” said Paetkeu after the formal announcement.
“I always strive for the highest artistic excellence and that can seem very vague but it’s not. I take that incredibly seriously and that’s my whole reason of being a musician,” he added.
Paetkau, 43, is a Juno award nominee who founded his own orchestra in Toronto and has conducted symphonies across Canada. Members of the SSO front office say they hope he will lead the group into a new era.
“He is an exceptional musician, but he’s a regular guy,” said Mark Turner, the SSO’s general manager.
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“You’re going to see him out on his bike, you’re going to see him at the farmers market and then you’re going to see him in his tux on stage.”
Watch below: Meet Eric Paetkau, the new music director for the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra
Paetkau will live in Saskatoon during his time with the SSO, which was a sticking point in the hiring process, according to Turner.
“We haven’t had a conductor who’s lived in town for a very long time,” said Turner.
“To have someone who’s here makes a big difference, not only because you get to run into them at the grocery store or at Persephone when you’re out for a show, but that also impacts the musicians … you have a consistency of someone conducting regular concerts, working with them on a regular basis.”
Paetkau replaces Sawa, who leaves the SSO in a better place then he found it, according to many close to the group. He became music director in 2010, two years after a defamation lawsuit was filed by Douglas Sanford, the orchestra’s former conductor, against a number of players.
Sawa has said he worked to brighten the mood within the orchestra and audience.
“You got to have a good time doing this or else why are you doing this for, you shouldn’t have a bad time doing this, so enjoy yourselves,” said Sawa to Global News in an interview last year.
READ MORE: Victor Sawa leaving as music director of the SSO
Even though Paetkau was officially announced as the music director Wednesday night, he said he has been working for months with Turner on programming for next season.
“There’s some great, exciting times ahead and like I said before, I am honoured to be a part of it,” said Paetkau.
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