Sooke Philharmonic: onwards in 2010

Published in MapleLine online: Jan.20, 2010

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Story by Mary P. Brooke | Photo by Bill Needoba

Music lofted from the Sooke Hills many years ago from regular Saturday night soirees. And from this humble yet exotic beginning evolved the Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) started by Norman Nelson (the group’s maestro) in 1997, who attended one of the soirees held at people’s homes in the hills, and was taken by the devotion of musical players who by day were regular Sooke folks.

Himself a master violinist with illustrious credentials including assistant concertmaster with the Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Philharmonia and the London Symphony, Nelson has been concertmaster of the Vancouver Symphony and created his own internationally acclaimed Purcell String Quartet. He held a professorship in violin and chamber music at the University of Alberta. Now 78, Nelson has attracted talented active and retired musicians to make music. The full orchestra consists of 65 to 70 players plus the Sooke Philharmonic Chorus.

“We now play three venues on a regular basis,” said the conductor and music director: Sooke Community Theatre, Alix Goolden Hall (Victoria) and New St. Mary’s Church (Metchosin). “We have built a following in Victoria by leaps and bounds,” says the eloquent Irishman who pores over orchestral scores at bedtime.

Nelson especially enjoys the Sooke performances, in particular the annual Summer Fling (held in July at Ed Macgregor Park by the Sooke Harbour). 2010 will see the ninth such event, partial costs of which are now generously underwritten by Brian Butler and the Butler family that has operated Butler Brothers (a concrete supply company) since the 1940s. The District of Sooke in 2009 funded the construction of a permanent covered performance stage in Ed Macgregor Park (made to specs provided by Norman Nelson), which for the orchestra and many groups eliminates the trouble and cost of setting up tents.

“No symphony covers its costs with concert ticket sales,” says Nelson. And with the 2009 recession, tickets sales are down 10%. The Sooke Philharmonic Society (SPS) accepts volunteer support and donations. The primary benefactor listed at www.sookephil.ca is Butler Brothers Supplies Ltd. with Long & McQuade and RE/MAX Victoria as principal sponsors. The list of 28 patrons reads like a “who’s who” of local companies and well-known individuals. Five smaller companies are supporters. Creative fundraising for 2009-2010 includes Musical Chairs (‘adopt’ conductor, players or instruments by donation).

Many BC Gaming grants were cancelled in 2009 but some groups had their 3-year grants reinstated. The annual $17,000 grant will arrive (as promised for 2010) to the SPS whose president this season is David Lintern (past-president is Sue Hyslop). There are also some small grants from a foundation in Victoria, says Nelson, plus “the fairy godmother”, that being the Don Chrysler Foundation.

There are six SPO concert sets each year, with the first in the fall featuring a youth player from the Victoria region who has won the Sooke Philharmonic Society’s annual adjudicated Concerto Competition.

Coming Feb. 6 and 7 is the Mozart chamber concert set. “I love Mozart,” gushed Nelson, who muses about the infamous composer, “If he’d lived another 10 years he would have outdone Beethoven.” Mozart’s music is about joy: “Within 10 minutes you’ve forgotten everything and you’re in a good mood.” MM

The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra has a Mozart concert coming up in Sooke, on Sat. February 6, 2010 at 8 pm. www.sookephil.ca

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This article will be published on page 21 in the print edition of MapleLine Magazine (Winter-Spring 2010 issue / Feb-Apr.2010).