Young Musical Prodigies Take Center Stage with RMSO for Mozart’s Birthday Festival

In a celebration of the legendary composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra (RMSO) is gearing up for a special weekend of classical music from January 26th to 28th. What makes this event truly remarkable is the opportunity it presents for seven exceptionally talented young musicians, aged six to 13, to share the stage with the RMSO.
The Mozart’s Birthday Festival will not only showcase the artistry of solo oboe Aidan Dugan but also feature the winners of the Concerto Competition held by the RMSO in partnership with the Mountain View Festival last November.
During the competition, children between the ages of six and 13 had the privilege of performing alongside a string quartet comprised of RMSO musicians. The goal was to offer these young musicians a chance to shine on stage with the RMSO in January.
However, instead of limiting the spotlight to just the competition finalists, the Mountain View Festival decided to extend the opportunity to all the talented young participants. This decision underscores the commitment to nurturing budding musical talent and providing them with valuable performance experiences.
Jennifer Harbour, Executive Director of RMSO, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “It’s a very exciting thing because what it is doing is giving opportunities to children. And this January, all the music that is being performed by the Rocky Mountains Symphony Orchestra is Mozart. We’re celebrating Mozart’s birthday.”
In a reciprocal gesture, the Mountain View Festival has become the proud sponsor of the RMSO concert series, Mozart’s Birthday Festival.
The competition finalists will take center stage during the Friday and Saturday concerts, performing alongside the RMSO in a program that includes larger symphonies and an oboe concerto.
Harbour elaborated, “We have a full orchestra on the stage with these children playing on a beautiful Steinway piano center stage. Then on the Sunday, the string quartet, known as the Prosecco string quartet, will perform with four of the young concerto competition musicians.”
Over the course of these three concerts, a total of 11 Mozart compositions will be performed. Friday and Saturday will feature two piano concertos each, while Sunday’s program includes four piano concertos.
The Polaris Centre, with a seating capacity of 210, is the venue for this musical extravaganza. Harbour hopes to see ticket sales pick up as the event draws closer.
With families and friends of the young musicians already purchasing their tickets, Harbour encourages everyone to secure their seats promptly to get the best views of these budding talents.
“We’d love to see that theater full, especially supporting these young amateur artists who are performing with professional musicians, and for some of them, it might be their first opportunity playing with a full orchestra as well,” she said.
Ms. Harbour emphasized that the partnership with the Rocky Mountain Festival is a significant collaboration that promotes opportunities in arts and culture for young musicians.
“This event is not to be missed,” she emphasized. “It’s going to be a fantastic cultural experience.”
She also noted that the RMSO offers an excellent opportunity for rural residents to enjoy a night of beautiful classical music.
For those interested, individual tickets and weekend passes can be purchased on the RMSO website at www.rockymountainsymphony.ca/mozart. Don’t miss this chance to witness the incredible talent of these young musicians and celebrate the timeless genius of Mozart.