Season 16!!

Members of Definitely Not the Symphony (DNTS) are tuning up for the beginning of a 16th season of music-making.  Led by conductors Marti Hopson and Lucy Morkunas, DNTS is an eclectic group of music enthusiasts who gather to play instrumental pieces on a regular basis.  We are 'the all-comers orchestra'.  We are recruiting people interested in string, percussion and wind instruments and welcome all ages and musical abilities.  Always wanted to learn a new instrument or brush up on your skills?  Consider joining our group!  The aim is to enjoy making music together, learn, and have fun!

The new season will begin on Saturday, September 7, 2024 with the orchestra meeting weekly on Saturday mornings (September to June) at the Benevolent Irish Society (BIS) located at 582 North River Road in Charlottetown.

Contact DNTSStratford@gmail.com for more information or find us on Facebook @DNTSPEI

 

DNTS Begins 13th Season

  

Members of Definitely Not the Symphony continue to make music together under the direction of our new conductor, Marti Hopson, and assistant conductor, Tim Fitzpatrick.  

Practices were suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 lockdown, however, we were able to re-assemble in October 2020 to begin practices once again while following mandated Covid protocols.  A new location for practices had to be found.  We were able to rent space at the Jack Blanchard Centre at 7 Pond Street in Charlottetown.

DNTS will begin its 13th season on Saturday, September 18, 2021.  Due to space restrictions and the high number of returning musicians, we regret that we are unable to welcome any more new members at this time.  However, DNTS is currently looking to replace the percussionist for the orchestra as our previous drummer is now playing the double bass.  If you are interested please contact us .

CBC Mainstreet Interview

On Thursday, April 16th, the following interview with DNTS founder, Jenny Likely, and co-conductor, Liam Payne, aired on CBC Radio Mainstreet.  The actual interview regarding the orchestra's search for a new conductor took place in March before the COVID-19 social distancing policy went into effect.   The deadline for expressions of interest in the conductor position was March 31st.  

CBC Radio Mainstreet Interview by Matt Rainnie  


To learn even more about DNTS please visit us on Facebook or contact Chris (Second Violin) at 902-569-3818.

Workshop and Practices - CANCELLED

Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, today's scheduled workshop was cancelled.  Additionally, all regular Saturday practices at Andrews of Stratford have been suspended until further notice.

Workshop Day

Please note that there will be no DNTS rehearsal at Andrews of Stratford on Saturday, March 14th due to the annual orchestra workshop taking place at the Cotton Centre in Stratford.

Saturday rehearsals will resume on Saturday, March 21st at Andrews.

Passing on the Baton

The baton raps the music stand three times and Jan (Conductor) asks Susan (First Violin) to play an A.  And the practice begins.

This is how Definitely Not the Symphony (DNTS) usually begins its weekly practices. 

DNTS,  however, is looking for a new Music Director/Conductor.  Jan, who has been with the orchestra since its creation is planning on enjoying a well-deserved retirement from the orchestra and Liam, who began playing with the orchestra when he was still in junior high school, and has co-conducted for the past three and a half years is about to pursue graduate studies off-island. They will both be leaving the orchestra at the end of June this year.  

DNTS celebrated its tenth anniversary last year and over that time the orchestra has tackled over 60 pieces of music. There are current members who started learning to play the recorder who are now playing the flute and violin.  

We have orchestral instruments such as violin, cello, flute, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, and percussion. But we also have some unconventional instruments not normally found in an orchestra including: celtic harp, recorders, alto saxophone, keyboard, electric bass guitar, and acoustic guitars.

We have performed for cruise ships, the Superstore at Christmas, and Stratford City Hall, but mostly  given concerts for the staff and residents of Andrews of Stratford who welcome us into their Activities Room every week and allow us to practice.  

We have made a quilt, a musical travelogue and a soundscape composition and played kazoos in unison! We know each other by our instruments such as Ken (Flute) and Carol (Harp).

There has been the happiness of discovering that we could play something together, and sometimes disagreements about how this should be done. There has been moaning about having 37 bars of rests and anxiety about the challenges presented by a particular piece of music but there has always been mutual support and joy in playing music together.  

There have been high school and university graduations, three weddings, five new babies, several new grandchildren, retirements, some great parties and plenty of laughter.  

Some members have moved away, some have moved on, and some sadly have passed away but through all that there has been the musical oasis of DNTS every Saturday morning and the community that surrounds it.

We have played terribly and we have played well but we have always tried our best to learn and improve. The joy that music brings continues to hold us together and to now look for a replacement conductor to share our community with.

The deadline for expressions of interest in the Music Director/Conductor position is 31st March 2020 and may be submitted to Chris at dntsstratford@gmail.com.

If expressing interest please include a few words on what it is that interests you about the role and what experience you have that may be helpful in this position. We hope that you will want to join us and help keep this community alive.

To learn even more about DNTS please visit us on Facebook or contact Chris (Second Violin) at 902-569-3818.

10 Years and Still Going Strong...

In the spring of 2019, Definitely Not the Symphony celebrated its tenth year making music together.  A concert celebration was held in June 2019 at Andrews of Stratford.  That concert was a musical retrospective of where we started and how far we've come, beginning with some of the simpler pieces we have mastered and concluding with longer more complicated compositions that challenged us.

We are proud of the longevity this group has had and how many of our original members are still with us.  We've learned and grown together and owe so much to our co-conductors, Jan Gomersall and Liam Payne, for supporting our growth as musicians and creating a real sense of community within the group by holding workshop days; providing time for individual and small group showcases; creating an original soundscape piece; and special concert themes, one of which resulted in the design and creation of a quilt and another for which we created an accompanying slideshow of pictures from around the world.  We look forward to many more years of music and fellowship!

Paula (Guitar) Gauthier and DNTS co-conductor, Liam Payne