Peterborough Symphony Orchestra Awarded Vida Peene Orchestra Award

The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra will be awarded the Vida Peene Orchestra Award by The Ontario Arts Council at their concert on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra.

The juried award is named after Vida Peene, a Hamilton-based arts patron and is given out every two years.

This year the PSO was selected, and will receive $5,000.

The Vida Peene Orchestra Award will be presented to The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra during their “As the Sun Rises” concert on Saturday.

The concert takes place at Showplace Performance Centre at 2:30 p.m. There will be a second performance of “As the Sun Rises” at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available online at tickets.showplace.org or at The Showplace Box Office.

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Alice Cooper Rocks the Peterborough Memorial Centre With Energetic Performance

The “Godfather of Shock Rock” Alice Cooper had a packed audience on their feet at the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) with a lively rock performance Sunday night.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee made a stop in Peterborough as part of his 2022 “Monsters of Rock Cruise” spring tour as special guests Buckcherry with Ace Frehley opened the show.

“We’re going to bring it. It’s going to be a show like you’ve never seen,” said Cooper in a past interview with PTBOCanada. “Everybody walks out of there with fake blood on them, glitter, confetti or streamers.”

Cooper dazzled the audience with several fan-favourite hit songs such as School’s Out, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Billion Dollar Babies, Poison, Hey Stoopid and more.

He last played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Oct. 3, 2004, with a 23-song setlist. His prior performance since that year was on Dec. 29, 1989.

@ptbo_canada @Alice Cooper performs an awesome show at the Peterborough Memorial Centre since his last appearance in 2004! #ptbo #ptbocanada #alicecooper #rockstar #rock #pmc #peterborough #music #rockshow #concert #schoolsout #nomoremrniceguy #heystoopid #billiondollarbabies ♬ Hey Stoopid (Live) - Alice Cooper

Cooper was scheduled to play in Peterborough at the PMC in 2020, on the “Ol’ Black Eyes is Back” tour but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Peterborough Singers Pay Tribute To Those Affected By The War In Ukraine

The Peterborough Singers paid tribute to those affected by the war in Ukraine by learning and singing their national anthem after rehearsal on March 8.

“The Ukraine situation is ripping us all to pieces. What is to be done? Donate to the Red Cross? Buy sunflowers from East City Flower Shop? Join a protest march? Words fail us. But for a choir, in times of tragedy and sadness, there is the option of singing. So, we did,” said Music Director Syd Birrell.

While formally known as the ‘State Anthem of Ukraine’, it also goes by its native title ‘Shche ne vmerla Ukrainy’, which translates into English as ‘Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished’.

A translation of Ukraines national anthem scrolls the bottom of the screen as the choir sings.

“The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished
Luck will still smile on us brother-Ukrainians.
Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine,
and we, too, brothers, we'll live happily in our land.

We’ll not spare either our souls or bodies to get freedom
and we’ll prove that we brothers are of Kozak kin.”

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Alice Cooper Speaks Ahead of His Peterborough Memorial Centre Concert on March 27

Alice Cooper ahead of his concert at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on March 27 with Buckcherry, speaks with PTBOCanada about the last few years and his upcoming concert in Peterborough.

Get your tickets at www.memorialcentre.ca!

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The Verandah Sessions – Songs From The Verandah Society Album Now Available To Download

4th Line Theatre has announced the release of a new album – The Verandah Sessions, comprised of songs from The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line Theatre created by Megan Murphy and Kate Suhr.

The album cover design was created by Jennifer Moher.

The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line Theatre had its world premiere at 4th Line Theatre in the summer of 2021. The play was first developed as a way for Murphy and Suhr to connect with and perform for people during the pandemic, as they traveled around the region to perform on people’s porches, verandahs, and backyards.

“I am really excited for everyone to hear Kate’s transcendent songs, which she created for last summer’s production of The Verandah Society at 4th Line Theatre,” said Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “For those who were not able to see the show, Kate’s songs will give you a real sense of the beauty of the work. And for those lucky enough to see the production, this music with transport you back."

"It was an unbelievable gift to be able to create art with my dear friend Megan Murphy at the Winslow farm this past summer,” said Kate Suhr. “After immersing myself in Meg's inspirational stories and then spending time with my own thoughts and feelings surrounding the last few years - 4 new songs were born. I am truly thankful for 4th Line Theatre's generosity and continuous support. I am also indebted to the incomparable Saskia Tomkins and James McKenty for embracing my music and breathing life into everything I was hoping to convey. Without all of these wonderful people, this recording, and these songs would never have seen the light of day. I am humbled and I am grateful."

The album is available for download on Bandcamp and Apple Music.

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Hometown PTBO: Jason Dunn on Road Stories and Interactions With Other Celebrities On Tour

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with former Hawk Nelson frontman Jason Dunn about his tour stories and interesting interactions with celebrities on set.

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Hometown PTBO: Neil Sanderson of Three Days Grace on the Release of the Band's New Album

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson about attending Adam Scott, the band's new album Explosions and some of his tour stories.

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Peterborough Musicfest Seeking New Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Peterborough Musicfest is looking to hire a new marketing and communications coordinator for a year-round position announced on Wednesday.

File Photo.

The position will consist of 35-varying hour work weeks with evenings and weekends required through July and August.

Please send a cover letter and resume via email Tracey Randall, General Manager at info@ptbomusicfest.ca with the subject: Marketing & Communications Coordinator.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 16. The hired applicant will start immediately.

For more details on qualifications and duties, click here.

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Hometown PTBO: Greg Wells About Supporting Musicians With the Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with record producer, songwriter and musician Greg Wells about the Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective, growing up in Peterborough and catching up on his life in Los Angeles.

Wells will be working alongside famous artists such as Josh Groban, Ryan Tedder and Adam Lambert.

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Peterborough Musician Releases New Song While Recovering From Severe Chronic Illness

Peterborough based musician, Paul L. Clark, released his new song ‘The Purgatory Blues’ on Monday.

While sitting on the edge of a hospital bed at 3 a.m., physically and mentally drained as he recovered from a severe chronic illness that left him gaunt and exhausted, and brought him to the brink of death, Clark had what he calls an epiphany.

“I kept hearing an earworm. I smiled as I realized what I was hearing wasn’t any existing music. I buzzed my nurse and asked for a piece of paper and a pen and the words that fit the tune in my head poured out of me. The entire song flowed out all in one shot,” he said.

Clark says he soon found - or was found by - people that could help him.

One of those people was Don Skuce, the longtime owner of Ed’s Music Workshop in Peterborough. Clark met Skuce at a weekly breakfast that saw a number of musicians get together to swap tales over eggs and bacon.

Both were ill, Skuce in the final stages of a tough battle with cancer and Clark on the cusp of his own debilitating illness.

“It was obvious that both of us were rapidly losing weight but our dark humour begged us to ask the question ‘So who is going to die first?’ We’d laugh and often I told him ‘The devil doesn’t want me and the Lord won’t take you, so what are we going to do.’”

Skuce passed in June 2018 but Clark’s memory of their special relationship never faded. When he found himself critically ill facing his own death, Clark discovered strength in their bond. But more to the point, the poignant words he shared with his friend never left his head, eventually forming the basis of one very special song.

Back home recuperating, Clark brought ‘The Purgatory Blues’ to life.

After recording his percussion tracks, he enlisted some of his favourite musicians - vocalists Bridget Foley and Lindsay Barr, guitarist Brandon Humphrey, and bassist Rob Foreman – to round out what he had been hearing in his head.

They recorded The Purgatory Blues under the name The Smirky Waters Band.

The result is a piece that unites elements of R&B, soul-jazz and reggae that deny it being buttonholed into any particular identified music genre.

“I don’t write and play genres…I write and play moods,” said Clark. “I’ve learned to go with the flow as opposed to thinking so much you wreck it. Surpass any fears or nervousness. When you trust, you’re on a different foundation and it takes you to another level. The verses are what I learned - laugh at the noise, your dreams know the way. The Purgatory Blues is a very personal piece that pays homage to my friendship with Don and each of my fellow travelers.”

To purchase the studio version of The Purgatory Blues by The Smirky Waters Band from any one of a number of major distribution platforms, visit https://songwhip.com/the-smirky-waters-band/the-purgatory-blues.

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