MCO welcomes Ehnes home

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This article was published 12/05/2023 (1233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon native James Ehnes makes a return to his home province next week as part of Manitoba Chamber Orchestra’s spring programming. The two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist, who ranks among the top 10 living violinists in the world, will perform Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5.

Ehnes had begun violin lessons at four and became a protegé of Canadian violinist Frances Chaplain by nine. He was only a teenager when he started performing as a soloist with several major orchestras including the MCO. Ehnes, who now lives in Florida, has also won 11 Junos throughout his career.

The concerts, conducted by Anne Manson, also feature music by Shostakovich and a première of Larry Strachan’s “calypso infused” J’Ouvert Morning, which pays homage to his parents’ Carnival experience in Grenada.

The shows — both in person, not streamed — take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Crescent Arts Centre, 525 Wardlaw Ave. Tickets are $36 at themco.ca.

Country’s Clark and Brandt on tour

Canadian country stars Terri Clark and Paul Brandt are joining musical forces for a cross-Canada acoustic tour that stops at the Burton Cummings Theatre Nov. 3.

Tickets go on sale May 18 at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.ca; however, there are fan-club presales scheduled for May 16 and May 17. Prices were not announced.

The Alberta artists — Clark grew up in Medicine Hat; Brandt in Airdrie — are two of Canada’s most decorated country performers. Clark is a three-time Juno Award winner who in 2004 became the first Canadian woman to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

She will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame on May 18.

Brandt is a six-time Juno winner and Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer. He earned the Slaight Music Humanitarian of the Year award in 2019 for his efforts to end human trafficking.