Stratford Symphony Orchestra celebrates 20 seasons with double-bass legend Joel Quarrington

Renowned double-bass player Joel Quarrington is thrilled to celebrate the Stratford Symphony Orchestra's 20th anniversary with the Stratford community.

The Stratford Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is celebrating a huge milestone by performing with a legend.

Double-bass player Joel Quarrington will accompany SSO music director and conductor William Rowson in-concert at Avondale United Church Nov. 16. 

“Well, anytime a double-bass player gets asked to solo with an orchestra is a special event because double-bass concertos are rarely performed, so it's always a significant event, and the fact that we have two great pieces in the program is remarkable,” Quarrington said. 

“It's very exciting to do this unique concert with the audience in Stratford. It has a great arts background and I’ve played many concerts here. I look forward to returning every time.”

The 20th -season celebration concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. The program will feature works such as Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 and Koussevitzky’s Concerto for Bass, Op. 3. 

“Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, which is a huge piece of orchestral repertoire, it's very famous and celebrated and loved and it will be the first time I will be doing that symphony here,” said Rowson. “It's something that we had wanted to do as a goal, and I can’t wait to share it with everybody. 

“This is the first time that I'll be meeting and working with Joel Quarrington. I'm very excited for this experience. It's a real privilege; I think Joel Quarrington is a legend and I’ve been telling all my friends about this.” 

A.J. Ashley, general manager of Stratford Symphony Orchestra, said he’s very excited to have Quarrington join the Stratford Symphony Orchestra and is looking forward to seeing the double-bass duet featuring Quarrington and Symphony member Dan Armstong during the concert. 

“It’s amazing to spread the joy of music to Stratford and the surrounding area. We have an amazingly talented group of musicians that love sharing their music,” said Ashley. “Watching our audience enjoy our concerts makes me want to ensure that we can continue performing for years to come.”

Tickets for the 20th-season celebration concert are available online at www.StratfordSymphony.ca.