Mary Winspear Centre Presents Classical Spring 2025
JS Bach Long Walk in the Snow
Sunday, March 9 
Doors 1:30pm Show 2:00pm

Series Ticket $120
Single Ticket $47.00

Johann Sebastian Bach is usually seen as the wise, old man of Western Music, but he didn’t begin his working life that way.  At 18, and in his first job as an organist, still barely beginning life as a composer but already a spectacular performer, the young genius got into such trouble that the only thing he could do was to walk away. JS Bach’s Long Walk in the Snow takes you along on that trip: a 400 km odyssey to a glittering northern port city with street fights, big business, insight, fulfillment, the father figure he didn’t know he needed and, quite possibly, love.  With glorious music – both familiar and gripping – from Lori and Tom and a various cast of brilliant musical friends, JS Bach’s Long Walk in the Snow brings that troubled young man in from the cold.

"Classical" Spring 2025
Join us this spring 2025 for a curated collection of three performances that showcase the diversity of classical music, some even pressing on the boundaries of what we might think of as classical.

We begin in March with storyteller Tom Allen's chamber musical "JS Bach's Long Walk in the Snow", an evocative telling of a 400km tale Johann Sebastian Bach took as a teenager, with music drawn both from Bach's own works and also the music he would have heard on his travels. You may already be familiar with Tom Allen as a presenter on CBC Music, and be assured that his storytelling is just as thrilling in person, if not more.

Next we welcome the Penderecki String Quartet, one of the most celebrated chamber ensembles of their generation. To this day, they are devoted champions of the music of our time, having premiered over 100 new works from composers in Canada and abroad. The four Penderecki musicians (now originating from Poland, Canada, and USA) bring their varied yet collective experience to create performances that demonstrate their “remarkable range of technical excellence and emotional sweep” (Toronto, Globe and Mail).

And then in April, please join us for virtuosic showpieces and romantic ballads, blazing Romani tunes and forgotten chestnuts, all brought to life with multi-instrument mastery: this is Quartetto Gelato - a popular and highly unusual classical quartet. This dazzling ensemble has enchanted audiences and critics worldwide with their passion, humour, and stage presence. In short, Quartetto Gelato is a unique ensemble that stands out in the classical crossover genre, offering an energetic and highly entertaining blend of musical styles that appeal to a wide range of music lovers.

Just as you'll certainly enjoy one of these concerts, we expect you'll enjoy all three. Whether you're a lifelong fan of classical music or just starting to explore its depths, you'll appreciate the way each concert enriches your experience of the next - and you'll also enjoy the savings! Buy tickets to all three concerts today, and you'll save 15% on tickets!