A Legacy of Impact: Help Endow a Healthy Future for the WSO

Greetings, Jan Kocman here.

As you may already know, I retired from my position as the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Flutist in May 2025. I performed in this position for over 50 years and for all those years I made Winnipeg my home. I know there aren’t too many people who have worked in the same role for as long as I did, but I’m sure anyone who has would agree that at a certain point, it becomes more than just a job. I did not stay in Winnipeg for just a job – but rather for achieving an artistic life which was so positive and gratifying. Being part of our orchestra became a part of my identity. I believe the WSO is truly a great orchestra, a valuable cultural institution not only in Winnipeg, but in all of Canada, and I would not have dedicated so much of my life to it if I felt any other way.

The WSO has an amazing history, but it’s something that perhaps not too many people know about, even in Winnipeg. We’ve played Carnegie Hall twice and made award-winning recordings that have been distributed around the globe, including our JUNO award-winning recording of Vincent Ho’s The Shaman & Arctic Symphony. We played at the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1999 Pan Am Games, at the opening of Portage Place Mall and in the brutal cold of January on the frozen Red River. And let’s not forget our many outstanding performances with the Manitoba Opera and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Also, our New Music Festival, conceived by Bramwell Tovey and Glen Buhr, has been a groundbreaking event for decades. As a member of the WSO, I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside some phenomenally talented individuals, like the world-famous pianist, Emanuel Ax; the equally renowned violinist, Itzhak Perlman; opera superstars Maureen Forrester and Renee Fleming and, an especially memorable performance during my first season with the WSO with, at the time, the world’s foremost flute soloist, Jean-Pierre Rampal. And while these performances all hold a special place in my memory, what I will treasure most is my time performing with my colleagues in the woodwind section and, of course, with the complete complement of the WSO musicians.

I joined the WSO in the fall of 1974, following a successful audition with the then-Music Director, Piero Gamba. Something that has been around even longer than myself is the WSO’s endowment fund, which was created in 1959 and was the first agency fund of its kind at The Winnipeg Foundation. I’ve seen a lot of change during my time with the WSO. We produced outstanding artistic performances and memorable emotional experiences for our audiences, and we have also weathered some very difficult times financially. And while I have witnessed tremendous progress over my 51 years with the orchestra, unfortunately the endowment fund has not had a comparable level of growth. As a result of those tough financial times, the WSO musicians have had to accept several pay cuts over the years, which made it harder for us to attract and retain talent. Had the endowment fund been larger, those tough times may not have been so difficult.

The WSO’s endowment fund is set up so that donations received are invested to generate income. Each year a portion of the income is allocated to the WSO while the remainder is invested back in the fund to help it grow, protecting it from inflation. Our endowment provides a stable and ongoing source of funding that is essential to the WSO’s operations and to the future of the orchestra. The WSO’s endowment fund currently sits at about $14 million, which may seem like a lot, but in comparison to other Canadian arts organizations, it is really quite small. For example, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s fund currently has almost $45 million. This positions them to not only be better situated for challenging financial times but to also take more creative risks and to give back to the community.

A larger endowment fund will empower the WSO to plan confidently for the future, knowing that they have the resources to sustain their plans and be carried through difficult times. A gift towards the WSO’s endowment is really an investment in the future of this great orchestra.

I like to think that the woodwind section of the WSO has the best seats in the house–we are right in the middle of it all. You might think, with only two flutes playing in most concerts, in between all the strings, the harp to one side, the brass section just behind us, plus the percussion section, we might get lost in all that sound. But we don’t, as I’m sure anyone who has heard the WSO perform can certainly attest. I think this really works as a metaphor for the WSO and the Winnipeg arts scene in general. You’d think we might get missed, in a small city in the middle of the continent, but actually we stand out. The WSO has a reputation as an orchestra that punches far above its weight; this is an earned reputation that I personally can confirm. Unfortunately, our orchestra cannot survive on reputation alone.

I invested over 50 years of my life performing with the WSO. I’m asking you to invest in the future of this orchestra by contributing to the WSO’s endowment fund. All gifts made to our fund before November 30, 2025, will be matched in part by the Federal Government’s Canadian Cultural Investment Fund. Your gift can help ensure that the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra remains a vital and enduring presence in the cultural landscape of Manitoba and beyond.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope you enjoy this season’s great concerts!

Jan Kocman

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