WSO Announces Artistic Leadership in a Time of Renewal and Revitalization

(September 26, 2024 – Winnipeg, MB) – Curt Vossen, Chair of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) Board of Directors, announces today that the Board has extended the contract of Maestro Daniel Raiskin for four years to the 2029/2030 season. Raiskin has been the Music Director of the WSO, an icon in Winnipeg’s cultural landscape, since 2018. In addition to his leadership of the WSO, Raiskin appears with orchestras around the world and collaborates with renowned composers and guest artists from many cultures and traditions. Winnipeg audiences from all walks of life benefit from Raiskin’s creative, balanced and strikingly-conceived programmes.

“Daniel’s leadership and support of the WSO provide us with the artistic vision, exceptional musicianship as well as stability and continuity as we embrace the opportunities of the WSO’s future. On behalf of the WSO I thank Maestro Raiskin for his contributions to the WSO and look forward to continued success,” says Vossen.

“I am extremely honoured and humbled by the trust the wonderful musicians of the WSO and its Board have put in me – it is a privilege to lead this great orchestra into the future!” expresses Raiskin. “Among things I cherish the most in our relationship is its honesty and openness, mutual respect and curiosity. I love the unbeatable energy of our community and the meaningful role the WSO plays in it, connecting all of us with the magical power of music!”

The WSO also announces that contracts with Composer-in-Residence and Co-curator of the Winnipeg New Music Festival Haralabos [Harry] Stafylakis and RBC Assistant Conductor Monica Chen have been extended, both for two years. Stafylakis joined the WSO in 2016, while Chen has been with the orchestra since June 2023.

“Joining the WSO as Composer-in-Residence and Co-curator of the Winnipeg New Music Festival was a dream come true. The final two years of our collaboration will mark a wonderful, challenging, and inspiring decade, and the symbolic importance of this gives me great pride,” says Stafylakis. “I could not have conceived of how much this experience would impact me – how much I have matured as a musician, as a professional, as a person.”

As she embarks on her second year with the WSO, Chen says, “I’m honoured to be a part of this exciting and challenging season, showcasing so many underperformed masterworks and timeless classics. On top of working with one of the foremost professional orchestras in the country, it is sincerely gratifying and fulfilling to work with young artists of the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra and Sistema Winnipeg programs.”

The WSO recently awarded Simeon Rusnak the position of Director of Classical Programming. A graduate of the University of Manitoba Desautels School of Music, Rusnak transitions to the WSO after almost ten years as a familiar voice on Winnipeg’s Classic 107 radio station.

“I am absolutely delighted to join the orchestra in my hometown. Decades of stellar musicians, dynamic leadership, and committed artistic and administrative staff have made this organization a pillar in the city’s vibrant arts and culture community. I look forward to contributing to the creation of engaging, collaborative, and enriching musical experiences for Winnipeggers and beyond,” shares Rusnak.

“We are gratified with the strength of our artistic leadership team, which embodies the artistic vitality of the WSO as it provides music and education to over 100,000 people annually in our community,” says Angela Birdsell, Executive Director of the WSO. “We are well-positioned to tailor musical experiences to people of all ages, cultures, and walks of life and in many settings.”