It’s a piece of music that awakens the senses. A barking dog, a powerful storm, slipping down an icy path; are just a few moments brought to life by Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra opens its 95th Season by marking the 300th anniversary the iconic concertos in Four Seasons at Knox United Church.

“In all of music history, there are a handful of pieces that have become utterly timeless,” says SSO CEO and Creative Producer Mark Turner. “The Four Seasons is one of those pieces that never ages and we never seem to tire of it. It hasn’t faded or lost its shine.”

It’s a more collaborative kind of music making, listening and reacting to each other as we perform.

Wedman serves as guest artist and conductor in the SSO season opener. (Sian Richards)

To celebrate the start of its season, the SSO welcomes home one of the great baroque violinists of our time, Julia Wedman. The renowned soloist got her start as a professional violinist on the SSO stage when she was a teenager. In this performance, Wedman will conduct the orchestra while also performing as a soloist. It’s a kind of multi-tasking not often seen by Saskatoon audiences.

“It’s not conducting in the traditional sense. What happens is all the body motions that I make playing become what is directing the orchestra,” Wedman explains. “It’s a more collaborative kind of music making, listening and reacting to each other as we perform. It forces all of us to be really aware and in touch with each other.”

The program was entirely her concept, interweaving other works that deeper explore the seasons.

While Wedman has performed The Four Seasons many times in her career, this concert is special as she has curated the program incorporating Vivaldi’s violin concertos with works from other composers.

“The program was entirely her concept, interweaving other works that deeper explore the seasons,” says Turner. “She’s not just a soloist but leading the orchestra, working with them all week to really dig deep into the music.”

To be able to return and collaborate with them in this concert is such a gift.

This concert will be a special homecoming for Wedman as she takes the stage with many familiar faces.

“It’s incredible to come back to Saskatoon because some of the orchestra’s violinists taught me in the Suzuki program when I was little, concertmaster Michael Swan was my teacher in high school, and I went to the National Youth Orchestra with violist Jim Legge when I was 19,” says Wedman. “To be able to return and collaborate with them in this concert is such a gift.”