Oakville Chamber Orchestra Unveils 2026–2027 Season of Classical Favourites and Rising Stars
November 8, 2026 – May 16, 2027
Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
Four Concerts Bring Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven and Outstanding Canadian Artists to Oakville
The Oakville Chamber Orchestra (OCO) has announced its 2026–2027 season, bringing four distinctive concerts to the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. From the elegance of Vivaldi and Mozart to the energy of Beethoven, the new season combines celebrated classical works with accomplished guest artists and some of Canada’s promising young musicians.
Audiences can look forward to performances featuring Toronto Symphony Orchestra Principal Cellist Joseph Johnson, mezzo-soprano Cassandra Warner and winners of the OCO’s 2026 Youth Concerto Competition. The season begins on November 8, 2026, and concludes on May 16, 2027.
2026–2027 Season Highlights
Concert #1 – Vivaldi and Company
Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 7:30 p.m.
The season opens with Vivaldi and Company, an evening spanning Baroque favourites and Romantic music. Toronto Symphony Orchestra Principal Cellist Joseph Johnson joins the OCO as featured soloist.
The programme includes Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, Schubert’s Quartettsatz and Vivaldi’s Cello Concerto in D minor, RV 407. Following intermission, Johnson returns for Tchaikovsky’s lyrical Andante Cantabile. Bach’s spirited Orchestral Suite No. 4 brings the evening to a festive conclusion.
Concert #2 – The Height of Elegance
Saturday, February 20, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.
Young Canadian talent takes centre stage for The Height of Elegance. Cellist Austin Dong performs Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, while soprano Alyssa Bartholomew is featured in Glière’s Concerto for Coloratura Soprano.
Both musicians are prize-winners from the OCO’s 2026 Youth Concerto Competition. After intermission, the orchestra turns to Haydn’s Symphony No. 85 in B-flat Major, La Reine, a work celebrated for its charm, wit and melodic richness.
Concert #3 – Folk Songs and Fairy Tales
Sunday, March 21, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.
Storytelling, folklore and music from around the world inspire the season’s third concert. Ravel’s enchanting Mother Goose Suite opens the programme, followed by Tzigane, featuring violinist and OCO Youth Concerto Competition prize-winner Oliver Xu.
After intermission, the programme continues with Music Director Charles Demuynck’s Upbeat and Bartók’s Hungarian Sketches. Mezzo-soprano Cassandra Warner then joins the orchestra for Berio’s Folk Songs, bringing together traditional melodies in imaginative orchestral settings.
Concert #4 – Beethoven’s 7th Symphony
Sunday, May 16, 2027 | 7:30 p.m.
The season concludes with an evening devoted to Mozart and Beethoven. Mozart’s Idomeneo Overture opens the concert before violinist Bennett Van Barr, winner of the senior division of the OCO’s 2026 Youth Concerto Competition, performs Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4.
Following intermission, the orchestra turns to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, renowned for its rhythmic vitality and powerful energy. It provides a fitting finale to a season built around familiar masterpieces, emerging Canadian artists and live orchestral performance.
Supporting the Next Generation of Musicians
The new season also demonstrates the Oakville Chamber Orchestra’s continuing commitment to young performers.
The orchestra’s 2026 Youth Concerto Competition named Bennett Van Barr first in the senior category, followed by Alyssa Bartholomew. Austin Dong placed first in the junior category, with Oliver Xu taking second place. All four musicians are represented during the 2026–2027 season.
This combination of established professionals and emerging performers gives audiences an opportunity to hear exceptional musicians at different stages of their careers while supporting the development of Canada’s next generation of classical artists.
About Oakville Chamber Orchestra
The Oakville Chamber Orchestra has served audiences in Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga since 1984. Its mission centres on providing accessible, high-quality chamber music experiences while supporting professional development opportunities for promising musicians.
All four concerts in the 2026–2027 season will take place at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy Street, Oakville.
Three- and four-concert subscriptions are currently available. Single-concert tickets go on sale September 1, 2026.