Gordon Gerrard's final show with the Regina Symphony Orchestra, aptly titled Echoes of a Decade, takes place Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Conexus Arts Centre. After joining the RSO as its music director and conductor in 2016, he regularly wrote a column for the Leader-Post called Between the Notes. As part of Gerrard's farewell, he has composed a final piece to express his gratitude for 10 memorable years in Regina.
A Journey of Inspiration
Inspiration is hidden in the weirder corners of history, and Gerrard found it in Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, the man behind The Marriage of Figaro. Figaro says: 'I had to change my skin to make myself into something new,' which became the personal mantra Beaumarchais lived by. Before he was a playwright, he was a watchmaker's son who invented a tiny timepiece for the King's mistress, later becoming a harp teacher, a secret agent, and a gun-runner who funded the American Revolution.
Gerrard notes, 'Not a bad run, I'd say. Don't get me wrong, I don't for a second think that my life has any of the international intrigue and outrageous scandal of 18th-century France. But I like how this guy thought. He didn't wait for things to go wrong to move on; he moved because he knew other adventures lay ahead.'
A Decade of Music
Gerrard's journey with the orchestra began in July 2016. 'Ten years is not a short amount of time, and it's a significant chapter of my life. I've been through a lot with the extraordinary musicians of the orchestra and, pandemics notwithstanding, it's been a wonderful ride.' He recalls countless extraordinary performances, but what he will remember most are the heartfelt interactions with audiences. 'To see people genuinely moved means a lot to any musician.'
The Role of an Orchestra
Gerrard emphasizes that an orchestra is more than just entertainment. 'The music that we create has a magical effect on those who gather to listen. It bonds us. Ultimately, it helps to build stronger communities.' As he prepares to move on, he takes comfort in Beaumarchais's philosophy, believing that when things are going well, it may be exactly the right time to go. 'No matter where Gerrard's career takes him, he says, 'I'll be carrying a piece of Regina with me.''
