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March 17, 2025. FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK: Two “titans” of music will be celebrated by the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra on Sunday, March 23 when the young musicians perform Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and pay tribute to the rock Supergroup Queen in the season’s final concert in Fredericton.
The Fredericton event is the final show of the NBYO’s ‘A Legacy of Excellence’ 60th anniversary series after epic performances in Miramichi, Moncton and Saint John. Kenn Mainville, NBYO president and CEO, said audience response to this year’s concerts “has been phenomenal.”
“This anniversary season has been a landmark moment for the NBYO, with record attendance and an overwhelming outpouring of enthusiasm from communities across the province. Our performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1—the first-ever in New Brunswick—have captivated audiences and showcased the exceptional talent and dedication of our young musicians. The passion and excitement we’ve seen reaffirm the deep cultural impact of the NBYO,” Mainville said.
For the final concert, the orchestra will play Mahler’s complex and inspiring music in the first half, followed by the tribute to Queen. Tony Delgado, NBYO music director and conductor, said the young musicians love the challenge.
“You get to play this complex symphony and have fun in the great details and then you get to play this collection of classic rock songs and have fun with the rhythms and catchy style… Last year, when we did this concept for the first time, they loved Queen’s music and some of them became actual fans of this great band. Everybody has a different favourite piece, but ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Somebody to Love’ are the most popular,” Delgado said.
The concert will be held on March 23 at 2 p.m. at the Richard J. Currie Center at the University of New Brunswick. More than 100 NBYO members will display the remarkable progress they have made performing Mahler. NBYO’s Fredericton members will be highlighted during the performance.
For the Queen Tribute, the NBYO will be joined by more 100 chorists, including members of Bel Canto Singers of Fredericton, UNB Chorale, STU Singers and Fredericton High School Glee Choir.
“Guitarist Matthew Sears will be playing the legendary solos while Izabelle Ouellet and Gilberto Bermudez will be our solo vocalists. There will be more than 200 musicians on stage,” Delgado said.
Don Matheson, NBYO’s Director of Community Engagement, said the Fredericton region has a rich and long-standing appreciation for orchestral music.
“UNB’s Richard Hornsby directs the Fredericton Symphony Orchestra. Both UNB and St. Thomas University provide music enrichment programming for their students. Aida and Hrvoje Tisler have taught and mentored strings musicians in Fredericton for several decades. The Fredericton Music Festival annually showcases many talented youth musicians. The Fredericton Playhouse is one of our province’s most revered performance venues for live musical entertainment. And our Sistema NB Fredericton Centre, directed by Victor Vivas, was recognized for community orchestral achievement at the Canadian National Music Festival a few years ago,” he said.
“Our 60th Anniversary Season has brought many alumni, contemporary, and new partners together to experience the NBYO in live performances. The GALA Dinners we hosted in Moncton, Miramichi, Saint John, and most recently in Fredericton have reinforced the love and support so many New Brunswickers share for our talented youth ambassadors. The GALAs have served as appetizers for NBYO main events, showcasing our brilliant musicians performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 masterpiece,” Matheson said.
Presenting sponsors for the final concert are long-standing Sistema NB and NBYO patrons Margaret and Bill Jones of Maple Leaf Homes.
“We are big supporters of Sistema. It’s a worthwhile cause for the children… The high calibre of these young musicians is amazing. It’s a great cause and we are happy to support the youth,” Margaret Jones said.
“We have been huge fans of Sistema NB since the beginning in Moncton. It’s great to see both organizations working well together and the young people making huge strides to be great performers,” Bill Jones added. “We love to see young people develop their talent.”
Mainville said tickets for the Fredericton event are selling well, and he is hoping for a full house to help celebrate NBYO’s 60-year legacy in New Brunswick.
“The NBYO has evolved from a regional orchestra into a cultural powerhouse, recognized not only within the province but across Canada and around the world. Looking ahead, we see an even brighter future. Our commitment to nurturing young musicians, expanding access to orchestral music, and achieving artistic excellence ensures that the NBYO will continue to inspire and elevate generations to come. In the next 60 years, we expect the NBYO to be recognized not just as a provincial treasure, but as a national cultural leader,” he said.
