Sinfonia Ancaster kicks off season with “Forces of Nature” concert.

For its opening concert of 2023, Sinfonia Ancaster presenting two very different pieces, both of which use nature as their sources of inspiration.

Songs from the Deep by Juhi Bansal

The Washington Post recently placed Bansal number 2 on their list of “23 Composers to watch in 2023” writing, “[She] is changing the sound of classical music.” Of her piece, she writes, “The music includes spatial and immersive sound elements that surround the audience with the feeling of rapidly moving water melodies using Indian ornamentation and timbres to evoke the organic, fluid nature of whale song.” Sinfonia Ancaster wsill be performing the Canadian premiere of this work.

Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus, subtitled a Concerto for Birds and Orchestra.

In 1972, Rautavaara traveled to the Arctic and made a number of field recordings of arctic birds. He was so inspired by their songs, he composed an orchestral work that integrated those recordings with the sounds of a live orchestra.

In the second half of the concert, there are two C major symphonies — one for strings only by CPE Bach and the other, the celebrated first symphony of a young Ludwig van Beethoven.

Admission to the concert is $25 for adults, $20 seniors, and $15 for children under 14. Tickets can be purchased online (see www.sinfoniaancaster.com), through the box office (905-304-3232) or in person at the door (debit or credit card).

The new 470-seat state-of-the-art Peller Hall in the Memorial Arts Center is fully accessible. The street address is 357 Wilson St. East, Ancaster with free parking at the rear of the building off Queen Street.