About the HSO
History
A small baroque orchestra performing in Collier Street United Church was the genesis of the present day Huronia Symphony Orchestra. Now celebrating its 57th season, the HSO is the sole community orchestra in Barrie and Simcoe County. The orchestra is comprised of 42 talented and dedicated volunteer musicians from the community and six professionals who lead the major sections. Members are drawn from all walks of life and reflect the diverse social fabric of this dynamic region.
Mission
Our mission is:
1. To sustain a high-quality, community symphony orchestra based in Barrie that will provide a regular series of concerts that appeal to the ever-expanding population of this region.
2. To provide by means of a competent and innovative Board of Directors the resources required to sustain the orchestra, which is comprised mainly of non-professional musicians. Such resources shall include a well-qualified and challenging music Director/Conductor and such other professional musicians as deemed necessary by the Board.
3. To develop and nurture a Youth Orchestra by providing the leadership so that young instrumentalists may become members of the Huronia Symphony Orchestra.
We provide an opportunity for amateur musicians to play the orchestral repertoire, while offering the Barrie community the joy of experiencing live, engaging orchestral performances.
Our Youth Orchestra program provides a training platform for the less accomplished members of our community, offering them valuable opportunities to develop their musical talents. This program has recently become popular with seniors who also wish to learn to play this repertoire.
Rehearsals
We rehearse Sunday evenings from 7-9:30 pm. Our rehearsals are located at the Collier Street United Church, at 112 Collier St. Barrie, Ontario There are additional sectional rehearsals as necessary and scheduled in advance.
David McFadden, Concertmaster
Mr. McFadden studied violin at the Royal Conservatory of Music receiving his ARCT diploma with First Class Honours. He continued his studies at the University of Toronto and the Utrecht’s Conservatorium in Holland.
He performed regularly with the Toronto Symphony for 16 seasons as well as being active in the recording studio and freelance music scene of Toronto. The long list of affiliations includes the Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet, Kitchener Symphony, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Symphony Nova Scotia. His varied career has taken him from chamber music to musical theatre where he was Concertmaster for shows like Ragtime, ShowBoat and Sunset Blvd. Other shows include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast.
Other ventures have included recordings and concerts with a wide range of musical styles and performers such as Ray Charles, Liza Minelli, Bobby Vinton, Peter Gabriel, Donny Osmond, Andrea Bocelli, Blue Rodeo, and Josh Groban to name a few.
Mr. McFadden is actively involved in music ministry with his wife Julie in the local church and beyond. They are the Directors of Music at the Muskoka Bible Centre since 2019. He is the Concertmaster of the Huronia Symphony and teaches Strings privately out of his Music Studio in Midhurst. Mr. McFadden also runs Bravura House, maker of all levels of stringed instruments and accessories, providing sales and rentals to string players across North America. David continues study in advanced violin repair, bow making, and bow rehairing & repair at the University of New Hampshire’s Violin Craftsmanship Institute.