From Julie Giroux: Marie Laveau, often referred to as the "Voodoo Queen of New Orleans," was a legendary figure in 19th-century Louisiana. Renowned for her deep knowledge of Voodoo practices, spiritual healing, and herbal medicine, she gained a reputation for her influence in both the spiritual and social spheres. Laveau's charisma and skill in blending traditional African spiritual beliefs with Catholicism made her a powerful and enduring symbol of New Orleans' rich cultural heritage. Many prominent figures sought her out for fortune telling as well as advice. The knowledge gleaned from those same prominent figures would ultimately give her great power, influence and ability to “tell the future”, or at least it seemed so. Between the fortune telling and her voodoo background, very few, if any, challenged her. Read more about and stream ‘The Moon in her Eyes’ via the QR code pictured here! We look forward to seeing you for the ‘World Premiere’ of this piece on April 24th! 🗓️ April 24, 2026, 7:30 PM 📍 Theatre Auditorium, WLU 75 University Avenue, Waterloo 🎟️ Tickets: wellingtonwindsymphony.ca

A sampling of the musical treats that we are preparing for you…

We are pleased to announce that Jacques Offenbach’s ‘Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld’ will be one of our upcoming musical selections. In essence, Offenbach’s 1858 operetta provides a satirical, irreverent parody of the classic Greek myth. Unlike the tragic tale of love and loss, this story features an Orpheus who is delighted to be rid of his wife, Eurydice, who has been having an affair with Pluto! The overture acts as a musical summary of the operetta's manic energy and satirical spirit, blending dramatic scenes with the famous, scandalous dance. What do you think this famous, scandalous dance might be called? Write your guesses in the comments below! Better yet, come find out by attending our concert on April 24th! 💃👯‍♀️ 🗓️ April 24, 2026, 7:30 PM 📍 Theatre Auditorium, WLU 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo 🎟️ Tickets: wellingtonwindsymphony.ca

John Mackey's Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band (2014) is a 30-minute, three-movement programmatic work based on Homer's Odyssey. It depicts Odysseus’s perilous journey home, focusing on themes of pride (Hubris), love/loss (Kalypso), and the terrifying, chaotic voyage. It is renowned for its intense technical demands, high energy, and dramatic narrative. Read more about Wine-Dark Sea here: https://www.johnmackey.com/music/wine-dark-sea/ Get your tickets now to hear our live performance of this incredible composition! 🗓️April 24, 2026, 7:30 PM 📍Theatre Auditorium, WLU 75 University Avenue, Waterloo, ON 🎟️Tickets: wellingtonwindsymphony.ca

One of the composers featured in our upcoming concert is John Mackey. “John Mackey (he/him) has written for orchestras (Brooklyn Philharmonic, New York Youth Symphony), theater (Dallas Theater Center), and extensively for dance (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Parsons Dance Company, New York City Ballet), but the majority of his work for the past decade has been for wind ensembles (the fancy name for concert bands), and his band catalog now receives annual performances numbering in the thousands.” Read more about John Mackey here: https://www.johnmackey.com/biography We are confident that you will love his music as much as we will love performing it for you! 🗓️April 24, 2026, 7:30 PM 📍WLU Theatre Auditorium 75 University Avenue W., Waterloo 🎟️Tickets: wellingtonwindsymphony.ca

Come and experience for yourself how live music can connect and inspire us like nothing else. Tickets are available now for our next concert, 'The Sea by Moonlight.' 🗓️ April 24th, 7:30 PM 📍 Theatre Auditorium, Wilfrid Laurier University 🎟️ Tickets available at: https://bit.ly/4czyp4I