New Concert Hall Or Else

We may not have to worry about financing the WSO soon. The Maestro may be leaving:

• St Catherines Standard
  
  Symphony narrows conductor search to four candidates
  
  And then there were four.
  
  After receiving more than 100 applications for music director of the Niagara Symphony, the field has been narrowed to four finalists.
  
  Christopher Newton, who was the chair of the music director search committee, announced the four finalists at the symphony's fourth Masterworks concert of its 2008-09 season Sunday...
  
  Newton said applications came from potential candidates from all over North America, Europe and Asia, including Hong Kong. The committee narrowed down those applicants to a shortlist of 20.
  
  With help from Laura Thomas, symphony associate conductor and principal percussionist, and the artistic advisory committee, a list of six candidates to be interviewed was drawn up.
  
  From there, the committees, in conjunction with the symphony's board of directors, arrived at four finalists: Timothy Hankewich, Bradley Thachuk, John Morris Russell and Diane Wittry...
  
  Russell, who was the guest conductor for Sunday's Masterworks concert, has been music director of the Windsor Symphony since 2001. The two-time recipient of Ontario's Lieutenant Governor's Award for the Arts, Russell has developed two concert series, Peanut Butter n' Jam and Family Jamboree, for youngsters and families. He also spearheaded the creation of the Windsor-Essex Youth Choir and the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra."