The award winning Georgian Bay Symphony located in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada was founded in 1972 by a small group of dedicated area musicians and became a Canadian Registered Charity in 1982. It is considered a significant cultural institution in Owen Sound and area. The GBS is a community orchestra with over 60 volunteer musicians and a core group of professionals under the musical direction of François Koh. The GBS performs five "Main Series" concerts at the East Ridge Community School in the 761-seat Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute Community Auditorium each season. Guest artists have included some of Canada’s best musical talent including Shauna Rolston, Alain Trudel, George Gao, Adrian Anantawan, Richard Raymond, and Jonathan Crow. In 1985, the orchestra played host to a unique on icelive performance with Toller Cranston. In 1990, they hosted a performance of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra on a good will tour of Canada. In 2016, the symphony collaborated with Canadian author Roch Carrier to present an orchestral version of " The Hockey Sweater, by Canadian composer Abigail Richardson-Schulte. Over the years, the orchestra has also premiered work by several Canadian composers: F. R. C. Clarke's "Saugeenia" March 8, 1981 in concert with the Centennial Singers in Port Elgin. Andrew Ager's "Autumn Overture" October 25, 2003. Kevin Lau's "Sea of Blossoms" March 3, 2007 and "The White Horse" February 2009. Luc Martin's "Concerto for Recorder and Double Base" February 7, 2015. Richard Mascall was the Composer in Residence from 2007-2010. While holding this position, he created several works that were premiered by the GBS: "Giizhigoong" commissioned as part of the City of Owen Sound’s 150 Anniversary celebrations, "Dream of the Anishnabaek", "Ojibway Songs", "Nanabush and the Giant Beaver", Manitoulin". Many of these works have been performed by many other groups including "Manitoulin" by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, the orchestra was the recipient of the Vida Peene Award from the Ontario Arts Council and in 2018 won the Outstanding Group category at the Owen Sound Cultural Awards. These are not the first awards for the orchestra. In 2014, the GBS won an Owen Sound Cultural Award in the same category and in 1999, the Symphony was a recipient of the Lieutenant-Governor's Award for the Arts The Symphony participates in many community events including performing the National Anthem before at least one OHL Jr A Owen Sound Attack hockey game each season. The GBS is supported by the Ontario Arts Council, the Leflar Foundation and its many sponsors and subscribers. John Barnum retired as Music Director and Conductor of the GBS in 2015, after serving in that role for over two decades. In his final year he was honoured with the Owen Sound Cultural Life Time Achievement Award. During the 2014-15 season, four guest candidates conducted to become Barnum’s successor: Viljar Weimann, François Koh, Matthew Jones and Yunior Lopez. François Koh was chosen to replace Barnum. Koh, a native of Seoul Korea is a resident of Toronto and is a PhD candidate in conducting at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Music.
