PEI Symphony Orchestra Launches 2025–26 Season with “Re(new)al)”
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – September 16, 2025 — The Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra (PEISO) proudly opens its 2025–26 season with Re(new)al, a dynamic and visually striking concert on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 2:30 PM at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Led by Music Director Jaelem Bhate, the program features a unique percussion quartet concerto—an exhilarating showcase for four of PEI’s own percussionists who also serve as core members of the PEISO.
In a rare and thrilling feature, Michael Gallant, Branden Kelly, Ryan Drew, and Shawn Doiron will step out from the orchestra to perform as soloists in Viet Cuong’s Re(new)al, an innovative work exploring renewable energy through sound. Commissioned in part by a green energy company, Re(new)al uses water-filled glasses, bowed vibraphones, and rotating percussionists to evoke hydro, solar, and wind power—blending the elemental with the orchestral.
“We couldn’t imagine a more powerful way to open our Nouveau season,” says Music Director Jaelem Bhate. “Re(new)al is an audacious, beautiful, and rhythmically hypnotic work—and having it performed by our very own percussionists, who are not only artists but educators and leaders in our community, makes it even more meaningful.”
The featured soloists are well-known to Island audiences and deeply rooted in the province’s musical life. Branden Kelly teaches music at Three Oaks Senior High School, while Shawn Doiron leads the music program at Colonel Gray High School. Ryan Drew is a faculty member in the Department of Music at UPEI, and Michael Gallant performs with the PEI Regiment Band. More details about each artist can be found at www.peisymphony.com.
The concert’s program is rounded out with music that spans over 300 years and celebrates nature, renewal, and legacy. The afternoon begins with JS Bach’s iconic Toccata and Fugue in D minor, reimagined for orchestra by Leopold Stokowski, and continues with Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock’s Oiseaux bleus et sauvages—a vibrant work inspired by the sounds of wild birds. The concert concludes with the epic cinematic sweep of Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, featuring surround-sound brass for a fully immersive experience.
Re(new)al is the first of four concerts in the PEISO’s 2025–26 Island Series, themed Nouveau, which draws on the Art Nouveau movement to explore beauty, purpose, and cultural transformation through music.
New Youth Pricing Introduced: Students (30 & under) $32, Children (12 & under) $12 – All fees included
In an effort to make live orchestral music more accessible to younger audiences, the PEISO is pleased to introduce new single ticket pricing for students and children. Students aged 30 and under can now purchase tickets for just $32, and children 12 and under can attend for $12—both prices include all taxes and fees. This is a great opportunity for families and young music lovers to experience the power of a full symphony orchestra live in concert.
Season subscriptions and single tickets are available through the Confederation Centre Box Office. Visit www.confederationcentre.com or call 1-902-566-1267 / 1- 800-565-0278. For more information about the 2025-26 season visit the PEISO website at www.peisymphony.com.
BACKGROUND
The Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra (PEISO) is one of PEI’s most respected performing arts organizations, providing Islanders with vibrant live orchestral experiences including classical, cross- genres, family and chamber-music concerts. Currently entering its 58th season, the PEISO is a proud member of the community and enriches the region through dynamic performances, comprehensive educational activities and impactful community relationships.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura Ono
PEI Symphony Orchestra (902) 892-4333
admin@peisymphony.com
www.peisymphony.com
