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WSO celebrates Point Pelee's 100th birthday with brand new composition

What do you give a national park celebrating its 100th birthday? Well, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra decided to commission a brand new musical composition. It'll be performed at the park Saturday.

"Pelee" debuts Saturday to a sold-out crowd at the park's visitor centre

CBC News ·
WSO music director Robert Franz leads a rehearsal of "Pelee" at the Capitol Theatre Friday. (Dale Molnar/CBC)

2018 marks the one hundredth anniversary of Point Pelee National Park in Leamington.

So what do you give a national park celebrating such an important birthday?

If you're the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, you commission a musical tribute to the beloved nature area.

Entitled Pelee, the roughly 20-minute composition will be presented to the public for the first time Saturday to a sold-out crowd at park's visitor centre.

WSO music director Robert Franz spoke to Windsor Morning host Tony Doucette about the effort Friday. Tap to hear the conversation.

An aerial view of Point Pelee and the light blue water.
Toursim Windsor Essex Pelee Island and the Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation are making a push to attract visitors from the Greater Toronto Area to Essex County. (Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation)

Afternoon Drive host Chris dela Torre spoke to Jeff Smallman, Pelee's composer, about the process of translating a national park into music. Tap to hear the conversation.

After Pelee's sold-out debut Saturday, the WSO will present the same program Sunday afternoon at 2:30 at the University of Windsor.

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