This weekend, UWindsor’s own David Bergeron (BMus 2015), an MFA student of film production and media arts, will be one of five featured composers whose original compositions will be performed by the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra.

The inaugural Canadian Music Centre Orchestra Reading Workshop will take place over two days at the Capitol Theatre, culminating in a free public performance on Saturday, February 18, at 3:30 p.m.

Bergeron was the only Windsor-based composer selected from a national pool of entrants to work with WSYO conductor Peter Wiebe and mentors to write a short piece for orchestra. The composers began writing in the fall, and will have two intensive days with the orchestra on February 17 and 18.

“This experience has been very rewarding,” says Bergeron. “I learned a lot about the orchestra and orchestral writing. The process was long and difficult, but I got through somehow.”

He says he benefited from UWindsor faculty acting as mentors.

“Brent Lee was a major asset to me; he guided my technical development and understanding of the orchestra,” he says. “Jason Grossi offered excellent guidance for the artistic direction of my piece in its final stages.”

Bergeron says it has been very exciting to hear his work realized in real time by talented instrumentalists, and admits he is excited and nervous in equal measure for Saturday’s premiere.

The workshop’s other featured composers are Mian Chen, Henrique Gomes Coe, Saman Shahi and Bekah Simms.

The Capitol Theatre is located at 121 University Avenue West.