MAIN STAGE CONCERTS
"Dear Jeanne"
“Dear Jeanne” is a deeply personal program centred on violinist Yolanda Bruno’s album tribute to her late teacher and mentor, the Canadian-American baroque violinist Jeanne Lamon. Featuring baroque violinist Julia Wedman and cellist Christina Mahler.
Saturday, December 5, 2026 • 7:30pm
Stage at St. Andrews (Halifax United Church)
Accessible Venue
Ticket Availability: Good
Season Sponsor: NICE MOVES / Red Door Realty
Program Information
“Dear Jeanne” is a deeply personal program centred on violinist Yolanda Bruno’s album tribute to her late teacher and mentor, the Canadian-American baroque violinist Jeanne Lamon. Joined by baroque violinist Julia Wedman and cellist Christina Mahler, both longtime artists with Tafelmusik, this extraordinary trio explores music by Jean-Marie Leclair, J.S. Bach, Beth Silver, and Antonio Vivaldi, with the heart of the program being Lamon’s own string trio arrangement of Bach’s Ciaccona. The performance will be followed by a screening of the companion documentary, offering audiences a deeper look into the project, the recording, and the musical legacy behind it.
Full program information for this concert will follow at a later date.
Artist Biographies
Yolanda Bruno, violin
Yolanda Bruno is an Ottawa-born violinist, praised for her “total control of her instrument with infinite variety in the sound palette” (La Presse). She’s won Grand Prizes at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Competition and the inaugural Isabel Overton Bader Violin Competition. She received the Canada Council for the Arts’ Virginia Parker Prize—the nation’s highest honour for young musicians. As a soloist, she’s performed with the Montreal Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Orchestra of the Americas, and London Mozart Players.
Yolanda has performed for the Queen at Buckingham Palace and recorded for the Australian heavy metal band Parkway Drive. Yet, her most memorable and rewarding musical experiences have happened in unexpected places—playing for children in a parking lot in South-East London, giving a concert in a high-security penitentiary, playing in parks, subways, hospitals. She believes deeply in the power of music to break down barriers of all kinds—personal, cultural, even political.
In 2021, Yolanda founded Music for Your Blues—a performance project offering free-of-charge, personalized, online concerts combining music and poetry. With the goal of improving wellness and connection during the period known as January Blues, Yolanda has offered more than 70 free performances for children, retirees, school classrooms, and community organizations. It’s all about helping people feel connected during an exceptionally isolating time of year.
The Wild Swans—Yolanda’s first CD, with pianist Isabelle David—was released in 2019. It features music by 11 women composers, spanning ten centuries, including several world premieres. Yolanda releases her second album in 2025—dedicated to the late Jeanne Lamon. On the record, Yolanda performs on Lamon’s 1759 Santo Serafin baroque violin and includes the premiere of Lamon’s original trio transcription of Bach’s iconic Ciaconna.
As a chamber musician, soloist, recording artist, orchestral player and teacher, Yolanda leads a varied musical life. She was Concertmaster at the Kingston Symphony Orchestra and Associate Concertmaster at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. She teaches chamber music at The Glenn Gould School and has served on faculty at the Eastern Music Festival and Le Domaine Forget.
Yolanda’s violin is an exquisite Venetian instrument made by Domenico Montagnana in 1737, on generous loan from Groupe Canimex. She also performs early music on a French 1816 Nicolas Lupot violin, on anonymous loan. Yolanda lives in Toronto with her partner, accordionist Michael Bridge. When the two are off-stage, they love to foster cats, dance salsa, and hike forest trails across Canada.
For Yolanda, music isn’t just a career. It’s a way of sharing an intense devotion to beauty and companionship with anyone who inhabits our increasingly fragile world, with anyone who cares to listen.
Julia Wedman, violin
Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, baroque violinist Julia Wedman joined the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in 2005 and quickly developed a reputation for her solo performances. She is regularly showcased on the orchestra’s home series and on tours throughout Canada, the U.S.A., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea and Japan. The Globe and Mail describes her playing as “extraordinarily intuitive,” “highly communicative,” and, her personal favourite, “zesty”! As a student, she developed a passion for historically informed performance, inspired by her work at Indiana University with baroque violinist Stanley Ritchie, as well as studies at the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto.
Julia is a member of the innovative baroque ensemble I FURIOSI. In addition to their successful Toronto concert series, IF has performed at music festivals in Canada, the U.S.A, Germany, England and Ireland. She is also one quarter of the Eybler Quartet, a period instrument group who specialize in excellent and underrated Classical works. Their recordings include music by their namesake Joseph Leopold Edler von Eybler, Haydn, Mozart, Backofen, Vanhal, Beethoven’s Op. 18 quartets and most recently the premier recording of Asplmayr's Op. 2.
Over the past few years, Julia has become increasingly sought after as a teacher and coach. In addition to teaching privately, at the University of Toronto and at Tafelmusik’s Summer and Winter Institutes, she has taught classes at the Guildhall School for Music and Drama (London, England), the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), the University of Western Ontario (London), Queens University (Kingston), and Fredonia University (NY), the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY), and Penn State (State College, PA). She was also on faculty at the Banff Centre for the Arts as part of their groundbreaking new program EQ: Evolution of the String Quartet with the Eybler Quartet, Parker Quartet and JACK Quartet in 2018 and 2019.
Julia's debut solo recording of Biber's Mystery Sonatas (Sonoluminus) was released in the spring of 2011 and has received rave reviews. The CD was featured in Gramophone magazine, which read “Rather exceptionally, one suspects, Wedman has approached Biber's music as a true pilgrim, interpreting key moments in the life of Christ thoughtfully, vividly and with evident personal humility and warmth. Her performances exude humanity and have about them a radiance that somehow transcends the sound of her lovely 1694 instrument.”
Recent performance highlights include guest concertmaster/solo debuts with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (London) and the Orchestra of the 18th Century (Amsterdam).
Julia has been focusing intensively on the performance of J.S. Bach’s music both in recital and as part of the exciting new Toronto Bach Festival, directed by Tafelmusik oboist John Abberger. She is also midway through a three-year cycle of Bach’s solo violin music in collaboration with the fantastically expressive dancer Brian Solomon for the Gallery Players of Niagara.
Christina Mahler, cello
Dutch cellist Christina Mahler immigrated to Canada in 1981 to serve as principal cellist of the Tafelmusik Orchestra. Reviews often praise her rich sound, energetic playing, and insightful musicianship. Christina has played and recorded numerous concertos with Tafelmusik, including works by Boccherini, Haydn, Vivaldi, C.P.E. Bach, and Leonardo Leo. She is very fortunate to own a beautiful baroque cello made by José Contreras, the “Stradivarius” of Spain. Christina is a very devoted and gifted teacher, and students have come from around the world to study with her, not only through the Tafelmusik Summer and Winter Institutes, but also at the University of Toronto and in her private studio. After 38 years as principal cellist of Tafelmusik, Christina has decided that it is time to step away from the fast pace of touring and concert performing. The 2018/19 season was her last as a full-time member of the orchestra. She plans to focus on chamber music, teaching, and pursuing her hobbies, such as pottery.
Location
Stage at St. Andrews (New Name: Halifax United Church)
6036 Coburg Road • Halifax, Nova Scotia • B3H 1Y9
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I receive my tickets?
Electronic tickets are emailed immediately after purchase to the email address used at checkout. Please keep your tickets handy on your smart phone or bring a printed copy with you to the concert so we can scan them at the door. If you do not receive your tickets, please check your spam or junk folder, as ticket emails are sometimes blocked or filtered by email providers. You may also wish to search your inbox for “Cecilia Concerts” or your order confirmation. If you still cannot find your tickets, please contact the Cecilia Concerts office before the concert and we’ll be happy to help. Rest assured, if you purchased tickets, your name will also be on our guest list at the door.
What time should I arrive?
Doors open at 7:00pm, and the concert begins at 7:30pm. We recommend arriving a little early so you have time to have your ticket scanned, find a seat, and get settled before the performance begins.
Can I arrive late?
Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate break in the performance, when possible. To avoid disruption to the artists and audience, we recommend arriving before the concert begins.
How long is the concert?
The approximate running time is 1 hour and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.
What is the seating like?
Tickets are general admission. The Stage at St. Andrew’s has unassigned seating, with chairs on the main floor and pews in the balcony. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bravo Premium subscription holders have reserved access to seating within the first five rows. Please note that the balcony is accessible by stairs only. Wheelchair-accessible seating and companion seating are available on the main floor. If you have an accessibility-related seating need, please let us know when you arrive.
Are children welcome?
Yes, children are always welcome. Please keep in mind that this is a full-length concert in a traditional concert setting. Families may wish to choose seats close to a door in case a quick exit is needed during the performance.
What should I know about concert etiquette?
If you are new to classical concerts, you are very welcome. We simply ask that audience members help create a quiet and respectful environment for the artists and those around them. Please silence your phone before the concert begins, avoid talking during the performance, and wait for pauses between pieces to move around when possible.
When should I clap?
It is always fine to clap when a full piece has ended. Some longer works have several movements, with short pauses in between, and audiences usually wait until the entire work is finished before applauding. If you are unsure, it is perfectly okay to wait and follow the rest of the audience.
Can I use my phone during the concert?
Please silence your phone before the concert begins. We ask that phones and bright screens not be used during the performance, as they can be distracting to artists and audience members.
Can I take photos or videos?
Photos are welcome before or after the concert. Unless otherwise announced, photography, audio recording, and video recording are not permitted during the performance.
What accessibility features are available?
The Stage at St. Andrews is wheelchair accessible and includes accessible washrooms with ramp access. Companion seating is available if required. If you have a specific accessibility question before attending, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Is the venue scent-sensitive?
To help make the concert comfortable for everyone, we ask guests to avoid wearing strong scents or fragrances.
Is there parking or public transit nearby?
The Stage at St. Andrews is located on the corner of Robie Street and Coburg Road. There is no parkade at the venue, but street parking is available in the surrounding area. The venue is also located near major South End Halifax Transit routes.
What happens if there is a storm?
If a storm may affect a performance, ticket holders are encouraged to call the Cecilia Concerts office at 902-423-0143 for a recorded concert update. Updates will also be posted on the Cecilia Concerts website and social media channels.
What happens if a concert is changed, postponed, or cancelled?
Concert schedule changes are very rare, but storms or other unexpected circumstances may occasionally require us to make adjustments. If a concert is changed, postponed, or cancelled, ticket holders will be contacted as soon as possible with available options. Depending on the circumstances, you may choose to attend the rescheduled concert, receive a credit toward a future Cecilia Concerts performance, request a refund, or convert the value of your ticket into a charitable donation tax receipt.