Problematic Orchestra
About us
Problematic Orchestra is a semi-professional contemporary chamber orchestra based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. This eclectic ensemble is made up of approximately 26 musicians from a diverse musical diaspora. The ensemble presents a repertoire that crosses genres, blending the rigour of contemporary and classical music with popular music, improvisation, and a modern sensibility. Problematic Orchestra is directed by composer Daniel Janke.
photos: Bruce Barrett
Longest Night Society
The mandate of Longest Night Society is to support the development of a semi-professional chamber orchestra as a voice for new music in the North.
Problematic Orchestra is a semi-professional contemporary chamber orchestra based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. This eclectic ensemble is made up of approximately 26 musicians from a diverse musical diaspora. The ensemble presents a repertoire that crosses genres, blending the rigour of contemporary and classical music with popular music, improvisation, and a modern sensibility. Problematic Orchestra is directed by composer Daniel Janke.
Current board members and staff include:
President: Brandan Hanley
Vice President: Brian Gaas
Secretary: Kimberly Hart
Treasurer: Kimberly Tanner
Directors: Marie Gallagher, Judy Greenhill, Elayne Sayner, Sarah Jane Johnson
Artistic Director: Daniel Janke
General Manager: Brian Gaas
For more information contact us.
photos: Bruce Barrett
Current Events
Loon Returns
Loon Returns is being remounted at Mclean Lake, July 28, 29 and 30, 2023 starting at 9:00 pm. The performancesfeature members of Problematic Orchestra, soloist Hannah Mazurek, storyteller Linda Harvey, soloist Nicole Smith of the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council Dance Group, and is directed by Daniel Janke
Loon Returns is an environmental operetta following in the tradition of Canadian music icon, R Murray Schafer. It is a whimsical meditation on the annual return of the Loon, the most pre-historic bird on our planet, to Northern lakes every spring.
This year’s production has a revised score, and improved sight lines to accommodate more audience. Directions to McLean Lake in Whitehorse can be found on the map below. Come early if you want to watch from the surface of the lake.
The event is free to the public with suggested donations. Shuttle will be provided for those with mobility difficulties.
Loon Returns is a production of Longest Night Society.
Map to the Loon Returns event.
Directions:
Drive up the south access road (Robert Service Way)
Continue across the highway on Hamilton Blvd.
Turn Left (south) on the traffic circle
Continue until you see a ‘McLean Lake’ sign on the Left
Parking is on the Right.
It is about a 20 minute walk-in to the lake.
Note: Those wanting to take a water craft in to the boat launch will require a vehicle with high clearance.
Winter Solstice Concerts
December 20 and 21, 2023, 7:00 PM at Yukon Arts Centre
Problematic Orchestra explores how Early Music – renaissance, pre-renaissance – still serves to inspire and inform the music of our day.
Ticket Information
For upcoming event ticket information, please visit the Yukon Arts Centre here.
Previous Events
2022
Soir d’Hiver – Nadia Boulanger
The Crows Of Sarsfield Court- Scott Maynard
Darkness – Peter Jickling
music by Daniel Janke
2021
Coming Together – composed by Frederic Rzewski
2020
Counterpoint of View – composed by George Koller
2019
The theme for the Longest Night 2019 concert series was Canadiana. The program featured composers David Archer, Paul Lucas, Keitha Clark, Katerina Gimon, Sean Smith, Sarah Smith-Johnson, and Scott Maynard as well as arrangers Andrea McColeman and Daniel Janke. The program also featured the Kwanlin Dághàlhaan K’e Dancers.
2019 Videos
Honour Song – composed by Sarah Johnston Smith and family, featuring Kwanlin Dághàlhaan K’e Dancers
Trees on a Wire – composed by David Archer
2018
2018 Videos
The 2018 solstice concerts with Problematic Orchestra featured commissioned works from Bronwen Duncan, Olivier deColombel, Annie Avery, Scott Maynard, Micah Smith, Ben Barrett-Forrest, and Daniel Janke. Our theme for Longest Night 2018 was folksongs.
Radio Works – composed by Daniel Janke
La Vie Est Belle
Listen to La vie est belle, featuring Hélène Beaulieu and Problematic Orchestra. La vie est belle was composed by Daniel Janke for the film Subconscious Password, directed by Chris Landreth [short-listed for an Oscar award, 2014].
2018 Photos
2017
The 2017 Problematic Orchestra winter solstice concert series featured new works by northern Canadian composers Carmen Braden, Olivier de Colombel, Daniel Janke, Scott Maynard, and Andrea McColeman, as well as works adapted from Claudio Monteverdi. Also on the program was a partnership work by director Daniel Janke , commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Canadian Mosaic project. Small Song for Orchestra was also performed by the TSO on Nov. 3, 2017 at Roy Thompson Hall.
Listen to the TSO performance.
More information on the Canadian Mosaic project can be found here.
2017 Composers
Andrea McColeman, Carmen Braden, Daniel Janke, Olivier de Colombel, Scott Maynard
2017 Photos
Our History
Longest Night Society was formed in 1995 to present the annual winter solstice concerts in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. In 1999 the company released the CD recording not too dark, which can be purchased here.
Beginning in 2016, the society adopted a mandate to support the development of Problematic Orchestra, a semi-professional contemporary chamber orchestra based in Whitehorse, Yukon.
2016
1995 – 2015
Our Sponsors
Longest Night is a community event.
We gratefully acknowledge the following sponsors and Supporters.
