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A Stratford Symphony Orchestra concert filmed over two years ago seems oddly prescient today.

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Entitled “Darkness Into Light”, the theme was chosen because the performed works were inspired and informed by a period of turbulence. Local production company Ballinran Entertainment was there to put together footage for a short promotional video and ended up filming the entire show at Avondale United Church in Stratford.

When a global pandemic forced the orchestra to cancel its last two shows of the 2019-2020 season, the decision was made to broadcast this performance on March 31, 2018 on Mother’s Day.

“It didn’t escape me that the title of the concert is quite appropriate for the times we find ourselves in now,” said SSO Principal Conductor and Music Director William Rowson. “I hope as you watch the concert know that in the end there is a dazzling and resounding triumph, and we will be okay with it.”

Ballinran, an SSO sponsor, had no strategy outside of volunteering to film for marketing purposes. Five cameras and 11 microphones captured the 90-minute concert, far less resourceful than if Ballinran founder Craig Thompson then knew what he knows now.

“We never did it for the purpose of this goal,” he said. “It’s something we did to help the symphony. We had it set there and we said, “Okay, we have a chance to use it for something. “

The concert will air for free on May 10 at 7:30 p.m. on the SSO website. Rowson recalled that Ji Won Baxter, winner of the Concerto Competition for Emerging Artists 2017, performed Kabalevsky’s violin concerto as one of the highlights. Baxter was in 11th grade at the time and is now a regular with the 50-member orchestra.

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“She really impressed us all and gave a great performance,” he said.

Thompson has produced hundreds of documentaries and multi-camera shoots during his 25-year film career, but the SSO performance was his first live symphonic recording.

“We think it’s remarkable that a place the size of Stratford has a professional symphony orchestra of (this) caliber,” he said. “I think there is huge potential for the symphony to exceed its weight class. Because we are in a small town which is a crossroads of arts and culture, we have the opportunity to raise the profile of the orchestra by using a format accessible only to major symphonies around the world.

With an annual budget of $ 70,000 that pays for venues, musicians and music fees, COVID-19 could have crippled the orchestra founded in 2004. Almost 1,000 tickets have been sold for the last two shows, but most of those who bought them told SSO to keep their money.

The annual Phantom Ball fundraiser also raised nearly $ 7,000, the highest in SSO history.

“We’re doing great,” Rowson said, “and that’s a way to say thank you and share back.”

To watch the concert, visit stratfordsymphonyorchestra.ca.

cosmith@postmedia.com