Most people know Dr. George Freundlich for his long and successful career as a Canadian medical professional, but he has also led a double life with his robust career as a professional musician. His passion for music began at a young age, stimulated early on by his parents’ passion for the art form. When George was just two years old, his parents took him to see opera performances in their hometown of Cluj. About a year later, when a couple of local opera singers heard him singing in Central Park, they urged George’s parents to enroll him in a school that could foster his musical gifts. While still a musical student in Romania, George Freundlich was selected to perform with the Romanian Youth Orchestra in Aberdeen, Scotland at the inaugural International Festival of Youth Orchestras in 1973. There he was selected in the World’s Youth Orchestra performing concerts in London. Exactly 30 years later, George led the Canadian Youth Orchestra to the same festival and was a Red Carpet Guest of Honour in 2003. A career musician, George played with the award-winning Timmins Symphony Orchestra (trombone) and the Timmins All Star Big Band (trombone, saxophone). In 1997, George was elected a member of the Board of Directors of Orchestras Canada. He retired from the Orchestra in 2019. The photos below are a selection of Dr. George’s fascinating and colorful life in music! While many people know Dr. George Freundlich for his medical career, he’s also a career musician who has regularly performed on trombone, saxophone — and several other instruments — for decades. After 25 years of jazz and classical music performances, Dr. George retired from the award-winning Timmins Symphony Orchestra (trombone) in 2019. He also received an Award of Appreciation in 2005 for 10 years of dedicated and valuable contributions to the orchestra. However, Dr. George continues to play with the Timmins All Star Big Band on both trombone and saxophone. Now you can enjoy listening to some of Dr. George’s best music performances from the comfort of your home! The career musician has posted many of his performances on several platforms online, including YouTube, SoundCloud and MixCloud. Christmas Favorites Christmas is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for some local flavor of classic Christmas hits, check out Dr. George’s YouTube channel, where you can watch several videos of a Christmas concert performance by the Exploits Jazz Band, featuring Dr. George on trombone! Jazz ClassicsDr. George has recorded many of the greatest jazz standards of all time during his long tenure with the Timmins All Star Big Band. On his SoundCloud account, you can listen to live recordings from some of the big band’s best concerts. The SoundCloud playlist includes jazz songs like Basin Street Blues, September in the Rain, It Had To Be You, How High The Moon, Embraceable You, Satin Doll, and many more. Classical Performances One of Dr. George’s favorite concerts was the Timmins Symphony Orchestra and Timmins All Star Big Band sharing the stage to perform the music of one of the 20th century’s greatest composers: George Gershwin. On Dr. George’s MixCloud page, you can hear their performance of “Rhapsody in Blue,” but check back soon for more recordings. Dr. George’s Musical History You can also learn more about Dr. George’s long personal history with youth orchestras in Canada and around the world, or about some of his music-related travels, by reading the recent articles below. George Freundlich: Canadian Musician Reflects on Importance of Youth Orchestra “Growing up in Romania, Dr. George Freundlich's family supported his musical gifts from a young age. His parents took him to opera performances when he was just two years old. A year later, while playing with other children in Central Park he was singing an aria in the park when a couple of local singers from the Opera House stopped to listen.” Read the rest here. Globe Trotter Dr. George Freundlich Presents – The Opera House In The Jungle “Tourists from around the globe are awestruck when they first set their sights on The Manaus Opera House located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. You read that correctly. There is an opera house in the jungle!”
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December 2021
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