What's Happening in Hamilton, ON…

The Hamilton Symphony Orchestra will be commemorating Valentine’s Day this February with the help of modern rockers Dwayne Gretzky.

The group will be playing orchestral renditions of pop hits from the 1960s through the 1980s, with an emphasis on the love songs that defined a generation. The concert will feature Lucas Waldin conducting a full symphony orchestra, including violins, brass and woodwind instruments. The Orchestra’s programs are overseen by Music Director James S. Kahane and Composer-in-Residence Abigail Richardson-Schulte.

The evening will begin with a pre-concert talk. Accompanying the orchestra will be local cover group Dwayne Gretzky, a 10-piece rock band that describes themselves as “Canada’s greatest party band.” Their repertoire includes over 800 songs from the golden age of rock and pop. The concert aims to combine the sounds of modern rock and a classical orchestra to create a unique Valentine’s Day experience.

The show is a part of the Hamilton Philharmonic’s 2025-26 season, which includes concerts based on a popular repertoire as well as classical standards. The Orchestra will also be staging an abridged version of Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni in Ancaster on February 7. Classical performances like this often use speeches and brochure printing to help outline the program and help put the music in historical context.

The Hamilton Symphony Orchestra’s 2026 Valentine’s Day concert will take place at FirstOntario Concert Hall on February 14.