SOUNDS GLOBAL: Celebrating Canada Music Week
Sunday November 16, 2014 at 3 pm
We are excited to be partnering with the North Shore Branch of the BC Registered Music Teachers’ Association (BCRMTA) on this recital. It’s a celebration of Canada Music Week, a performance showcase for BCRMTA student composers and musicians, and also the culmination of our VICO in the Schools workshop series for student composers, held this year at Capilano University.
Featured performers Charlie Lui (dizi) and Song Yun(erhu) will perform compositions by RMTA students (Martin Barnes, Sasha Chadinsky, Sarah Haysom, Denise Kerney, Annudesh Liyanage and Julia Tancon) as well as the world premiere of Red Leaves by Mark Armanini, commissioned by the BCRMTA for this occasion. As well, RMTA students will perform their own compositions for solo piano, and other Canadian repertoire. Finally, special guest musicians Lan Tung (erhu), Bic Hoang (dan bau), Saina Khaledi (santur) and Jonathan Bernard (percussion) – the VICO Sounds Global Ensemble – will premiere works by VICO in the Schools alumni Bruce Bai, Jessica Hua, Harrison Kuettel, Dubravko Pajalic, Vanessa Yeung and Brian Wong.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS & MAPLE LEAVES FESTIVAL
October 22 – November 3, 2014
This innovative festival celebrates the music of Japan, and explores interactions between Japanese and Canadian cultures through educationalevents, workshops, chamber recitals and orchestral concerts in Vancouver, Victoria and Burnaby. Download the full festival programme here (PDF file: 4 MB).
The VICO is proud to welcome four master musicians from Japan and the Netherlands for Chrysanthemums & Maple Leaves: Naomi Sato (sho), Issui Minegishi (ichigenkin), Bruce Huebner (shakuhachi) andMiyama McQueen-Tokita (koto). These virtuoso performers will join forces with the musicians and composers of the VICO to present music that spans centuries and continents, from traditional repertoire dating back to the ancient Imperial courts of Japan all the way to new contemporary intercultural works by Japanese and Canadian composers.
The Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver has officially recognized Chrysanthemums & Maple Leaves as a signature event in connection with the 125th Anniversary of the establishment of a Japanese diplomatic office in Canada. Join the musicians and composers of the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra, our Japanese guest artists and our community partners in celebrating friendships, cultural connections and fruitful artistic collaborations of the past, present and future.
FESTIVAL EVENTS
Concerts
Tiresias Duo and Tempest Flute Ensemble combine forces to present an exploration of the great Japanese music tradition of Gagaku. This event showcases new works by Canadian composers Hiroki Tsurumoto,James Beckwith Maxwell, Brian Harman, in addition to a special presentation of Toru Takemitsu‘s Gagaku masterpiece, In An Autumn Garden.
A chamber concert in an intimate setting, featuring traditional music alongside works for strings and Japanese instruments by contemporary Japanese composers Minoru Miki and Toru Takemitsu, and VICO Composer-in-Residence Farshid Samandari.
Gagaku, zen, traditional & folk music with Naomi Sato, Issui Minegishi, Miyama McQueen-Tokita & Bruce Huebner.
Our quartet of visiting master musicians will be joined by percussionist Eien Hunter-Ishikawa and soprano Heather Pawsey for this programme of traditional and contemporary music by Japanese and Canadian composers, including Toshio Hosokawa, Rita Ueda, Elliot Weisgarber, Chris Reiche, Randy Raine-Reusch and Farshid Samandari.
The flagship event of the festival, this concert features the full Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra our visiting guest artists, under the direction of conductorOwen Underhill. The ensemble will perform concerti for sho, ichigenken, shakuhachi and koto by Japanese and Canadian composers including Elliot Weisgarber, Farshid Samandari, Jin Zhang, Dai Fujikura and Issui Minegishi.
Educational Events & Workshops
Meet the Instruments: Lecture/Recitals
Learn about the instruments of these ancient traditions from the masters who play them.
Sho, Shakuhachi & Koto
-October 24, 3:30 pm at Victoria Public Library
-October 25, 12:15 pm at Victoria Japanese Cultural Fair
Sho & Shakuhachi
-October 27, 12 noon at Roy Barnet Hall, UBC School of Music
Ichigenkin & Koto
-October 27, 3:30 pm at UBC Asian Centre (**note updated start time; was originally listed at 2 pm)
Ichigenkin, Sho & Flute
-November 1, 1 pm at Vancouver Japanese Language School
Reading Session for Composers
An opportunity for composers to workshop sketches and new works with our guest artists. These sessions are open and free for the general public. Registration is required for active participants (please contact farshid@vi-co.org or download a registration form
The VICO extends heartfelt thanks to the following funders and community partners, without whom CHRYSANTHEMUMS & MAPLE LEAVES 2014 would not be possible:
Sound of Dragon Music Festival
*Signature event of Asian Heritage Month
This spring, the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra is proud to be one of several organizations co-presenting the inaugural Sound of Dragon Music Festival, celebrating Chinese music in all its diverse forms. This new festival redefines “Chinese music”, showcasing everything from ancient to contemporary music, jazz and world fusion, and avant-garde improvisation in solo, chamber, and orchestral performances. Vancouver’s first Chinese music festival reflects our unique multicultural environment, with 20 concerts and many free activities, including workshops, a multi-media installation, video screening, and hands-on demonstration of traditional instruments.
BEYOND THE WALLS: VICO at Sound of Dragon Music Festival
CONCERTS:
Monday May 5, 2014 at 7:30 pm
These concerts will feature a programme of music by BC composers Jin Zhang, Lan Tung, Farshid Samandari and Mark Armanini, performed by a 14-member ensemble that includes violin, viola, cello, bass, erhu, oud, santur, flute, clarinet and percussion, with visiting Taiwanese guest artists Yu-Chen Wang (zheng – Chinese zither) and Ling Hsuan Shen (sheng – mouth-blown reed instrument consisting of vertical pipes). The repertoire will range from traditional to newly composed works, all along the central theme of combining instruments of many cultures with traditional Chinese instruments. The ensemble will be conducted by Chih-Sheng Chen, Music Director of the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra of Taiwan and the official guest conductor of the Sound of Dragon Festival.
Other VICO events in connection with Sound of Dragon:
In this sneak preview of the VICO’s Vancouver appearance at the Sound of Dragon Festival, special guests Chih-Sheng Chen (conductor of the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra of Taiwan), Lan Tung (erhu), Yu-Chen Wang (zheng) and Ling Hsuan Shen (sheng) present traditional Chinese instruments in a fresh, contemporary Taiwanese and North American context. This informal, educational presentation will include live solo and ensemble performances, video clips and discussion. VICO Small Ensemble at Sound of Dragon
The VICO Small Ensemble (sVICO)’s diverse repertoire is drawn from Jewish, Persian, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Indian and Chinese music. This band is comprised of Moshe Denburg on guitar, Ali Razmy on tar, Jonathan Bernard on percussion, Lan Tung on erhu, Amy Stephen on Celtic harp and accordion, and Russell Sholberg on bass. The instrumentalists are also singers trained in their perspective traditions, creating an unusual mix of ethnic vocal styles.
The Vancouver Inter-Cultural acknowledges the support of the following funders, sponsors and partners, without whom “Beyond the Walls” would not be possible: The Canada Council for the Arts, The Province of British Columbia (Community Gaming), The City of Vancouver, Festivals Burnaby, ArtsVest Vancouver (Business for the Arts), The Hamber Foundation, The SOCAN Foundation and OMNI Diversity Television.
GOOD DAY SUNSHINE
An afternoon of groovy folk, pop & intercultural music
Sunday March 9, 2014 at 3:00 pm (doors open at 2:30 pm)
VICO does the Beatles…and more! Join us for a musical celebration of spring: a fun afternoon of groovy folk, pop and traditional tunes, performed on instruments from all over the planet. Also on the bill: tasty refreshments, instrument petting zoo, silent auction & cash bar.
Featuring
Come celebrate spring with us! All proceeds support VICO’s artistic & educational programming.
Help us spread the word: click here to download our fantastic poster (designed by Paul Beja) and print it or e-mail it to friends and family. (Note: file is approx. 7 MB)