Ground-breaking Inter-Cultural Music Education Program Welcomes Participants in 2025
VICO SUMMER ACADEMY 2025
Presented by The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra
May 26-June 7, 2025
VSO School of Music, Vancouver BC
The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra (VICO) invites established and emerging musicians and composers to apply for its flagship educational program: the VICO Summer Academy, which will be held May 26 – June 7, 2025 in downtown Vancouver, Canada. This innovative educational initiative offers hands-on experience in creating and performing intercultural music, through the collaborative development of new repertoire under the guidance of a world-class professional faculty.
Early bird application deadline (tuition discounts available!): March 28, 2025
“The VICO believes that intercultural music-making is an effective and important pathway towards building an authentically integrated, sustainable, richly diverse society in our home province of BC and across Canada,” says Artistic Director Farshid Samandari. “As an art practice, at its core, it is about finding ways for musicians and composers of widely differing backgrounds and training to work effectively together. We see the impact of this work in our community of artists, and we know that the ripple effect will only grow, the more we can bring new cohorts of creators and performers into the excitement of it.”
The Summer Academy is open to emerging and established composers and musicians, of all nationalities and of every musical background. The programming and instructional opportunities are tailored to the interests and experience of participating artists. Space is limited, so applicants should consider submitting their materials as soon as possible, to allow for as much customization of the program to their needs as possible.
A transformative musical learning experience is guaranteed!
Media contact: Melanie Thompson (VICO Managing Director) | melanie@vi-co.org
The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra respectfully acknowledges that our work takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, including the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-waututh Nations.
We also offer heartfelt thanks to the following funders and partners, whose generous support makes the Summer Academy possible:
The Canada Council for the Arts
City of Vancouver Cultural Services
VSO School of Music (venue partner)
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Background on the VICO Summer Academy
The VICO Summer Academy is a two-week intensive in which composers and performers build skills in the creation and presentation of intercultural music, through the collaborative development of new repertoire. This is the VICO’s largest, most in-depth educational program, offering participants a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a supportive and innovative educational setting: 10 days of workshops, lectures and master classes delivered by a diverse Canadian and international artist faculty. Participants can choose either the Composition or the Performance stream, according to their interest. The Academy culminates with two final concerts showcasing new works developed by Academy participants as well as existing VICO repertoire by Canadian composers.
The VICO has successfully produced the Academy four times to date (2017, 2018, 2019 and – following a pandemic-related hiatus – 2023). We have hosted 30+ composer participants in that time, both Vancouver locals and others who joined us from across Canada, the US, and Asia. Participants have benefited from 100+ hours of lectures, master classes and workshop sessions on topics ranging from orchestration and improvisation to deeper dives into specific musical traditions and instruments (e.g. Chinese, Persian). They have had the opportunity to create and perform new intercultural compositions, mentored by a diverse faculty of composer-educators, VICO musicians who play a wide range of instruments (including erhu, zheng, pipa, sanxian, santour, oud, kamanche, sheng, clarinet, flute, violin, viola, cello, a variety of world percussion instruments, and more), and international guest artists such as the Roadrunner Trio (The Netherlands), conductor John Zoltek (United States), Charbel Rouhana (Lebanon), and composer/conductor Joël Bons (The Netherlands).
The Academy has evolved in exciting ways each year that we have offered it, and we believe it has huge potential for greater impact, as we continue to deepen and enrich the unique and ground-breaking learning and professional development/networking opportunities that it offers. https://vi-co.org/summer-academy-2025/