Concert Archive – 2003

November 11, 2003
As part of Sacred World Music Festival 2003, the VICO, together with Laudate Singers, presented a program including Neil Weisensel’s Presence, and the world premiere of Farshid Samandari’s Remover of Difficulties at the Croatian Centre.

Program

Remover Of Difficulties (Qui autre que Dieu?) (2003) by Farshid Samandari
A work based on Bahai Sacred texts (“Is there any remover of difficulties save God?”), commissioned by the VICO World Premiere

Presence (2002, 2003) Music by Neil Weisensel, Text by Pamela Post
A new version of a work commissioned for the VICO in 2002, based on original poetry by Pamela Post, in celebration of ‘the present moment’.

Featured Performers
Choir – Laudate Singers; Soprano – Nancy Fischer; Tenor – Amir Haghighi; Lever Harp – Amy Stephen.

The Ensemble
Flute – Karen Graves; Violin – Evelyn Creaser-Rumley; Kamanche – Reza Honari; Erhu – Lan Tung; Cello – Finn Manniche; Guitar – Bruce Clausen; Sitar – James Hamilton; Tabla/Hand Percussion – Stefan Cihelka; Percussion – Jonathan Bernard.

Conductors
Lars Kaario (Presence); Farshid Samandari (Remover of Difficulties)

October 25, 2003
The Pro Music Society’s Further East – Further West series, in collaboration with Capilano College School of Music, presented a VICO concert featuring two world premieres: Niel Golden’s Kusumamaya – a Tabla Concerto, and Farshid Samandari’s Sinfonia Unifica. Presented by Vancouver Pro Musica.

Program

Lao Tse’s Love Letter
by Joseph “Pepe” Danza

Raga for Sitar and Tabla
James Hamilton – Sitar; Niel Golden – Tabla

Kusumamaya (Consisting of Flowers)
by Niel Golden
I. Lotus II. Orchid III. Rose

Intermission

Traditional Persian Music
Reza Honari – Kamanche; Hidayat Honari – Tar

Sinfonia Unifica – Chamber Symphony no.1
“Out of the ashes rises the Phoenix!”
by Farshid Samandari
I. Prelude in Search II. Dance in fire III. Fugue from reality IV. Finale in assemblage

The King is Dancing
by Moshe Denburg

Performers

Violin – Evelyn Creaser-Rumley; Flute – Mark McGregor; Oboe – Lauris McKenzie; Clarinet/Bass Clarinet – Johanna Hauser; Cello/Guitar – Finn Manniche; Marimba/Percussion – Robin Reid; Vibraphone/Darabuka – Jonathan Bernard; Udu/ Shakuhachi – Joseph “Pepe” Danza; Guzheng – Mei Han; Trombone – Jeremy Berkman;Tar – Hidayat Honari; Kamanche – Reza Honari;Sitar – James Hamilton; Tabla – Niel Golden;

Conductors – Moshe Denburg, Farshid Samandari

February 2, 2003
The VICO, together with the Laudate Singers presented a program of works including two premieres of newly commissioned works, Circling by Jin Zhang and Ani Ma-amin by Moshe Denburg. At Capilano College Performing Arts Theatre.

Musiciens Sans Frontieres (Musicians without Borders)
with Special Guests – The Laudate Singers

Flute – Graham Ord; Oboe – Lauris McKenzie; Clarinet – Francois Houle; Bass Clarinet – Johanna Hauser; Trumpet – John Korsrud; Percussion – Phil Belanger; Marimba/Percussion – Robin Reid; Vibraphone/Percussion – Jason Overy; Tabla/ Percussion – Niel Golden; Tabla – Neelamjit Singh Dhillon; Quena, Quenacho, Bansuri, Shakuhachi, Udu, Darabuka – Joseph “Pepe” Danza; Danbau – Bic Hoang; Erhu – Lan Tung; Violin 1 – Evelyn Creaser-Rumley; Violin 2 – Margaret Taylor; Viola – Pat Armstrong; Cello – Finn Manniche; Double Bass – Tim Stacey; Pipa – Qing Chang; Ruan, Daruan – Zhimin Yu; Guitar, Charango – Ed Henderson; Oud – Serwan Yamolky; Sitar – James Hamilton; Zheng/Koto – Mei Han; Yangqin – Vivian Xia; Harp – Nadia Kim; Bandoneon – Douglas Schmidt;
Choir
The Laudate Singers
Lars Kaario, Director
Mary McKinney, Manager/Accompanist

Soprano – Ingrid Andrey, Brooke Angus, Tami Copland, Catherine Crouch, Laurell Hubick, Susan Larkin, Morgan Young

Alto – Jaime Ashurst, Miriam Davidson, Trudy Korth, Stephanie Lam, Anita Liebich, Lisa Mitchell

Tenor – Mark DeSilva, Stacey Erickson, Mike MacAulay, Lane Price, Chris Robinson, Robin Townsend

Bass – Montgomery Bjornson, Jacques Leger, Troy Martell, Nick Meyer, Steve Miller, Ryan Noakes, Tyler Peterson, Adam Turpin
Conductors
Jin Zhang (Sacred Flowers; Circling);
Moshe Denburg (I Saw a Mountain; Ani Ma-amin)