EVENTS
Musical Matinées: TPocket Symphonies - Beethoven's 5th and More...
POCKET SYMPHONIES: BEETHOVEN’S 5TH AND MORE…
The Bergmann Piano Duo with special guests Jasper Wood & Joseph Elworthy
Experience Beethoven’s famous 5th Symphony in a fresh, new context through this ‘pocket’ version by Carl Burchard for one piano 4 hands, violin and cello that leaves nothing out in terms of fullness and exuberance. This ‘quartet’- with wonderful colleagues Jasper Wood and Joseph Elworthy- will round out the programme with the Hebrides Overture by Mendelssohn and a selection of Brahms Hungarian Dances, celebrating the splendid and rich sound-combination of strings and piano.
Join us for a pre-show reception with complimentary coffee, tea, and treats in our lake-side lobby at 1:30PM!
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
The Bergmann Piano Duo’s dynamic and energetic performances of uniquely eclectic programmes have inspired audiences internationally. Their recitals and concerts with orchestra have taken them to many parts of the world, including the United States, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, France, Macedonia, Greece, China and Canada. The duo has appeared at international festivals including: Festival of the Sound, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Vancouver Opera Festival, San Francisco International Music Festival, MusicFest Vancouver, Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Banff Arts Festival, the Royal Bank Calgary International Organ Festival and Competition, Festival Miami, Tage für Neue Musik, Darmstadt, Braunschweiger Kammermusik Podium, and EXPO 2000, Hannover.
The duo has made recordings for the CBC, for several stations of the ARD in Germany and for National Public Radio and has recorded several CDs, which appear on the CordAria, Arktos, Koch International Classics, Naxos, ARS and Brilliant Classics labels. Their most recent recording, American Stories on the ARS label, features exclusively Marcel’s arrangements.
They are both Artistic Directors of White Rock Concerts and Elizabeth is Artistic Director of Concerts at the Langley Community Music School. Marcel held a position as Professor of Music at Mohawk College in Hamilton and both Elizabeth and Marcel have been on faculty at Mount Royal University and University of Calgary as well as being involved in various musical projects at The Banff Centre for the Arts.
SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE:
Adult $37 | Senior: $32 | Student: $16
BOX OFFICE: 604.927.6555 | Open Monday – Saturday, 12 – 5PM
(Evergreen Cultural Centre, Apr. 23, 1:30 p.m)
Sechille Sedare
Leela Gilday & Jay Gilday
A contemporary roots duo featuring sibling songwriters Leela Gilday and Jay Gilday. Sechile Sedare (pronounced ‘seh-chee-leh’ ‘seh-dahr-eh’) means ‘my younger brother, my older sister’ in the Dene language. This musical collaboration sees Jay and Leela co-write and co-create new repertoire together, harnessing their talents as deeply insightful and genuine storytellers. Their voices blend in perfect harmony, hitting notes of nostalgia, hope, humour and reflection. The songs, created during lockdown in 2021 and during a residency at the Banff Centre, share stories about their family history, their connection to the land and water, and the twists and turns of fate.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
A vagabond turned mailman, Jay Gilday has searched for himself in the depths of Folk, blues, traditional, rock and most recently soul music. The quest continues as Jay takes his experiences as a half Dene, half Canadian-Irish youth traveling the roads of Canada, the daily roller-coaster of work, family, and performance and weaves them into song. Jay’s live performance is executed with a trained voice and a passion to drive it backed up by a heavy hitting guitar, finger-style or flat-picked, your choice!
Born and raised in the Northwest Territories, Leela Gilday writes about the people and the land that created her. The power in her voice conveys the depth of her feelings of love and life in a rugged environment and vibrant culture, as if it comes straight from that earth. Leela’s family is from Délįne on the shore of Great Bear Lake and her rich vocals dance across the rhythmic beats of traditional Dene drumming as smoothly as a bass line onstage the largest venues in the country. And she has played them all.
SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE:
Adult $41 | Senior: $37 | Student: $16
BOX OFFICE: 604.927.6555 | Open Monday – Saturday, 12 – 5PM
Save big on our Variety & Music Series performances with a Sampler Pack Subscription!
(Evergreen Cultural Centre, Apr. 24, 7:30 p.m)
Stefano Maiorana: Secret Pages for theorbo and sounds of Venice
In a co-presentation between Early Music Vancouver and Vancouver New Music, virtuoso Stefano Maiorana (Italy) performs Secret Pages, a set of antique and newly composed music for theorbo – an instrument similar to a lute – that interweaves twenty works by Johann Hieronymus Kapsberger (c. 1580-1651) and contemporary composer Claudio Ambrosini (b. 1948). Toccatas, arias, and dances for solo theorbo will be heard alongside soundscape recordings that fleetingly capture the essence of Venice: the lapping and crashing of waves, chiming bells and cawing gulls, moored ships and bobbing gondolas, all broadcasted in an immersive surround audio setup of custom made wood resonators.
(Pacific Spirit United Church, 2195 West 45th Ave, Apr. 26)
Chor Leoni presents The Big Roar
Chor Leoni announces the return of its 10th annual signature community choral festival, The Big Roar, on stage at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on May 3, 2025, at 4pm. For the first time in its history, the concert will be widely accessible to all audiences through the special offer of $5 TD Community Roar Tickets. The Big Roar represents a choral event unlike any other in Canada, featuring five choirs across all ages with more than 250 singers from Chor Leoni, the MYVoice educational choirs, the Emerging Choral Artist Program, and The Leonids, a nine-member professional ensemble of the finest singers from across North America. Each group will perform their own sets and then unite to become Canada’s largest lower voice choir, performing an electrifying blend of classic and modern choral works. Tickets for $5 at chorleoni.org
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, May. 3)
SlowPitchSound
SlowPitchSound (aka Cheldon Paterson, Toronto) is a celebrated turntable artist, composer, mentor and explorer of sound and visuals, who experiments with a wide range of disciplines, styles and sounds in what he has dubbed as “sci-fi turntablism”. Inspired by nature, outer space and dystopian sci-fi, his approach to making and presenting music includes turntablism, live sampling, field recordings and live cinema. SlowPitchSound will perform his piece Within Touch using a turntable, looper, drum machine and video camera. During the performance the audience will have a closeup view of SlowPitchSound's storytelling process projected on screen.
(ANNEX, 823 Seymour St, May. 10)
Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra’s 95th Anniversary Concert
The Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra celebrates 95 years of musical excellence with a special anniversary concert on May 18, 2025, at the Orpheum. The milestone event showcases the talent and dedication of 280 young musicians across all four VYSO orchestras, from the foundational Debut and Junior Orchestras to the more advanced Intermediate and Senior ensembles. The concert offers an engaging program that highlights the artistic journey of these aspiring professionals and underscores the VYSO’s commitment to championing Canadian composers. Highlights from the repertoire include Carnival Overture by Oskar Morawetz — one of the most widely performed contemporary Canadian composers — and the revered Bramwell Tovey’s dynamic Sky Chase, which was originally written for the VYSO and was last performed by the orchestra in 2017. Adding to the celebratory atmosphere is the homecoming of special guest soloist Joanna G’froerer, the Principal Flutist of the prestigious National Arts Centre Orchestra and a VYSO alumna.
(The Orpheum at 601 Smithe St, Vancouver, May. 18, 2:00 p.m)
Elektra presents Legacy
Vancouver’s renowned adult treble voice choir, Elektra, is set to close its season with two performances of Legacy: on May 25 at Surrey’s Church of the Good Shepherd, and on May 31 at Vancouver’s Christ Church Cathedral. These concerts mark the final performances of Artistic Director Morna Edmundson’s tenure, who is stepping down after 38 years of visionary leadership.
Featuring an all-Canadian programme, Legacy is Edmundson’s "desert island playlist" of favourite Canadian compositions – all commissioned by Elektra over the decades – along with three Canadian premieres showcasing the choir's ongoing commitment to nurturing emerging talents.
(Good Shepherd Church, 2250 150 St, Surrey + Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard, Vancouver, May. 25 (Surrey) + May. 31 (Vancouver))
