The world of classical music is regarded by some as being populated with stuffed shirts. Pompous. Formal. Dull. Superior. And if there is any genre in classical music that represents the height of such a reputation, it has to be … Read More

I wasn’t prepared to like musica intima.  Why can’t they just put capitals on their name? I worried that they would be too dissonant, too esoteric, too modern.  When I saw the program, my fears increased.  There were no familiar … Read More

As one of the people responsible for bringing you the concerts in our series, I listen at our events for two different things. One ear is tuned to the music; the other is paying attention to our audience. How is … Read More

I was late. I grabbed my keys and headed into rush hour traffic. Fingers drumming impatiently on the steering wheel, I waited for the endless line of cars to move. Sitting in the snail-paced traffic, thoughts of the day swirled … Read More

In almost every conversation I’ve had with people about last Friday’s concert featuring the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the first thing mentioned was “that piece”. Not a single person named “that piece”, maybe because they didn’t know now to pronounce it, … Read More

Ever since the first human being discovered the joy of beating on a hollow piece of wood or blowing through a reed, music has been a shared human experience, people sitting or dancing together with their families or friends. It … Read More

The ‘chamber musical’ which took place on Friday evening was unique in several ways. The format was that of a small intimate group of musicians telling a story through words and notes. While we knew the topic of the evening … Read More

In reflecting on the magnificent performance rendered by David Jalbert last Friday evening, there is so much that could be described with superlatives, but my mind keeps returning to one brief moment—the encore. I expect this will go down as … Read More

Spring weather is notorious for fluctuating between sun-soaked warmth and biting cold. One minute the world is bathed in golden joyfulness and optimism, and the next, the wind is howling at our door and rain-darkened clouds cast a shadow over … Read More

“The train is about to depart the station. Please stand clear of the doors.” With those words violinist Lucy Wang of the Viano String Quartet invited us along on a train ride to some improbable places. And what a ride … Read More