Isidore String Quartet

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The Valley Concert Society is delighted to present the Isidore String Quartet at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. The group won first prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022. This is … Read More

That Piece

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

At the Concert

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The 2023-24 concert season for The Valley Concert Society is turning out to be a season of experiment. When the Vancouver Chamber Choir performs on Friday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, we will again have … Read More

Creative Choices

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When people come to a classical music concert and look over the program for the evening, they generally have a pretty good idea of what to expect—some recognizable composer names, standard musical forms like symphonies, concertos, sonatas, etc. Every once … Read More

Vancouver Chamber Choir

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The Valley Concert Society is delighted to welcome the Vancouver Chamber Choir to the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. Returning for the first time since their last performance here in 2002, the … Read More

A Human Experience

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

Your Concert Experience

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Those of you who have tickets to the concert by the Carr-Petrova Duo at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m. possess an entrée to an experience that is special on so many levels. You will … Read More

The Viola

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When you come to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m. to hear Anna Petrova accompany Molly Carr playing her viola, you may not sense a great difference between that experience and a violin concert. There … Read More

VCS Serves the Community

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The Valley Concert Society is thrilled to bring two brilliant musicians, the Carr-Petrova Duo, to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m. for a performance of music by female composers through three centuries. The duo will … Read More

Women in Music

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On Friday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m., The Valley Concert Society will present a program at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium that celebrates the glorious contribution of female musicians to the world of classical music. Violist Molly Carr is a remarkable … Read More

Four Great Concerts in 2024

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As the calendar turns over to 2024, The Valley Concert Society is eagerly anticipating four great programs to enrich your winter and spring. On Friday, February 23, the Carr-Petrova Duo from New York brings the first concert in our history … Read More

What is Tom Allen Up To?

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In one way, we know exactly what we will get on Friday, November 10, when Tom Allen comes to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. On the other hand, we need to be prepared for the entirely unexpected. We … Read More

Tom Allen Comes to Abbotsford

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The Valley Concert Society presents J.S. Bach’s Long Walk in the Snow on Friday, November 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. It tells the story of a teenaged Bach who gets into serious scrapes with his employers … Read More

The Pow’r of Musick

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The heading was on an email in my inbox on Monday morning. It was another of the many emails that come from agents or performers promoting their programs and hoping to book a gig. This one came from an ensemble … Read More

The Music That Started It All

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The Valley Concert Society is excited to celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a concert on Sunday, October 22, at 3:00 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. The program will consist of the same works that were played at the very … Read More

Down to the Wire

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We left off our account of The Valley Concert Society’s beginnings with a meeting on October 3, 1983, which saw the board facing a monumental task with time running down. They had plans to present the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on … Read More

Official, But Far From Certain

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In this third instalment of our account of the society’s beginnings, we take up the narrative after the summer events that created the society. The meeting of the newly named Valley Concert Society on August 17, 1983, successfully resolved all … Read More

Notice of AGM

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The Valley Concert Society will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 6, at 7:00 p.m. It will be an in-person meeting in the Conference Centre of the Best Western Plus Regency Inn located at 32110 Marshall Road, Abbotsford. … Read More

The Music in the Valley Society

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Forty years ago today, on August 17, 1983, the board of directors for the organization that would become The Valley Concert Society held its second meeting, again at the home of their president Paul Moritz. Of particular note was the … Read More

We Have a Winner

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The Valley Concert Society has completed the draw among all those who bought a subscription to the 2023/24 season by June 30, and we are pleased to announce that Joseph Peters has won a free subscription. Congratulations to you, Joseph. … Read More

The Day It All Began

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Exactly 40 years ago today, on July 12, 1983, eight people gathered for a meeting in the home of Paul Moritz on Ware Avenue. This was the first formal step in the formation of what we now know as The … Read More

Notice of AGM

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This message is to give notice that The Valley Concert Society will hold its 2023 Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Centre of the Best Western Plus Regency Inn and Conference Centre located … Read More

Subscribe Now

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June has arrived, and The Valley Concert Society is between seasons. From the mellow opening notes by Axiom Brass to the utterly brilliant finale at the hands of pianist David Jalbert, we have experienced many inspirational moments. We have learned … Read More

Lorna Keith Memorial

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The family has announced the date of the memorial service for Lorna Keith in Abbotsford. It will take place on Friday, June 30, at 2:00 p.m. in Trinity Memorial United Church at 33737 George Ferguson Way. There will be light … Read More

Encore

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

Late Masterpieces

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When David Jalbert performs in the season-ending concert for the Valley Concert Society at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m., he will bring a program entitled Late Masterpieces. Jalbert has chosen music by mature composers … Read More

David Jalbert

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There is no better way for The Valley Concert Society to bring its 40th season to a grand conclusion than by bringing one of the finest pianists Canada has ever produced. David Jalbert will perform at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium … Read More

The Traveller

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Students of Robert Schumann’s music have dubbed 1840 the Miracle Year. Alternatively, it is known as the Year of Song. For a man who suffered so much emotionally and who died so tragically, 1840 may have been the high point … Read More

Isaiah Bell

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The Valley Concert Society is eagerly anticipating the program that tenor Isaiah Bell will perform at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. Bell combines his beautiful, lyrical voice with a sharp intellect and a sensitive … Read More

Along For the Ride

“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

Remembering Lorna Keith

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It is with sadness that I share with you, the Valley Concert Society community, news of the passing of Lorna Keith on Tuesday, March 7. She was living in Edmonton and slipped away peacefully at the age of 93 with … Read More

Viano String Quartet in BC

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The Valley Concert Society is fortunate to be able to schedule a performance with the Viano String Quartet while they are in BC for a two-week period. The concert at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Sunday, March 19, at 3:00 … Read More

VCS and the Junos

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On Monday evening, March 13, the Canadian recording industry will celebrate the outstanding achievements of this nation’s musicians with the Juno Awards. I was delighted to learn that pianist David Jalbert, who will close our season on Friday, May 12, … Read More

A Message of Hope

Escapism often has a negative connotation. Society tells us to plant our feet firmly on the ground and keep our heads out of the clouds, but our most powerful inspiration can often come from those moments where we escape the … Read More

Viano String Quartet

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The Valley Concert Society is thrilled to welcome the Viano String Quartet to the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Sunday, March 19, at 3:00 p.m. The quartet was originally scheduled to be here in April of 2021 as … Read More

Gesualdo Six and the English Renaissance

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The program offered by Gesualdo Six when they perform at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Thursday, February 9, at 7:30 p.m. is a wonderful portrayal of music from the English Renaissance. You will hear not only the common elements in … Read More

William Byrd

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The Valley Concert Society looks forward to welcoming Gesualdo Six to the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Thursday, February 9, at 7:30 p.m. The six members of the British male vocal consort will present a program entitled English … Read More

Gesualdo Six

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Gesualdo Six is coming to Abbotsford at last. They were originally scheduled to perform here in October of 2020. The pandemic, still a fairly novel and bewildering experience at the time, cancelled not only their tour but our entire season. … Read More

Couloir, A Corridor

During the Liz Carter Talk in the foyer before Saturday’s concert, an audience member asked cellist Ariel Barnes about the name of his duo Couloir. Ari mentioned his love of skiing, referencing one meaning of the word as a steep … Read More

Couloir

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On Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m., we will be treated to the magical sounds of harp and cello at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. Two brilliant international artists with roots in Vancouver, cellist Ariel Barnes and harpist Heidi Krutzen, form … Read More

Ariel Barnes

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Couloir will perform at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the 2022/23 season of The Valley Concert Society. It is a rare opportunity to hear the remarkable artists of this harp-and-cello duo … Read More

Heidi Krutzen

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The Valley Concert Society is delighted to present Couloir at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. Both members of this outstanding harp-and-cello duo have roots in Vancouver and have gone on to establish distinguished careers … Read More

Some Axioms

Time for a little philosophy. We’ve heard the name of Axiom Brass used frequently in the past little while. The reference to brass is obvious. But what about the axiom part of the name? The dictionary tells us that an … Read More

A World Premiere

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Axiom Brass will produce the fanfare that opens the 2022/23 season for The Valley Concert Society at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, September 30, at 7:30 p.m. Adding to the excitement is the fact that we have a world … Read More

Axiom Brass Opens VCS Season

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The Valley Concert Society opens its 2022-23 season by welcoming Axiom Brass to the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, September 30, at 7:30 p.m. This seriously-talented quintet, based in Chicago, Illinois, is celebrating the 15th Anniversary of … Read More