It’s September, that marvelously schizophrenic month. It’s the melancholy end of summer, but it is simultaneously the herald of exciting new possibilities. The Valley Concert Society is on the cusp of another exceptional season. A subscription is your passport to … Read More
The Valley Concert Society will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 3, 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
I would like to share with you news of a concert on Friday, August 22, by two exceptionally talented young pianists. Mission’s Rafael Comeau will present a program entitled All Over the Ivories together with Ontario pianist Justin Cho. They … Read More
The Valley Concert Society will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 3, 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 Valley Concert Society has held the draw for an additional free subscription among all those who subscribed by June 30. We are pleased to announce that Lynda Holland is the winner. She will be able to bring a guest … Read More
Each year about this time, The Valley Concert Society has made a subscriber very happy. Everyone who purchases a subscription to the new season by June 30 automatically becomes part of a random draw. The winner receives an additional free … Read More
The opening concert in the 2025/26 season of the Valley Concert Society is still a few months away, but now is a great time to subscribe. Everyone who subscribes by June 30 will be added to a draw for an … Read More
The 2024-25 season of the Valley Concert Society is in the books, and we are left with our memories of musical inspiration, of experiences that lifted us above the cares of daily life. What are the memories that stand out … Read More
When Quartetto Gelato brought the house down in the concert that closed the Valley Concert Society’s 2024-25 season, it should have been a perfect night—our largest crowd since the pandemic, outstanding musicianship, rapturous applause, spontaneous laughter, exclamations of joy from … Read More
Quartetto Gelato will bring the 2024-25 season of the Valley Concert Society to a rousing close on Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. The foursome bring serious talent to their programs. They also take their … Read More
The Valley Concert Society will end its outstanding 2024-25 season on a lighthearted note as it welcomes Quartetto Gelato to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. Able to blend their superb musicianship with a love … Read More
Wow! (First draft) Wow! (Feedback from my editors: Too short. Redo.) Wow! (Second draft) That was incredible! (Feedback from my editors: Still too short. Lacks imagination. Change the title.) Virtuosity (Third draft) It just feels like that’s all there is … Read More
Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene and American pianist Sahun Sam Hong will take the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. The closing piece on their program will be the Violin Sonata No. 2 in … Read More
On Friday, March 21, the Valley Concert Society will welcome Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene and pianist Sahun Sam Hong to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Dalene is a young musician making a huge splash at an early age … Read More
Listening to a live musical performance has always been a way to bring communities together. The Valley Concert Society has our own tight-knit community of music lovers that gather each month to enjoy classical music – something we all have … Read More
We are looking forward to Jarred Dunn’s performance on Friday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. For more information about Jarred and about the pieces he will be playing, check out the online program which you … Read More
“A revered pedagogue,” or put more simply, an admired teacher. That is the description given to Jarred Dunn by Tonebase Piano, an online music teaching website. I have shared with you some things about Jarred Dunn, the pianist, and about … Read More
Jarred Dunn will take the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. to bring the fourth concert in 2024-25 season of the Valley Concert Society. The entire second half of the program will be … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is delighted to present pianist Jarred Dunn in concert at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. Dunn, a Canadian, graduated from the University of Toronto with degrees in both Music and … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is pleased to welcome pianist Jarred Dunn to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. Dunn is a Canadian musician currently based in Montreal. He has performed extensively in North America and … Read More
The sweet spot—that place where everything just feels perfect. Saturday’s concert hit the sweet spot. At least it did so for me and for many of the people I heard from afterwards. It was four remarkable musicians finding that magical … Read More
The Valley Concert Society will welcome the great Stefan Jackiw along with three outstanding colleagues to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Saturday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. We are delighted that Jackiw will be one of the musicians joining us … Read More
The stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium is the setting for a program of three masterpieces from the Romantic Era on Saturday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. Three musicians from the US and a Canadian from Calgary will play works … Read More
The Valley Concert Society welcomes four wonderful musicians to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Saturday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. Their program will bring us three exquisite examples of late Romantic repertoire. The second work we will hear is a … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is thrilled to welcome four outstanding musicians from across the continent to the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Saturday, January 18, at 7:30 p.m. They will perform three beautiful works from the late Romantic Era. The concert … Read More
The board members of the Valley Concert Society wish you much joy in the Christmas season. May your days be enriched with the closeness of family, the warmth of friendship, and the inspiration of great music. Our next concert brings … Read More
I have shared with you much of what is involved in planning a season for the Valley Concert Society. For most of the society’s history, George Zukerman played an enormous role in this process. George wrote an autobiography in his … Read More
I often get the question, “Where do you find these musicians?” This happens most often after someone has particularly enjoyed a performance from a group that he/she had not heard of previously. It seems to me the best way to … Read More
From time to time I have been asked how we find these artists or how we plan a season? Recently an audience member asked the same question and added the suggestion that I write to you about it. So here … Read More
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
We are looking forward to the performance by the Butter Quartet on Friday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. They will bring a creatively themed program entitled Well Met By Moonlight. The detailed online program has … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is looking forward to the performance by the Butter Quartet at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. The quartet will present an imaginatively prepared program entitled Well Met By Moonlight. Framed … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is excited to present the Butter Quartet at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. While the quartet is based in the Netherlands, the only Dutch member is their violist Isabel Franenberg. … Read More
The Valley Concert Society looks forward to welcoming the Butter Quartet to the stage of the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. The ensemble will present a beautifully crafted program entitled Well Met By Moonlight. While … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is delighted to present the Butter Quartet in concert at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. The group is based in the Netherlands where they met as students at the Royal … 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
We are looking forward to musica intima’s performance on Friday, September 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. They will bring a creative program entitled The New Canon. For more information about the ensemble and about the pieces … Read More
The New Canon is the title of the program that will be given by musica intima at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium when The Valley Concert Society opens its new season on Friday, September 20, at 7:30 p.m. The program is … Read More
We are thrilled to open our 2024/25 season with one of Vancouver’s musical gems. musica intima takes the stage at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, September 20, at 7:30 p.m. musica intima has no conductor. It is a self-directed … Read More
The Valley Concert Society is excited to open its season with a concert by Vancouver’s award-winning choral ensemble musica intima. They will take the stage at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, September 20, at 7:30 p.m. The group has … Read More
The Valley Concert Society will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 4, 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 Valley Concert Society will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 4, 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 Valley Concert Society has held the draw for an additional free subscription among all those who subscribed by June 30. We are pleased to announce that Bob and Anne Strain are the winners. They will be able to bring … Read More
Each year about this time, The Valley Concert Society has made a subscriber very happy. Everyone who purchases a subscription to the new season by June 30 automatically becomes part of a random draw. The winner receives an additional free … 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
We are looking forward to Laura Altenmueller’s performance on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. She will play music by Sergei Bortkiewicz, Olivier Messiaen, and Frédéric Chopin. For more information about Laura and about the … Read More
When Laura Altenmueller takes the stage at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m., the audience will welcome one of its own back to Abbotsford. The Valley Concert Society takes pride in looking throughout our province, … 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
It is important to note that Isidore String Quartet’s performance in the Valley Concert Society series at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium is taking place on Thursday, April 18, and not on our usual Friday. The other plans for the evening … Read More
The Isidore String Quartet will present a program of Haydn, Childs, and Beethoven at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. Two of the names in the program are very familiar to listeners of classical music, … Read More
When the Isidore String Quartet performs at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., the program will bear an interesting resemblance to a concert from eleven years ago. The opening half of the program has a … Read More
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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 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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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 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
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
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
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
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