Vam Symphony Orchestra
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SEASON CALENDAR LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Welcome to VAM – a place of vibrancy that celebrates the inspiring nature of the performing arts. Founded in 1969, VAM has been spreading a love of learning and musical excellence for generations of aspiring musicians. In addition to our primary focus as a centre of music education, VAM also acts as a central hub for concerts and cultural events. I encourage you to leaf through this brochure and take advantage of the numerous events produced at VAM, including: • VAM Symphony Orchestra at the Orpheum Theatre • Numerous competitions featuring promising young talent • Masterclasses with internationally renowned artists • Concerts featuring VAM’s four choirs and five orchestras of all ages and ability levels • Collaborative events spotlighting the spectrum of Renaissance music (Vancouver Viols) to world premieres (Standing Wave) Since 1976, VAM’s Koerner Recital Hall has been the platform for such luminaries as Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, Josef Gringold, Aldo Parisot, Menahem Pressler, and Yo-Yo Ma; moreover, innumerable students have strong formative memories of this performance venue which lies at the heart of VAM. In 2016/17, VAM underwent its largest fundraising effort in forty years to renovate the Hall and bring it into the 21st century. The Campaign was a resounding success, raising 102% of its $1-million goal with our community’s outpouring of gifts and generosity into a newly renovated hall scheduled to open early 2018. Thank you to our many donors, VAM parents, students, faculty, staff, board, and funders for this enduring legacy, and I look forward to greeting you to the newly revitalized Koerner Recital Hall! Joseph Elworthy Executive Director VAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ORPHEUM SERIES 2017/18 The Orpheum Series consists of VAM’s four main stage concerts in downtown Vancouver’s iconic venue, the Orpheum Theatre. On stage is the VAM Symphony Orchestra (VAMSO), which consists of more than 100 students performing seminal works of the Western orchestral tradition. Graduates have continued their training at leading conservatories and universities such as Juilliard, Yale University, the Curtis Institute of Music and Harvard University. Many VAMSO alumni populate the world’s finest orchestras: London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. 2016/17 highlights included sold-out performances of film music by John Williams and Prokofiev’sPeter and the Wolf with Goh Ballet, in addition to an appearance on Jocelyn Morlock’s album Halcyon (CMC Centredisc). This season, VAMSO collaborates with Vancouver Bach Choir, violin duo Jonathan Chan and Jan Bislin, and several featured soloists to present everything from widely-known masterworks to world premieres. BEETHOVEN’S EMPEROR Sunday October 22 / 2:00pm I Orpheum Theatre, 601 Smithe St In an all-Beethoven extravaganza, internationally acclaimed Ian Parker takes the helm of VAM Symphony Orchestra as conductor and soloist of the grand display of splendour that is the Piano Concerto No. 5, aptly nicknamed “Emperor”. The brilliant virtuosity of Beethoven’s stately concerto is accompanied by his Symphony No. 7, filled with exuberance and pulsating liveliness through its majestic rising lines and playful tunefulness. VERDI’S REQUIEM Sunday November 12 / 2:00pm I Orpheum Theatre, 601 Smithe St Thunderous rage and tremulous sincerity, riotous outcries and tender prayers; Verdi’s Requiem is one of the most celebrated Romantic masterworks. This powerful funeral mass reverberates with dramatic vigour in the Orpheum Theatre through the combined forces of VAM Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Bach Choir. BRAHMS’ SYMPHONY NO. 1 Sunday February 18 / 2:00pm I Orpheum Theatre, 601 Smithe St Slowly rising from the tremendous shadow of Beethoven’s symphonic works, Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 was created with painstaking care over a period of 21 years. This powerful contribution to the orchestral canon, formidable in its own right, is presented alongside Grieg’s Piano Concerto with 2017 Kay Meek Competition winner Hamilton Lau and a world premiere with violin duo Jonathan Chan and Jan Bislin. CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS Sunday May 6 / 2:00pm I Orpheum Theatre, 601 Smithe St From the graceful reverie of a faun to the lumbering waltz of an elephant, the French flair for musical imagery pervades Debussy’s dream-like Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and Saint-Saëns’ cavalcade of comical creatures, Carnival of the Animals. Featuring Poulenc’s Concert champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra and VAM’s Mary Buckerfield White Choral program in works by Gabriel Fauré. Tickets for all VAM Symphony Orchestra concerts: $15 general, $10 students/seniors available at vamso.ca. VAM’s Orchestral Training Program is supported by: The R & J Stern Family Foundation 4 2017/18 VAM SEASON CALENDAR COMPETITIONS VAM’s annual competitions aim to identify the accomplishment of talented students and offer recognition for their hard work. Awards include opportunities to perform as soloist with one of VAM’s orchestras and scholarships to assist students in advancing their musical studies. Students wishing more information may visit vam.ca or email [email protected]. VAM JUNIOR & INTERMEDIATE SYMPHONY CONCERTO COMPETITIONS Who is eligible: registered members of VAMJS & VAMIS Application deadline: October 24 Competition dates: November 17 (VAMJS) and November 24 (VAMIS) PHYLLIS SALTER PIANO COMPETITION Who is eligible: VAM piano students born between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2003 Application deadline: January 10 Competition dates: January 29 (preliminary), February 3 (final) YOUNG COMPOSERS’ COMPETITION Who is eligible: Music students residing in BC age 22 and under as of December 31, 2017 Application deadline: January 8 Competition dates: March 3 finalist reading session with VAM Symphony Orchestra BJORN & LORI HAREID SENIOR SECONDARY COMPETITION Who is eligible: woodwind, brass, and percussion students in grades 10-12 Application deadline: January 10 Competition dates: January 31-February 1 (preliminary), February 10 (final) EDITH LANDO GIFTED YOUTH COMPETITION Who is eligible: VAM students 13 and under as of December 31, 2017 Application deadline: January 23 Competition dates: February 23 (preliminary), March 4 (final) JEROLD GERBRECHT WOODWIND & BRASS COMPETITION Who is eligible: young VAM woodwind & brass students Application deadline: February 2 Competition dates: March 2 (preliminary) and March 9 (final) BARBARA CLAGUE FESTIVAL OF SONG Who is eligible: VAM students born after January 1, 1999 Application deadline: March 6 Competition dates: April 6 (preliminary) and April 14 (final) ELSJE DE RIDDER ARMSTRONG CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION Who is eligible: chamber ensembles recommended by the Chamber Music Institute Application deadline: March 28 Competition date: April 28 KAY MEEK COMPETITION Who is eligible: VAM students age 14 and over as of May 19, 2018 Application deadline: April 18 Competition dates: May 18 (preliminary) and May 26 (final) ALTO CLEF VIOLA FESTIVAL Who is eligible: VAM viola students Application deadline: May 1 Competition dates: May 24 (competition) and June 1 (concert) VAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PROVINCIAL CONCERTO COMPETITION Who is eligible: Music students residing in BC age 24 and under as of June 1, 2018 Application deadline: May 4 Competition dates: June 7-8 2017/18 VAM SEASON CALENDAR 5 SEPTEMBER FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29 / 7:00PM STRAWBERRY & TEA STUDENT CONCERT Mary Olson Hall | Free Admission VAM’s monthly series features students from a variety of programs celebrating all levels of musical learning. Join the VAM community in its tradition of music topped with a serving of tea and strawberries! OCTOBER SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OCTOBER 14 AND 15 SUZUKI PIANO MASTERCLASS WITH SUSAN MAGNUSSON Vancouver Academy of Music | Free Admission Distinguished Suzuki pedagogue Susan Magnusson hosts a weekend-long masterclass with students of VAM’s Suzuki Piano program. An event itinerary including locations and schedules is available online at vam.ca. SATURDAY OCTOBER 14 / 5:30PM POST-SECONDARY INFORMATION SESSION: JUILLIARD, EASTMAN, & ITHACA COLLEGE Mary Olson Hall | Free Admission Gain insight into life as a post-secondary music student by meeting admissions representatives from Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, and Ithaca College. MONDAY OCTOBER 16 / 2:00PM VIOLIN MASTERCLASS WITH VADIM GLUZMAN Gessler Hall, UBC School of Music Free Admission Co-presented with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and UBC School of Music Vadim Gluzman’s extraordinary artistry brings life to the glorious violinistic tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. He performs regularly with major orchestras and has recently made appearances in London at The Proms with the BBC Symphony and Edward Gardner, with the Chicago Symphony under Neeme Järvi, and the NDR Elphilharmonie Orchestra Hamburg under Chrisoph von Dohnányi. Generously supported by Edith Lando Charitable Foundation VADIM GLUZMAN 6 2017/18 VAM SEASON CALENDAR SUNDAY OCTOBER 22 / 2:00PM VAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: BEETHOVEN’S EMPEROR Orpheum Theatre | Tickets $15 general, $10 students/seniors available at vamso.ca In an all-Beethoven extravaganza, internationally acclaimed Ian Parker takes the helm of VAM Symphony Orchestra as conductor and soloist of the grand display of splendour that is the Piano Concerto No. 5, aptly nicknamed “Emperor”. The brilliant virtuosity of Beethoven’s stately concerto is accompanied by his Symphony No. 7, filled with exuberance