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Echoes of Joy
The Cowichan Vocal Collective
Sunday, December 1 at 2pm
Since their inception in 2019, the Cowichan Vocal Collective has been harmonizing and raising their voices in song for causes close to their community’s heart. More than just a choir, they are a group of passionate individuals dedicated to using their music to uplift, inspire, and unite, always directing their proceeds towards impactful initiatives. Celebrate the season of giving in community with these outstanding singers!
Programme
The First Noel – Traditional, arranged by Pinkzebra
Sing We Now of Christmas – Traditional, arranged by Audrey Snyder
Wiegenlied (Christmas Lullaby) – John Rutter (1945 — )
Berceuse de Noel – Joseph Bovet (1879 — 1951)
Sing Along – Joy to the World
What Child is This – Traditional, arranged by John Cornish
O Magnum Mysterium – Morten Lauridsen (1943 — )
Ding Dong Merrily on High – Taborout/Woodward, arranged by Philip Stopford
Here Comes Santa Claus – Autry/Haldeman/Melka, arranged by Kirby Shaw
Remembering Decembers – Pinkzebra
Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano (1945 —), arranged by Paul Langford
Holly Jolly Christmas Johnny Marks (1909 — 1985), arranged by Kirby Shaw
Winter Wonderland – Bernhardt/Smith, arranged by Maryanne Muglia
Sing Along – Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Once Upon a December – Flaherty/Ahrens, arranged by Mark Brymer
Jingle Bells – Pierpont (1822 — 1893), arranged by Gordon Langford
White Christmas – Irving Berlin (1888 — 1989), arranged by Mac Huff
Background information
The Cowichan Vocal Collective is a mixed voice chamber choir that started in 2019 and is comprised of ten local Cowichan Valley musicians. This passionate group has significant choral experience, including several members with degrees and certifications in music and music education. Collectively, the singers have performed in many advanced and professional choirs across Canada, including Vancouver Chamber Choir, Elektra Women’s Choir, Encore! Women’s Choir, Phoenix Chamber Choir, University of Victoria Chamber Singers, Chor Leoni, University of Alberta Concert Choir, and many more.
The choir formed with purpose of holding one concert to raise funds for a local Homeless Prevention Fund, but we had too much fun so had to keep singing! Our members gather weekly for rehearsals and spend 3-4 months preparing each concert. Since that first concert, we have continued to share our voices in concerts twice a year where proceeds support local charitable causes. Past recipients have included the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society, ARC: Assisting Refugees in Cowichan, and Providence Farm.
Cowichan Vocal Collective Members:
Sheena Christie – Alto, occasional Tenor
Tom Ellis – Tenor
Christina Hof Taylor – Soprano
Makiko Johnston – Alto
John Lofto – Bass
Bonnie Louden – Soprano, Pianist
Kevin Louden – Bass
Kevin Mattinson – Tenor
Lara Nowlan – Alto
Michelle Weckesser – Soprano, Rehearsal Director, and any other vocal part we need her on
For further information on our concert dates, to find out more information about our choir or to donate directly to the choir please email: cowichanvocalcollective@gmail.com
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Stars of the Future
The wildly talented young musicians of the Collegium performed an excellent program! Thank you to our performers and enthusiastic audience!
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Stars of the Future
Artists of the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s Collegium Program
Sunday, November 3 at 2pm
The Victoria Conservatory’s Collegium Program provides ensemble opportunities and deep engagement for exceptional teenage musicians, supporting and challenging them to become the best they can be, in music and in life. The chamber music program is highly successful and rated among the best in the country. Its students perform with a maturity and skill well above their age level, winning top prizes in local, provincial, and national music festivals.
CCC proudly supports these young performers in their quest for excellence!
Programme
String Quartet no.1 in F major, Opus 18 no. 1 — Ludwig van Beethoven
I Allegro con brio
— Glengarry Quartet (Janou Boutilier, Isidora Uhlman, Walter Rees, Celina Holt)Woodwind Trio in C major, Opus 87 — Ludwig van Beethoven
I Allegro
— Queen Alexandra Trio (Judy Su, Celine Liu, Bella Zhang)Suite in D major for 3 violins, Opus 17 — Friederich Hermann
I Grave: Energico ed appassionato, ma in tempo moderato
— Josef Hassid Trio (Jessie Wang, Michaela Yee, Owen Fitzgerald)
Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, Op. 90, B. 166 (Dumky — Antonín Leopold Dvořák
I Lento maestoso — Allegro quasi doppio movimiento
— Mount St. Mary Piano Trio (Andrei Krasnov, Max Webster, Felicia Ma (subbing for Filbert Zhang))Creatures of the Enchanted Forest (Flute Quartet) — Anže Rozman
II “The Bird…”
III “The Evening Singer”
— Jubilee Flute Quartet (Tyler Evans-Knott, Daniel Sanabria, Miya Doak, Emilia Vozian)
Piano Trio no. 1 in F major, opus 18 — Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns
I Allegro vivace
— Samson and Delilah Trio (Max Francis, Joanne Jiang, Felicia Ma)Background information
Founded in January 2006, the Young Artist Collegium Program provides colleagues and peers for exceptional young musicians, supporting and challenging them to become the best they can be, in music and in life.
Delivered in an after-school format, the Collegium is an enriched program for talented young classical musicians playing piano, string, wind, and brass instruments, all brought together with outstanding teachers to create a lively, collaborative educational experience devoted to the pursuit of musical excellence.
It provides the environment for students to develop and thrive both as soloists and as chamber musicians; and all the necessary tools needed to think critically and work as a team.
The Collegium has been described as “likely one of the best, if not THE best, program for young musicians in BC”. Members of the Collegium are consistently winners of local, provincial and national music festivals, as well as scholarships to prestigious universities and postsecondary music schools such as Julliard, Glenn Gould School in Toronto, or Schulich Music at McGill; and our alumni are now members of symphonies in Montreal, Ottawa (National Arts Centre), Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.
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Desert Song
Our 20th season opened with an interesting and varied program of guitar and piano music by Vancouver artist, Itamar Erez. We were delighted to see so many new faces in the audience! Itamar played a mix of classical, contemporary, and own compositions, displaying his gift to interpret various musical genres and intricate rhythmic patterns. Thanks to our artist and our appreciative audience.
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Desert Song
Itamar Erez, guitar and piano
Sunday, October 6 at 2pm
Blend Middle Eastern music, jazz, and flamenco, and you find the unique sound of Itamar Erez, world-renowned guitarist, pianist, and composer. His music is praised for its depth and sensitivity, and has been heard at prestigious venues around the world. In a program especially created for our series, Itamar will perform music by J.S. Bach, Brazilian composers such as Pixinguinha and Garoto, and also his own compositions for guitar and piano.
Programme
Presto (from Violin Sonata in G minor, BWV 1001) — Johann Sebastian Bach
Hommage/Sheva — Itamar Erez
Migrant Voices — Itamar Erez
Desvairada — Garoto
Intense — Itamar Erez
Seu Laurenco no Vinho — PixinguinhaYahli’s Lullaby — Itamar Erez
Choro For Lulo — Itamar Erez
New Dawn — Itamar Erez
Blackbird — John Lennon
Landslide — Fleetwood Mac / Stevie Nicks
Requinto — Itamar ErezBiography
Itamar’s music holds a depth and sensitivity that touches listeners deeply. It blends the delicateness of Middle Eastern music, the freedom found in jazz and the passion of flamenco, creating a unique sound all his own. Recipient of the 2014 ACUM Prize for Special Achievement in Jazz and the prestigious 2014 Landau Prize, Itamar Erez is an internationally renowned composer and guitarist who has shared the stage with such musicians as Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Tomatito, Avishai Cohen, JeanLouis Matinier, Zohar Fresco, and others.
“The music really catches fire…Erez stretches out, using his impressive instrumental technique to great effect…” (Songlines Magazine- 2010)
Itamar has released Six albums to date, including “Desert Song” (2006) and “Hommage” (2010) with the Adama Ensemble, “New Dawn” (2013) with percussionist Yshai Afterman and special guest Antonio Serrano on harmonica, and “Mi Alegria” (2019). “May Song,” was released in October 2022 and features music written during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Migrant Voices”, Itamar’s 6th album, was released in 2024. It is an collaboration album with Hamin Honari (Iranian-Canadian percussionist). This unique project blends diverse cultural influences, highlighting the spontaneous interplay between guitar and percussion.
In recent years, Itamar performed in Canada, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Israel, India, Tunisia, Colombia & Surinam. Itamar made his Carnegie Hall (NY) debut Apr 2018 performing with the Omar Faruk Tekbilek Ensemble with Ara Dinjkian & Brian Keane as special guests.
Among the venues and festivals that Itamar played throughout his career were: Barbican Hall (London UK), Sydney Opera (Sydney, Australia), the Jerusalem Jazz Festival (Israel), Oman Opera House, The Megaron (Athens, Greece), Schauspielhaus Leipzig (Germany), Amsterdam Jewish Music Festival (Holland), the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and others. As a workshop facilitator and masterclass teacher, Itamar shares his unique approach to music and instrumentation with students around the globe. Recent gigs for Itamar included showcasing his quartet at the JazzAhead music conference April 2022 in Bremen, Germany and touring in Israel with his quartet in November 2022, playing with International Guitar Night (2023).
2024 brings a variety of performances in Canada, US & Europe, including gigs at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Penticton’s Dream Cafe, Bellingham’s Jazz Center, Edmonton’s Yardbird Suite, and many others. A new collaboration with Guitar Poet Brian Gore will see more concerts in the US and Canada in 2024. In addition to his performing and teaching career, Itamar has also composed music for various chamber ensembles and classical guitarists, as well as for film. He has written commissioned works for the ‘Sound of Dragon Ensemble’ and other groups, and his compositions for classical guitar, including “Yahli’s Lullaby,” “Morning Song,” “Choro for Lulo,” and “Choro Sentimental,” have been played by concert guitarists around the world. Itamar has also written music for the film “Greek To Me,” directed by Harry Killas.
He is currently on faculty at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music, teaching guitar, jazz, and world music. -
The French Violin
Ending our season on the highest note possible!
Bravo to Victor Fournelle-Blain and Jean-Sébastien Levesque for an outstanding concert
of French sonatas for violin and piano!
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The French Violin
Victor Fournelle-Blain, violin; Jean-Sébastien Levesque, piano
Sunday, June 16 at 2pm
Victor Fournelle-Blain is the Principal Viola of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and enjoys an active career as orchestral and chamber musician, soloist and teacher. Also originally from Montreal, pianist Jean-Sébastien Levesque recently moved to Vancouver where he now serves as Artistic Director of Bach on the Rock, Salt Spring Island’s chamber orchestra and choir. Their program features the violin sonatas of French composers Debussy, Ravel and Saint-Saëns, demonstrating each composer’s unique style.
Programme
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minor, L. 140 — Claude Debussy (1862 — 1918)
I. Allegro vivoII. Intermède: fantasque et léger
III. Finale: très animé
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in G major, M. 77 — Maurice Ravel (1875 — 1937)
I. Allegretto (G major)II. Blues. Moderato (A♭ major)
III. Perpetuum mobile. Allegro (G major)
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75 — Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 — 1921)
Ia. Allegro agitato (attacca)Ib. Adagio
IIa. Allegretto moderato (attacca)
IIb. Allegro molto
Biographies
Violinist and violist Victor Fournelle-Blain is leading an active career as an orchestral and chamber musician, soloist and teacher. Currently Principal Viola of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, where he previously held Associate Principal, 2nd assistant and section positions, he was also Principal Viola of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (2019-2021). He has taught viola at the University of Toronto and Université de Montréal, and now teaches at McGill’s Schulich School of Music. In the summer season he attends festivals such as Concerts aux Îles du Bic, Orford Academy, Camp Musical des Laurentides and Formandi Festival (Guadalajara, Mexico). Victor first studied the violin at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal under Johanne Arel, then completed a Master of Music under Ani Kavafian at the Yale School of Music, after which he obtained an Artist Diploma at McGill’s Schulich School of Music, studying the viola with André Roy. He was awarded the 2014 Golden Violin Award (McGill), the 2012 Prix d’Europe, and the second prize of the 2010 OSM Standard Life Competition.
Originally from Montreal, Jean-Sébastien Levesque recently moved to Vancouver where he now serves as Artistic Director of Bach on the Rock, Salt Spring Island’s chamber orchestra and choir. A graduate from Université de Montréal and from Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, Jean-Sébastien has studied with renowned musicians and teachers such as André Laplante, Raffi Armenian, and Jean Saulnier. He has also participated in master classes with esteemed pianists including Jean-Philippe Collard, Jacques Rouvier, Louis Lortie, John Perry, and Marc Durand. Jean-Sébastien founded the Chœur du Brouhaha in 2010, a choir with over 60 singers that focuses on democratizing choral singing. He has also served as the founder and conductor of the choir at the Orchestre Philharmonique des Musiciens de Montréal, the children’s choir of Église Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, and as Artistic Director and Conductor of Ensemble Vocal Vivace and of Ensemble Choral Saint-Eustache. As a pianist, Jean-Sébastien has collaborated with numerous musicians and singers, and has been involved in various projects promoting classical music to a wider audience. He has also commissioned and premiered several works by Québécois composers.
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Living!
What a beautiful concert of “Living!” Canadian music on Sunday May 26th!
We were in awe of Betty Allison’s magnificent voice and Kimberley-Ann Bartczak’s expert piano collaboration – a well-curated program made easily accessible by these two wonderful performers and their warm personalities.
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Living!
Betty Allison, soprano; Kimberley-Ann Bartczak, piano
Sunday, May 26 at 2pm
Dr. Betty Allison and Kimberley-Ann Bartczak met just as Betty became professor of voice at Dalhousie University, and Kim joined Pacific Opera Victoria as their principal coach and accompanist. They bonded over art song, and their love for Vancouver island. “Living!” explores the thriving world of the lyrical Canadian classical art song by composers from coast to coast actively writing for voice and piano today.
Programme
Three Spanish Lyrics — Raminsh (1943— )
Caminante, son tus huellas
Meciendo
Si os partieredes al albaSmall Song on Being Lost (Cloud Light) — Norbert Palej (1977— )
Small Song (Cloud Light)
Dark Lullaby (The Poet and the War)Three Songs — Matthew Emery (1991— )
For Broken and Tired Am I
Sweet, Bide With Me
RequiescatViolin (from Grasping Water) — Maria Thompson Corley (1966—)
Selections from Douze chansons folkloriques acadiennnes — Carl Gionet (1979— )
L’escaouette
L’étoile du Nord
Tout pase
Au chant de l’alouetteThe Old Grey Donkey Eeyore Stood — Stephen Deturbide (1994— )
Let the World Unfold (A Northern Lights Dream) — Michael Rose (1958— )
Catullus 2
Your PresenceBiographies
Teaching artist and soprano, Dr. Betty Allison is a professor of voice at Dalhousie University where she runs the DalOpera program and teaches applied voice. A graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble, major credits include the world premiere of Mary’s Wedding with Pacific Opera Victoria, the title role in Floyd’s Susannah with Florentine Opera, Alice in Verdi’s Falstaff with L’Opèra Thèâtre de Metz Mètropole, and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with Edmonton Opera. Betty has performed a varied repertoire, demonstrating her natural ability and talent, from the Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Tatiana (Eugene Onegin), to Vixen (Cunning Little Vixen) and Elizabeth I (Glorina). She is equally comfortable on the concert stage, with her rich and florid interpretation of pieces such as Mahler’s Symphony VIII, Brahms’ Requiem, and Gubaidulia’s Galgenlieder À 3. Recently, Betty completed her doctorate at the University of Toronto. Her research focused on the connection between a singer’s voice and their overall wellness and resilience. Specifically, she examined the non-musical stressors and coping strategies that elite singers use to maintain their voices and careers.
A native of Montreal, Kimberley-Ann Bartczak is a conductor, pianist and vocal coach. Currently the Principal Coach and Accompanist at Pacific Opera Victoria, she was Associate Artistic Director for Manitoba Underground Opera, Resident Conductor and Repetiteur at Calgary Opera, was on staff at Opera on the Avalon, and an alumna of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program. Recent appearances include: Music Director for the world premiere of Veronika Krausas’ Ghost Opera at Calgary Opera and Sokolovic/Bartok’s Svadba/Bluebeard’s Castle double bill at Manitoba Underground Opera, and principal coach for Mozart’s Così fan Tutte at Pacific Opera Victoria. She is an active performer, having performed and conducted coast to coast across Canada as well as in the United States, Mexico and Europe. She also teaches at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and is a regular vocal coach at University of Victoria.
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Show of Hands
from 
Chemainus Classical Concerts 