From O Canada to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will be offering up an evening of memorable classical favourites when it returns to Deer Lake Park in July.
The VSO is coming back for its annual Symphony in the Park event, which always attracts thousands of fans out to enjoy a picnic dinner and a concert under the summer skies.
This year’s concert will be conducted by William Rowson, assistant conductor of the VSO, and will feature 18-year-old violin soloist Matthew Yep. Yep was the 2016 senior division winner of the VSO School of Music’s Future of Excellence Competition. He’ll be joining the orchestra for Saint-Saëns’ Havanaise.
The rest of the program includes a variety of classical favourites – familiar music that includes Bernstein’s Overture to Candide, Smetana’s The Moldau, Williams’ Raiders of the Lost Ark: March and Star Wars theme, Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, Strauss’s Wiener Blut.
The whole evening, of course, will be capped off with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
The concert is free, and there’s no official seating, so just turn up with your lawn chairs or blanket and prepare to make an evening of it. There will be food trucks on site, or you can bring your own picnic, and washrooms are available on site and at the Shadbolt Centre.
It’s set for Sunday, July 9 at 7 p.m. Check out www.tinyurl.com/VSODeerLake2017 for all the details.
FIND YOUR INNER ARTIST
Summer camp isn’t just for kids.
The Burnaby Art Gallery is offering a series of En Plein Air camps for adults this summer. Adults get to step out of the studio and into the fresh air at a variety of local environments to inspire their art work.
Petal to Pencil runs July 24 to 28, 9:30 to 12:30 p.m. daily. The following week, from July 31 to Aug. 4, it’s Step Back in Time, running from 1 to 3:30 p.m. daily. The next week, from Tuesday to Friday, Aug. 8 to 11, it’s Art on a Paddle, running 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Winding up the summer will be No Horsing Around, running Aug. 14 to 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. daily.
All levels of artists are welcome. Check out www.burnabyartgallery.ca
GET CRAFTY
Kids can indulge their crafty side in a couple of summer programs at Burnaby Public Library’s McGill branch.
The North Burnaby library, at 4595 Albert St., is offering a kids’ crafting session on Thursday, July 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The craft is on the theme of Underwater Photo Shoot, and kids can bring their swimsuit, life jacket and snorkelling gear (optional) as everyone works together to make an underwater scene the kids can “swim” through, using recycled materials and props. Bring a camera to take your photo.
On Thursday, Aug. 3 from 2 to 3:30 p.m., the session is called Drawing From Nature. The library will have shells, bird wings, animal bones and other specimens to inspire young artists. Kids can use the library’s paper and pencils or bring their own sketchbook and drawing utensils.
Both sessions are designed for kids aged five to 12. The programs are free, and you don’t need to register, but be sure to drop in early since space is limited. Caregivers must accompany kids under 10.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment info to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
