A young Burnaby composer’s work will be front and centre in a classical choral concert this weekend.
Joshua Yang’s work, Song of Nature, is on the program for the Classical Cabaret concert by the Vivaldi Chamber Choir, set for Saturday, June 4 at St. Helen’s Anglican Church in Vancouver.
The piece was a winner in the recent Vancouver Chamber Choir Young Composers Competition.
Edette Gagne, the Vivaldi Chamber Choir’s artistic director and conductor, says Joshua’s piece is “brilliant.”
“It speaks beautifully of nature. You can close your eyes and hear the rippling of the creeks, the breeze rustling through the trees, the dancing of the grass. It’s a lovely expression of the nature around us,” Gagne said in a press release.
Joshua has been affiliated with the Vivaldi choir in the past – in 2010, he was one of a group of six young B.C. Boys’ Choir singers who participated in a concert with the Vivaldi Chamber Choir. Joshua is currently taking a year away from singing with the B.C. Boys’ Choir’s touring choir to focus on his Grade 11 studies.
In the meantime, Joshua’s work is sharing a program with some fine company – including Bach’s Lobet den Herrn and Morten Lauridsen’s Chasons des Roses, among others.
The Vivaldi choir, by the way, was founded in Burnaby by Rita Radzikowski some 28 years ago. It’s now Vancouver-based but draws singers from around the region, and its accompanist, Barry Yamanouchi, is from right here in Burnaby.
St. Helen’s Church is at 4405 West Eighth Ave., Vancouver. Tickets for the concert are $22 and $18, available at the door or online at www.vivaldichoir.org. For more information, call 604-221-0665.
ANNIVERSARY CONCERT A 'TRIUMPH'
They marked 40 years of music-making in style.
The Confederation Senior Choir, an ensemble of singers from Confederation Seniors’ Centre, held its 40th anniversary celebration concert on May 25 at the seniors’ centre – and the event was a smashing success.
Choir member Maggie Ford emailed to let us know that the concert was a “triumph,” with more than 120 people who turned out for an hour-long concert of “good old songs,” followed by a seven-song sing-along. Local politicos Pietro Calendino, Sav Dhaliwal, Anne Kang and Richard Lee all turned out for the occasion.
“In total, 29 choral, solos and duets were sung to a very enthusiastic audience,” Ford wrote. “One lady wanted to buy a CD (none recorded yet). One gentleman was moved to tears from the memories the choir re-created. Even the young children listened and were very well behaved. The choir members were exhausted but exalted.”
Congratulations to all the singers – and here’s wishing you all many more years of song together.
GET ARTY WITH THE KIDS
Here’s a reminder for all you arty families out there – the Burnaby Art Gallery welcomes people of all ages to drop in for its next In the BAG Family Sunday on June 12.
Families can drop in, check out the ongoing Hope Chests exhibition by Michiko Suzuki, and then get into the studio to make their own collage portraits inspired by the show.
It’s free and runs from 1 to 4 p.m. You don’t need to register, although the gallery encourages you to do so if you want to secure a spot for certain – check out www.burnabyartgallery.ca or call 604-297-4422.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
