Classical music: Society caters to hungry suburban chamber music lovers
Credit to Author: dgdsun| Date: Wed, 02 Oct 2019 18:00:55 +0000
Where: Evergreen Cultural Centre, Coquitlam
When: Oct. 6, 3 p.m.
Tickets and info:vancouverchambermusic.com
The newish Vancouver Chamber Music Society launched its 2019/20 season with performances by the Vancouver Cello Quartet at several suburban venues last month, with a further afternoon performance scheduled for Oct. 6 at Coquitlam’s Evergreen Cultural Centre.
Given our plethora of chamber music options, both grand and grassroots, does Vancouver really need another organization devoted to a classical genre often considered to embody musical elitism?
Yes we do is the opinion of Kevin Park, and he makes a compelling case for the approach taken by the society he founded. Park, a cellist, hails from Vancouver. After some time away, he decided upon return to explore playing chamber music with other local performers; he also developed a concern about how to properly showcase young talents.
“I wanted to do something for younger, emerging musicians by putting them together with chamber players from outside Canada. I knew that exciting things happen when combinations are made with players.”
Originally called Bridge Musicians International, Park’s nascent organization began presenting concerts in West Vancouver. In a natural, pragmatic way, the series grew.
“We started in the West Vancouver United Church, whose acoustic I love. Then Highland United Church in North Vancouver. We did a survey and market analysis, and found many older audience members were reluctant to drive to downtown Vancouver, especially in rainy winter weather. So we added Delta, New Westminster, and Coquitlam all at the same time.”
Park ensured his venues were easily accessible. Two of them — Coquitlam’s Evergreen Centre and New Westminster’s spanking new Anvil Centre — are just steps away from SkyTrain stops.
Implicit in the choice of suburban venues is a populist (in the best sense) desire to take music to audiences, old and new. City of Vancouver aficionados are spoiled for choices; far fewer options exist in our ever growing suburbs. Add in transit and traffic issues, and Park knew what he wanted to do.
“Many people ask why we don’t perform in Vancouver, but the market is so saturated there, we simply can’t compete. And that audience has so many different options, unlike people in the suburbs. We need to take performers outside Vancouver to people hungry for concerts.”
Park was well aware of the importance of existing chamber music series in town, and didn’t want to disrupt the city’s musical ecology.
Suburban programs could build audiences by presenting quality events that added to the Metro Vancouver mix, and multiple programs give artists added exposure. The VCM 2019/2020 season offers several series options: a five-concert evening series in West Vancouver, Delta, and New Westminster; a five-concert matinee series in North Vancouver; and three “Power Sunday” concerts in Coquitlam.
Park’s focus on younger, up-and-coming performers has proved a winning strategy; many of the performers who’ve graced VCM programs in the past have gone on to major competition wins and important performances worldwide.
Violinist Stefan Jackiw.
Highlights this season include performances by both the Viano String Quartet (who were joint first prize winners this summer at the prestigious Banff International Quartet Competition), and the Banff winners from 2016, Rolston String Quartet. There will be visits from cellists Gary Hoffman, Paul Marleyn, and Brannon Cho; and two chamber music festival-style events, one headlined by violinist Stefan Jackiw and clarinetist Yoonah Kim, and another devoted to string quintets.
Concert prices are affordable; series subscriptions make concert going even more economical. For maximum variety, not all programs are offered at all locations. But Park has made sure that his subscribers in each venue are given an exciting mix of options to develop and nurture their chamber music appetites.
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