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Skrillex accidentally leaks Pemberton Festival date

EDM Grammy winner to perform on Sunday, July 19
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Sprung a leak Electronic dance musician Skrillex announced online that he will be performing at the Pemberton Music Festival on Sunday, July 19. Photo submitted

Six-time Grammy Award-winning DJ Skrillex has sprung a leak and has confirmed he is performing at the 2015 Pemberton Music Festival on Sunday, July 19.

The Californian electronic dance music superstar added the Pemberton date to his Full Flex Express Tour poster and website and shared the information on social media on Tuesday, March 23.

Fullflex Express is Skrillex's cross-Canada train tour that stops at eight locations. Other musicians, who will be named to his tour on April 1, will join him.

Skrillex is not performing in Vancouver and ends the tour at Pemberton after staring the tour in Ottawa on July 8.

Pemberton Festival organizers HUKA would not issue a statement on Skrillex's announcement, but on the festival's Twitter and Facebook pages they posted a photo of a pipe leaking water after being contacted by Pique for comment.

There was no confirmation of Skrillex closing the festival on the Sunday night.

The festival has already stated on its Facebook page there will be over 80 bands and 10 comedians performing.

The full festival line-up is expected to be confirmed in the next few weeks.

The Pemberton Music Festival takes place from Friday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19.

For more information visit www.pembertonmusicfestival.com.

Nine new performers named for Squamish Music Festival

Nine new performers have been announced for the Squamish Valley Music Festival (SVMF), which takes place from Aug. 6 to 9.

They are: Current Swell, Elliott Brood, A$AP Rocky, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Galantis, Dralms, Years & Years, SonReal and Bebe

They join 56 acts named earlier this month, including headliners Sam Smith, Drake and Mumford & Sons.

As well, festival organizers listed the daily lineups for performers. Smith headlines on Friday, Aug. 7, Drake on Saturday, Aug. 8 and Mumford & Sons on Sunday, Aug. 9.

Once again, there will also be an opening night of music on Thursday, April 6.

Single day passes for SVMF costing $149.50 go on sale on Thursday, March 26 at www.ticketmaster.ca.

For more information visit www.squamishfestival.com.

VSO classical music institute surpasses applicant targets

Eighty young musicians have applied to take part in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute at Whistler, 50 more than had been hoped.

The institute, which runs June 28 to July 5, had applicants from the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky region, as well as elsewhere in Canada, the U.S., Columbia, Britain, Japan, Singapore and China.

Christin Reardon MacLellan, education and community program manager with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, has overseen the search for pupils.

"Our initial target was 30 for the first year. It was conservative and safe. But underneath all that (VSO conductor) Bramwell Tovey and myself had a feeling we could do a lot better than that, so we pushed it. We aimed high and worked as if we'd have a full orchestra of students," she says.

"We pushed it out to the entire world. We did a huge mailout to universities, music conservatories, youth orchestras. Our social media has been really active."

They also approached music schools attached to the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria and the Vancouver Youth Symphony.

VSOI Tuition is $1,250 for the summer program.

There are other components to the institute, including a chamber group and masterclass workshops.

The students will be staying at the Tantalus Lodge and training at various locations around Whistler, including Millennium Place and the Whistler Olympic Plaza stage.

Many of the rehearsals and performances will be open to the public.

"There will also be a free faculty performance and we are hoping to animate the village with some of the student ensembles... the object is that as much of it as possible is out in the public eye," Reardon MacLellan says.

As well, the VSO is also performing concerts that will take place in Whistler on July 1 to 3 this year.

Writer Fawcett publishes first book of short stories

Pemberton writer Katherine Fawcett is having the launch of her first book of short stories, The Little Washer of Sorrows, at the Spruce Grove Field House in Whistler on Wednesday, April 8, at 7 p.m.

The book is an adult short story collection featuring dark satire, gritty realism and comedy of mythical proportions. It is available at Armchair Books in Whistler. There will be drinks, snacks and a reading followed by live music: "Friends With Instruments" Jam, featuring the band Wild Iris.

This will be followed by readings in Pemberton, at the Pemberton Community Library on Thursday, April 9 at 7 p.m. and at the Squamish Public Library on Thursday, April 23 at 1 p.m.

Whistler Reads turns 10 with community series, evening event

Whistler Reads is launching its 10th year with a community series — the first topic in the series is financial literacy.

Speakers are Dragons' Den winner Natasha Strim, who together with her husband Chef Norm owns Nonna Pia's Balsamic Reductions; Chantel Chapman, founder of Holler for your Dollar, a bootstrapping website for entrepreneurs; and Ashleigh McIvor DeMerit, Whistler's homegrown Olympic Gold ski cross athlete, who has successfully transitioned into a broadcasting and media career.

The session is at the Whistler Public Library (Community Room) on Saturday, March 28, at noon. Tickets cost $25 and are available at www.bookbuffet.com.

Later in the day, Whistler Reads is hosting Looking Back on a Decade of Shared Events at the Nita Lake Lodge in Creekside, from 5pm to 7pm. Tickets are $25 and also available at bookbuffet.

Lozen gets two VIMA music nominations

Congratulations to Whistler hip-hop artist Lozen, a.k.a. Meaghan Mullaly, who was nominated for two awards in the West Coast VIMA Awards.

Lozen was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Recording of the Year and Best Music Video of the Year for her song "Life Is Good."