After a successful pilot season this past year, the Whistler Chamber Music Society is moving forward in 2017-2018 with a full slate of six performances by visiting classical music groups.
"We had a few trial concerts and they were well attended by audiences who were pretty darned enthusiastic to hear it, and to listen to the musicians talk about themselves as well. So we decided to go full steam ahead," says Jane Reid, who co-runs the society with classical musicians Alison Hunter and Laurie Van Leeuwen.
The season opens with Vancouver chamber group Trio Primario, comprised of flautist Jeff Pelletier, clarinettist Julie Begg and pianist Karen Lee-Morlang. They perform on Sunday, Oct. 1.
Vancouver Brass Quintet brings its show Passion, Purpose & Promise to Whistler on Sunday, Nov. 1, showcasing the history of music by brass instruments, with Mark D'Angelo and Kyle Axford on trumpet, Dawn Haylet on French horn, Gregg Passmore on tenor trombone, and Drew Dumas on bass trombone and tuba.
This is followed by a special holiday concert with The Nadeau Ensemble on Saturday, Dec. 2. A Prairie Christmas celebrates the holiday season with harpists Janelle Nadeau and Kim Robertson, and medieval instrumentalist Joaquin Ayala.
The remaining shows are One Piano, Four Hands, with Scott Meek and Clare Yuan on March 4; Infinitus with Anthony Cheung on viola, and Alex Cheung and John Littlejohn on violin on April 8; and Opera Mariposa on June 3 staging music by Rossini, Mozart, Verdi and Bizet.
All regular performances are at Our Lady of the Mountains Church, while the Nadeau Ensemble performs at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre.
Tickets for the five church performances are $20 for adults and $15 for youth. Tickets for all five concerts are $85.
Tickets for The Nadeau Ensemble are $25 for adults and $20 for youth.
For more information and to order tickets, email contact@whistlerchambermusic.ca. Tickets are also available up to two weeks in advance from the Whistler Museum (cash only).
Hear and Now Music Festival lineup
Arts Whistler has announced the lineup for Hear and Now Local Music Festival, part of Fall For Arts.
The festival, in its second year, celebrates Whistler's musicians, with a rich scene of rising stars playing free shows. It takes place on Saturday, Sept. 23, and Sunday, Sept. 24.
Saturday performers: Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre ambassadors; Venus Envy; Aude Ray; Brother Twang; The McQuaid Band; Red Chair; The Golden Thread; JennaMae and Lozen with The Groove Section; and Marble Canyon.
Sunday performers: Bad Habit; The Courageous Mountain Rangers; Emily Molloy; Some Assembly Required; The Spiritual Warriors; Old Soul Rebel; Small Town Runaway; FOMO; and Blame the Weekend.
For more information, visit www.artswhistler.com/hearandnow.
Howe Sound Performing Arts' all-Canadian show
Howe Sound Performing Arts Association presents All Things Canadian, a celebration of music from this great country, featuring local performers singing "The Hockey Song," "The Logdriver's Waltz," and folk songs and original compositions. There will also be a singalong.
It takes place at St. John the Divine Anglican Church in Squamish on Friday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Admission by donation.
