The Vancouver Chamber Music Society presents String Sextet featuring the works of Tchaikovsky and Schoenberg Sunday, March 5, 2 p.m. at West Vancouver United Church, 2062 Esquimalt Ave. Tickets and info: tickets.artspoints.com/events/67_String-Sextet-Chamber-Music-Concert.
This is your chance to hear up-and-coming musicians perform in an intimate setting in West Vancouver.
Seycove secondary alumnus Kevin Park founded Vancouver Chamber Music Society with a focus on showcasing emerging talent. Plus, Park really loves chamber music and wants to meet like-minded instrumentalists to play with.
“What we are trying to do is feature local professionals and up-and-coming artists to collaborate with some of the well-known musicians from Vancouver or elsewhere,” explains Park.
Hence the recent rebrand.
In 2012, Park started his mission to recruit new talent and bring string quartets and sextets to the stage, under the name Bridge Musicians International.
But Park was falling flat when it came to brand recognition. By adding Vancouver to the name, the chamber society now attracts universal artists.
Being involved in the local chamber music scene, Park plays a lot of concerts and connects with young experienced musicians. He also has his ear to the ground for finding artists who win coveted spots in local orchestras or competitions. Then he creates an outlet for them.
Three string virtuosos will share the stage with as many experienced newcomers for Sunday’s String Sextet concert at West Vancouver United Church.
Counted among Sunday’s veteran performers is North Vancouver musician Ariel Barnes, principle cellist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; Canadian violinist David Gillham, a sought-after soloist, chamber musician and teacher; and viola player David Harding, whose extensive solo and chamber music career has led to performances at renowned venues such as Berlin’s Philharmonie and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The sextet will be completed with three up-and-coming musicians who recently won positions with the VSO: Jae-Won Bang (violin), Tegen Davidge (viola) and Luke Kim (cello).
Park says it’s important to promote new artists “because the musicians always need a platform to actually expose their musical talent.
“There aren’t that many places for them to bring their musical excellence. Chamber music is where you can bring in your orchestra experience and solo experience and your life experience into this intimate setting and share with the audience.”
Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence” and Schoenberg’s “Verklärte Nacht” – monumental compositions from the romantic era – round out Sunday’s repertoire and complement each other beautifully.
“Souvenir de Florence is probably the most powerful string repertoire written for six instruments. It has such a dramatic end,” explains Park.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra composer-in-association Marcus Goddard will be premiering his piece “Wind Sand and Stars” for string trio.
Sunday’s repertoire was supposed to be for the season finale concert in June, but it was moved up to March because Barnes is off to Germany for a new gig with the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra.
The Vancouver Chamber Music Society puts on four to five concerts per season – and has developed a loyal following. Park suspects it has something to do with the delicate nature of chamber music where you can hear every note, as opposed to the rich full-on sound of a a symphony orchestra.
Having the concert in an intimate setting such as the West Vancouver United Church adds to the experience as well. The audience can get close to the action.
Park says he was pleasantly surprised by the acoustics inside the church and that, balance-wise, the sound is perfect.
In between the concerts, the artists do some community outreach, including performing at schools and seniors homes on the North Shore to spread their love of music.
