Happy November! Hasn't this been a glorious fall? We call this photo (taken last night from our porch) "Halloween Moonrise."
November promises many exciting musical events.
On Saturday the 18th, our eagerly anticipated Canada Music Week Student Concerts will be held at the Christian Reformed Church, 930 Trunk Road, in Duncan. Starting at 2 pm and 3:30 pm, with refreshments in between, these concerts will feature music by Canadian composers and arrangers, performed by Canadian students on piano, voice, harp, violin and cello. The CVMTA Theory Awards will also be presented to the students receiving highest marks on their RCM theory exams. Admission is free - don't miss it!
That weekend will be a busy one! The very next day, Chemainus Classical Concerts invites you to hear acclaimed pianist Luke Welch performing music by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin and others. Come Sunday, November 19 at 2 pm - and stay for the "Meet the Artist" reception afterwards. And, following the reception, you are welcome to attend the Chemainus Classical Concerts AGM. Ticket information here.
November 19th is also the application deadline for the Cowichan Consort Concerto Competition for Young Musicians 26 and Under! Auditions will follow one week later, on the 26th, and winners will play their entire concerto with the Cowichan Consort Orchestra on March 3, 2018. More info here.
Saturday, November 25, at 7:30, is the second appearance of the Victoria Symphony this season. Led by their popular new conductor, Christian Kluxen, these consummate performers will bring to life music by Carl Nielsen, Edward Elgar and Ralph Vaughan Williams. We will hear two concerti: one for tuba and one for cello! And don't forget the pre-concert talk at 6:30 in the Board Room: sip wine while expanding your enjoyment of the music by learning more about it beforehand.
Last but not least, Monday the 27th at 10:30 is another charming Morning Musicale. Join the Bergmann Piano Duo and Clarinetist François Houle playing a "Classical Cuban Creative" concert. If you have not yet enjoyed one of these concerts, trust me: it is worth rearranging your work schedule to take one in!
A reminder to music students 18 and under: Applications for bursaries for the spring months may be made on or before December 1st. For more information, please click here.
As November begins, we lucky denizens of the Cowichan Valley still have the beauty of exceptional fall colours to enjoy! I leave you with a photo to cheer you as we begin our descent into the colder, darker time of year.
Warmest musical wishes, Ann Mendenhall, President, CVMTA