CLASSICALCasual&2019-2020

What a thrill and honour to lead the Vancouver Island Symphony, on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary Season. More than ever, we remain true to our belief that music - of all kinds and all eras - belongs to everyone. It’s a way of performing, bringing live music to Nanaimo and beyond, without boundaries but with plenty of enthusiasm, passion, commitment and talent! Attending a VIS concert is also one of the best possible ways to relieve daily life stresses.

Pierre Simard ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ~ VANCOUVER ISLAND SYMPHONY

Join us for our 25th Anniversary Season!

SEASON SPONSOR

vancouverislandsymphony.com

Savingswhen you Subscribe in year 25!Buy ALL 9 Season Shows for $434 Save $170 (28%) off Premium Ticket Price

Pick any 7 Season Shows for $367 Save $103 (22%) off Premium Ticket Price

Pick any 5 Season Shows for $277 Save $58 (17%) off Premium Ticket Price

Single Ticket Price: $56. (last 2 rows $48) Premium Ticket Price: $62+.

New Season Tickets Packages go on sale June 3, 2019. Single Tickets on Sale: June 17, 2019

Pay in up to 3 installments for Season Ticket Packages.

SATURDAY December 14, 2019 7:30 PM

GUEST ARTISTS: VIS Children’s Choir, A Cappella Plus, Village Voices Patricia Plumley CHORAL DIRECTOR

Raise your voices for a festive and merry musical performance. The Symphony joins forces with three choirs all led by Patricia Plumley, in our yearly holiday concert! Carols, Nutcracker, Christmas tales, Candles and Mistletoe - all the ingredients are reunited for an unforgettable evening of Christmas Magic!

Mistletoe & MagicPERFORMANCE SPONSORS

THURSDAY October 31, 2019

SAINT-SAËNS Danse MacabreBERLIOZ The Witches’ SabbathDUKAS The Sorcerer’s ApprenticeSTRAVINSKY Four Dances from “The Soldier’s Tale”MUSSORGSKY Night on Bald Mountain

This year, come trick-or-treating with music! We present the scariest, spine-chilling, eerie musical pieces in versions for nine musicians. Costumes welcomed, or wear orange, candy included. BOO!

Happy Halloween!

SATURDAY October 19, 2019 7:30 PM

GUEST ARTIST: Michael Kim PIANO

Jason NETT The Brave HeartGRIEG Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony no. 4 in F minor, op. 36

A brave, big, bold opening concert for our 25th Anniversary season. Romanticism finds its essence through both the A minor Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s spectacular Fourth Symphony - a voyage from darkness to light. Come hear some of the most tuneful melodies and lushest harmonies ever written! Longtime VIS friends, pianist Michael Kim and composer Jason Nett are our guests of honour!

Brave Heart PERFORMANCE SPONSOR

SATURDAY November 16, 2019 7:30 PM

GUEST ARTIST: Lani Krantz HARP

MENDELSSOHN Sinfonia no. 6 in E-flat majorALWYN Lyra Angelica, for Harp and StringsVivian FUNG PizzicatoMAHLER Adagietto (from Symphony no. 5)DVORAK Serenade for Strings in E major, op. 22

A true celebration of string instruments - 156 strings in total to serenade you! Come discover the incredibly beautiful Lyra Angelica performed by VIS Principal Harpist Lani Krantz, and the crown jewel of the concert, Dvorak’s Serenade, has been described as “pure, cloudless goodness”! Come de-stress and rejuvenate.

Rejuvenate

Symphony SoundBites - a Unique take on Happy Hour!Appetizers Bites at 4:45 pm followed by one hour concert at 5:30 pm OR 7:15 pm one hour concert followed by Dessert Bites.

1

2

4

3

SPONSORED BYThe Business

Leaders Circle

SERIES SPONSOR

SERIES SPONSOR

CLASSICALCasual&2019-2020

SEASON SPONSOR SERIES SPONSORS

vancouverislandsymphony.com

SATURDAY February 15, 2020 7:30 PMGUEST ARTIST: Geronimo Mendoza OBOE

We are 25 this year and we continue to celebrate! Prokofiev, Haydn and Copland provide spectacu-lar and happy works, chosen by our VIS musicians, in a concert where we also play on the number “25” itself. The VIS Directors are both former oboists – and invite you to discover this fabulous instrument performed by Geronimo Mendoza. Wear your party clothes and celebrate 25!

Celebrating 25! PROKOFIEV Classical Symphony, op. 25BARBER Canzonetta for Oboe and StringsHAYDN Symphony no. 25 in C majorAlexina LOUIE Music for a CelebrationMARTINU Oboe ConcertoCOPLAND Appalachian Spring: Suite

SATURDAY January 18, 2020 7:30 PMGUEST ARTIST: Nadya Blanchette SOPRANOGUEST DANCERS: Bohemia Dance Productions

Johann STRAUSS, JR. Waltzes and PolkasSelections by LEHÁR, von SUPPÉ, WALDTEUFEL, and more!

By popular demand, we present a classic evening of waltzes, polkas, and Viennese bonbons, for an elegant and entertaining soirée! We launch the New Year in lighthearted fashion, with song and dance. Uncork the champagne, Prosit Neujahr!

Waltz & PolkaPERFORMANCE SPONSOR

Our second Happy Hour SoundBites show celebrates the VIS 25th Anniversary with some Bach, some Mozart, and variations on the Happy Birthday tune in the style of Bach, Mozart, - and many, many others! Also featured - a world premiere* by Katerina Gimon, featuring soprano Dory Hayley, with words by Nanaimo Poet Laureate Tina Biello.

THURSDAY March 19, 2020 GUEST ARTIST: Dory Hayley SOPRANO

Katerina GIMON New Work for Voice and Strings*BACH Brandenburg Concerto no. 3, BWV 1048MOZART Divertimento, KV 138Peter HEIDRICH Happy Birthday Variations

Happy Birthday to Us!

SATURDAY March 14, 2020 7:30 PMGUEST ARTISTS: Calvin Dyck VIOLIN, Cameron Crozman CELLO, Philip Chiu PIANO

250 years after his birth, Beethoven still stands as one of the greatest creative minds in history; his revolutionary Eroica Symphony ushered classical music into a new era, while the Triple Concerto remains one of the only examples of its kind. This concert truly features all facets of Beethoven – strength and power, but also elegance, nostalgia, clarity and most of all – pure joy!

Iconic Beethoven BEETHOVEN Namensfeier (Name-Day) Overture, op. 115 Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C major, op. 56 Symphony no. 3 (Eroica) in E-flat major, op. 55

PERFORMANCE SPONSOR

SATURDAY April 25, 2020 7:30 PMGUEST ARTISTS: Elizabeth & Marcel Bergmann PIANO DUOGUEST PHOTOGRAPHER: Dirk HeydemannOur season-ending concert ties past and future, as we look forward to the next 25 years of VIS! We recognize our place in this North American home, with timeless and audience-favourite works by Gershwin and Dvorak. Combining old with new, we also feature two tuneful, jazz-infused brand new pieces, in a spectacular program which could happen “only in Nanaimo”!

Symphony Rhapsody Pierre SIMARD Nanaimo Memories with photography

Marcel BERGMANN Concerto for Two PianosGERSHWIN Rhapsody in BlueDVORAK Symphony no. 9 (From the New World), op. 95

PERFORMANCE SPONSOR

5

Symphony SoundBites - a Unique take on Happy Hour!Appetizers Bites at 4:45 pm followed by one hour concert at 5:30 pm OR 7:15 pm one hour concert followed by Dessert Bites.

SPONSORED BYThe Business

Leaders Circle

6

7

9

8 SERIES SPONSOR

SERIES SPONSOR

See following page for more 25th Season Events & ConcertsBuy Early & Buy 5 or more tickets for the Best Seats and Price!

25th Anniversary$150 (PARTIAL TAX RECEIPT OFFERED)

TICKETS: PORT THEATRE TICKET CENTRE 250-754-8550

vancouverislandsymphony.com

Coast Bastion Hotel • 6:00 pm Saturday October 5, 2019

OFFICIAL FLORIST2019-2020 SEASON SPONSOR

OFFICIAL TRAVEL PARTNER

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

PERFORMANCE SPONSOR: OPUS #1, #2, #3

GUEST ARTIST: Michael Kim PIANO

Jason NETT The Brave HeartGRIEG Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 16

A brand new piece by former VIS Composer-in- residence, Jason Nett begins our 25th Anniversary Season. We also welcome pianist Michael Kim for one of the most romantic and tuneful piano concertos ever penned.

The PianoOPUS #1 FRIDAY Oct 18, 2019 2-3 PM

GUEST ARTIST: Geronimo Mendoza OBOE 25 wonderful years of symphonic performances, un-derlined with the elegance of true classical music. Two mini-symphonies, both in classical style, are comple-mented with a joyful, quirky Oboe Concerto, featuring VIS Principal Geronimo Mendoza.

For the Love of Oboe! OPUS #2 FRIDAY FEB 14, 2020 2-3 PM

HAYDN Symphony no. 25 in C majorMARTINU Oboe ConcertoPROKOFIEV Classical Symphony, op. 25

Jazz-infused works are on the menu of our last Friday offering; the Nanaimo-Vancouver-New York axis serves as our musical thread, with powerful melodies and fun harmonies! Welcome back the Bergmann Duo.

Nanaimo Memories OPUS #3 FRIDAY APR 24, 2020 2-3 PM

Pierre SIMARD Nanaimo MemoriesMarcel BERGMANN Concerto for Two PianosGERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue

GUEST ARTISTS: Elizabeth & Marcel Bergmann PIANO DUO

SERIES SPONSORSymphonyORIGIN

& TEA SERIES PERFORMANCE SPONSOR: OPUS #1

Casino Nanaimo