The Vancouver Island Symphony began holding intimate outdoor pop-up concerts when the pandemic hit, in 2020.
The format became so popular that the VIS has decided to continue with it.
The Comox Valley has historically been one of the stops on this unique summer tour, and 2023 is no different.
The Vancouver Island Summer Pop-Up Concert Series returns, with shows in Nanaimo, Parksville and, once again, Comox.
The series begins locally with the Marko-Paulo Trio, July 8 at 3 p.m.
Join musicians Mark Beaty, bass (Marko) with Paolo Bortolussi, flute (Paolo) and Calvin Dyck, violin/accordion with special guest VIS clarinetist Krystal Morrison for a wild and wonderful musical adventure. Explore the music of France and Spain along the El Camino trail, as well as personal favourites from the ensemble members’ most memorable travels. Be it Bach or Beethoven, Celtic or Klezmer – it will be a trip like no other.
The series returns to Comox on July 22, with Sunlight Serenades.
VIS musicians will take you back to the 18th century performing music often composed for outdoor parties. Five VIS musicians from the string, woodwind, and brass sections – Emily Nagelbach, flute; Andrew Clark, horn; Alana Lopez, violin; Guyonne Le Louarn, viola; Alexandra Lee, cello - will be featured. This micro-orchestra will perform Baroque and Classical works by well-known composers (Haydn, Mozart) and their less familiar contemporaries (Bodinus, Kozeluch and Stoeltzel).
The series concludes on Aug. 12, when the Backrow Brass present ‘Imagination.”
Stevan Paranosic and Mark D’Angelo (trumpets); Karen Hough (horn); Jim Hopson (trombone) and Nick Atkinson (tuba) will offer an entertaining hour of great music, poetry, quirky opera and fun. Special guest Rebecca Woytiuk joins the brass to narrate some fun ‘animal ditties’ based on the poetry of Ogden Nash and set the stage for the quirky Hornsmoke – a brass horse opera complete with costumes.
Tickets for all three concerts are available at bit.ly/3rff7vC.
A concert series package is $109.50, or single shows are available for $38.
The location for these outdoor performances will be revealed once the ticket is purchased. These shows are limited to 80 people so don’t wait. Audience members are asked to bring their own chairs. As the VIS is unable to reschedule these shows, they are “rain or shine.” In the event of rain, the musicians will be under cover, however audience will not, so the audience is reminded to bring umbrellas.
Concerts will be one hour in length.