Inside Vancouver

The Music of ABBA at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Sept 24

by Remy Scalza in Events on September 14, 2012

Photo credit: Akron Symphony Orchestra | Flickr

Are you ready to Waterloo?

The world’s top ABBA tribute band – which includes ABBA’s original drummer and guitar player – is set to take the stage with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on September 24. Get ready for orchestral versions of hummable, stuck-in-your-head-for-weeks hits including Mamma Mia, Chiquitita, Take a Chance on Me, Waterloo and many more.

Arrival from Sweden is the only band in the world with the exclusive rights to the ABBA name, costumes and original music. Original ABBA guitarist Finn Sjoberg and original drummer Roger Palm are both members. With the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and conductor Gordon Gerrard, they’ll breath new life into ABBA’s ’70s dance classics.

After IKEA, ABBA may well be Sweden’s best-known export. Continue reading:
The Music of ABBA at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Sept 24

VSO Triumphantly Opens 2011/2012 Season

by Dana Lynch in Entertainment on September 27, 2011

Photo: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Last night I had the great pleasure of seeing the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s (VSO) 2011/2012 Opening Weekend concert: Jim Kimura Parker Plays Rachmaninoff. Parker, an internationally-acclaimed pianist who has played twice for Queen Elizabeth II and is an Officer of The Order of Canada, is a born-and-raised Vancouverite (though he now lives in Houston). His return to Vancouver with the VSO was absolutely triumphant: at last night’s concert, the packed crowd at the Orpheum gave him a three-minute standing ovation!

Every year, my partner and I make it a priority to see at least one concert (if not more) at the VSO. We’re huge fans of classical music in particular—though the VSO does a much wider variety of performances than just the classics (for example, there’s their widely-popular A Traditional Christmas concerts every December)—and have always been utterly impressed by the artistry of our home-town symphony. Last night was no exception. In addition to ably accompanying Parker’s brilliant rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, the VSO brought the house down with a powerful performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.

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VSO Triumphantly Opens 2011/2012 Season

Valentine’s Day with the VSO on February 14, 2011

by Dana Lynch in Events on February 14, 2011

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at the Orpheum Theatre

When I was compiling my list of the Top 10 Things to Do on Valentine’s Day in Vancouver I missed one event that deserves press: the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s (VSO) special Valentine’s Day concert Beauty and Romance: Rachmaninoff and Dvorák.

I’ve written before about what a fan I am of the VSO; I last saw them in concert in September, when they kicked off their amazing 2010/2011 season, and I can’t wait to see them in action again. Aside from the immense musical talent, a night at the VSO offers an opportunity to really feel like you’re out on the town. You get to dress up, roam the historic (and beautiful) Orpheum Theatre during intermission, and experience a cosmopolitan event that makes any date special—and that’s all doubly true on Valentine’s Day.

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Valentine’s Day with the VSO on February 14, 2011

A Night to Remember: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra 2010/11

by Dana Lynch in Entertainment on September 28, 2010

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at the Orpheum Theatre

Last night, my partner and I had the great pleasure of seeing the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) kick off their 2010/11 season with a concert featuring the extraordinary Canadian pianist Avan Yu. Together with Conductor Bramwell Tovey and the VSO, Yu’s brilliant rendition of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5 was the highlight of the night and earned a spontaneous standing ovation—just one of the evening’s many thrills.

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A Night to Remember: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra 2010/11

Holiday Music: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s A Traditional Christmas

by Dana Lynch in Events on December 11, 2009

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

When I made my list of Top 10 Vancouver Christmas & Holiday Events, I included holiday musicals because, to me, holiday music is part of what makes the season so special.

A rousing crowd-pleaser that’s also the most popular holiday music tradition in Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s (VSO) A Traditional Christmas is the concert to see if you, like me, love Christmas music.

At the VSO’s A Traditional Christmas, Assistant Conductor Evan Mitchell leads the orchestra in “a celebration of the holiday spirit” that includes loads of sing-alongs and carols, and all the heart-warming musical favourites you remember from Christmas-past. This season, the VSO is accompanied by the UBC Opera Ensemble and This EnChor choirs.

Although the VSO normally makes its home at downtown Vancouver’s prestigious Orpheum Theatre, A Traditional Christmas is on tour throughout the Lower Mainland—making it easy to catch a show near you. (Bonus: Avoiding downtown holiday traffic!)

Find show schedules and locations—and buy tickets—at the VSO official site.

The VSO’s A Traditional Christmas runs from December 10 – 19, 2009.