Picnic and a Piccolo: Free VSO Symphony in the Park this Sunday

Image courtesy of VSOrchestra | Facebook.com

For years, composers have admitted to being inspired by nature when writing some of their most famous symphonies. For example, Beethoven once confessed that he often preferred the company of a tree to that of a man, and some of his best ideas came to him on his daily outdoor walks (the “Pastoral” Symphony among them). Mozart composed everywhere from a stage-coach to a workroom but his favorite workspace was an open garden.

So, it is no surprise that the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra likes to take it outside every once and awhile. In fact, they’ve been hosting their free Symphony in the Park events for 27 years (!), delighting local audiences in one of the best outdoor concert venues in the Lower Mainland.

This Sunday, July 10, 2016 the Vancouver Symphony will be returing to Deer Lake Park in Burnaby for their annual free Symphony in the Park concert, which is sure to attract huge crowds of music lovers to Burnaby for an evening of excellent entertainment.

Image Sourced from the VSOrchestra

The orchestra is set to play popular classics including Johann Strauss’s Radetzky March and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovksy’s 1812 Overture, along with pop culture favourites including John Williams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Michael Giacchino’s Star Trek: Into Darkness Suite.

The music may start at 7pm, but the festivities begin long before the first baton wave with family fun starting up at 4pm with art activities, hat making, and more. If you want to get a good seat, it’s recommended to get there early to stake a spot on the lawn for the music.

There is no set seating (and no seats!) so bring your picnic blanket or chair and settle in for a wonderful evening with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

If you can’t make it to the show, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has a variety of other summer concerts going on throughout the next few months. Most importantly: they will be performing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in a film concert series at the end of July.

Quick Details

When: Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 7pm
Where: On the grass behind the Shadbolt Centre, Deer Lake Park
How much: Free!
More info: Facebook event page