The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra’s annual Global Soundscapes Festival is returning with an online line-up being released throughout November.
The Festival features the sounds and rhythms that celebrate the intersection of Canadian cultures with musical traditions from all over the world. This virtual 2020 edition of Global Soundscapes Festival has been re-imagined as a series of 16 brand new filmed performances by VICO musicians and some of Vancouver’s finest chamber ensembles (Orchid Ensemble, Silk Road Music, Vashaan Ensemble, and others) for viewers to enjoy.
The videos, are of live performances filmed on multiple cameras in an intimate chamber setting, offering rare, close-up views of instruments that VICO audiences normally only see from a distance on the concert stage: Chinese erhu, pipa, zheng, dizi, dadi, guanzi; Persian santur, oud, kamanche, ney; violin, cello, guitar, piano, oboe, clarinet, bassoon; kiskosi (Native American flute); and percussion from around the globe.
The sound, recorded on vintage analogue audio equipment, ensures that the unique colours of each instrument are clear and present, offering a compelling visual and aural concert experience for every viewer. Videographer Kerry Phillips incorporates footage of Vancouver and BC landscapes, tying the music to the city and province. “The overarching statement we hope to make is: We are here…and we are here together!” says VICO Artistic Director Mark Armanini.
The featured repertoire offers traditional music from world cultures contrasted with contemporary intercultural compositions by Canadian composers, including Mark Armanini, Qinglin Bruce Bai, Moshe Denburg, Saina Khaledi, Qiu Xia He & André Thibault, Anthony McNab, John Oliver, Parmela Attariwala, Ali Razmi, Lan Tung, and Jin Zhang.
The Global Soundscapes Festival takes place November 5 – 26, 2020 with new videos released weekly throughout the month.
Week One includes:
-Red Dragon by Anthony McNab featuring the composer performing a kiskosi
-Duo in Raast Panjgaah / Mahoor (Duo for Santur & Oud) by Saina Khaledi with Saina Khaledi playing santur and Ali Sajjadi, an oud.
-The Great Race – Rumba Calabria by Qiu Xia He, André Thibault featuring Silk Road Music – Qiu Xia He on pipa, André Thibault on guitar, and Phil Bélanger on percussion.
-Ornamental by John Oliver featuring Lan Tung on erhu and John Oliver on guitar.
Visit vi-co.org starting November 5th for the full festival details and how to view.