This week, the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra (VICO) is proudly making its first-ever appearance in Québec…virtually. While live touring remains on hold, a new VICO filmed concert is slated to open the renowned Festival Montréal / Nouvelles musiques (Montreal/New Musics Festival) on Thursday February 18, 2021. The festival and concert are presented and produced by Société de la musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ).
VICO’s online concert also celebrates the release of the orchestra’s new album, In the Key of the World(2020), features five works by outstanding Canadian composers, and includes three world premieres:
· Gypsy Chronicles (2016) by John Oliver
· Suite concertante (2018) by Farshid Samandari
· Pareidolia (2021) by Farangis Nurulla-Khoja *world premiere*
· As the first spring blossoms awaken through the snow (2021) by Rita Ueda *world premiere*
· Pulau Dewata (1977) by Claude Vivier, in a new arrangement for intercultural ensemble by Mark Armanini (2020) *world premiere*
The ensemble, under the baton of conductor Janna Sailor, includes Western classical instruments (violins, violas, cello, contrabass, flutes, oboe, clarinets) alongside erhu, kamanche, tar, sanxian, zheng, suona, tabla, daf, tombak, and other instruments from a range of world traditions. This is ground-breaking fusion music on a global scale; music that transcends borders and breaks down barriers, throwing open the doors of contemporary classical music and forging innovative new paths toward a truly diverse 21st Century Canadian music scene.
“VICO offers audiences the chance to witness (and participate) in a new art form being born and practiced, one that truly reflects contemporary Canadian culture, and stands strong in opposition to the voices of fear and prejudice that would divide us,” says VICO Artistic Director Mark Armanini. “This opportunity to bring our programming to this prestigious music festival and to audiences across the country has been many years in the making, and it feels like a fitting start to VICO’s 20th anniversary year. We are excited to introduce ourselves to new listeners in Québec, and very glad that – thanks to the online format – our long-time friends and supporters in Vancouver and elsewhere in the world will be able to watch and listen as well.”
“I have always wanted to program music without limits and without concessions. Right now, the re-opening of concert halls is still compromised, but we’ll certainly be able to present online concerts that will go over and above musical limits!” says Walter Boudreau, the festival’s Artistic Director.
VICO’s filmed the performance earlier this month for the upcoming broadcast at the 10th biennial Montreal/New Musics festival. Musique sans frontières (Music Without Borders) featuring VICO is hosted by Georges Nicholson is free to view on the festival’s website, festivalmnm.ca starting on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 7:30 pm EST / 4:30 pm PST. The video will remain available at the same link for six months; excerpts will be posted on the VICO’s YouTube channel at a later date.
To learn more about VICO, its performance and education programs or to purchase CDs visit vi-co.org