The City of Vancouver wasn’t even 45 years old at the time the Vancouver Bach Choir gave its first concert at the Orpheum Theatre in December of 1930. Outside of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (1919) the Vancouver Bach Choir is the oldest performing arts organization in the province, and one of the oldest symphonic choirs in the country. Heading into its 85th season, I spoke with Music Director Leslie Dala to learn more about this Vancouver institution.

Image courtesy of the Vancouver Bach Choir

Vancouver Bach Choir Celebrates 85 Years

“It’s a group that has stood the test of time,” Dala told me over the phone on a rainy autumn day. “Over the last 20-30 years there are so many great choirs that have popped up in the city, award-winning choirs, chamber choirs. What makes us a little different is that most of our repertoire is the stuff that we do with the Vancouver Symphony, the really big pieces that you need a larger group to do. That’s our niche basically so we’re very fortunate with that.”

The Vancouver Bach Choir (“VBC”) is an amateur organization, meaning that people are not paid but Dala says the singers are of a very high caliber. They’re auditioned, in fact he hired three new voices earlier this week, and they join because they love to sing. “A number of people recently retired from the group in the last couple of years, some of whom had over 30 years experience singing with us.”

“Basically music is something which completely enriches our lives and the earlier that one has contact with that, exposure to that, a chance to study that, I think that’s where it can make an impact.” ~ Leslie Dala

In 1984 the Vancouver Bach Choir formed a special children’s project, to bring the benefits of singing to young people across the city. Some of the performers today have even grown up through the Vancouver Bach Children’s Chorus & Youth Choir, continuing on with the Vancouver Bach Choir. “It really is a family that has grown together.”

“It’s quite wonderful to see when everyone comes together for our Christmas concert at the Orpheum where we literally have over 400 voices on stage, from as young as 5 years old to the adults. I really cannot think of any other organization in the province that has that kind of richness to it. It’s a really wonderful thing.”

So what gives VBC its staying power? Dala says it’s a formula that includes the changing group year to year, the repertoire, and their outreach in the community. “We’re very conscious of the fact that the performing arts audience in general tends to be shrinking, so in the past few years we’ve tried to get outside of our home at the Orpheum and go out into different communities to just let people know that we are around.”

For the special anniversary season the organization is working with some crowd and choir favourites. They’ll start off on December 6th with “Christmas with the Bach Choir” with sing-a-long carols, an organ and brass quintet, and familiar, festive tunes. On December 12th they’ll perform Handel’s Messiah, which Dala says is the piece the group has done more than anything in its history.

“It’s a ritualistic concert experience, and some people go to that every year. I think for people who have never been I strongly encourage them to come because it’s quite possibly the most performed piece of classical music in existence, certainly for choir and orchestra and it speaks to that, it’s quite a magnificent piece. [Messiah] features amazing choruses, and really beautiful arias for the soloists.”

This year Simone Osborne, Canadian lyric and operatic soprano who was one of the youngest-ever winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions at age 21, will perform with VBC and it will actually be her first Messiah. Another singer who has graced stages around the world, who will also perform their first Messiah with VBC on December 12th, is baritone Daniel Coolidge.

Heading into 2016, VBC will perform Downing’s Phantom of the Opera on February 20th. They will show Rupert Julian’s dark and haunting 1925 silent film during the concert and sing a live soundtrack written by Toront-based composer Andrew Downing.

Staying true to their name, Bach’s St Matthew Passion will close out the anniversary season on March 19th. Dala says that it’s such an enormous piece that they’ll require a double choir and double orchestra. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will be joining them along with a soloist.

“St Matthew Passion is considered to be truly one of the greatest works every written in the classical canon.”

This particular piece hasn’t been performed in Vancouver for over a decade and it was chosen by the members of the Vancouver Bach Choir during a survey for this season, as opposed to its selection being made by an artistic director or small committee. “I knew I had the backing of the choir and it’s a piece that’s really important to all of us, it’s a monumental piece and a great way to cap off our season. It’s very relevant to who we are and what we do.”

Tickets and season subscriptions are now available for the Vancouver Bach Choir’s 85th anniversary season. Follow along on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

It’s gala season in Vancouver and one of the most unique events out there is the Strike a Chord benefit for Music Heals. This special evening is filled with music (of course) and it benefits music therapy programs in our region.

What: Strike a Chord Benefit for Music Heals
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015
Time: From 7:00pm to 2:00am
Where: The Imperial (319 Main Street)
Tickets: Available online now. Charitable tax receipts will be issued for a portion of the ticket price.

Strike a Chord promises a memorable evening of entertainment and special guests, fantastic food, drinks and dancing.

Last year, with performers that included Serena Ryder, Grammy winner Chin Injeti, The Matinee, and The Boom Booms, Strike A Chord raised $50,000 for local music therapy programs.

Music Heals raises money and awareness for music therapy. They have donated $250,000 to music therapy programs across Canada, with a particular focus on BC, in just their first two years in operation. These programs serve children, seniors, palliative care, burn units, autism, bereavement, dementia, rehabilitation, and more.

Win Tickets

Music Heals has generously offered up a pair of tickets for me to give away to one lucky Miss604 reader and their guest. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment filling the in blank: “Music Makes Me…” to enter to win (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, October 14, 2015. Must be 19+. Follow Music Heals on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

Update The winner is Carolyn!

The same year that UBC is celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum is celebrating 5 years since it opened its doors on campus. This natural history museum contains 20,000 square feet of collections and exhibit space, along with over two million specimens collected over the last 100 years.

Beaty Biodiversity Museum‘s collections focus in particular on the species of British Columbia, Yukon, and the Pacific Coast. Activities run by the museum include storytimes and scientific workshops for children, tours of the collections and the laboratories of its associated Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre, public lectures on biodiversity topics, and film screenings.

Voted “Best Collection of Weird Things in Drawers” ~ Georgia Straight’s Best of Vancouver 2013

For their anniversary, Beaty Biodiversity Museum has selected 100 Treasures from their collection and put them on a Tumblr site. Many of the objects have stories written by community members talking about why the object is special — and my write-up is coming soon! The public will get to vote on their favourite object and elect Beaty’s next exhibition. The top treasures will be turned into an exhibition for Alumni Weekend – the end of UBC’s centennial year. Voting runs October 17, 2015 – February 17, 2016. There will be a voting booth in the museum or people can vote online.

Birthday Celebrations

To mark UBC and Beaty’s special occasions there are two big events: A free, public, daytime, family-friendly birthday party and an evening cider tasting event for adults.

What: Beaty’s Birthday Bash
When: Saturday, October 17, 2015 Drop-in between 10:00am and 3:30pm
Where: Beaty Biodiversity Museum (2212 Main Mall, UBC)
Tickets: None required!
Details: Enjoy birthday party classics like a beanbag toss, pin the tale on the whale, and other family friendly activities. Party hats and birthday cake included.

What: Centennial Cider Celebration
When: Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Where: Beaty Biodiversity Museum (2212 Main Mall, UBC)
Tickets: Free for members. RSVP.
Details: Sip cider and enjoy the new exhibition 100 Years, 100 Treasures. Please note this is a 19+ only event.

For all of this information and more, follow the Beaty Biodiversity Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and stop by on October 17th to join in the fun.

Take an amusement park that’s over 100 years old, add in a Halloween theme, host seven haunted houses and fifteen rides, add in a Halloween theme and you’ve got Fright Nights at Playland, Western Canada’s scariest Halloween event. Open select dates between October 9th and November 1st, tickets are now on sale online (and will be available at the gate) for this popular – and frightening – activity.

Fright Nights at Playland

For the first time ever, visitors will be able to ride Canada’s most extreme pendulum ride during the Halloween season, as The Beast makes its Fright Nights debut. With a terrifying pendulum arm, guests will be swung 120 degrees in either direction while sitting in seats that spin 360 degrees, reaching speeds of more than 90 km/hr and heights of over 125 feet.

Beloved haunted houses like Darkness and Keeper’s Doll Factory will leave you with nightmares for days, while debuting for the first time at Fright Nights is Radiant Heat Fire Troupe, whose spectacular fire shows will leave you breathless with amazement.

In addition, cringe worthy entertainment will return to Playland as the Monsters of Schlock return to put on an incredible old style freak show.

Dates, Times, Prices

Fright Nights will also remain open for November 1st, from 7:00pm to 12:00am (Gate $32, online $29).

Passes and Tickets

Guests will again be able to save $3 purchasing tickets at participating 7-Eleven locations or online. You also have the option of purchasing a Rapid Pass, which offers the same access as a regular gate pass PLUS access to an expedited line for each Haunted House and rides on The Beast, Wooden Roller Coaster, Music Express, Atmosfear and Hellevator.

Due to the overwhelming demand and to ensure a quality guest experience, Fright Nights is putting a cap on the number of tickets sold per day. Tickets must be purchased for a specific date. Event nights have limited availability and may sell out.

Win Passes

I’m giving away a 4-pack of tickets to Fright Nights at Playland! Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment with something that would scare you in a haunted house (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

Follow Playland on Twitter and Facebook for more information about Fright Nights. I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 12:00pm.

Fright Nights is absolutely NOT recommended for ages 12 and under, seniors 65+, people with sensitivity to strobe lighting, people with high blood pressure, heart conditions, pregnant women or scaredy cats. NO guest costumes allowed.

Admission includes unlimited access to all seven haunted houses, shows and 15 rides. (There is an additional charge for the Revelation.) Parking is not included.

Update The winner is Jen R!

There’s quite the demand for Thanksgiving Weekend events and activity information this year since the weather is so lovely and the fall colours are just popping all over the place, painting the region in warm yellows and reds.

Things to do in Vancouver Thanksgiving Long Weekend

Events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green below.

Check out these Parks for Fall Colours, these Halloween Activities for Groups, and these 5 Farms for Family Fun.

Friday, October 9, 2015
VIFF Wrap Closing Night Party
Candlelight Paint Night, Surrey
Vancouverite: A Comedy Show
Walking Tours: Art Deco Downtown
Pacific Theatre: Smoke on the Mountain
Geek Fashion Weekend
Fright Nights at Playland
Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train
Bear Creek Park Train
Vancouver International Improv Festival
Vancouver Police Museum: Sins of the City Tour
Harvest Haus
Firehall Arts Centre Presents: Love Bomb
Studio 58/Langara College presents Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
Other Desert Cities, New Westminster

Saturday, October 10, 2015
Fort Langley Cranberry Festival
Harvest Festival at the West End Farmers Market
MakerStore Opening Showcase
Enigmas w/ Special Guests Wasted Strays and Making Strangers
Kids Gallery at Surrey Museum Grand Opening
Kids Can Paint
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: The Great Symphony
Valkyrie Western Martial Arts Grand Opening
MADD Metro Vancouver’s Strides for Change Event
Annual Premium Sake Tasting Night with Silent Auction
Vancouver Police Museum: Movies at the Morgue
Hershe Bar – Where The Girls Are
Burnaby Farmers Market
Trout Lake Farmers Market
West End Farmers Market
Kerrisdale Farmers Market
Vancouver Film Festival Repeat Screenings
Geek Fashion Weekend
A Doll’s House, at Jericho Arts Centre
Vancouver International Improv Festival
Vancouver Police Museum: Sins of the City Tour
Harvest Haus
Firehall Arts Centre Presents: Love Bomb
Studio 58/Langara College presents Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
Other Desert Cities, New Westminster
Pacific Theatre: Smoke on the Mountain
Fright Nights at Playland
Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train
Bear Creek Park Train

Sunday, October 11, 2015
Thanksgiving Orphans’ Dinner at Belgard Kitchen
Thanksgiving Dinner at Boulevard
Mountain View Cemetery Walking Tour: Noted Francophones
Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House Sock Drive
Pavel Haas Quartet
Roedde House Museum Second Sunday Concert Series
Granville Island Turkey Trot Kids Run and Preschooler Dash
Ambleside Farmers Market
Mount Pleasant Farmers Market
Vancouver Film Festival Repeat Screenings
Geek Fashion Weekend
A Doll’s House, at Jericho Arts Centre
Studio 58/Langara College presents Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
Other Desert Cities, New Westminster
Pacific Theatre: Smoke on the Mountain
Fright Nights at Playland
Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train
Bear Creek Park Train

Monday, October 12, 2015
Granville Island Turkey Trot 10KM Run / Walk / Stroll
Thanksgiving Dinner at Boulevard
Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House Sock Drive
Try Girls Ice Hockey for Free
Vancouver Film Festival Repeat Screenings
Studio 58/Langara College presents Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
Other Desert Cities, New Westminster
Pacific Theatre: Smoke on the Mountain
Fright Nights at Playland

Check out the full October event listings here and if you have an event to include, please send it in by email for a free listing. Follow Miss604 on Twitter for more daily updates.

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