VAM Symphony Orchestra expresses all the moods of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, February 25 and March 3
Maestro Ian Parker conducts concert of work that follows composer’s journey from melancholy to euphoria

Maestro Ian Parker takes the podium.
Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra plays the Kay Meek Arts Centre on February 25 at 2 pm and the Orpheum on March 3 at 2 pm
“I adore terribly this child of mine; it is one of only a few works with which I have not experienced disappointment….This is my best symphonic work.”
SO WROTE Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky of his 1878 Symphony No. 4—a piece that followed a disastrous marriage and a period of intense mental duress for the composer. Classical-music fans will get the chance to experience all the moods of his journey when the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra plays the masterpiece live in two concerts.
Maestro Ian Parker conducts the symphony, which opens by heralding the power of Fate with striking fanfares by brass and wind instruments; then, in the second movement, the unmistakable melancholy of depression sets in. But by the third, the mood is lifting, carried along by a Russian dance, reaching something close to euphoria by the virtuosic fourth movement. Within that arc, there’s much more to discover—and to relate to on a deeply human level, over a century later.
VAM pairs the iconic symphony with a work by another Russian composer: Sergei Prokofiev’s 1921 Piano Concerto No. 3—a modern masterpiece that also travels a range of emotions. At the keyboard for this famously punishing work that demands so much dexterity and stamina: Merett Khamis, young winner of the prestigious Kay Meek Competition.
Joining those two showpieces on the program is Leonard Bernstein’s “Overture” from Candide—a work that further displays the orchestra’s range, drawing as it does from classical, jazz, and Latin American rhythms.
The orchestra consists of more than 100 students from the academy.
Related Articles
In the latest installment of the VSO at the Annex series, the conductor and pianist hopes the eclectic program will take some of the intimidation factor out of new music
Paris-born, Montreal-raised pianist won the 2021 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw
At Vancouver New Music, Cheldon Paterson’s uncategorizable music fuses his love for nature with his taste for obscure sound
Compelling young artist has performed worldwide and won prizes at the National Chopin Piano Competition
Genre-spanning international and local talents take to North Shore venues in BlueShore at CapU and Vancouver International Jazz Festival presentation
Program includes an Emily Carr–inspired piece by Tawnie Olson, a composition about a satellite falling out of orbit by Chris Sivak, and more
In Have You Heard Judi Singh?, Vancouver director interweaves archival footage, re-created moments, and mesmerizing music in tribute to late Punjabi-Black artist
Set in the aftermath of World War II, updated production adds depth and nuance to the iconic work
Another 30 concerts will take place at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks, and the Revue Stage from June 20 to July 1
Tanzania’s Zawose Queens and Congo’s Les Mamans du Congo x Rrobin rub shoulders with Canadian names like Elisapie and Ocie Elliott at ʔəy̓alməxʷ Jericho Beach Park, July 18 to 20
At Pacific Spirit United Church, program draws on previously performed works by Bach, Mahler, and more
Vetta Chamber Music’s artistic director is joined by talented colleagues for a season-closing program of Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert
Virtuosic singer and dancer takes the intoxicating sounds of early Afro-funk and soul in exciting new directions
The choir’s long-time artistic director hopes the upcoming concert will open new ears to choral music’s powers to heal and create community
Adult and children’s choirs perform hits by the Beatles and Broadway favourites from musicals like Mamma Mia! and Mary Poppins
Alternating as Cio-Cio San, Yasko Sato and Karen Chia-Ling Ho navigate the emotional toll of Vancouver Opera’s post–Second World War–set tragedy
Andrey Boreyko conducts the program, which features selections from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy’s Magic Horn)
Both traditional and groundbreaking, works from the 17th century and the present day mingle in this exploration of the musical riches of Venice
Veteran singer Norma Winstone and drummer Joe LaBarbera join the trio to deliver exciting new perspectives on familiar tunes
Offerings include Downtown Jazz concerts on June 21 and 22, Bentall Centre happy-hour shows from June 23 to 27, and a day-long July 1 celebration
Tawnie Olson’s “Beloved of the Sky” and Andrew Balfour’s “Kiyam” accompany a new work by laura hawley on the program
Borealis String Quartet, Gryphon Trio, and more musicians to perform world-class compositions at RockRidge Canyon lakeside resort
All-Canadian production by Sound the Alarm: Music/Theatre features iconic hits from Disney and Hollywood musicals
The young ensemble revisits and reinvigorates repertoire with an energy that breaks through classical solemnity
Toronto-based turntable artist and composer performs his piece Within Touch with close-up projections of his storytelling process
Science meets history in Vancouver violinist’s 50-minute piece of music for violin and found-sound
Composer Chihchun Chi-sun Lee portrays Taiwanese dragons through sound
Innovation Series features five concerts from June 25 to 29, while the return of Time Flies brings three free late-night shows to Granville Island
Program also features virtuoso British pianist Stephen Hough, who hosts a Pyatt Hall masterclass on April 10
Program honours special people and moments in the choir’s history with works by Bach, Mahler, and more