Early Music Vancouver
Under the leadership of Artistic/Executive Director and internationally acclaimed soprano Suzie LeBlanc, C.M., Early Music Vancouver (EMV) has been a much-loved and vital contributor to Vancouver’s cultural scene for more than 50 years. EMV presents a packed performance calendar 40+ live performances and digital concerts a year featuring some of the most renowned artists in the early-music genre drawn from all parts of the globe.
In addition, Early Music Vancouver presents an annual week-long festival in the summer (including an artist-in-residence component), produces Notations (a series of informative behind-the-scenes podcasts), and presents online courses.
EMV also offers a Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Programme, plus a BC Scholarship Programme for professional-track music students or active professional musicians seeking to develop skills in early music performance. These initiatives are aimed at increasing the long-term sustainability of the regional period instrument scene in B.C.
The Pacific Baroque Orchestra (PBO) is EMV's ‘house band.’ Under the direction of Alexander Weimann, PBO is recognized as one of Canada’s most exciting and innovative early music ensembles. It also tours extensively throughout the Canada and the U.S.
The phrase “early music” often refers to European music from the Medieval period through to the Baroque (about 1800). At EMV, it also encompasses music from outside the western European tradition to that of other cultures within the same period—Tang Dynasty China and the Ottoman and Persian empires, for instance. EMV also explores music from the 19th century with historically informed performances on its restored fortepianos—re-creating the original sound of the music as the composer heard it. This approach invites discovery—the joy of hearing something beautiful for the first time or in a fresh way. It fosters immersive learning about history and human culture. It provides opportunities for empathetic encounter, seeking to understand and contextualize how musicians and audiences of different times and places have interacted with music. Most of all, it encourages curiosity from both performers and listeners alike.
Over the years, EMV has collected a valuable collection of unique historical instruments. This collection benefits many musicians and established cultural institutions in our region, and allows EMV to produce concerts of seldom-heard repertoire that requires specialized instruments. EMV’s collection includes a replica of an 1819 Graf Piano built by Paul McNulty, an 1875 Broadwood Piano donated by Patricia Lee, a double-manual French harpsichord after Taskin built by Edward Turner and donated by Carol Brauner, a large Italian single-manual harpsichord built by Craig Tomlinson, a Flemish “mother and child” double virginal built by José Verstappen, a chamber organ built by Helmuth Wolff, a set of baroque timpani, a baroque viola and a baroque cello, four Renaissance lutes built by Tony Simmonds, and more.
EMV concerts offer a platform for cross-cultural dialogue and exploration of diverse perspectives and relationships with the past. Live performances take place at venues such as Christ Church Cathedral, the Chan Centre, St. Andrew's Wesley United Church, and Pacific Spirit United Church.
Alexander Weimann directs the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Vancouver Chamber Choir, and five soloists in afternoon of holiday works
Seasonal standouts include a massive choral Messiah, and different takes on A Christmas Carol—including one with 10-foot-high puppets
Respected musician plays two shows devoted to India’s oldest-surviving classical genre alongside pakhavaj artist Tejas Tope
Renowned countertenor and Renaissance viol consort play a German Baroque programme based on the latter group’s Signum Classics album
The pandemic sent Italian lute virtuoso Michele Pasotti looking back at the poets of the Black Plague—and the way Ars Nova music provided relief
Alexander Weimann’s fresh take on Bach’s “apex” of Baroque keyboard music is set to open Early Music Vancouver season
Pacific Baroque Orchestra performs a new arrangement of the variations which incorporates Johann Gottlieb Goldberg’s Trio Sonata No. 4 in C Major
British a cappella artists VOCES8 are here in February as LUMEN Festival makes return in the new year
EMV’s Suzie LeBlanc hosted a charming exchange of ideas between English tenor Charles Daniels and Vancouver-based Hindustani vocalist Shruti Ramani
Cree-Métis two-spirit baritone Jonathon Adams and artistic director Alexander Weimann share their reflections in advance of performance at Summer Festival: Bach Untamed
Early Music Vancouver artist-in-residence set to appear in everything from a solo Bach concert to a Vocal Landscapes of India and Italy program
Contest asked musicians to share their vision for the future of early music
Alexander Weimann conducts evening with the Pacific Baroque Orchestra centred around a reconstruction of Bach’s Italian Concerto
Ten international soloists and a collection of 17th-century instrumentalists will perform the rarely heard work, at once intimate and dramatic
A first peek at the shows in three series, including the all-new Chan Centre Director’s Cut programmed by director Pat Carrabré
Seattle-born, Montreal-based string star takes a fresh approach to the masterworks
Vancouver audiences have two chances to catch the epic work from 1741 this season
Musician is joined by setar player Kiya Tabassian, percussionist Hamin Honari, and bamboo flutist Shashank Subramanyam in Early Music Vancouver copresentation
Acclaimed Switzerland-based ensemble celebrates one of the Renaissance’s most radical innovators in Jewish liturgical music
Unveiled last night, the magic-realist portrait of 15th-century feminist poet was commissioned to celebrate Our City of Ladies concert
A new mini-winter fest called LUMEN and appearances by North Indian and Afghani virtuosos also fill out the roster
French ensemble goes beyond sonic beauty with compelling ecological message in Early Music Vancouver program
Those 30 years of age or younger can apply from around the world
Prague soprano Hana Blažíková joins forces with musician Bruce Dickey and their Breathtaking Collective
Award-winning Canadian artist will play a solo recital of works by Bach, Brahms, and Scarlattimore
The show features Czech soprano Hana Blažíková, cornetto player Bruce Dickey, and their ensemble The Breathtaking Collective
He bookends his Early Music Vancouver concert Raise, raise the voice with Purcell and Ellington
The artist known for his social activism will perform Purcell’s “Raise, raise the voice”
The in-demand Portland-based vocalist is among several guest artists performing Bach’s exuberant Magnificat and Cantata BWV 110 (Let Our Mouth be Full of Laughter)
Soloists Hélène Brunet, Krisztina Szabó, Jacques-Olivier Chartier, and Sumner Thompson join the Pacific Baroque Orchestra in the concert
Find Early Music Vancouver at:
Hodson Manor
1254 West 7th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C.
V6H 1B6