CHORDIAL NOTES - DECEMBER 2013

SILENT NIGHT – NOT REALLY, AT THE NANAIMO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
‘Tis the season, and before long, your schedule will likely fill with carolling, festive concerts, and end-of-year parties. Such are the joys of an active musical education! But before you get too caught up in the baked goods or lost in a never-ending cycle of cheesy Christmas albums, please take a moment to acquaint yourself with our fabulously packed roster of events, including musical appearances by faculty and students in the community, who would love to have your support. Additionally, this newsletter is also full of important information about registrations, auditions, lesson cancellations, and a special members-only opportunity to buy advance tickets for the Jane Coop solo piano concert at the Port.

While you’re reading, consider what the Conservatory means to you, your family, and the Central Island region. As a not-for profit organization, we rely on working together to keep the magic of music alive in our community: you couldn’t ask for a truer example of holiday spirit. Why not pay it forward by making a charitable gift to NCM in support of our programming or bursaries for deserving students with financial difficulty? You can also keep things local, environmentally - friendly, and long lasting by purchasing a gift certificate for lessons.

Whatever your plans, we hope you make the time for a peaceful moment with your instrument or perhaps your favourite composer, and we wish you a safe, restful, and comfortable winter break!

NOVEMBER FACULTY CONCERT
Friday, November 29 at 5:00 PM in the Conservatory Ensemble Room – Program TBA

NANAIMO YOUTH CHOIR – A GIFT OF SONG FOR CHRISTMAS
Friday, December 13 at 7:00 PM at St. Andrew’s United Church. Tickets $15; Children 12 and under no charge!

JANE COOP
Solo piano – Sunday, February 16th, 2013 at 2:30pm at the Port Theatre
Members' pre-sale ends December 19th!
At the age of nineteen , Jane Coop won First Prize in the CBC’s national radio competition and prizes at New York’s Kosziusko Foundation Competition and the Washington International Competition. Recital debuts at Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Recital Hall and performances with the Toronto Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic the Victoria Symphony and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra were followed by a tour as soloist wit h the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada .

Subsequently she has played in over twenty countries and been a jury member for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, the Glenn Gould Prize, the Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artists Grants and various Canada Council grant awards.

Three of her many critically successful recordings have earned Juno nominations and in 2012, Jane Coop was appointed to the Order of Canada . Call 250-754-4611 for special NCM member ticket pricing of just $15!

CHRISTMAS FLUTES IN THE LIBRARY
Monday, December 18th at 4:00 PM and Thursday, December 21st at 2:30 PM at Harbourfront Library
Cindy Speelman Jennifer Cluff and their flute students perform duets and trios during these two free concerts. Come enjoy the sparkling sound of flutes in the atrium of the library!

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND CONCERT LISTINGS

Island Consort “THE HIGH ART OF SINGING” Sunday, December 1 at 2:30 PM
Brechin United Church - $18 at the door

Community Carol Festival Wednesday, December 4 at 7:30 PM
St. Andrew’s United Church - Admission by donation

Island Bel Canto Singers “THE CHRISTMAS ROSE” Saturday, December 7
Departure Bay Baptist Church - $15 and Sunday, December 8 at Nanaimo Ecumenical Centre

Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular! Wednesday, December 4 to Saturday, December 21
Various times, locations, and prices - call 250-754-8550 for info
The Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular! is a celebration of Christmas and an extravaganza of music and dance, lights and decorations, laughter and tears with a cast of 14 professional singers, dancers and musicians. This year there will be 3 performances at the Port Theatre, as well as a 2-week run at The Cedar Community Hall.

Sing-Along Messiah Sunday, December 15 at 2:30 PM St. Andrew’s United Church
Adults $20, students $15, EyeGo $5
Malaspina Choir, under the direction of Bruce Farquharson, presents Sing-along Messiah at St. Andrew’s United Church with soloists Andrea Rodall, Soprano; Erin Ronningen, Alto; David Brown, Tenor; Andrew Erasmus, Baritone and the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra. Tickets are available through the Port Theatre box office at 754-8550.

MUSICAL THEATRE
With Joëlle Rabu and Nico Rhodes
Save $50 off the regular price of $300 with early bird pricing: until Feb. 15th, tuition is just $250 plus a $20 material fee!
Canadian singer-songwriter-actor Joëlle Rabu returns to the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music to lead the Spring Break Musical Theatre Workshop from March 17 - 21. These fun filled and educational sessions will focus on developing vocal and performance techniques for the popular musical theatre genre, culminating with a public performance on the last day. Aimed at sharpening awareness required when delivering a well-rounded performance (singing, character portrayal and movement), participants will be focusing on harmonies, creating character roles, crafting vocal characterizations, connecting the voice, body and mind, and incorporating movement. With Joëlle’s musical son Nico as special guest, this camp is sure to be a highlight for your budding musical theatre star!

WINTER HARP
December 14 - Lori Pappajohn's Winter Harp is on its way - a sure sign of the coming Christmas season. It is going to be another beautiful show this year, with guests Kim Robertson and Roger Helfrick. The Vancouver Island Youth Harp ensemble, which includes many Conservatory students, will be playing in the lobby before the 3:30 PM show at the Port Theatre.

Nanaimo Shows: Saturday, December 14 at 3:30 & 7:30 PM.
For tickets, please call the Port Theatre at 250-754-8550.

SING WITH THE SYMPHONY
Sing with three great performances in the Vancouver Island Symphony’s terrific season “PASSPORT T O GREAT ENTERTAINMENT." To be sure of your place in the Symphonic Chorus (ages 16+) before rehearsals begin, email projects@vancouverislandsymphony.com. There is no audition: the only prerequisite is a joy of and passion for singing!

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY – FREE OLD CITY QUARTER PARKING
The City of Nanaimo has now completed the parking lot at 285 Selby Street! Until the New Year this facility will be free for public use, so if you’ve arrived downtown by car, get parking!

CALENDAR

Nov 29         NCM Faculty Concert
Dec 5           Suzuki Piano Party!
Dec 13 - 14  RCM theory examinations
Dec 13         Nanaimo Youth Choir – A Gift of Song
Dec 16         Jane Coop presale ends
Dec 20         NCM office closes for holiday season
Jan 7            NCM Office re-opens
Jan 13 - 25   RCM practical examinations
Jan 26          Winter recital
Jan 31          Faculty concert
Feb 15         Jane Coop Master class at 2:30 PM (observers may attend for just $10)
Feb 16         Jane Coop at the Port at 2:30 PM
Mar 17 - 21  Musical Theatre Spring Break Camp

OPEN HOUSE
A Cultural Plan for a Creative Nanaimo
Thursday, November 28th from 5:00 - 8:00 PM at Nanaimo Museum
Participate in Nanaimo’s cultural revitalization! Come and speak your mind, listen to your fellow community members, and take part in making a positive change for the future of the arts in our city.

VANCOUVER ISLAND SYMPHONY
Christmas Cirque Spectacular Friday, December 6 – Saturday, December 7
Evening and matinee shows - for tickets, please call the Port Theatre at 250-754-8550

CHORDIAL NOTES - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013

WELCOME BACK
It’s our 35th birthday this year and we couldn’t be more proud! Exciting new projects like the
Spring Break Musical Theatre Camp and our Summer Jazz Intensive are taking off in a big way,
while we still offer the same excellent standard of private instruction that made us special back
in ’77.

Vancouver Island Chamber Music Festival is one development that we’re particularly pleased to
see take off. NCM members may recall that we originally scheduled the festival for February. Unfortunately, one of the major acts pulled out late in the day. At the question of cancellation or continuing along with a reduced line-up, we elected to postpone. Things have a funny way of working out, and our later autumn date opened new doors: in addition to securing acclaimed early music ensemble iSacabuche! as our headliners, we are also thrilled to welcome Kristin Hoff, a young mezzo-soprano whose career has already seen her perform at Carnegie Hall, with the Boston Pops, and in a host of other high-profile gigs across North America.

These artists, together with a fantastic roster of NCM faculty and friends, are a must-see for every Conservatory student. Taking place November 1st and 2nd, weekend passes cost $40 to the general public and just $30 for NCM members. Tickets for individual concerts are available for $20 per event, meaning that NCM member pass holders save 50%. To take advantage of this opportunity, call the Port Theatre ticket hotline at 250-754-8550 using our special code: “CHAMBER”. You can also order online from www.porttheatre.com

NANAIMO YOUTH CHOIR
With two amazing ways to save on Nanaimo Youth Choir membership, there is no better time than now to enroll in our provincially and nationally award-winning programs.

• BRING A FRIEND AND BOTH STUDENTS RECEIVE UP TO $100 OFF ANNUAL TUITION
• WITH ONE REGULAR TUITION, REGISTER A SIBLING AT 50% OFF ANNUAL TUITION

Under the direction of Marian Smith, Nanaimo Youth Choir has brought accolades to the community for more than twenty years, appearing frequently in concert and at competitions around the Pacific Northwest. Discover—and share—the joy of choral singing for your family! Call NCM at 250-754-4611 for more information and to register.

2013 VANCOUVER ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
The festival takes place Friday, November 1st at 7pm in St. Andrew’s United Church and Saturday, November 2nd at 2pm (matinee) and 7pm (evening) in St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Regular tickets are $20 per show, or $40 for a pass valid both days. NCM members can buy one reduced pass at $30 per registration by using our special code: “CHAMBER”. Tickets are now available through the Port Theatre Box Office at 250-754-8550 or online from www.porttheatre.com!

NEW FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: DICK SMITH, JAZZ PIANO
Dick Smith’s first love was Chopin, but his taste for classical music quickly developed to encompass a broader range of styles and eras, especially jazz. After a first gig with his school band teacher that paid about $10, there was no going back. Sick of half-heartedly working for the government while picking up gigs after hours, Dick made his way east to study music at the world-famous Berklee College of Music in Boston, starting a career that would also take him to Toronto and Halifax.

NCM: Who was your best teacher?
DS: A lot of the leaning I did was on the bandstand and as an autodidact. You could say
my parents tried to teach me; that is, they told me to “get a real job!”
NCM: If that sounds familiar to any of our students here at the Conservatory, do you have
any thoughts or advice to share?
DS: I always incorporate parents’ input and treat their opinion with respect and
understanding, but at the same time, my first goal is that students approach music in all its
forms with both positivity and an open mind.
NCM: Throughout your career, does a favourite gig spring to mind?
DS: Actually, my best gigs are now! Gabriola Island, my new home, has some amazing
musicians and although I’ve played with a lot of great people through the years, I think the
most fun I’ve ever had was just two weeks ago. Toronto was a nice place to live but I didn’t
feel at home with the music scene there.
NCM: Any must-have albums, or something you’ve done some heavy listening to lately?
DS: J.S. Bach’s Partitas, Preludes & Fugues by Glenn Gould; Oedipus Rex by Igor
Stravinsky; Miles Davis’ work with Gil Evans; and Charlie Parker’s Verve recordings.

KINDERMUSIK
This early music education series is quickly becoming a Conservatory favourite! Explore joyful music, strengthen family bonds, and see why a Harris Interactive study found that 99% would recommend Kindermusik to other parents. For more information, call Nicole (Miss Nicky) at 250-591-2010.

JANE COOP
Solo piano 2:30pm February 16th, 2014 at the Port Theatre NCM pre-sale ends
December 16th! At the age of nineteen, Jane Coop won First Prize in the CBC’s national radio competition and prizes at New York’s Kosziusko Foundation Competition and the Washington International Competition. Recital debuts at Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Recital Hall and performances with the Toronto Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic the Victoria Symphony and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra were followed by a tour as soloist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada. Subsequently she has played in over twenty countries and been a jury member for the Governer General’s Performing Arts Awards, the Glenn Gould Prize, the Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artists Grants and various Canada Council grant awards. Three of her many critically successful recordings have earned Juno nominations and in 2012, Jane Coop was appointed to the Order of Canada. Call 250-754-4611 for special NCM member ticket pricing of just $15!


THEORY AND MUSICIANSHIP
Did you know that RCM theory is required in order to qualify for high school music lesson credit and for ARTC designation? If you’d like to register for rudiments or harmony, contact Teresa Borek for scheduling at 250-756-2222. Tuition is $600. Teens who would like to earn credit for high school should sign up for “Rapid Rudiments,” with Anne Tanod for $750. This course covers all levels of theory and takes place Wednesdays, 6:45-8:15pm. Those who don’t plan on sitting a formal exam can still explore how music works in a fun, hands-on setting with Marilyn Rummel’s musicianship courses.

FROM THE VOICE STUDIO OF CHRISTINE MCMAHON
Congratulations to all exam students! Both Lilu Scott and Akela Szasz received First Class Honours with Distinction in their June Gr. 4 RCM Voice exams with the same mark of 93%. Elizabeth Herman was awarded First Class Honours in her Gr. 10 Voice RCM Exam in August. Elizabeth will be performing in the chorus of Vancouver Island Opera's production of 'Hansel and Gretel ' at Knox United Church, Parksville on Sat. Oct. 5 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2:30 pm. Tickets: 250-248-7296.

VANCOUVER ISLAND SYMPHONY

Paris Romance Saturday, October 26th, 2013 7:30 PM
Guest artist: Alexandre Da Costa Fauré, Sibelius, Ravel and Bizet

NANAIMO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Featuring Andrew Clark and Heather Walker, horns
Saturday, November 23rd, 2013 7:30 PM Brechin United Church, Nanaimo
Sunday, November 24th, 2013 2:30 PM St. Edmund’s Church, Parksville

CALENDAR

Oct 21 Prelude Orchestra begins
Oct 25 Faculty concert
Nov 1-2 Vancouver Island Chamber Music Festival
Nov 12 Suzuki violin recital
Nov 21 Suzuki piano recital
Nov 22 Suzuki book graduation recital
Dec 5 Suzuki piano party!
Dec 20 Office closed for the holiday
Jan 25 Winter recital

The Upper Island Music Festival needs YOU!
For a commitment of just 4-5 days this coming February and March (dates to be determined with your input), you could make all the difference for young string musicians in our region. The Upper Island Musical Festival desperately needs a strings co-ordinator during the 2014 UIMF who can sign on no later than November 1st. Without your assistance, the program may not be able to run. For more information, please contact NCM immediately at 250-754-4611.

The general purpose of the Upper Island Musical Festival is to advance, promote and develop Musical
Competition Festival movement and to encourage generally the study and practice of the art of music,
dancing and the speech arts. The Festival spirit may be defined as the joy of participating with others in
seeking the highest levels in the art of music and kindred arts.

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