Star Trek, Star Wars, and Beyond
2023-09-24 14:30 - 16:30 (America/Vancouver) | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Journey to a galaxy far, far away and go where no one has gone before. The music of Star Wars and Star Trek transports us to literally another world and lets us live out the adventures of our wildest imaginations. Legendary composers like John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, and Michael Giacchino create the soundtrack to an evening that’s out of this world!
CURATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Choose five (5) or more concerts and a 25% discount will apply to the entire order.

Pops series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Kluxen – Ravel and Haydn
2023-10-01 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
A platinum performance awaits in a concert with Parisian ties. Ravel’s Tombeau pays tribute to both the Baroque, and to fallen comrades of WWI. Ravel was in the audience at the Salle Gaveau when Nielsen’s neo-classical concerto was premiered in 1926. Principal flutist Arin Sarkissian also polishes up some avant-garde Varèse. We close in the classical era with one of Haydn’s six “Paris” symphonies, No. 85, which earned its nickname as a favourite of Marie Antoinette, the pre-revolutionary Queen of France.
Maestro Christian Kluxen has regrettably had to withdraw from this concert due to illness. Assuming his place as guest conductor will be Montreal-based Jean-Claude Picard, regarded internationally as a communicative and engaging conductor.
CURATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Choose five (5) or more concerts and a 25% discount will apply to the entire order.

Concert underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer
Arin Sarkissian underwritten by Helen Stuart

Classical Kids – Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery
2023-10-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Vivaldi, Venice, and violins: all three are celebrated in Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery, a compelling mystery story about an orphan girl in the early 1700s who is in search of her roots. Audiences will enjoy excerpts from Vivaldi’s most popular and important works, including the Four Seasons, the Violin Concerto in A minor, and the Guitar Concerto. The music is magically woven into the drama as two actors solve a mystery built around the historic context of the composer’s real life and his school of the Pieta. This exciting concert and story performance is approximately 50 minutes in length.
Arrive early! Join us for an Instrument Petting Zoo starting at 2:00 pm in the Lobby. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to get to know the cello and violin.
Instrument Petting Zoo sponsored by

CURATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Choose five (5) or more concerts and a 25% discount will apply to the entire order.

Concert underwritten by Sheridan Scott & David Zussman

Bach, Rameau, and Respighi
2023-10-25 19:30 - 21:30 | Denford Hall at Glenlyon Norfolk School, 781 Richmond Avenue, VICTORIA, BC, V8S 3Z2, Canada
A three-concert series of smaller scale orchestral programs presented in the intimate setting of Denford Hall at Glenlyon Norfolk School. Ticket price includes wine tastings and a post-concert after party with artists on stage. Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia kicks off this new series with a selection of Baroque and Baroque-inspired favourites. Join the Victoria Symphony for a unique and intimate exploration.
19+ event.
VS Onstage @ Denford Hall concerts are not included in subscription purchase discount.
VS Onstage @ Denford Hall Series underwritten by Suzanne and John Stewart
Concert underwritten by Matthew White & Catherine Webster

SERIES PRESENTING SPONSOR

Harry Potter and Literary Thrillers
2023-10-28 19:30 - 21:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Harry Potter is a phenomenon like no other and has defined the transformation of the printed page to the silver screen. Experience some of the greatest literary stories coming to life in music. From Vampires and Werewolves to Peter Pan, Hobbits and everything in between, this magical evening will surely inspire your literary imagination.
TAKE ME TO THE OCTOBER 29 CONCERT
CURATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Choose five (5) or more concerts and a 25% discount will apply to the entire order.

Pops series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by Linda Pendray

Harry Potter and Literary Thrillers
2023-10-29 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Harry Potter is a phenomenon like no other and has defined the transformation of the printed page to the silver screen. Experience some of the greatest literary stories coming to life in music. From Vampires and Werewolves to Peter Pan, Hobbits and everything in between, this magical evening will surely inspire your literary imagination.
CURATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Choose five (5) or more concerts and a 25% discount will apply to the entire order.

Pops series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl

Beethoven Symphony No. 7
2023-11-05 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Kalena Bovell has a distinctive voice as a maestra, speaker, and poet. The Panamanian-American conductor is an Awardee of the 2022-2024 Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, and serves as Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. She premieres a VS/VSO co-commission by the Metchosin-born composer Cassandra Miller and welcomes the award-winning B.C. guitarist Alan Liu for courtly dances in the Concierto de Aranjuez. Wagner proclaimed the praises of Beethoven’s Seventh, calling it the “apotheosis of the dance” for its endless and varied rhythmic drive.
Concert underwritten by the Potash Family Foundation

Jurassic Park™ in Concert
2023-11-09 19:30 - 21:30, 2023-11-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
The action-packed adventure pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, this epic film is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making. Now audiences can experience Jurassic Park as never before: projected in HD with a full symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture.
Welcome… to Jurassic Park!
*Jurassic Park in Concert is not included in subscription purchase discount
Concert underwritten by the Potash Family Foundation

Kluxen – Bach, Prokofiev, and Mozart
2023-11-19 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
In 1747, Bach impressed Frederick the Great with The Musical Offering. Years later, Webern was inspired to reframe Bach’s famous 6-voice fugue with a pointillistic pen, illustrating genius at a whole new level. The romantic second movement of the Violin Concerto No. 2 foreshadows Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet—he created both on the cusp of leaving the West for life under the Soviets. A similar range of Sturm und Drang colours Mozart’s “Little G minor symphony,” which completes the program.
Sundays at the Farquhar Series underwritten by Harry & Julie Swain
Concert underwritten by Helen Stuart & Jill Gibson
Terence Tam underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Being Robert Schumann – “Spring” Symphony
2023-11-26 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Trading bouquets of mutual admiration and professional support, Schumann lent his discerning ear to the ‘dreamy’ incidental music written by his close friend Mendelssohn—the first person to conduct Schumann’s “Spring” symphony. The same work was the starting point for composer Rita Ueda in a VS/VSO co-commission. A celebration of Tokyo’s famed cherry blossom (sakura) season features koto soloist Miyama McQueen-Tokita in a fusion of ancient Japanese traditions with the present day.
Sundays at the Royal Series underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer
Concert underwritten by the Gail O’Riordan Climate & the Arts Legacy Fund at the Victoria Foundation

CONCERT SPONSOR

Gryphon Trio – ECHO: Memories of the World (Workshop Event)
2023-12-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Wingate Studio, Baumann Centre, 925 Balmoral Rd, Victoria, BC, V8T 1A7, Canada
Important! Gryphon Trio – Echo: Memories of the World has been postponed to a future VS/POV season. All ticket holders will be refunded on Tuesday, November 21. Please wait a few business days for this transaction to appear on your banking statement.
As a thank you for supporting this concert, we would like to invite you to a workshop with the artists on December 3 at 4:00 pm at the Baumann Centre. The event will be approximately 90 minutes in length. More information below!
Echo: Memories of the World – reflections on the creation of a new multimedia work
Sunday, December 3, 4:00 pm, FREE
Wingate Studio at the Baumann Centre (925 Balmoral Road)
THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP EVENT
Moved by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, Canadian artists and arts organizations are re-evaluating and changing the way they approach the creation of new work.
Artists serve as the custodians and storytellers of our shared heritage, their creative expressions transcending time and space to connect us across generations. Yet, throughout history and even today, certain memories and voices have been marginalized, silenced and stolen.
In 2021, Canada’s celebrated Gryphon Trio assembled a remarkable team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to work collaboratively and create work in a new way. This collective creation journey has resulted in Echo: Memories of the World – an emotionally charged experience that combines music, words, and film. Echo delves into the ways history has been erased, manipulated, and attacked, while simultaneously celebrating visionary artists who have defied suppression and breathed life into enduring works of profound significance.
On Sunday December 3, Victoria Symphony, Pacific Opera Victoria, and the Gryphon Trio invite you to join the Echo: Memories of the World creative team for a gathering that will reveal insights into the project’s creative process, include multimedia excerpts performed by Gryphon Trio, mezzo soprano Marion Newman Nege’ga and narrator čačumḥi aaron m. wells. The event will conclude with a Q & A session.
This free event will take place at the Baumann Centre at 4:00 pm and will be approximately 90 minutes in length.
A tapestry of music by Andrew Balfour, Eliot Britton, Ian Cusson, Ry Moran, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Marion Newman, Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and contemporary Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, interwoven with poignant storytelling, digital audio, evocative imagery, and film, Echo: Memories of the World unveils resilient visions of the future, drawing inspiration from three diverse corners of the world: the lands now known as Canada, Norway, and Ukraine.
We look forward to seeing you soon!

Holiday Brunch and Christmas Pops Rehearsal
2023-12-09 11:00 - 14:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Enjoy a fun and unique holiday experience with your friends, family, or coworkers at our Holiday Brunch and Christmas Pops Rehearsal fundraiser to benefit the Victoria Symphony’s Youth Education Programs!
Join the dress rehearsal of our Christmas Pops concert, followed by a gourmet brunch, sparkling wine, raffle, holiday carols, and more! You’ll meet members of the orchestra, guest soloist Jens Lindemann, and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin while celebrating the spirit of the holidays and supporting the Victoria Symphony!
Tickets $125 per person or $200 for two
(a generous tax receipt will be provided)
To purchase tickets or make a gift please call 250.412.1977 or email donorservices@victoriasymphony.ca

Jens Lindemann – Christmas Pops
2023-12-09 19:30 - 21:30, 2023-12-10 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
The holidays shimmer and shine with the Victoria Symphony and Canadian trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann. As one of the pre-eminent performers of our time, Mr. Lindemann brings his signature style and showmanship to our annual holiday tradition. Prepare to be dazzled and amazed as we bring Christmas Pops to brassy new heights.
Pops series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by John H. & Margery M. McEown Trust for the Performing Arts and Dallas & Len Chapple

Jens Lindemann – Christmas Pops (Qualicum Concert)
2023-12-11 19:30 | Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, 747 Jones St, Qualicum Beach, BC, V9K 1S7, Canada
The holidays shimmer and shine with the Victoria Symphony and Canadian trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann. As one of the pre-eminent performers of our time, Mr. Lindemann brings his signature style and showmanship to our annual holiday tradition. Prepare to be dazzled and amazed as we bring Christmas Pops to brassy new heights.
Tickets will be sold through THE MULBERRY BUSH BOOKSTORE in Qualicum Beach (130 Second Ave.) starting Monday, November 6.
All tickets are $45. Cash or cheque only at the Book Store. If you would like to pay by credit card, please call the VS Box Office at 250.385.6515. Limited tickets are available for purchase through the Victoria Symphony Box Office from M-F 9am – 12pm, 1pm – 4pm. General admission. Non refundable.
Pops series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by John H. & Margery M. McEown Trust for the Performing Arts and Dallas & Len Chapple

Handel’s Messiah
2023-12-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.” Beginning with those simple words, one of the best-loved musical works continues to inspire, year over year. With the Victoria Symphony led by Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia and featuring four leading Canadian soloists as well as the Victoria Philharmonic Choir, Handel’s sublime seasonal masterpiece Messiah delivers dramatic choruses and sublime solos. Hallelujah!
Concert underwritten by Penelope & Jim Kingham
Andrew Haji’s performance underwritten by Tom & Terri Siemens

CONCERT SPONSOR

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas
2023-12-16 19:30 - 21:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Vocalist Ken Lavigne has charmed his way into the hearts of concert goers across North America with his exciting blend of classical tenor sound and modern style. From show tunes and popular favourites to arias and Christmas classics, Ken’s lyric tenor voice spreads holiday cheer. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and Ken Lavigne will be sharing his musical gifts in concert with the Victoria Symphony.
VS West Shore concerts are not included in subscription purchase discount.

Handel’s Messiah (SOLD OUT)
2023-12-17 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada

Ken Lavigne – We Need a Little Christmas
2023-12-18 19:30 - 21:30 | Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Rd, Victoria, V9C 3E9, Canada

New Year’s Day Celebration
2024-01-01 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
It’s a resolution worth keeping! Revel with Giuseppe Pietraroia, the Victoria Symphony, and guests for our special New Year’s Day event. You’ll be welcomed with a sumptuous musical banquet of arias and choruses, glamorous dances, and much-loved instrumentals. So break out the bubbly and raise your glass!
Lauren Margison underwritten by Christine and Shane O’Leary

Being Robert Schumann – Adieu
2024-01-21 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Holly Mathieson returns to travel through musical space and time. In the wake of his marriage to Clara Wieck, music poured out of Schumann’s pen, including the three “symphonic” gems that open this program. A dozen years later, Clara’s diaries detailed her heart-rending reaction to her husband’s descent into madness, as depicted in Schafer’s moving monodrama. Schubert left several of his works “Unfinished” in his short life, but a fragmentary Symphony in D major provided the 19th century framework for Luciano Berio’s 20th century Rendering of what Schubert had in mind.
Holly Mathieson underwritten by Millicent Nickason
Allyson McHardy underwritten by George Lovick

Victoria Symphony at the Movies
2024-01-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Denford Hall at Glenlyon Norfolk School, 781 Richmond Avenue, VICTORIA, BC, V8S 3Z2, Canada
Denford Hall is the setting for a night of music from such cinematic classics as West Side Story, Indiana Jones, and Amadeus. This intimate evening also features composer Aaron Copland’s exquisite Music for Movies as well as “Gabriel’s Oboe” from The Mission, by legendary film composer Ennio Morricone. It is an evening not to be missed as the Victoria Symphony and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin bring the silver screen to life.
19+ event.
VS Onstage @ Denford Hall Series underwritten by Suzanne & John Stewart
Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by Christine & Shane O’Leary

SERIES PRESENTING SPONSOR

Victoria in Love
2024-01-27 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-01-28 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Love is in the air with dances and romances performed by the Victoria Symphony. The stage of the Royal Theatre heats up with the story of Romeo and Juliet, as told through the music of Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and Bernstein’s West Side Story. Plus, Broadway vocalist Lizzie Klemperer will have the audience swooning with favourites ranging from Les Misérables to “Moon River” and more.
Pops series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by Sara Neely and Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik
Lizzie Klemperer underwritten by Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Kluxen – Transfigured Night
2024-02-04 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
The strings of the Victoria Symphony are showcased in three works, beginning with a familiar, high-spirited piece by a 16-year-old Mozart. Shostakovich’s sparkling wit, sly humour, and love of musical parody are displayed in his energetic Concerto for piano, trumpet, and strings. Then step out from the darkness into the light, and have your view of Schoenberg’s music transformed. “Transfigured Night” is an early, overtly romantic piece with musical echoes of Brahms, Wagner, Mahler, and Richard Strauss.
Concert underwritten by Tim McGee, KC & Mary Mullens
Ryan Cole underwritten by Marc & Patricia Lortie
David Jalbert underwritten by George Lovick

Kluxen – Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
2024-02-11 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Victoria Symphony teams up with the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra in a special joint performance sure to inspire. Enescu’s work sets the stage in a stately and supremely lyrical manner that tugs at the heartstrings. VS principal cellist Brian Yoon tackles one of the top five cello concertos, still popular 150 years after it was written. With his career hanging by a political thread, Shostakovich composed his subtly defiant Symphony No. 5. The 45-minute ovation that followed its premiere assured his musical voice would go on to inspire future generations.
Concert underwritten by Jim & Betty Hesser and Fritz & Dora Boehm
Brian Yoon’s performance underwritten by Barb & Steve McKerrell and Jim & Betty Hesser
Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra underwritten by The Sunflower Fund

Raiskin and Zhu – Paganini
2024-03-03 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Youthful brilliance is on display as Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Music Director Daniel Raiskin welcomes American violinist Kevin Zhu, first prize winner at the 2018 International Paganini Competition in Genoa, Italy. Rossini composed The Barber of Seville at the age of 14, but Russian/American polymath Lera Auerbach composed her first opera at only 12! She’s gone on to be one of today’s most exciting creative voices, and her 2010 tribute to Mozart, Eterniday, was premiered by Maestro Raiskin. Grieg withdrew the score of his early Symphony in C minor from circulation, but its perceived merits have only improved with age.
Concert underwritten by Carol Bellringer & Greg Doyle
Kevin Zhu underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4
2024-03-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Dogwood Auditorium, Royal Roads University, 2005 Sooke Rd, Victoria, V9C 3E9, Canada
Associate conductor of the Oregon Symphony, Deanna Tham, showcases two works from the 1920s. Prayer overcomes sorrow in a symphonic poem by the pioneering Black composer William Grant Still, while Stravinsky’s love affair with music of the past is presented in Pulcinella. Tchaikovsky abandoned an ill-fated romance and laid bare his feelings in his triumphant Fourth Symphony – a piece that also earned him an influential patron.
Friday concert underwritten by Chris and Eve Millington: Trustees of The Lou Williamson Scholarship Fund
Sunday concert underwritten by Helen Stuart and Jan & Joanna GrootWassink

Platypus Theatre – Presto Mambo!
2024-03-09 15:00 - 17:00 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
A concert about the music of the Americas takes an unexpected turn when Max—an energetic but impulsive young boy—makes his way onto the stage to “help” the orchestra. Soon Max is on a whirlwind adventure that takes him from the concert hall to the vibrant lands of Latin American culture where—with the help of his new friend, Mambo the dog, the orchestra, and the audience—Max learns the magic of Latin rhythms and how to “dance” with the music. Audiences rise to their feet, dancing to the rhythms of Latin America in Platypus Theatre’s most interactive show to date.
Arrive early! Join us for an Instrument Petting Zoo starting at 2:00 pm in the Lobby. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to get to know the cello and violin.
