Victoria Symphony at the Movies
2024-01-24 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | 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.

Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4
2024-03-10 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
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

CONCERT SPONSOR

Bach, Pärt, and Vivaldi
2024-03-17 14:30 - 15:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Brothers and sisters in song raise their voices in praise and penitence as some of Victoria’s finest choral groups join the VS for Baroque favourites. This collaboration includes a triple concerto by J.S.  Bach, music by his Bohemian contemporary Jan Dismas Zelenka, and one of Vivaldi’s most magnificent choral works! Pärt’s entrancing work Fratres (“Brothers”) completes the picture.
Concert underwritten by Chris & Eve Millington: Trustees of the Lou Williamson Scholarship Fund and Jill Gibson
Violin soloists underwritten by Fritz & Dora Boehm

Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and Britten
2024-03-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Denford Hall at Glenlyon Norfolk School, 781 Richmond Avenue, VICTORIA, BC, V8S 3Z2, Canada
This strings-only program includes musical echoes of an earlier era from Grieg, a Tchaikovsky tune that brought a tear to Tolstoy’s eye, and Britten’s playful look back at his own youthful works. VS Concertmaster Terence Tam leads this hour long event brimming with melody.
19+ event.
Concert underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer

SERIES PRESENTING SPONSOR

La Nef – Sea Songs and Shanties
2024-03-23 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-03-24 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
We’ll rant and we’ll roar across the salt seas! Fresh off their exhilarating performance at the 2022 Splash, La Nef returns to press the Victoria Symphony into service in a rousing new program of shanties and maritime music. Their infectious style will have you stomping your feet and singing along.
Pops Series underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert and La Nef underwritten by Petra Janusas & Bill Majercsik

Being Robert Schumann – Brahms Symphony No. 1
2024-04-14 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
London-born conductor Leo McFall explores a lineage of musical camaraderie connecting Robert and Clara Schumann to Brahms, and onward to Dvořák. Featuring the drama and romance of Schumann’s only opera with his Genoveva Overture; the zest and colour of Dvořák’s Legends and Slavonic Dances; and Brahms’ towering Symphony No. 1.

The Composer is Here!
2024-04-20 15:00 - 17:00 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
Known for his kid’s concert hit, “Wall to Wall Percussion,” Vern Griffiths leads this fun, family-friendly performance that explores what it means to be a composer. The afternoon features works by legendary composers such as John Williams, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky along with creative collaborators based in BC. The audience will get in on the action and help compose a brand-new work to be performed live by the Victoria Symphony!
Arrive early to take part in the pre-concert activities starting at 2:00 pm:
-Instrument petting zoo: try the violin, cello, trumpet, and trombone!
-Composition station: draw your own graphic score and have it played back to you by musicians from the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra!

Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade
2024-04-21 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
Historic texts, tales, and sea-faring travel inspire a program conducted by Dinuk Wijeratne—who is also a pianist and JUNO® award-winning composer. Perhaps it was kismet that Borodin’s opera Prince Igor was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov, because it went on to provide a hit tune on Broadway. The storytelling prowess of the legendary Persian Queen Scheherazade enchanted the Sultan in the tales of One Thousand and One Nights—Rimsky-Korsakov’s own suite does the same for music lovers.
Concert underwritten by Commodore & Mrs. Jan Drent and Natexa Verbrugge

CONCERT SPONSOR

Kluxen – Brahms, Britten, and Brown
2024-04-28 14:30 - 16:30 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
“What harbor shelters peace, away from tidal waves, away from storms?” Starting with a misty sunrise on a Suffolk seascape, the tempest-tossed drama of Britten’s opera Peter Grimes is neatly condensed into his moving instrumental suite. Tragedy is also addressed in Stacey Brown’s new song cycle, drawing on texts by Danish author and poet Naja Marie Aidt. Aware of his own mortality, Brahms penned a cornerstone of the symphonic repertoire, his Symphony No. 4, a work of profound depth that many consider his finest.
Concert underwritten by Sara Neely
Mireille Lebel underwritten by George Lovick
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Jim Witter: It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
2024-05-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
The music of Billy Joel and Elton John transport us back to another time and place in this remarkable evening of nostalgia and song. Canadian pianist Jim Witter and his band lead the way for a night where you literally know every song and can’t help but sing along to these iconic favourites. Setlist includes the hits “Movin’ Out,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me,” and many more…
Pops Series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by Linda Pendray

Jim Witter: It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
2024-05-05 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
The music of Billy Joel and Elton John transport us back to another time and place in this remarkable evening of nostalgia and song. Canadian pianist Jim Witter and his band lead the way for a night where you literally know every song and can’t help but sing along to these iconic favourites. Setlist includes the hits “Movin’ Out,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me,” and many more…
Pops Series and Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin underwritten by Devi & Robert Jawl
Concert underwritten by Linda Pendray

CONCERT SPONSOR

Being Robert Schumann Finale – Brahms’ A German Requiem
2024-05-12 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
We conclude our 3-year exploration Being Robert Schumann with a postscript performance that further recognizes his impact. To musically mark the death of his mentor, Schumann, as well as the passing of his own mother, Brahms created this visionary and grandly-scaled masterpiece. A German Requiem speaks in a musical language for all humanity: “Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Concert underwritten by Fritz & Dora Boehm, Jade Gan, and Pete & Sharon Jando
Nathalie Paulin underwritten by Marc & Patricia Lortie

CONCERT SPONSOR

Bach's Orchestral Suite in D
2024-07-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave
Baroque specialist Julia Wedman leads Bach’s much-loved Air on the G String, plus Handel’s explosive Royal Fireworks, and a concerto inspired by bird song. Wedman also shines a light on Maria Grimani (the first woman to have her opera staged at the Vienna Court Theatre) and Anna Maria “dal Violin,” a student of Vivaldi who went from an orphan to become a famed violin soloist.

Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony
2024-07-25 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave
Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia evokes the sights and sounds of Italy, as captured by Felix Mendelssohn in a musical postcard brimming with Neapolitan flavour! Respighi serves up ‘old wine in new bottles,’ in a charming suite inspired by dances from the Italian Renaissance. Baroque dances also flavour Britten’s Simple Symphony, while Mozart’s dramatic depiction of Don Juan seduces concert goers.

Mozart and Martinis - SOLD OUT
2024-07-26 17:00 - 20:00 | The Atrium, 800 Yates Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1L8, Canada
Start your weekend right with a cocktail, appetizers, and the excellence of the VS in the most intimate and informal of settings. One of our signature events, this highly social gathering takes the music you love outside the concert hall, offering an entirely different VS experience.
Doors open at 5:00 pm
Cocktail hour from 5:00 – 6:00 pm
VS Orchestra at 6:00 pm

VS at Qualicum Beach
2024-07-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, 747 Jones St, Qualicum Beach, BC, V9K 1S7, Canada
Tickets on sale at The Mulberry Bush Book Store (130 W 2nd Ave)
VS makes a welcome summer trip to Qualicum Beach! Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia entices concertgoers with Mozart’s dramatic depiction of Don Juan. The fireworks continue with music of Handel, as well as Respighi’s suite inspired by Renaissance dances. Britten’s Simple Symphony revisits the baroque in playful fashion, while Mendelssohn evokes the sights and sounds of Italy in a symphonic postcard brimming with Neapolitan flavour.

VS & Pacific Opera Victoria at The Butchart Gardens
2024-08-01 20:00 - 22:00 | The Butchart Gardens, 800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, V8M 1J8, Canada
A signature musical event of the summer! The VS Orchestra, led by Associate Conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia performs at the beautiful Butchart Gardens alongside soprano Lucia Cesaroni, baritone Justin Welsh, and young violin soloist Elana Lin.
This concert is included in the price of admission to The Butchart Gardens. Admission to The Gardens can be purchased in advance or upon arrival at the venue.

VS Pops at the Cameron Bandshell
2024-08-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park, 250 Bridge Way, Victoria, BC, Canada
VS offers two free full orchestral concerts at the Cameron Bandshell in beautiful Beacon Hill Park. Take a bench seat, or bring a picnic, and enjoy an early evening concert featuring excerpts from our 2024/25 Pops Series including selections from The Sound of Music, E.T., The Mission, Wicked, and more!
Toot a trumpet! Visit a violin! Cuddle a cello! Arrive early to enjoy the Instrument Petting Zoo starting at 4 pm. The Instrument Petting Zoo gives children of all ages the opportunity to try a musical instrument. It’s a relaxing and fun way to spark a child’s interest in music and gives them a firsthand try at many different instruments. Our capable student volunteers will guide your child to the right way to hold, blow, or bow each instrument.

Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 (Pacific Baroque Orchestra)
2024-08-02 19:30 - 21:30 | Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave
The Victoria Symphony presents the Pacific Baroque Orchestra’s production of Monteverdi’s Vespers.
Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 is an undisputed masterpiece of spiritual and emotional depth, at times intimate and reverent, grand and dramatic, thrilling and sensual. Brilliant instrumental writing paired with impressive choruses and solos create an opulent tribute to the Virgin Mary, a testament to Monteverdi’s attention to the expressive power of music.
In this performance of this rarely-performed work, Alexander Weimann leads ten international soloists and a collection of 17th-century instrumentalists, including the peerless Bruce Dickey on cornetto.

VS & Pacific Opera Victoria at the Cameron Bandshell
2024-08-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park, 250 Bridge Way, Victoria, BC, Canada
This Open Air concert features excerpts from our upcoming Masterworks Series and Pacific Opera Victoria’s 2024/25 Season, plus special pre-concert activities to be announced.
Toot a trumpet! Visit a violin! Cuddle a cello! Arrive early to enjoy the Instrument Petting Zoo starting at 3 pm. The Instrument Petting Zoo gives children of all ages the opportunity to try a musical instrument. It’s a relaxing and fun way to spark a child’s interest in music and gives them a firsthand try at many different instruments. Our capable student volunteers will guide your child to the right way to hold, blow, or bow each instrument.

Kluxen – Strauss' Four Last Songs
2024-09-15 14:30 - 16:30 | Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St
In a time of darkness, beauty can still emerge. In the landscape of mid-century politics, war and oppression, Strauss and Shostakovich were both victims of circumstance. In the twilight of his years, Strauss reflected on our walk through life towards death, and beyond. Shostakovich’s Tenth mirrors the terror he experienced under Stalin’s rule, but ultimately his triumph at simply outliving the dictator. Humanity can prevail – a reflection as relevant today as it was 70+ years ago.

2024/25 Season Underwritten by Robert & Devi Jawl Foundation
Sundays at the Royal Series underwritten by Jill Gibson
Concert underwritten by Commodore & Mrs. Jan Drent and Dr. Fritz & Dora Boehm
Christian Kluxen underwritten by Sandra Lackenbauer
Aviva Fortunata underwritten by Julie & Harry Swain

Tanya Tagaq in Concert
2024-09-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Farquhar at UVic, University Farquhar Auditorium, Ring Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
A fearless innovator with a visceral stage presence and dizzyingly complex music, Tanya Tagaq is a Canadian cultural icon. The Inuk throat singer has spent her entire life championing her people, land, and culture while calling out oppressive systems and structures. With an extraordinary musical aesthetic, Tanya mines an artistic tradition dating back tens of thousands of years with a fierce power and contemporary sensibility. Tagaq’s performance will include qiksaaqtuq, featuring the Victoria Symphony, a moderated discussion, and sivunittinni, accompanied by the Emily Carr String Quartet.
Not included in subscription purchase discount.
