In B.C., May 15 is a #DayOfMusic, a virtual celebration offering more than 100 free performances from artists across the province.
More than 14,000 people joined the inaugural #DayOfMusic in 2019, celebrating the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s centennial anniversary. This year, the VSO expects more than 100,000 viewers to participate on the new DayOfMusic.ca website, a Netflix-style hub for performances.
Starting at 10 a.m. (Pacific time) on Saturday, May 15, the portal will also host a livestream from Alan and Gwendoline Pyatt Hall, featuring interviews with guest artists, behind-the-scenes access, quizzes, interactive Q&As, and closing with a performance by the VSO at 2:40 p.m.
Following the May 15 event, the hub will stay up with free access for one year.
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Alphabetically, the participating artists range from 240 Northern to Yuel Yawney and Libby Yu, and also include British Columbia Girls Choir, Cross Canada Brass, Elektra Women’s Choir, Jeanette Bernal-Singh & Mohamed Assani, MEI Screaming Eagles Marching Band, Queer As Funk, Silk Road Music, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Vancouver Opera and others.
A minute-long #DayOfMusic promo video is posted to Youtube.
“I am so pleased to invite the world to come and join us for the second Day of Music,” Angela Elster, VSO president and CEO, said in a news release. “It has been such a strange and challenging year. Our colleagues across the province have figured out new ways to perform and connect.
“Now, as we head into summer and look ahead to a return to live performance, it is time to celebrate and showcase the extraordinary talent and activity that exists in BC! As we reached out to our peers to ask if they would participate, the response was a resounding ‘Yes!’”
Sponsors of #DayOfMusic include the Government of BC, Newmont, The Jane McLennan Fund for Free and Accessible Programming and The Connor, Clark & Lunn Foundation.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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