Vancouver Island Symphony musicians are again bringing their concerts outside the theatre and into small venues in pretty settings around multiple Vancouver Island communities.
This year's Symphony Summer Sizzle Festival, which starts Tuesday, July 8, will consist of 36 concerts in 12 locations in Nanaimo, Gabriola Island, Nanoose Bay, Cedar-by-the-Sea, Yellow Point, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, the Cowichan Valley and the Comox Valley.
Each venue, over the course of a few weeks, sees performances by three symphony ensembles: one from the string section, one from the wind section and one from the brass section.
Margot Holmes, the symphony's executive director, said the series started as pop-up concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic and has proved "super successful" in the years since, attracting new audiences to the symphony.
"There's this personal, up-close look," she said. "In these concerts, you're able to sit a few feet from the musicians. They're also much more casual. The musicians are talking about themselves, they're talking about the music they're playing, why they chose that music."
The series includes some performances that come with a twist. Two of the out-of-town concerts, for example, are at wineries, where ticket-holders are encouraged to come early to purchase wine and food to enjoy during the concert, and the Gabriola brunch series concerts come with or without breakfast. New this year is a wellness series, in which concert-goers are invited to participate in tai chi, meditation and yoga ahead of the concerts at Nanaimo's Bethlehem Centre.
"We've always wanted to include yoga, but we just didn't know quite how we would do that," Holmes said. "We'll see if there's uptake in that … I think there's people that are interested."
Concert-goers can be assured of beautiful settings, and probably some surprises that outdoor performances tend to bring. Holmes recalled one concert played in such hot weather that electronic equipment overheated, and instances of wildlife being drawn to the sound of certain instruments.
"Because they're all outside, there is always distractions and everybody just goes with the flow. Most of the time it's birds or wildlife of some sort, but it can be almost anything," she said. "It's a little bit of a glimpse behind the scenes of what really happens at a concert."
WHAT'S ON … The concerts will be held July 8-Aug. 9. Most tickets costs $42-46. Note that for some shows, audiences are asked to bring their own lawn chairs. Check out the symphony website for specific dates and other information.
