To explore the realms of music, there should be no boundaries and traditions to create endless possibilities.  Setting the World to Music features composers/conductors Mark Armanini, Moshe Denburg, Farshid Samandari and Jin Zhang performing their works with an intercultural orchestra of 15 musicians.

In this colourful and dynamic 90-minute presentation, each of these respected Vancouver-based composers will discuss varying approaches to composing for an intercultural orchestra, illustrating the challenges of combining different instruments and musical traditions and the new creative potential that can be found in doing so. The orchestra will perform pieces arranged specifically for the occasion, combining western orchestral instruments (violins, violas, woodwinds) with the zheng, erhu, pipa, bansuri, sitar, and tabla.

Whether you’re a veteran composer, a beginner student of music, a performer or simply a music lover wishing to learn more about the many forms of music in the world and the bridges between them, Setting the World to Music will offer a fresh and exciting palette of sounds and ideas.

Music of the Whole World is a free presentation of the Vancouver Public Library in collaboration with the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra (VICO). Now in its second year, the aim of the six part series is to provide access to educational materials that deal with the art of intercultural music making. Whether you are a veteran composer, a beginning student of music, or simply a music lover wishing to learn more about the many musics of the world and the bridges between them, this series is an event you will not want to miss.

The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra is unique in the world, and uniquely Canadian. It is the only concert orchestra currently in existence that brings together musicians trained in a wide variety of cultural disciplines, to perform new inter-cultural works on a grand scale. In the VICO, violins and flutes rub shoulders with the shakuhachi, the erhu and the sitar and fertile ground is created for cross-cultural teamwork between classical, jazz and world music artists.

Many smaller ensembles undertake similar collaborations. The VICO, however, boasts a core roster of musicians and at least as many occasional members. Some are trained in the Western (European) classical tradition, while many others are internationally-recognized performers in the musical traditions of cultures from all over the world (Asian, African, East Indian and Middle Eastern, to name only a few).

The VICO provides composers who are passionate about fusing genres and musical traditions with an amazing palette of sounds and musical forms.

Composers and musicians are out on the cutting edge, writing and performing the music of the future. In doing so, they uphold their own vision of globalism in the true and original sense - that is, the coming together of culturally diverse peoples in the acknowledgement of a common purpose.

The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra: a rich tapestry of sound ...a fresh voice in contemporary music ...a force for innovation and diversity.

 

This event is  co-presented by the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad on Tues Feb 12 7pm at the Vancouver Public Library - 350 West Georgia Street - Alice Mackay room (lower level). Admission is free.

 

More info see: www.vi-co.org