Join us for a unique Studio on Stage experience!

Lunchtime shows are FREE and will have two- 15 minute acts. Bring your bagged lunch!

Evening shows are only $15 and will have a 20 min. opening act then an hour performance by a featured artist.

Eric Harper, Sheila Norgate, Tina Jones & Glen Foster

Tues. February 9th

at 7:30pm- Starlight Reverie is a semi-classical, acoustic instrumental duo featuring Marjorie Cullerne, violin & Peter Leclerc, guitar- performing Celtic, gypsy swing, romantic pop, tangos and mazurkas... then Cindy Shantz & Judith Millar are WordChickz! Award-winning writers and performers presenting the entertaining premiere of "Eclucktomania" - an eclectic mix of humorous and poignant spoken word, monologue and merriment.

Wed. February 10th

at 12:15pm- Soprano, Nancy Washeim and guitarist, Charles Wolzien will delight audiences by performing vocal & acoustic guitar duo featuring replica renaissance and baroque guitars...then Dancestreams will perform a dance showcase called “Land Girls” a piece choreographed by Desiree Dunbar about the women left behind in wartimes.

at 7:30pm- Dinah D is a songwriting upright bassist with a trademarked voice. She will be performing a solo set of self-penned works to get you feeling swingin' and bluesy!...then
Charm, Beauty & Poise: Timeless tips for girls who have let themselves go! A performative slideshow by visual artist, accidental author, and feminist with a sense of humor, Sheila Norgate.

Thurs. Feb 11th

at 12:15pm- Tina Jones' style allows for the traditions of soul and R&B masters to meld with the provocative and intuitive techniques of jazz and hip hop. "Soulful interpretations of songwriter standards". Tina will be performing solo both accompanying herself on piano and a cappella singing with trumpet solos...then Eric Harper is a flamenco guitarist who was inspired at an early age by music, influenced by his time living in Europe as a teenager he went on the study music at the Conservatory of Music in Braga and Berkley College of Music.

at 7:30pm- Glen Foster, guitar “Tried, Trusted & True” An acoustic west coast sound with catchy melodies, slide guitar hooks and thought provoking lyrics...then Cameron Wigmore Quartet: A Tribute to Canadian Jazz including compositions by Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson, Moe Koffman and more. Featuring Cameron on Sax, Darcy Phillips on keys, Phil Albert on bass, and Johnny Lucas on drums.

The best of our City's jazz student musicians and guest performers delight audiences each year with a concert that gets you snapping your fingers and tapping your toes.

http://www.pjperry.com/

"At this point in David Francey’s stellar career, we are down to expecting
near perfection delivered with each succeeding album."

- Les Siemieniuk, Penguin Eggs

David Francey, the internationally acclaimed, three-time Juno Award winner is a singer/songwriter with an uncommon ability to reach others through song. His storytelling, strong vocals and powerful lyrics combine to make his subjects - from the foreclosed farmer to the Canadian soldier in Dieppe, to the working Joe, to the teenage lover - immediate and intensely moving. David’s latest release, Right of Passage, which won the 2008 Best Roots and Traditional Juno, is a quintessentially Canadian experience with songs such as “The Ballad of Bowser McCrea,” “All Lights Burning Bright,” and “Leaving Edmonton” spanning the Canadian Cultural experience and like David’s performances, appealing to all.

Since October 2006, Craig Werth has served as the accompanist/co-arranger for three-time Juno-winner David Francey. Craig served as co-producer for Francey's "Right of Passage" which won a best album Juno in 2008.

Classical in training—eclectic by design—Quartetto Gelato not only thrills its audiences with its multi-instrument mastery, but also offers the bonus of a brilliant operatic tenor and a four time World Accordion Champion. With a performance repertoire that travels the globe including classical masterworks, operatic arias, the sizzling energy of tangos, gypsy and folk songs, the group’s theatrical stage presence and relaxed humour establishes an intimate rapport with audiences worldwide. This program is all about the sheer fun of making music and the huge love of a good tune.

Alain-François is a storyteller with a style all his own. In the world of traditional music, he combines the fiddle, electric guitars, drums, the bass and percussion instruments (cajón, derbouka and trash can). His music is neo-trad, a term that for him signifies a respect for tradition but with a new take! For Alain-François, being able to share his passion for music, fiddling and traditional music, both with his audience and artists such as Mara Tremblay, France D’Amour, Florent Vollant and Vincent Graton, all guest artists on his second album, is incredibly gratifying.

Demonic beats! A sizzling violin! Traditional music that will knock your socks off! He brings the house down at every venue! Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Swing celebrates its 10th anniversary and makes its mark again at the Gala des Prix Trille Or with seven nominations, including Best Album, Best Group, Best Show, Best Video and more. Once the smoke settled, Swing walked away with the “Best Group” award. The big surprise for 2009 is a JUNO nomination in the category “FRENCH ALBUM OF THE YEAR”. The Maple Sugar Festival du Sucre d’Erable is thrilled to have this explosive group back for a third time proving that no one can rock the dance floor like Swing does!

This is just one evening of a three day annual festival. Click here for more info.

This brilliant concert begins with the
expansive Clarinet Concerto by Aaron
Copland and Prairie Dawn by Canadian
composer Stephen Chatman. Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 by Antonin Dvorak is an
absolute masterwork, infused with classy romanticism, the embodiment of romance
and very familiar. The VI Symphony Brass
section is featured performing Ceremonial
Fanfare by Aaron Copland, Fanfare for the Common Cold by Peter Schickele, Fanfare
“La Péri” by Paul Dukas, Signals from
Heaven II (Night Signal) by Toru Takemitsu and Concert Music for Strings and Brass by Paul Hindemith.

There are around 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen, divided into four touring choirs. The four choirs give around 300 concerts and performances each year in front of almost half a million people. Each group spends nine to eleven weeks of the school year on tour, playing in all European countries, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

The choir's repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music.

Click to watch a clip of the Choir

The original Broadway musical The Music Man ran for an amazing 1,375 performances.

Con man, Harold Hill poses as a boys' band organizer, selling band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash.
In River City, Iowa, prim Marian the librarian sees through him and he risks being exposed as a fraud.
But Harold and Marian fall in love, so all ends happily.
Audiences will recognize many of the songs especially "Seventy Six Trombones" and the romantic ballad "Till There Was You" which was made famous by Paul McCartney on a 1963 Beatles album.

click here for more info

Join us for a unique Studio on Stage experience!

Lunchtime shows are FREE and will have two- 15 minute acts. Bring your bagged lunch!

Evening shows are only $15 and will have a 20 min. opening act then an hour performance by a featured artist.

Alexandria Maillot, Tamara Martella, Julia Mackie & Holly Bright

Monday March 8th
at 7:30PM - Mark Hoskins & Brian Dobbs “Never Evilyn with Sunsing” & then The Key Of Three - Three First Nations artists from three artistic disciplines will develop and present a collaborative work.

Tuesday March 9th
at 12:15pm -Tamara Martella, a blues singer with piano accompaniment & then Paul Gitlitz, Fiddle “The Rakes of Delight” with Guy Langois, Guitar

at 7:30PM- Alexandria Maillot Guitar/Voice & then Jake’s Gift, Julia Mackie’s remarkable award winning Canadian play about a WW2 veteran’s journey back to Juno Beach to find the grave of a brother who never returned home.

Wednesday March 10th
at 12:15pm -Mei Juan playing the Pipa; a traditional Chinese instrument & then Dancestreams performs a brand new work from critically acclaimed choreographer Serge Bennathan.

at 7:30pm -Tracy Myers, spoken word duo called “tongue and groove” & then Monik Nordine Jazz Quartet performing “Departure”

Thursday March 11th

at 12:15pm -Andre Begin performs “The Man from Eldorado” & then Joelle Rabu & Nico Rhodes voice & piano will delight you with “Tete a Tete”

at 7:30PM - Kristen Wald Guitar & Voice “K-Law” & then Crimson Coast Dance featuring Holly Bright in “skin” a nude performance.

John Hammond is a Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist and a long-time icon of the music industry.

Hammond comes from a re-markable musical lineage. His father, John H. Hammond, worked as a talent scout for years and, because of the many careers he helped to launch, is considered one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music.

Lest you think Hammond is a blast from the past, his most recent album, “Push Comes to Shove” (2007), was named international blues album of the year by Rhythms magazine and a top 10 selection in Amazon.com’s best music selections in the blues and folk category. It has received glowing reviews from The Washington Post, American Songwriter and many more.

An acoustic trio of passionate, fiery guitars! These gentlemen have forged brilliant independent careers, garnering awards and winning the hearts of their respective fans, as well as international accolades and critical praise for their musicianship.

“Lopez is on Fire!”

The Toronto Star

"Lord of the strings”

Star Phoenix regarding Pavlo

"Rik’s guitar playing is surpassed only by his gentle character.” Alex Lifeson, Rush

One of Canada's classiest, top Las Vegas style tribute shows has pleased thousands theatre patrons all over western Canada selling out dozens of theatres.
Tribute artist Bill Zaalberg has successfully recreated the Neil Diamond world tour concert to a "T". The 3 hour, fully orchestrated glitzy "double" feature opens with "TUSK" - The Fleetwood Mac tribute. Audiences have commented repeatedly as to the remarkable resemblance in looks and sound to the real Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie. DOUBLE DIAMOND will thrill you with a full brass section, three female backup vocalists and a full, tight rhythm section. One may expect to hear Coming to America, Cherry, Cherry, I'm A Believer, Desiree, Heart Light, Love on the Rocks, September Morn, Crackling Rosie, Sweet Caroline and some songs from his latest best selling "Home Before Dark" album - Pretty Amazing Grace and Delirious Love.

Definitely a must see for all Neil Diamond and Fleetwood Mac fans.
For more info visit: http://www.doublediamondtribute.ca

To celebrate the 200th birthday of Frederic Chopin - born on March 1st,1810.

The exceptional artistry and brilliant virtuosity of Janina Fialkowska have won her enthusiastic accolades from audiences and critics worldwide. She is distinguished as one of the great interpreters of the piano works of Chopin and Mozart. and has performed with such prestigious orchestras as the Royal Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, the Halle Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony, the Warsaw Philharmonic. In 1974 her career was launched by Arthur Rubinstein after her prize winning performance at his inaugural Master Piano Competition in Israel. In October 2002 Ms. Fialkowska was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada.

There will also be a Masterclass at the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music on Monday, March 15 at 10 a.m.

more info at: www.ncmusic.ca and www.janinafialkowska.com

Perhaps best known for his offbeat delivery of "the fake news" on "Saturday Night Live" for five seasons, Norm MacDonald is a major comedic presence. Aside from his notable characterizations of Bob Dole and Burt Reynolds, MacDonald proved that his acerbic wit and writing were not to be contained to just the small screen.

MacDonald starred in the film Dirty Work, which he also co-wrote; and, as the voice of Lucky the Dog in the Eddie Murphy hit, in Dr. Doolittle. MacDonald was also seen in Billy Madison with Adam Sandler, and in Milos Foreman's Academy Award-nominated The People Vs. Larry Flint.

A native of Quebec City, MacDonald began his stand-up career in comedy clubs throughout Canada.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, he became a writer on the ABC hit series, "Roseanne." He currently performs as a stand up comedian across Canada, the United States and Australia.

"One listen and it’s obvious he’s in a class with such greats as Toots Theilmans, Paul Butterfield and Howard Levy, formerly of Bela Fleck’s Flecktones."
Edmonton Journal

Carlos del Junco is hands down one of finest blues/jazz harmonica players on the planet. Born in Havana and immigrated to Canada as a young child, del Junco discovered the harmonica and the rest, as they say, is history. del Junco holds two Gold Medals from the Hohner World Harmonica Championship in Trossingen, Germany, as well as multiple national awards.

For erudite “harp” blowers: del Junco plays a ten hole diatonic harmonica, and has developed the unique ability to play chromatically by using an "overblow" technique taught to him by jazz virtuoso Howard Levy which is more expressive. Carlos is one of the few pioneers of this overblow method.

His emphasis is on blues, but can seemlessly deliver a fusion of New Orleans second line grooves, swing, Latin, hip-hop or ska melodies, to swampy roots rock.

The Blues Mongrels are: bassist Henry Heillig (founded the nine piece Latin band Manteca, musical director for both the Genie and Gemini Awards, toured with pianist Joe Sealy), guitarist Eric St. Laurent, and Mark Mariash on drums. Get ready to trash all you thought you knew about the harmonica. Carlos and his Blues Mongrels deliver a no-holds-barred display of fun and melodic virtuosity.

What better way to celebrate Robert Schumann’s 200th anniversary than with a concert featuring both Felix Mendelssohn and Schumann, his champion and contemporary. Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo and Finale is a miniature symphony, and Pangaea by Vancouver composer Jeffrey Ryan tells of a future together in unity. Nanaimo actress Maureen Thomas performs all the characters of A Midsummer Nights’ Dream, from Puck to Oberon, in a mindboggling presentation while the orchestra plays Mendelssohn’s masterpiece.

Preshow chat at 6:30pm. Q & A following the concert.

Come celebrate CeltFest Vancouver Island’s upcoming 10th Anniversary with the magical Barra MacNeil Family.
The Barra MacNeils are Canada’s first family of Celtic Music. Steeped in Cape Breton tradition with strong Celtic roots and musical artistry, this diverse and talented family group continues to wow and sell out audiences worldwide with their captivating vocals, harmonies and extraordinary musicianship and distinctive brand of Celtic flavour.

Also featured will be Vancouver Island CeltFest favourites: master piper René Cusson and members of the Glengarry Highland and the O’Brien Irish schools of dance.

video clips at: www.barramacneils.com
CeltFest Vancouver Island July 18-23: www.celtfest.ca

“Infectious fun for all ages, a great night out”

- New York Times

The World's #1 Abba Tribute production returns March 24th together with the perfect complementary attraction, “Night Fever”... an exceptional world-class tribute to the Bee Gees. This super re-creation of these two superstar group’s musical works promises to be as infectious and enjoyable as ever with the party-like atmosphere their shows always generate. The audience will surely be spending much of the evening clapping and singing along to the timeless music of Abba and the Bee Gees.

“Abba-solutely Fantastic... A Must-See Show”

www.LegendsOfRock-n-Roll.com

A quartet of masterworks both celebrated and hardly known, conjoined by two handfuls of local wind players, thus making a merry, riotous band.
Our featured artist is pianist Rie Okamura, known widely on Vancouver Island for her outstanding musicianship and selfless community service. Rie will perform Mozart's inspired Piano Concerto No. 27 -- his last.
The Program includes:

Albinoni Concerto Grosso Op. 9 No. 2 featuring soloist Toby Macklin, Oboe

Mozart Piano Concert No. 27 K. 595

Handel Water Music Suite-Haydn

Sinfonia No. 77

See June 11th for another Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra concert.

David "Honeyboy" Edwards (born in 1915, Shaw, Mississippi) is a Grammy Award winning Delta blues guitarist and singer from the American South.

As of December 2009, Honeyboy Edwards, at age 94,

and his close friend, Pinetop Perkins (age 96) are the oldest and arguably, the last Delta blues players still touring the United States remaining from the last century.

He performs up to 100 concerts a year and undertook a tour of Europe in September and October 2009.

Edwards received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on January 30, 2010.

"Alpha Yaya Diallo- is an artist of rare musical ability. This Juno award winner is a composer, band leader and guitarist extraordinaire." - Edmonton Journal

Alpha was discovered in the late 1980's by Peter Gabriel's Real World Records when he was lead guitarist for Fatala. One of the chosen artists to perform at the Cultural Olympiad, Alpha - guitarist, singer, songwriter, is a true multi-cultural Canadian artist performing in French, English and his native Guinean languages of Foulani and Souso. Diallo is a multi-talented artist whose dexterous acoustic and electric guitar-playing, with its fluid melodic lines and compelling grooves, places him in the front ranks of African musicians. While his band, Bafing, features high energy African rhythms and a dynamic percussion section. Alpha's music is also featured on the soundtrack of the Oscar nominated film "District 9".

Check out Alpha's videos at: www.alphayayadiallo.com

Red Cross volunteers will be on hand in the Lobby to take your kind donations to be used for The Haiti Earthquake Fund. (Cash or cheque payable to The Red Cross - Haiti Earthquake)

Be first in line for Rick Mercer's personal take on his time in-front of and behind the camera with his popular TV series. 60 minutes of pure hilarity.

Born in St. John's Newfoundland, Rick Mercer is often referred to as Parliament's un-official opposition. It doesn't matter who it is, Rick's insightful wit takes a stab at their soft underbelly and helps Canadians laugh at themselves and their leaders. His TV career includes many years on "This Hour as 22 Minutes", "Talking to Americans" and "The Rick Mercer Report" which currently enjoys some of the highest ratings on CBC TV.

"They seem to always leave the crowd begging for more."-

Dawn Tyndall, recording artist, Author, Professional Speaker

Featuring some of Vancouver's hottest talents, The Big Thing has been an intergral edition to Western Canada's theatre circuit. With a tight rhythm section, powerful vocals and a horn section beyond compare, The Big Thing 'brings it' every time without fail and its truly a musical force to be reckoned with.

a little about the beloved original band.... In 1967, Chicago musicians Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, and Peter Cetera formed a group with one dream, to integrate all the musical diversity from their city of Chicago and weave a new sound; a rock 'n' roll band with horns. Their dream turned into 20 Top Ten singles, 12 Top Ten albums (five of which were #1), and sales of more than 120 million records.

A string ensemble full of passion & energy! Award winning violinist Angele Dubeau brings together nine of the finest female musicians in Canada.

“The players of La Pieta perform with gusto, precision and taste."

Stanley Fefferman/The Live Music Report

"Angèle Dubeau’s expression is uncompromising, ripe and joyous... Precise attacks, excellent ensemble playing and energy… passion, presence… The musicians’ smiles are contagious, even more so because they are conveyed by way of both mouth and ears,” Le Devoir

Blistering guitar licks & soulful vocals! David has garnered awards & critical acclaim including multiple Juno award nominations & Guitarist of the Year/Maple Blues Awards.

"...Wow! …what a monster talent…his playing sparkles, crackles & smokes…”
Sunday Blues Rock 101

“...fiery guitarist… a world-class slide player...” Art Tipaldi Senior Writer Blues Revue/BluesWax

“...blues wizardry…”
Barry Newman, Cosmic Debris

Join the Nanaimo Concert Band for their Annual Spring Concert. This national award winning band performs a wide ranging musical repertoire including classical, big band, marches show tune and more!

If you have not yet attended a Nanaimo Concert Band Concert, come and find out why it always sells out! Treat yourself and a friend to a Sunday matinee, appealing to all ages.

With an unprecedented five television comedy specials under his belt and a new CBC-TV comedy series airing Fridays at 8pm, Canada's busiest and best-selling comedian RON JAMES takes to the road with a new "gut-bustingly, knee-slappingly funny" 90-minute rant MENTAL AS ANYTHING.

Whether wrestling with society's accelerated rate of change, stumbling on nostril drooling bull moose during forest hikes, or experiencing the virtues of backyard composting and its promise of immortality, James brings a 'foot soldier's perspective from the trenches' in our collective march through Life's bright fury.

Incorporating a passionate love of language, with a physically charged word-perfect delivery, James takes the audience on a roller coaster ride of seat-soaking laughs.

"fits of helpless laughter" - Halifax Chronicle Herald; "4 STARS - a wheezing, snorting, chortling, gasping night of hilarity"-Edmonton Sun; "convulsed with laughter"-Toronto Star

Heroes come from all walks of life and social settings. In Le Tombeau de Couperin, Maurice Ravel dedicates each piece to a fallen soldier friend. Dmitri Shostakovich is himself the hero as one of the few Russian composers to stand up to Stalin. His Cello ConcertoNo. 1, played by international cellist Phil Hansen, is filled with irony and sarcasm, like a voice praying to the world about something that is very wrong. The season closes with Ludwig van Beethoven’s most powerful Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”. Heroic in nature, it has been played for many heroes throughout history.

This performance is a tribute to our local heroes.

Preshow chat at 6:30pm. Q & A following the concert.

Raven Stole the Sun is about a fabulous and magical creature of impulse and curiosity. In order to satisfy his overwhelming sense of curiosity, Raven hatches a brilliant scheme for stealing the stars, the moon and the sun and ends up bringing light to the people of the world. We would love to share the magic of Raven with you.

A compelling theatre dance piece for family audiences, Raven Stole the Sun is a delightful tale about how the sun, moon, and stars came to hold their positions in the sky.

“I wish it never ended!” - Hailey, 8 years old

“The fun and the beauty of this high-spirited performance...what sets the whole show apart is, in a word, joy” - Edmonton Journal

Can two people who are so obviously wrong for each other get it right?
A chance meeting in a restaurant, after four years apart, sends a couple flashing back through the highs and lows of their courtship and marriage. It is a hilarious and often heart-breaking look at the rollercoaster ride of a relationship. Buckle up and join them on their wild ride through the past in this hilarious and heart-warming comedy.

www.theatreone.org

54-40 is one of the most important popular music groups to emerge from the Canadian cultural landscape. With over 2 decades of performing and recording behind them, the band has an unbelievable catalogue of hit songs. Led by chief songwriter Neil Osborne, 5440 have carved out a legacy of gold and platinum albums and reputation for their live performances that carries through today. Over 2000 performances, and 16 releases, the secret to their longevity is their ability to redefine and reinvent themselves, taking long-time fans on a ride that picks up new young fans on the way. From people who have followed the band from their humble beginnings in east Vancouver to new young fans who have discovered this truly original band, seeing them live is an extraordinary affair that bridges the gaps of generations through a shared love of music.


concert sponsors- Lucid, Tranceformations, Music Maxx & Thrive Hair Co

Canada’s most exciting vocal ensemble! musica intima is known around the world for their warm & engaging stage presence, impeccable musicianship, and unique self-directed approach to ensemble singing.

“...exquisite 12-voice conductor-less choir…refined sonic purity…breathtaking.” Vancouver Courier

“Each voice is a hand-blown ornament streaked with gold.”
Globe & Mail

The Malaspina Choir joins the Vancouver Island Symphony to perform one of the most profoundly moving and beautiful works ever composed for chorus and orchestra. In a genre that is by definition poignant and moving—requiem, a funeral mass- the Mozart Requiem stands apart from all others. Shrouded in mystery, left incomplete at Mozart’s death it is now universally beloved. Pre-concert talk 1:00 PM

The Choir celebrates their 39th Season and invites you to join them for three fabulous concerts! Performances feature a wide variety of choral music: in La Diva & Le Choir, to Handel’s Messiah, and finishing the season with the glorious and poignant Mozart Requiem. www.malaspinachoir.com

Dancers Dancing brings Voices in Motion, Bodies that Sing to The Port Theatre with a rich performance that cascades through passion, subtlety, athletic virtuosity and humour in an ecstatic celebration of what it is to be human. The choreography for this compelling celebration of the mutually dependant relationships between voice, body, heart and mind is set to choral music ranging from JS Bach to contemporary composer Peter Hannan.

The six dynamic, versatile and technically strong dancers interpret the works with energy and finesse. Hedgehogs and Wallpaper Flowers by Rob Kitsos is a quirky, warp speed, romp with an understated comic bent. Idyll by Anthony Morgan is like a clear summer day and a pastoral yearning for a simpler time. Judith Garay’s Happiness is inspired by the invincibility of the human spirit and the miracle of community, ricocheting between happiness and desperation. Simone Orlando’s Give Way is multi-layered, richly detailed, elegantly rendered and full of glorious partnering. Le vent t'emportera by Serge Bennathan starts in passion drive and continues through ecstasy to exhaustion with full throttle dancing.

Voices in Motion, Bodies that Sing premiered at the Vancouver International Dance Festival in 2009. This original collaboration between Dancers Dancing and the Vancouver Cantata Singers played to sold out houses and standing ovations. For this performance local choir Island Consort Chamber Choir, directed by Bruce Farquharson, will join Dancers Dancing.

Be among the first to hear the remarkable Laureates of the 2009 Honens International Piano Competition. Laureates of Canada’s prestigious Honens Competition go on to perform in the world’s most prestigious concert halls. Experience their exceptional talent as their careers take flight at Nanaimo’s own Piano Festival. Join us for an evening of solo piano (May 14th), a performance with the VI Symphony (May 15th) and an afternoon of Chamber music (May 16th) featuring the musicians of the VI Symphony performing with the three Laureates.

Music and winners will be announced following the Competition in November 2009.

On the first night (May 18th) of their two night set, Our Lady Peace will perform their classic diamond certified album Clumsy which includes the classics – “Superman's Dead”, “4AM”, “Automatic Flowers” and “Clumsy”, plus hits derived from their catalogue of 7 Albums. The second night (May 19th)will be the Spiritual Machines set and all of your favourite Our Lady Peace tunes. All of this in an intimate "evening with" theatre setting!

"We are extremely excited to announce this upcoming Canadian tour where we will re-create our Clumsy record live in its entirety. We have chosen some of the country's most historic and majestic theatres to insure the sound and lights will be of the highest quality during what will undoubtedly be our most adventurous, entertaining and intense live performance ever. Be prepared for the most comprehensive OLP show to date as we'll also be playing a full 2nd set of songs from all our other records. See you there,"
frontman, Raine Maida.

A Cappella Plus is excited to present their 30th Anniversary Concert –“I’d like to Teach the World to Sing” with guest artists: Nanaimo Youth Choir, Sinclair Singers, Bryan Stovell - Bass, Josie Martens - Piano and Bill Hicks -Drums.
They will be showcasing a taste of what is timeless in choral music as well as selections from some of their theme based
concerts from recent years: - Celtic, World, Pop music of the 60’s and 70’s and jazz.

If you missed A Cappella Plus and the Sinclair Singers performing Bohemian Rhapsody last May, now is your chance to hear it!
With three generations sharing the stage, this will be a wonderful evening celebrating the joy of singing.

Heard after the Forever Polyester concert, May 2009:“Well, that was bordering on the far, far side of Awesome!”; “I want to hear Bohemian Rhapsody several (at least) more times”

Rosemary Lindsay, Director

With twin themes of youth and variety, this program extends across continents and oceans from Italy to Brazil through three centuries. Youth is a factor in two of the compositions and our featured artist, who will be the winner of our Young Person's Concerto Competition -- yet to be selected.

Come celebrate Summer's approach with this rich menu of musical delights

The Program includes:

Rossini Sonata for Strings No. 3

Villa-Lobos Bachianas brazileiras No. 9 (1944)

Jacobs Denbigh Suite (1929)

Boyce Symphony No. 5

Mendelssohn Sinfonia No. 3 featuring the Young Person's Concerto Competition Winner

A full weekend of great Country Artists also includes the Ken McCoy Band, Appaloosa, Billie Jo Bryce, Amber Nicholson, Turnpike Bandits, the Marion Weston Band and more!

Choose to buy Friday only or go for the weekend package at a great deal!

Johnny Reid’s 2007 album, Kickin’ Stones, has been kickin’ ass. Certified Platinum in Canada, it has garnered the Scottish Born, Nashville based Canadian singer/songwriter CCMAs for Top-Selling Canadian Recording and Top Male Artist in 2008, as well as a Juno nomination for Country Recording of the Year. Two top ten radio singles - Love Sweet Love, Kickin’ Stones and the runaway hit, Darlin’ sailed to the #1 spot on CMT last year.

Crystal Shawanda was born in Ontario and grew up on a Native American reservation called Wikwemikong on Manitoulin Island. She moved to Nashville to concentrate on her music.
She released her U.S. debut on RCA in 2008.

Ridley Bent brings a great level of commitment to his performances "He's not strutting around the stage, he's standing there like Hank Sr., holding his ground." Ridley was nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards. In 2008 he received three Canadian Country Music Award nominations, nine British Columbia Country Music Award nominations as well as the Edmonton Folk Festival's Galaxie Rising Star Award.