The Duncan Showroom has some pre-Christmas cheer planned on Saturday, Dec. 18, when vocalist Elise Boulanger and pianist Sarah Wood take the stage.
The duo is on a tour of Vancouver Island dubbed “The Nights B4 The Nights B4 Tour”.
“Having played together for over 10 years, Boulanger and Wood have a magnetic musical chemistry that will bring you Christmas cheer and unwrap the old lore of Christmas songs and stories,” says a press release for the concert.
The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $15 to $20 on a sliding scale. Call 250-597-1554 to reserve.
“Hailing from the West Coast of Canada on Snuneymuxw territory, Elise Boulanger is a bilingual chamber-folk-pop artist with a haunting avalanche of a voice,” says the release for the show. “She creates cinematic dreamscapes influenced by nature, her classical training and artists like Regina Spektor, Patrick Watson, Franz Schubert and Radiohead. She’s sonically reminiscent of Kate Bush, Lana Del Rey, and Kishi Bashi. For this tour, however, she will be performing with inspiration from her classical background.”
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The Cowichan Consort board of directors has announced a new conductor and music director for the orchestra, welcoming Nathan Jacklin.
Jacklin is a sought after conductor and strings specialist in Victoria, said a press release for the orchestra. He is the conductor of Victoria Civic Orchestra and enjoys a versatile career as cellist, conductor, and teacher. He guest conducted the Cowichan Consort Orchestra in March 2020 with its annual Concerto Concert just days before the COVID-19 pandemic was called by the government. He has also conducted the Meridian Insula Ventis and the Juan de Fuca Community String Orchestra.
He holds a Bachelor of Music, a Master of Arts in educational philosophy, and has a Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education, all from University of Victoria.
In 2019 and 2014, Jacklin attended the Conductors Institute at Bard College in New York and worked with Maestros Harold Farberman and Eduardo Navega. The following year, he attended the Saito Conducting Institute in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. During this time he was involved in promoting string education in schools, developing the Sooke String Orchestra for students in middle and high school. He held this position until 2017. Jacklin frequently performs as cellist and chamber musician in several ensembles including the Victoria Symphony.
Plans are in the works to present the first concert of this 30th Consort Season on March 5, 2022 at the Christian Reformed Church in Duncan. Any new string players are invited to join the orchestra rehearsals on Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. at Sylvan United Church in Mill Bay. Wind chair openings are listed on the website www.cowichanconsort.com. Proof of vaccine passports and masks are required.