Art lovers, the waiting is over
Vancouver Island’s largest open art exhibition and sales will be held at the Island Savings Centre inside the Cowichan Suite and the Cowichan Valley Arts Council’s Portals gallery starting today, Wednesday, April 27.
This exciting show runs through Sunday, May 1 and the arts council’s efforts ensure that a large number of the Valley’s artists and artisans to showcase their original works.
The show is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Busy trombonist comes to Crofton
The Island’s busiest trombonist, Nick La Riviere, who performs somewhere almost every day, is bringing one of his bands, Soul Source, to Crofton on Sunday, May 1 for an afternoon of hard-driving classic R&B.
The 19-piece band, which includes a bevy of vocalists, saxes, brass and a five-piece rhythm section as well as La Riviere’s trombone, has been rehearsing for weeks in anticipation of this performance on the Crofton Hotel Pub stage.
La Riviere promises an afternoon filled with soulful favourites, golden oldies and vocals for listening or, better still, dancing on the pub’s hardwood dance floor. Musicians are invited to sit in during a jam session in the final hour of the afternoon.
The concert is part of the Jazz at Crofton series, which runs every Sunday from 2-5 p.m. at the pub, at 1534 Joan Ave. Admission is $10.
Drop-in evening planned for interested singers
Dynamic choir director Ann Antonides has a great idea up her sleeve: a drop-in evening for choir singers suffering from springtime withdrawal.
“Some of our members [in her own Freedom Gospel Choir] have said: ‘Oh, it’s such a long stretch from May to September, when choir starts up again.’ They miss choir. I think on Tuesday nights in May and June I’m going to do a drop-in sing-session with fun songs, not necessarily gospel numbers. They’d have recorded backups or be a cappella songs. It would be $5 a time. I think I’ll start it on May 10. People wouldn’t have to be from our choir; it would be for those who just want to drop in and sing harmony. I was looking at ‘California Dreamin’ for one; I love that song and you can get the accompaniment track and just learn the two parts. I’m just playing around with that idea so far but if anybody’s interested, just give me a call at 250-748-5752.” she said last week.
String orchestra presents ‘Spring Fever’ showing
The Cowichan Camerata String Orchestra, under the direction of Garth Williams, presents Spring Fever, Sunday, May 8 at St. Edward’s Catholic Church on Maple Bay Road, starting at 2 p.m.
This is a great chance to enjoy music by Bach, Britten, Grainger, Rutter, Hamlisch, Mozart and more played by a group of enthusiastic musicians of all ages.
Tickets are available for $15 for adults, $5 for students or $30 for a whole family.
Get them at the door.