Poetry and motion: Farnaz Ohadi’s journey of empowerment through music

Mashregh will be performing selections from their debut album, Bird Dance, at the Blueshore Centre on Oct. 1. Vancouver-based Persian Flamenco singer Farnaz Ohadi leads the ensemble, bringing together Persian poetry and flamenco dance and guitar as a means of conveying Ohadi’s journey of challenges and empowerment. Bringing together Farsi and flamenco Born and raised…

Chinese opera still relevant

Vancouver Cantonese Opera chose the challenging musical Reunion at the Moon Pavilion and artistic director Rosa Cheng hopes the accessible and engaging work resonates with local audiences. The opera will be performed at the Michael J. Fox Theatre in Burnaby(Sept. 16, 7 p.m.). Reunion at the Moon Pavilion is a love story that had been…

Bolero: a one of a kind performance

On July 7, the Tom Lee Music Hall will be the host of the International Trova Festival: a night of music from Cuba and Spain, full of variety and fun. One of the artists performing at the festival is Beatriz Garmendia, who will be singing the slow and romantic boleros, one of most popular and…

Music, photography, poetry and more

Musician, writer and performer Vivek Shraya will be at this year’s Indian Summer Festival as part of the ‘5 by 15’ panel on July 16, in which five people will speak on various subjects for 15 minutes. Shraya will focus on a photo series recreated from some of her mother’s old photos – nine vintage…

Falcon: Travelling with music

Bringing together blues, reggae, country, and rock influences, J.P. Falcon Grady and his band will be performing at Peace Arch Park on June 20 for the 2016 International Arts and Music Festival. Born in Montana, the self-taught singer and guitarist has been on the move his whole life, having either lived, travelled, or performed from…

Grass roots DJs become a label

ADSR, an electronic music production company, recently launched their new label at the Untiled Art Space and Celsia Florist in Chinatown on May 27, 2016, and will be hosting a vinyl night at Cafe Deux Soleils on June 4, 2016.  The artists are known to combine electronic and original soundscapes, creating a revolutionary blend that…

Sound of Dragon Music Festival: From West to East, old to new

Lan Tung hopes to change the perception of Chinese music in Vancouver. The second bi-annual Sound of Dragon Music Festival (Apr. 21–24) blends both contemporary and classical Chinese music and instrumentation, and also mixes other genres such as jazz and world music. The event will be held at the Roundhouse Community Arts Centre and Western…

Benefit concert raising awareness and funds for refugees

The Armenian Cultural Association of British Columbia (ACA) will be hosting a benefit concert on April 8 at Performance Works for Syrian-Armenian refugees arriving in Vancouver. The event is raising funds for 30 families, and will feature pieces by composers such as Khachaturian, Babajanian, and Gomidas. As the Syrian refugee crisis continues to escalate, various…

World music fusion: flamenco and brass

Music groups Orkestar Slivovica and Ventanas will perform at Seven Dining Lounge on April 1. Featuring a full brass band, Toronto-based ensemble Ventanas has teamed up with the Slivovica Social Club to celebrate the cultural history of the Balkans, Spain and the Mediterranean. The performance will combine sounds from traditional trans-Mediterranean and Balkan music with a…

Festival du Bois features local talent Alouest

The 27th annual Festival du Bois will be hosted by the francophone Coquitlam community of Maillardville. The festival seeks to share and celebrate French Canadian arts and culture through food, visual arts, and musical talents, including Maillardville-based Alouest. Festivalgoers can enjoy the event from Mar. 4–6. “We identify ourselves as the Maillardville band wherever we…

A mosaic of sounds

New Work & Kubrick Études, a premiere piece for piano and turntables paired with an earlier work for piano and glitch (film and soundtrack), will be presented by Vancouver New Music at The Annex on Mar. 12. The performance features composer Nicole Lizée on electronics and film manipulation, New York City-based turntablist Paolo Kapunan aka…

Guitar Trio: Exploring music through performance and collaboration

Creativity and impressive stage presence brings California Guitar Trio (CGT) and Montreal Guitar Trio (MG3) to the Shadbolt Centre Feb.13.. The Canadian sextet will be combining their talents with a variety of styles, strings and musical affinities. CGT tends to favour a range of folk and progressive rock vibes; while MG3’s wide range of style…

Aurelio: Sharing Garifuna culture and music

Honduras-based musician Aurelio will be performing various styles of Garifuna music, an integral part of the coastal Garifuna culture, on Jan. 31 at St. James Hall. While the songs are his own, Aurelio seeks to display and share the sound of his culture rather than his own voice as an individual. Hailing from Honduras, Aurelio…