Skip to content

Jazz for Canada’s 150th in Kelowna

Chamber Music Kelowna plays jazz concerts to celebrate country’s birthday.
8054792_web1_170816-KCN-COF4

By Marla O’Brien/contributor

To celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial, Chamber Music Kelowna decided to add extra special summer concerts to their regular season. Thanks to funding from the Central Okanagan Foundation’s 150 Grants program, two unique concert events will be open to the public next week featuring nationally renowned artists such as Tommy Banks, Jens Lindemann, and Jennifer Snow.

“This year we wanted very badly to present the Order of Canada Jazz Ensemble and make it a free concert for everyone,” said Chamber Music Kelowna’s President Louise Wall. “This concert consists of musicians that have won the Order of Canada, and it is a privilege to bring these musicians from out of town for Kelowna residents to enjoy.”

The Order of Canada Jazz 150 Concert will take place on Wednesday August 16, 2017 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Parks Alive! Island Stage at Waterfront Park. It features the Craig Thomson Quartet with vocalist Kinga Heming, Jens Lindemann on trumpet, and Tommy Banks on piano.

The following evening, Chamber Music Kelowna is putting on a classical trumpet and piano concert highlighting the talents of husband and wife team Jens Lindemann and Jennifer Snow. This event will be held at the Mary Irwin Theatre at the Rotary Centre for the Arts beginning at 7:30 p.m. Adults ticket are $40 and student tickets are $10 available at the Rotary Centre.

Wall describes chamber music as a special form of music.

“It connects us to the past but also can introduce us to new work from current composers. Chamber music is just what it sounds like, based from the days when small groups of people would enjoy listening to a small number of artists in a chamber room within a home. It’s much more intimate - not like an orchestra.”

In addition to putting together an annual classical concert series, Chamber Music Kelowna facilitates youth outreach programs at area high schools, supports emerging artists with scholarships, and showcases the work of Canadian composers.

“We are so grateful to the Central Okanagan Foundation for their $12,500 grant. Without their support we wouldn’t be able to share such musical talent with the broad community,” Wall added.

For more information about the Order of Canada 150 Concert Series and the 2017-18 Chamber Music season, visit www.chambermusickelowna.ca