Music news, views and reviews for Surrey and Metro Vancouver
A Nov. 12 concert marks a return to Surrey for Sarah Hagen, a pianist who hosted a Coffee Concerts series here about a decade ago.
Those morning classical concerts were held at Surrey Arts Centre’s Studio Theatre, the same venue where Hagen’s performance of J.S. Bach’s famous “Goldberg Variations” is planned Sunday afternoon, 2 p.m. start. Tickets range from $34 to $39 on tickets.surrey.ca, or call 604-501-5566.
“Goldberg Variations” are a perfect way to showcase the piano’s virtuosity and rich expression, promises a post on surrey.ca. Hagen will offer an introduction to the “marvelous and intense piece” before playing the full work, and will stay for a post-concert Q&A session.
The music is very familiar to the award-winning, frequently-touring Hagen, who in 2021 released “J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations” as her fourth album.
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Posted on sarahhagen.com, her tour schedule includes a variety of themed concerts including “Wonder Women” (music and stories of forgotten female composers) and “Perk Up, Pianist,” a show fusing music and comedy in the style of Victor Borge. The latter was performed in Surrey back in 2018 after Hagen honed the act on the fringe festival circuit over the previous couple of years.
“You know, an audience will fake applause, but they’ll never fake laughter,” Hagen told me in a pre-concert phone call from Charlottetown, to which the former Comox Valley resident had moved to teach university classes.
She’s blessed with dry wit and deadpan delivery, so expect that vibe during this week’s “Goldberg Variations” concert at Bear Creek Park’s arts centre.
MANDER STEPS UP AT VIBC
Harpo Mander is now the executive director of Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society (VIBC), which plans the annual 5X Fest of music and art.
Previously the festival’s general manager, Mander succeeds Tarun Nayar as VIBC leader. “This transition reflects Canada’s evolving music and art landscape and the organization’s commitment to youth leadership,” a news release raves.
Since 2018 the 5X Fest has featured concerts and other events at Surrey and Vancouver venues, with June dates in 2023.
Mander, 27, becomes one of Canada’s youngest executive directors of a music festival, and will lead a young team that includes Bhavneet Toor (marketing), Sahil Mroke (art), Dhruv SK (artist relations) and Gabriella Presgrave (social media), all focused on “actively contributing to the global prominence of Punjabi music and its cultural influence.”
A bio describes Mander as “a proud kid from Surrey” who holds a Master of Arts in Education & Society from McGill University. She’s a Surrey Board of Trade Top 25 Under 25 award recipient and has hosted the podcast Brown Girl Guilt.
“I want to put Metro Vancouver on the map,” Mander says. “We have a world-class festival here and the biggest Panjabi stars in the world come here to work, play and immerse themselves in this community. We should be celebrating that.”
• RELATED: Surrey now a global home of ‘modern-day South Asian music, one with a more urban sound’
SWIFT HISTORY AT BC PLACE
By now you’ve heard that Taylor Swift will perform in Vancouver more than a year from now (Dec. 6-8, 2024), and that tickets are sold starting Thursday (Nov. 9). But you might not know that those three concert dates at BC Place will set a record for the stadium.
Since the “Dome” opened 40 years ago, in June 1983, no other artist has performed three nights in a row there — not U2, the Stones, Coldplay, Elton John or anyone else. A few of those rock stars have done two shows on consecutive nights, never three.
Swift’s popularity is impressive on this current “Eras” tour of hers, and Swifties are a demanding bunch. Even more nuts is the six nights booked at Toronto’s huge Rogers Centre next November. This moment in pop music sure is historic.
Suppose I should watch Swift’s concert movie to see what the hype is about.