Ontario-born violin soloist Leila Josefowicz is in the spotlight for three concerts with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) this weekend, including one in Surrey on Sunday evening (Dec. 1).
The "Josefowicz Plays Stravinsky" concert is part of the Surrey Nights series at Bell Performing Arts Centre, where Grandview Heights Secondary School Jazz Combo will perform a "prelude concert" in the lobby starting at 6:15 p.m.
Josefowicz reunites with VSO music diretor Otto Tausk for Stravinsky’s "stunning" Violin Concerto. The program also includes Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, “Classical”, "one of the most performed works of the 20th century that is shining with verve and vivacity," the VSO says, and Prokofiev’s "final and life-affirming Symphony No. 7."
Video of Josefowicz performing Stravinsky's Violin Concerto with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is posted on the VSO's website, where tickets for the Surrey concert are sold for $45 and up, or call 604-876-3434.
Friday and Saturday (Nov. 29-30), Josefowicz performs with the VSO at Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver.
The VSO’s current 106th season of classical music includes five concerts at Surrey's Bell Performing Arts Centre as part of the orchestra’s annual Surrey Nights series, endowed by Werner and Helga Höing.
Also at the Bell in December, the VSO's annual Traditional Christmas concerts are performed twice on Sunday, Dec. 15, first at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30, with host Christopher Gaze. For a preview of music on the regional tour, see the concert program on vancouversymphony.ca/event/traditional-christmas.
The VSO's busy December calendar also features Home Alone and Elf in concerts, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, The Snowman for young audiences, A Canadian Brass Christmas and several other concerts.
In the new year, the three remaining Surrey Nights concerts are “Schubert’s Third Symphony” (Jan. 19, 2025, with Italian pianist/conductor Vanessa Benelli Mosell), “Brahms & Saint-Saëns’ Cello” (March 2, conducted by Christian Kluxen with Santiago Cañón-Valencia, cello) and “Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto” (March 30, 2025, with pianist Ingrid Filter and conductor Alpesh Chauhan).
