The repertoire of the Island Consort is varied and loosely “classical”, focusing on sacred and secular music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Mostly we perform a cappella pieces but we have had the privilege to have accompaniment by the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra and Organists Peter Orme, John Nelson and Jenny Vincent
Due to the Public Domain nature of most of the works we perform, we make great use of The Choral Public Domain Library (CPDL), an Internet-based free sheet music website which specializes in choral music, and the IMSLP
Petrucci Music Library, a library of public domain scores.
Saturday, May 3, 2:30 pm – St. Andrew’s United Church
TICKETS: $25 VIA PORT THEATRE, OR CASH AT THE DOOR, $5 FOR STUDENTS, UNDER 13 ARE FREE
In these turbulent times it is comforting to find solace and inspiration in music – and so, the Island Consort Chamber Choir presents “The Wonderful World of Music”, a program that celebrates the many moods and sentiments of song through the ages. The repertoire features the anguish of the death of King David’s son, Absalom, the guide to life of Monteverdi’s “Beatus Vir”, the serenity of 2 movements from Brahms’ German Requiem, the poignance of Glick’s “Northern Sketches” and Whitacre’s “All Seems Beautiful”, Bill Evan’s “Waltz for Debby”, the playfulness of MacDonald’s “Fusion”, and much more. The 25-voice choir, directed by Bruce Farquharson, is well-balanced for sound and sings with careful attention to phrasing and the nuances of musicality. The program is a mix of a cappella pieces and pieces accompanied by organ + strings and piano.
2:30pm 14 December 2024 - St. Andrew's United Church, Nanaimo
featuring Christmas Cantata Gloria in Excelsis Deo, BWV 191 by JS Bach accompanied by an 18 piece orchestra
2:00pm 15 December 2024 - Christ Church Gabriola, Gabriola Island
Nanaimo Tickets: $25 through the Port Theatre or $25 cash at the door for Adults, $5 for Students, Children under 13, Free
Gabriola Tickets: $20 cash at the door for Adults, $5 for Students, Children under 13, Free
BUY NANAIMO TICKETS ONLINE VIA THE PORT THEATRE
2:30pm 13 April 2024 - St. Andrew's United Church, Nanaimo
Nanaimo Tickets: $25 through the Port Theatre or $25 cash at the door for Adults, $5 for Students, Children under 13, Free
What do you do when naming a harvest of wonderful repertoire that has no obvious relationships?: call it a “cornucopia”. Island Consort presents “A Choral Cornucopia” which begins with Salish Song, and an acknowledgement to the Snuneymuxw 1st Nation. Music Director, Bruce Farquharson has divided the rest of the program into 4 sections; Sacred, Contemplative, Foreign and Folk, with four selections in each section...
2:00pm 25 November 2023 - Christ Church Gabriola
2:30pm 26 November 2023 - St. Andrew's United Church, Nanaimo
Gabriola Tickets: $20 cash at the door
Nanaimo Tickets: $20 (+ admin fee) through the Port Theatre or $25 cash at the door for Adults, $5 for Students, Children under 13, Free
Nanaimo Tickets via Port Theatre: 250-754-8550 or tickets.porttheatre.com
Thursday May 18th 2023 7PM
The Port Theatre
This annual concert features over 50 local musicians ranging in age from 4 years to 60+, and it has become a favourite event in Nanaimo’s music community. This year we are excited to have the Island Consort Chamber Choir joining us as our special guest ensemble. Fiddelium were named as the Young Performers of the Year at the 18th annual Canadian Folk Music Awards in Vancouver last month.
2:00pm May 6th - Christ Church Gabriola, Gabriola Island
7:30pm May 7th - St. Andrew's United Church, Nanaimo
In our many dimensions of life and living, the music we listen to, perform and appreciate forms an integral part of our psyche. Our concerts are always an exploration of history, in that our music was conceived and composed yesteryear – sometimes recently, sometimes centuries ago
December 3rd 2022 5pm and 7:30pm, Port Theatre
We will be joining the Vancouver Island Symphony for a concert for the whole family featuring favourite carols and songs.
For tickets and more information: https://www.vancouverislandsymphony.com/christmas-memories-dec-2022/
2:00pm November 5th 2022 - Church of St John the Divine, Courtenay
7:30pm November 6th 2022 - St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Nanaimo
The Island Consort Chamber Choir presents its postponed Spring 2020 program, Choral Treasures. These Treasures express and endearingly celebrate a broad range of our “human condition”.
May 7th 2022, 7:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Nanaimo May 9th 2022, 7:30 pm Knox United Church, Parksville “In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love” (Locksley Hall, Tennyson). And here we are, the Island Consort, to celebrate Love and Spring in a program of poetry readings and song. It is an interesting exercise to partner a selection of poems with choral repertoire – each from a vast library of compositions – and we hope that you enjoy our choices. Admission is adults $20, students $5 and under 13, free at the door. COVID19 Protocols: All attendees will be required to be masked throughout the performance. Vaccinations are appreciated. Any provincial health orders at time of performance will be respected
We are thrilled to announce that we will be presenting a heart-warming Christmas concert Singing for Christmas on Saturday, December 11th at 2:30 p.m. The performance will take place in the spacious auditorium of St. Andrew’s United Church at 311 FitzWilliam Street in Nanaimo. Tickets $20 per adult and $5 for students. Children under 13 are free.
The Island Consort is pleased/excited to be back singing and performing in this season of Christmas 2021. Thankfully most of our members have re-joined us but you will see a few new faces. This program has many familiar songs and carols – some with new melodies and arrangements - that we hope you will enjoy. Some are organ-accompanied which, I think, adds to the flavour of Christmas and for which we are again fortunate to have Jenny Vincent as accompanist.
We are disappointed to announce that all three of our concerts this April are cancelled. We wish for all our members and audience to remain safe and healthy through this COVID-19 pandemic and as such we are following recommendations of our governments on limiting group activities.
When it is safe to hold concerts again we will be ready to bring you "Choral Treasures" at that time.
Nov. 29th, 7:30 pm at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Qualicum Beach
Dec. 1st, 7:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Nanaimo
7:30pm April 12th 2019 – St. Mark’s Anglican Church,
Qualicum Beach
2:30pm April 14rh 2019 – St. Andrew’s United Church,
Nanaimo
Director Bruce Farquharson has assembled a collection of notable works, taken from each year of the choir’s 12-year history, that represent the many choral elements of the group’s performances.
with guest organist Jenny Vincent
7:30pm Nov 30th 2018 – St. Mark’s Anglican Church,
Qualicum Beach
7:30pm Dec 2nd 2018 – St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,
Nanaimo
Poulenc, Rutter, Schütz, Holst, Isaac, Lauridsen
An evening of Christmas Choral Music
with guest organist Jenny Vincent
2:30pm April 14th 2018– St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Qualicum Beach
2:30pm April 15th 2018 – St. Andrew's United Church, Nanaimo
Can you feel the thrill of a soprano’s high C in Allegri’s Miserere Mei or the energy in Mozart’s Misericordias Domini or the sublime angst in Amazing Grace? “There is Sweet Music” is a program that offers the richness of Early Music, the vitality of Classical Music, the sublimity of Romantic Music and the diversity of Contemporary Music.
2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Brechin United Church - 1998 Estevan Rd, Nanaimo
Soak up the serenity and spiritualism of Bruckner's "Christus Factus Est", Mendelssohn's "Ave Maria", Bach's motet "Der Geist Hilft" and Aarvo Part's "Da Pacem Domine". Feel the passion of unrequited love in Morley's "Fyer, Fyer", Scarlatti's "O Morte" and Lauridens' "Contre Qui, Rose". Tap your toes to Bach's "Gavotte and Fugue" with rhythm section performed in the style of the Swingle Singers, and enjoy arrangements of Robert Burn's "Ae Fond Kiss", the Irish "Dulaman" and Harry Somer's Newfoundland outport song, "Feller from Fortune". And more. . .
