CONCERT
Raffi
Sunday, Oct. 23
1 and 4 p.m.
琉璃神社 Community Theatre
1375 Water St.
Raffi is a singer, songwriter, producer, author, lecturer, and tireless advocate for children.
He is best known for his work as a children鈥檚 entertainer whose string of gold and platinum-selling recordings in North America includes his classic song, 鈥淏aby Beluga.鈥
Written up as 鈥渢he most popular children鈥檚 singer in the English-speaking world鈥 by the Washington Post and 鈥淐anada鈥檚 all time children鈥檚 champion鈥 by the Toronto Star, Raffi is also a recipient of the Order of Canada and the United Nations鈥 Earth Achievement Award.
He has never advertised to children or made any commercial endorsements aimed at kids. His commitment to treating his young fans with respect changed society鈥檚 outlook on music made for children.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to be singing for children and families again,鈥 said Raffi. 鈥淎s well as singing many of my fans鈥 favourites, I look forward to haring a song or two from Love Bug and my new album, Owl Singalong.鈥
In 2010, Raffi founded The Centre for Child Honouring on Salt Spring Island. With the motto 鈥淩especting Earth & Child,鈥 the centre is at the heart of a global movement that views honouring children as the best way to create sustainable, peacemaking societies.
Due to ticket demand for the initial concert, the second 4 p.m. show has been added.
Tickets go on sale Friday, 10 a.m., available at selectyourtickets.com, by calling 250-762-5050 or at the Prospera Place box office, 1223 Water St.
CONCERT
Shakespeare鈥檚 World: Music and Words
Friday, June 10
7:30 p.m.
Marty Irwin Theatre at the Rotary Centre for the Arts
Cawston Ave.
琉璃神社
Early Music Studio presents Shakespeare鈥檚 World: Music and Words.
Guest artist Anna Hagan will be the reader an evening of Elizabethan poetry and music on instruments of the period, joined by Clive Titmuss playing the lute and Susan Adams the harpsichord.
Early Music Studio will present a concert which allows the audience to hear not only Shakespeare鈥檚 words, but the harmonies and melodies that filled the air during his life.
Shakespeare was not the only striking genius around 1600. A wealth of music by John Dowland with the lute and by William Byrd playing the harpsichord show that poetry and plays were not the only great creations from that most creative time.
CONCERT
Canada Daty Spectacular
Friday, July 1
7 p.m.
Prospera Place
1223 Water St.
琉璃神社
The 2016 Canada Day Spectacular Concert will feature the two young musical artists chosen from the annual Young Artist Competition held earlier this year.
The two youths performing with the Canada Day Pops Orchestra will be vocalist Davis Kyle and Elise Wiesinger playing the violin.
Kyle, the contest senior class winner, will sing the Michael Buble song 鈥淗old On.鈥 Kyle is a tenor studying voice with Eeva-Maria Kopp at the 琉璃神社 Community Music School.
Elise Wiesinger, the junior class Winner, age 13, will play as the featured soloist violin in 鈥淢editation鈥 from the opera 鈥淭hais鈥 by Jules Massenet.
Wiesinger studies violin with John Suderman, who teaches at the Penticton School of Music as well as at the 琉璃神社 Community Music School, and plays in the 琉璃神社 Symphony Orchestra.
Both these young musicians will be also be presented with a scholarship from the 琉璃神社 Canada Day Concerts Society at the July 1 concert.
This popular annual Canada Day concert will celebrate its 22nd consecutive year under the baton of maestro Leonard Camplin.
As a registered charity, the 琉璃神社 Canada Day Concerts Society supports education and performance opportunities for musical achievement.
The orchestra is composed of professional musicians as well as adult and student volunteer musicians.
Support for this free event comes from the the federal, provincial and local civic governments, alon with many private donors and advertisers.
For more information or to donate support, check out the website kelownacanadadayspec-tacularconcert.com
THEATRE
琉璃神社 Actors Studio Academy Students present The Birds
Tuesday, June 21
8 p.m.
1379 Ellis St.
琉璃神社
The Actors Studio Academy鈥檚 first year will close out with a performance of The Birds, based on Daphne du Maurier鈥檚 short story whch was turned into a classic film by director Alfred Hitchcock. The Birds.
The play adaptation is written by Conor McPherson, a gripping, unsettling, and moving look at human relationships in the face of societal collapse brought on by masses of attackint birds that descend on an oceanside small town.
EVENT
Earth, Wind, Fire
Saturday, June 18
Delta Grand Okanagan
1310 Water St.
琉璃神社
The top culinary talent in the Okanagan will join with Vancouver chefs for the annual Okanagan fundraiser in support of The Nature Trust of BC.
鈥淥ur committee is hard at work preparing for this special annual event,鈥 said Tod Alstad, who co-chairs the event with Brent Corlazzoli and Tom Kennedy.
鈥淓arth Wind Fire is excellent value, loads of fun and raises important dollars to conserve our spectacular natural surroundings in the Okanagan. Hope to see you there.鈥
More than 250 guests will savour the extraordinary food at 14 chef-attended stations, pairing of Okanagan wines and the musical talents of award-winning jazz singer Anna Jacyszyn as well as the acclaimed Cover-2-Cover band.
Consulting chef Stuart Klassen brought together the Okanagan chef team, headed by Okanagan Chef Association president Jeremy Luypen of Predator Ridge Resort, Iain Rennie of Delta Grand Okanagan, Rod Butters of RauDZ Regional Table and Micro Bar & Bites, Kai Koroll of Cactus Club Caf茅, Bernard Casavant of Okanagan College, Jeff Kreklau of Routes Grill, and Ross Derrick of The Table at Codfathers.
Vancouver chef Jane Ruddick will be bringing with her a culinary tour de force including top pastry chef Fumiko Morton from Culinary Team Canada, the team manager, chef John Carlo Felicella, as well as chef Dean Hossack from Nita Lake Lodge.
A portion of the funds support the development of junior chefs in the province, providing much needed support to attend competitions, a key part in their education, says Klassen.
鈥淐ompeting develops their skills; it puts them under the pressure; it gives them their first awakening of what life is like in a kitchen鈥攃ompetitions really set that stage,鈥 Klassen said.
The evening begins with a sparkling reception of Summerhill Pyramid wines and canap茅s prepared and served by students of Okanagan College Culinary Arts and junior chef members of the Okanagan Chefs Association.
Urban Fare has donated the ingredients for the students鈥 culinary creations.
The live auction features outdoor and culinary adventure packages such as a guided helicopter trip, a ranch tour on horseback, fishing for pink salmon on Vancouver Island and an Iron Chef battle.
The evening wraps up with a dance with Cover-2-Cover as five-time Juno Award winner vocalist Julie Masi will join Jim Rhindress, Tony Koenen, Mike Kleineberg and Dan Marcelino.
Proceeds from the event will benefit The Nature Trust of B.C.鈥檚 land conservation efforts in the Okanagan including the antelope-brush conservation area, Vaseux Lake complex and parts of Okanagan Mountain Park, as well fund the Conservation Youth Crew. Each summer, young people are hired for restoration work on Nature Trust properties.
Tickets are $175. Those wishing to help conservation efforts, in lieu of attending the event can make a donation to The Nature Trust of BC.
To donate or purchase tickets call 1-866-288-7878 or go online at naturetrust.bc.ca
***
CONCERT
琉璃神社 City Concert Band
June 15 and June 29
琉璃神社
琉璃神社 City Concert Band presents Swing Into Summer, free outdoor concerts, on Wednesday, June 15, 7 p.m., at the Rotary Common (between Rotary Centre for the Arts and 琉璃神社 Art Gallery) and on Wednesday, June 29, 7 p.m., at Guisachan Heritage Park, 1060 Cameron Rd.
Bring your own lawn chair.
CONCERT
Experimental Music Series featuring Jooklo Duo with Stanley Zappa, Anthony Argatoff Quinet
Friday, June 17
8 p.m.
The Habitat
248 Leon Ave.
琉璃神社
Jooklo Duo will make their Okanagan debut at The Habitat venue in downtown 琉璃神社.
The concert is the launch of 鈥淢eat On The Bone: A Three Course Feastival of Improvised Music,鈥 presented by the Skin And Bones Music Series.
Now in its second year of production, Skin And Bones is an Okanagan Arts Award nominated concert series devoted to the presentation of experimental music in the Okanagan, produced through the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art.
With sponsorship from The Habitat, the festival will also feature from Europe the free-jazz trio The Thing and Norwegian quartet Cortex on June 23 and American master drummer Chris Corsano with local saxophonist Darren Williams on June 27.
The Jooklo Duo features Virginia Genta on reeds, flutes, piano, and David Vanzan on drums.
Joining Jooklo will be Stanley Zappa (saxaphone), nephew to experimental music icon Frank Zappa.
Also on the bill will be the Anthony Argatoff Quintet, consisting of local musicians Anthony and Alex Argatoff, Jason Martin, Bjorn Kriel, and Emily Denison.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at Milkcrate Records on Ellis Street, Mosaic Books on Bernard Avenue, the Alternator gallery in the Rotary Centre for the Arts, and online at ticketfly.com.
COMEDY
Jim Jefferies
Saturday, June 18
7 p.m.
Prospera Place
琉璃神社
Jim Jefferies offers a controversial and belief-challenging comedy standup style.
Jefferies is currently at work on Freedumb, his fifth major stand-up special in seven years.
The show was filmed in Nashville and will premiere on Netflix later this year.
Freedumb will be Jefferies鈥 second special to air on Netflix following the positive reception to 鈥淛im Jefferies: BARE,鈥 which featured Jefferies delivering a monologue that focused on guns and gun control in the United States.
Jefferies burst on to the scene in the U.S. after his popular debut HBO special, 鈥淚 Swear to God.鈥
Jefferies has also enjoyed critical success in his acting endeavours, most recently as Charlie in 鈥淎nd Punching the Clown.鈥
He also created, wrote, produced and starred in the FX series 鈥淟egit,鈥 which ran for two seasons and has since gained a cult following.
Jefferies currently lives in Los Angeles.
Tickets available at selectyourtickets.com, Prospera Place Box Office or call 250-762-5050.
CONCERT
Billy Idol
Thursday, July 14
7:30 p.m.
Prospera Place
1223 Water St.
琉璃神社
Billy Idol is still recording new music, his latest album released in October 2014, 鈥淜ings & Queens Of The Underground.鈥
But he remains an icon of the 鈥80s music scene with a number of hits and an image that was made for the impact created by videos during the MTV era.
Idol, when partnered with his guitar muse Steve Stevens, was an early architect of the sound, style and fury of punk rock in the mainstream.
He has sold more than 40 million albums during that decade, registering numerous hits such as 鈥淒ancing With Myself,鈥 鈥淲hite Wedding,鈥 鈥淩ebel Yell,鈥 鈥淢ony Mony,鈥 鈥淓yes Without A Face,鈥 鈥淔lesh For Fantasy,鈥 and 鈥淐radle Of Love.鈥
Coupled with the new album in 2014, Idol also published a biography of his life in music called 鈥淒ancing With Myself.鈥
CONCERTS
Mission Hill Estate
Winery 2016 Summer Concert Series
Michael Bolton
Friday, Aug. 5
Melissa Etheridge
Friday, Aug. 26
The Gipsy Kings
Sunday, Aug. 28.
1730 Mission Hill Rd.
West 琉璃神社
Michael Bolton is a multiple Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and social Activist.
Bolton has sold more than 53 million albums and singles worldwide.
He continues to tour the world every year, all while writing, recording and taping for a wide array of projects spanning music, film, television and theatre.
Bolton remains committed to humanitarian causes, especially through the Michael Bolton Charities as well as other social and political organizations.
Known for his soulful voice and poignant lyrics, his timeless style, charm and good looks have also earned him a spot in several 鈥淧eople Magazine鈥檚 Sexiest Man鈥 issues, including 2012鈥檚 鈥淪exiest Man Alive.鈥
Melissa Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and activist.
Her self-titled debut album, Melissa Etheridge, was released in 1988 and became an underground music hit.
The album peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200, and its lead single, 鈥淏ring Me Some Water,鈥 garnered Etheridge her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female.
In 1993, Etheridge won her first Grammy award for her single 鈥淎in鈥檛 It Heavy鈥 from her third album, Never Enough.
Later that year, she released what would become her mainstream breakthrough album, Yes I Am.
That album featured three Top 40 hits, including 鈥淚鈥檓 the Only One鈥 (No. 8) and 鈥淐ome to My Window鈥 (No. 25), the latter which scored Etheridge her second Grammy award.
The Gipsy Kings concert will also feature Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo.
It has been 25 years since the Gipsy Kings captured the world鈥檚 imagination with their self-titled debut album鈥攁 unique blend of traditional flamenco styles with Western pop and Latin rhythms.
Since then, the band has toured virtually non-stop, to the farthest-flung corners of the planet, and sold almost 20 million albums, all the while retaining the same line-up of musicians.
Tickets available online at selectyourtickets.com, call 250-762-5050 or at the Prospera Place box office.
CONCERT
Keith Urban
Sunday, Sept. 11
Prospera Place
1223 Water St.
琉璃神社
Keith Urban has long been hailed as one of the industry鈥檚 best live performers, giving his fans, old and new alike, electrifying shows with eye-popping production and a set list saturated with many of his 20 No. 1 songs.
Urban鈥檚 鈥榬ipCORD World Tour 2016鈥 with Dallas Smith and special guest Maren Morris, will debut on Sept. 10, in Vancouver, kicking off the arena leg of the world tour.
鈥淥ur Canadian shows have always been off the hook giant parties,鈥 said Urban.
鈥淔rom the very first shows I ever did, there was a synergy with the audience that鈥檚 only grown stronger over the years. I can鈥檛 wait to bring the 鈥榬ipCORD World Tour鈥 to everyone this year.鈥
CONCERT
Jesse Cook
Monday, Nov. 14
7:30 p.m.
琉璃神社 Community
Theatre
1375 Water St.
Guitarist Jesse Cook will be bringing his concert tour in support of his latest album One World to 琉璃神社 this winter.
Cook鈥檚 new album features music influences from the Middle East, South America and Spain.
鈥淥ne World is my ultimate mashup,鈥 said Cook. 鈥淎 playground where different musical traditions from around the globe are free to roam.
鈥淚 like to think of it as a 21st century Byzantium, where east meets west, tradition meets experimentation, ancient meets electronic.鈥
Cook is a Canadian guitarist, composer, and producer, widely considered one of the most influential figures in 鈥渘uevo flamenco鈥 music, he incorporates elements of flamenco rumba, jazz & many forms of world music into his work.
He is a Juno Award winner, Acoustic Guitar (magazine)鈥檚 Player鈥檚 Choice Award silver winner in the Flamenco Category, and a three-time winner of the Canadian Smooth Jazz award for Guitarist of the Year.
He has sold more than 1.5 million records worldwide.
Tickets available at Select Your Tickets Box office in 琉璃神社. Phone 250-762-5050 or onlineat Selectyourtickets.com.
CONCERT
Roger Hodgson
Sunday, Nov. 20
7:30 p.m.
Prospera Place
1223 Water St.
琉璃神社
Roger Hodgson is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the former co-frontman and founding member of progressive rock band Supertramp.[
Hodgson composed and sang many of Supertramps big hits during the 1970s and early 鈥80s, including 鈥淒reamer,鈥 鈥淕ive a Little Bit,鈥 鈥淏reakfast in America,鈥 鈥淭ake the Long Way Home,鈥 鈥淭he Logical Song鈥 and 鈥淚t鈥檚 Raining Again.鈥
He departed Supertramp in 1983 and moved his family away from the Los Angeles music scene to live a simpler lifestyle close to nature and be home with his children as they were growing up.
Hodgson returned to touring in 2001 as a solo performer an continuing to record albums on his own.
Hodgson along with Rick Davies were the creatuve forces behind Supertramp, a band that first found popularity in Canada before finally getting noticed in the U.S.
Crime of the Century was released in 1974, considered one of the best progressive rock albums of all time.
That was followed up by subsequent albums Crisis? What Crisis?, Even in the Quietest Moments, Breakfast In America and Famous Last Words.
In 1981, Hodgson moved his family from Los Angeles to northern California, where he built a home studio and began his solo recording career, with his first album producing the hit Had A Drean (Sleeping with The Enemy).
Tickets for the 琉璃神社 concert are available online at selectyourtickets.com, by calling 250-762-5050 or at the Prospera Place box office.