Sonic Boom Music Festival to Run 3/26-30 in Vancouver

Sonic Boom 2014 showcases the new, compositional works of some of British Columbia`s most interesting composers, being performed by some of the best musicians of the Lower Mainland. This 5 day, musical event is comprised of four evening concerts supplemented by workshops, lectures/panel discussions, and a Student Composers' Master Class. This year, the festival features the Erato Ensemble, Heidi Krutzen and John Oliver, as well as an eclectic mix of other new, small ensembles.

``It's always exciting to play music that has never been heard before. And to be able to work with the composer and have input and influence into the shaping of the piece is something really special. To be involved in the creation of a work of art that will hopefully have a life beyond this performance, with other performers, is a real privilege.``- The Erato Ensemble

Heidi Krutzen has emerged as a leading musician in Canada. She's celebrated for her solo, chamber music, and orchestral performances, for her collaborations with composers, and for her excellence as a teacher. Passionate about creating with others, Heidi can frequently be heard with her own chamber groups Couloir, Trio Verlaine, and the Krutzen/McGhee Duo. She also works with other extraordinary musicians at chamber music festivals throughout North America such as the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, and Oregon Bach Festival. As a soloist, she has given concerto performances with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, and Festival Amadeus Orchestra in the USA, as well as recording a double concerto with the Latvian National Symphony in Riga, Latvia. Her performances and recordings have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, NPR (US), CBC Radio (Canada), Northern German Radio and Netherlands Radio.

Erato Ensemble is an art-song chamber collective formed in 2006 by tenor/composer William George and soprano/composer Catherine Laub. Erato's mission is to preserve the art-song tradition while creating new works in the genre. What makes Erato unique is the mixing of solo vocal music with unique instrumentation.
Erato's core ensemble features Soprano, Tenor, Piano, Violin, Cello, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone, and Guitar. We also regularly feature other instruments and voice types as needed for the repertoire.

The ensemble fills a necessary role in the local artistic life of the city, and includes some of the top musicians in the Vancouver area (featuring members of the Vancouver Symphony, Vancouver Chamber Choir, and UBC and VSO faculty, among others). Besides Erato's own concerts, the ensemble has been featured with Vancouver New Music, Vancouver Pro Musica, Vancouver International Song Institute, Vancouver Cultural Olympiad, CMC's New Music in New Places, The Roedde Museum, and In The House Festival.

Born and raised in Vancouver, multiple-award-winning composer & performer John Oliver writes opera, orchestral, chamber & electroacoustic music, & performs chamber music as a guitarist. Oliver also performs his own special "immersive music" using special guitars & computer software that distributes the music through loudspeaker orchestras that surround the audience. Oliver believes that music should resonate with the listener's intellect, emotions, and kinetic impulses. Master classes with I. Xenakis and Roger Reynolds, along with personal studies in perception, psychoacoustics, and social theory have contributed to this direction. Oliver's formal training with John Adams, Stephen Chatman, John Rea, Bruce Mather, and Philippe Boesmans also contributed to Oliver's formation. He holds a doctorate in composition from McGill University.

The Pro Musica Society of Vancouver (aka: Vancouver Pro Musica) was founded in 1984 and is a non-profit organization of BC composers mandated to promote and foster musical life in the Province of British Columbia. In particular, the society supports growth and collaboration between composers and performers by sponsoring, promoting and producing concerts that showcase original, contemporary classical music created by BC composers and feature BC musicians performing such works. Vancouver Pro Musica's two main yearly productions are the Sonic Boom Festival and the Further concert series. To experience some of Vancouver Pro Muscia's past musical events, click here: www.soundcloud.com/vancouver-pro-musica

The Sonic Boom Music Festival | March 26-30, 2014 |

March 26: 7:30pm: Panel discussion with experts on cutting-edge topics such as computer-generated music, mixed media performance, and electroacoustic works; featuring composer and guitarist John Oliver Venue: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music's Pyatt Hall (843 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

March 27: 7:30pm: Concert of musical works by British Columbia Composers performed by the Art-Song Chamber ensemble the Erato Ensemble Venue: Orpheum Annex (823 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

March 28: 7:30pm: Concert of musical works by British Columbia composers performed by Harpist Heidi Kreutzen Venue: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music's Pyatt Hall (843 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

March 29: 7:30pm: Concert of musical works by British Columbia composers performed by a variety of mixed small ensembles. Venue: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music's Pyatt Hall (843 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

March 30: 10:00am: Student Composer Master Class; featuring Julia Nolan, saxophone, and Chris Morano, piano, facilitated by Composer and guitarist John Oliver. Venue: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music's Lou Henley Classroom (843 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

March 30: 7:30pm: Concert of musical works by British Columbia composers performed by a variety of mixed small ensembles. Venue: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music's Pyatt Hall (843 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

Tickets: http://sonicboom2014.brownpapertickets.com

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music (843 Seymour Street, Vancouver).

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/80ytm

Orpheum Annex (823 Seymour Street, Vancouver). Map: http://goo.gl/maps/9ptff