MUSIC BY THE SEA: International Music Festival Returns To Bamfield, BC, Canada

Intimate and breathtaking

Music lovers finding their way to Bamfield, on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, for the 13th Annual Music by the Sea (MBTS), July 21 through 29, 2018, will be captivated by a line-up of genre-spanning concerts featuring musicians from around the globe. All concerts take place in the beautiful Rix Centre for Ocean Discoveries on the water's edge. Superb acoustics and the spectacular backdrop of Vancouver Island's mystic, bold Pacific make this truly the most inspiring venue in Canada.

Eleven concerts offer a unique and diverse selection of classical and contemporary solo and chamber music, sophisticated jazz and alternative music.

This year, MBTS welcomes virtuoso artists from the UK, USA, Australia, Korea, Norway, Taiwan, and across Canada. They include Runar Kjeldsberg, acclaimed for his virtuosity and passion for historical guitars and performance practice, Cecily Ward, praised for her "rhapsodic violin", Brad Turner, a multi-Juno award winning jazz trumpeter and drummer, and two-time Juno Award winning jazz pianist Brian Dickinson; a mainstay on the Canadian jazz scene for over thirty-five years. A complete list of performing artists can be found at http://musicbythesea.ca/performing-artists-2018/

Collaboration, musical exploration, and spontaneity are hallmarks of MBTS. Unlike other music festivals, Music by the Sea creates a "company"

of artists who collaborate to create a unique programme. Generally, a typical concert contains a short piece or two from a variety of artists in the company, in a variety of collaborations, both jazz and classical. All the artists remain in residence for the duration of the Festival, forming new ensembles and rehearsing works which are added to the programme during the Festival. "Open" rehearsals provide more opportunities for audience members to be immersed in the musical culture of MBTS.

Although jazz selections are announced from the stage, classical programming for this year's festival is underway and includes:

Grieg, Holberg Suite

Mozart, Piano Quartet in G minor, k.478

Haydn, String Quartet in G major, op.77 no.1

Schoenberg, String Sextet "Verklãrte Nacht"

Beethoven, Violin Sonata in G major, op.96

Dvorak, String Sextet in A major, op.48

Mendelssohn, String Octet, op.20

Brouwer, Quintet for guitar and strings, "Baladas del Decemarón Negro"

de Lhoyer, Concerto for guitar and strings

de Fossa, Quartet for two guitars, violin and cello

Shostakovich, Piano Quintet, op.57

Zemlinsky, Die Drei Schwestern, op.13, for voice and piano

Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Lieder

The picturesque village of Bamfield is in a protected inlet on the south shore of Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island. It is surrounded by the traditional territories of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation, and portions of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Though a small community, Bamfield offers a remarkable variety of lodgings, galleries, guided tours and eco-adventures for Festival attendees.

Individual concert tickets start at $40 but Festival passes are also available. Both are on sale now at http://musicbythesea.ca/tickets/ or by phone at 250-728-3887.

Full information about the festival, including transportation and accommodation options, can be found at www.musicbythesea.ca.