Vancouver Pro Musica Presents SONIC BOOM

Vancouver Pro Musica will present the Sonic Boom Festival 2021 online, with new music created by composers of British Columbia. The festival is rich in new and unique pieces by a variety of spectacular talent, all available online for free from March 23 - 28, 2021.

"Vancouver Pro Musica is excited to be presenting a special online version of our Sonic Boom Festival this March which combines concerts postponed from last year's festival plus new concerts and events," stated General Manager, Fleur Sweetman. "This year's festival is entirely free and accessible for all through our YouTube Channel. Join us this March to hear fabulous new music by BC composers performed by superb BC musicians!"

The festival will kick off on March 23rd with a concert of new works for piano performed by Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa, Featured Artist from 2020. Rachel, piano virtuoso and hailed as one of Canada's foremost contemporary music pianists, performs the premiere launch of ten new pieces by BC composers. The program includes the following works: Rodney Sharman Wounded, Jennifer Butler Shelter, Peter Krejcar Diaphanous, Chris Albanese Remaining Gestures, Walker Williams Small, MJ Paquette Play(h)ers Passage, Glenn Sutherland Holy Ground, Javier Canseco Scattered Light, Kara Gibbs Intertidal and Jeffrey Ryan Aftershock.

March 24th will feature a concert of new works for the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, (a co-presentation with Early Music Vancouver - will also be available to watch on their YouTube Channel) recorded on Nov. 15, 2020 at the Telus Theatre. Written for period instruments, the programme includes: Henry From Dances at the End of Time, Kamran Shahrokhi Ocean Rush, Scott F. Thompson Hidden Gala, Edward Top Clairvoyant and Trevor Tunnacliffe Curl.

March 25 & 26 will premiere works on YouTube, for mixed ensembles performing an eclectic assortment of works for small ensembles, recorded on March 19 & 20, 2021 at Pyatt Hall. The programme includes works by Alvin Leung Spring Sketches, Yuxi (Lucy) Li Dragonfly, Isaac Zee Conversations, Wylie Ferguson Yuputka, Dubravko Pajalic 2 Melodies, Ramsey Sadaka Arioso, Goushi Yonekura Four Interludes from a Dance Drama about Dante's Comedia, John L. Baker From a Sparrow Song, Robert Humber Breath Shapes, Mark Marinic Three Diversions, Réjean Marois Elleniade, Kelly Yixuan Wang Mr. Snowman and the Girl, Darren Yu The Adolescent's Mind, and Gabriella Yorke 5 Sketches for Piano and Cello.

Jeffrey Ryan will moderate a live-stream master class for participating composers on March 27th, featuring performers Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa (piano) and Paolo Bortolussi (flute). Pieces included will be by Katherine Bonness, Jack Campbell, Oi Ying Priscilla Cheung, Arvin Fekri, Ngoc Tran Phung, Scott F. Thompson.

Also, on March 27 will be a concert by this year's Featured Artist Beth Orson, Assistant Principal Oboe and English Horn of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Beth will premiere a concert of new works for solo oboe and English Horn including Chris Albanese music outside parentheses, Diane Berry Fantasy #2, Jack Campbell Kassia x4, Craig Day Imp, Henry From Leaves, Chris Nickel Suite for Unaccompanied Oboe, Leslie Opatril Sunshine on Snow, Dario Acosta Cerebro (Brain) and Benjamin Sigerson Could You Be?

The final YouTube Premiere concert will take place on March 28th with 2021 Featured Artists, Jeremy Berkman, who has an acclaimed and varied musical career and a trombone virtuoso along with Angelique Po, versatile pianist, organist and harpsichordist. Berkman and Po will perform pieces recorded in St. Philip's Church, including John L. Baker Concert Movement, Mohammad Motevaselan And the world was still, Cheryl Olvera Unearthed, Trever Tunnacliffe Canzona and Michael Molnar, David and Goliath, Dubravko Pajalic Mediation on Chorale Herzliebster Jesu, Glenn Sutherland Stone calling Water, Trevor Tunnacliffe Canzona and Goushi Yonekura Sophons.

Adapting, as was imperative in the age of COVID, the Sonic Boom Festival 2021 has pivoted to online and will be even more extraordinary in the vast number of talented composers and outstanding musicians, nurturing this art form and its artists. So, treat yourself - watch and listen to this FREE festival.

All concerts will be premiered on the company's YouTube Channel. Subscribe for updates and reminders for all the concerts at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXccKsHHHJ8zS4WgeeLx4vQ.