Birthday Music in the Mountains
Music has the remarkable capacity to transfix our attention and stir our souls, bringing people together since the beginning of time. No wonder then that the best way to celebrate this vast, diverse and staggeringly unique country of ours is through the power of music. And that’s exactly what organizers had in mind when they incorporated the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) into Whistler’s Canada Day planning four years ago. The free concerts have proved to be a resounding success, with visitors and locals alike drawn to the mesmerizing classical melodies emanating throughout Whistler.
“The performances, the energy of the people and the stunning backdrop of the mountains combine to create an ambience that can’t help but put you in a good mood,” explains Patricia Westerholm, Tourism Whistler’s communications manager. “It’s a magical experience in a remarkable setting.”
Whistler Olympic Plaza is the place to be for the VSO concerts that showcase a grandstand of classical music, and the festivities kick off on Canada’s birthday, July 1. Set up shop with a picnic blanket or chair and prepare to be transported. Nothing beats the experience of witnessing a world-renowned orchestra performing a moving rendition of O Canada. You might just find yourself singing along and perhaps even have a tear in your eye as you ponder the genius of this country, its wilderness and its people.
Our neighbours to the south are often quite surprised (and pleased) to hear the orchestra perform The Star-Spangled Banner on Independence Day, July 4, notes Westerholm. Aside from the national anthems, the programs for each concert vary, with Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Bernstein featuring on the playlists.
This year, there’s an added bonus to the programming, with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute at Whistler presenting the inaugural concert program by the Whistler Institute Orchestra, conducted by VSO Music Director and Institute Artistic Advisor Bramwell Tovey. Students from around the world who have participated in the eight-day VSO Orchestral Institute at Whistler will perform July 5.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does. Whistler pulls out all the stops to make the Canada Day long weekend one to remember, with street entertainment, special events and endless outdoor activities. The icing on the cake? The fun spills into the following week, conveniently making it an extra-long weekend of celebration.
Find out more at www.whistler.com/july