Donison’s concert series continues tonight
Christopher Donison had big plans for the summer, including producing a festival with top jazz and classical artists performing at the Victoria International Marina.
The events were to be part of a celebration honouring the 15th anniversary of Music By the Sea, the annual Bamfield festival Donison founded in 2006.
“Over the years, I resisted bringing everything from Bamfield to anywhere else, because I thought it would get lost in the translation,” he said.
“But when the marina came along as a really attractive venue for us, I thought we could do this. It was a really good time to do it, but it’s all on hold.”
His plans to hold a corresponding version in Victoria, with four concerts from July 29 to Aug. 1 as a lead-in to the Victoria Symphony Splash on Aug. 2, were eventually scrapped, due to COVID-19.
But the pianist kept at the idea of hosting live concerts with the Victoria International Marina as a partner.
Donison has been livestreaming solo piano concerts from his home in the Janion building, not far from the marina, over the past three weeks. With audio support by Ruairi Matthews of PK Sound, and video production and livestreaming produced by Darcy Beck, the music can be heard and seen both online and on the street.
He performs under a dramatic Aurora chandelier, crafted in the shape of a grand piano, designed by Limbic Media to offer light synchronized with the music. Young, tech-savvy people are integral to the production, Donison said with a laugh. “I’ve never done anything like this. I’m not even on Facebook.”
The concerts — during which Donison performs a mix of classical, jazz and pop on a grand piano stationed in the streetside window of his home — have two audiences: Those watching the virtual concerts streamed on Music By the Sea’s Facebook page, and those gathered at the foot of the Janion on Pandora Avenue, near the Johnson Street bridge. His fourth concert of the series is set for 7 p.m. tonight. He will continue each Friday night through the end of June.
A speaker on his balcony amplifies the hour-long sets, enabling the audience four storeys below to hear the music.
The online audience has been strong as well, with more than 2,000 fans tuning in to one of his livestreams, according to Donison. “It’s odd doing these performances with a virtual audience out there somewhere. But we also have this audience who is hearing it on the speakers as they walk by.”
Donison is adjusting the format as he goes along. His crew is adding a fourth camera and microphone to his concert tonight, so he can address the audience.
He will also welcome a series of guests in coming weeks, including violinist Ann Elliott-Goldschmid, bassist Russ Botten and drummer Ethan Olynyk.
Donison did not know how the series of concerts would play out at first, but quickly realized how important they were to promoting his festival and its place in the Inner Harbour.
“If we had done absolutely nothing, who knows where we would be a year from now? All the wind could have gone out of everything.
“I just wanted to build this sort of visibility for Music By the Sea and the marina as a partnership. It’s a good fit and it’s also diverse. We’re not just classical music or just jazz. And each concert is like a smorgasbord.”
mdevlin@timescolonist.com