CRITIC’S PICKS
MUSIC
What: Sunrise: Lafayette String Quartet
Where: christchurchcathedral. bc.ca/live or facebook.com/ MusicCCCVictoria/live
When: Sunday, 7 p.m. Tickets: Free (donations are accepted)
Why: Christ Church Cathedral’s savvy six-camera livestream set-up will give viewers a feast for the senses Sunday as the popular Lafayette String
Quartet tackles the music of Haydn (including the muchlauded Sunrise) and Mozart during this hour-long event. The church has been active throughout the pandemic, which means it should be smooth sailing for its first collaboration with the veteran four-piece, whose members — violinists Ann ElliottGoldschmid and Sharon Stanis, violist Joanna Hood, and cellist Pamela Highbaugh Aloni — are among the most respected in the city. Donations benefit Christ Church Cathedral’s Music Fund and the University of Victoria’s School of Music.
BOOKS
What: Eden Robinson: Reading and Conversation
Where: https://virl.bc.ca
When: Friday, 2 p.m.
Tickets: Free
Why: Vancouver Island Regional Library is hosting acclaimed Haisla and Heiltsuk author Eden Robinson for a Zoom reading and talk on Friday, all in support of her new book, Return of the Trickster. The University of Victoria grad released the third and final instalment in her Trickster trilogy last month, to high praise and renewed interest in the person behind the books. This much we know already: Robinson, who lives in Kitimat, will have attendees on her Zoom chat in stitches. She’s one of the book world’s most intriguing characters.
MUSIC
What: Satellite and The Harpoonist
Where: tickets.porttheatre.com/
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Tickets: Free (call 250-754-8550 or visit porttheatre.com)
Why: Shawn Hall from Juno nominees The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer will let the other half of his musical mind go wild at this anticipated performance, which falls under his side project, Satellite and The Harpoonist. He’ll be joined for this livestream concert (featuring the music he wrote last year with his bandmates in the new project) by Vancouver’s Theo Vincent and Cumberland’s Doug Cox. The free event is funded with government grants meant to bring the arts out of the pandemic and back into the light. I can’t think of a better way to welcome the impending summer.