TRADITION RULES
Holiday musical events usually veer into traditional territory, but some organizations have managed to strike a fine balance.
Vancouver concert promoter Leila Getz has been named one of Musical America’s Professionals of the Year. The select group of 30 are “the influencers, defined as people making a difference in our business,” says editor Susan Elliott. The honour comes as no surprise to Vancouver devotees of classical music. It’s commensurate with the prestige of Getz’s Vancouver Recital Society, recognized internationally as an organization that gets it right in the sometimes turbulent world of classical music. Originally from South Africa, Getz decided to try her hand at presenting classical concerts in the 1980s, at a time when formal recitals were considered an oldfashioned, declining relic of the performance scene. As enthusiastic as she is outspoken, Getz followed her own instincts, building the Vancouver Recital Society into a major player in the local scene through highquality performances. She also created the summer Vancouver Chamber Music Festival, which ran from 1986 until 2006. Getz developed a knack for discovering young performers on a rapid track to stardom — Cecilia Bartoli, Leif Ove Andsnes, Christian Tetzlaff, Tara Erraught, and Yuja Wang are just a few who have been introduced by the VRS. Incapable of playing it safe, Getz also commits to major thematic projects like last season’s Steven Isserlis/Robert Levin performances of the complete Beethoven cycle of works for cello and piano, or the multi-concert Schubertiade to be held in the New Year.