Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra
239-2416 Main Street V5T 3E2 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Happy New Year! Love and joy come to you - https://mailchi.mp/09718e3ca3dc/happy-holidays-9500356

Dear Friends of VMO Here it is! The final concert of the VMO is up! The VMO's brass section performs through a concert entitled "BRASS THROUGH THE AGES" where you can enjoy many musical favorites! Super thanks to Jim Hopson and Mark D'Angelo for their support in the concert, and to all the musicians who performed so wonderfully. Here is the link to the concert! https://youtu.be/-K8hAkkZcts

Dear Friends and Family of VMO! The VMO Winds at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts is now released as promised on Dec 8, 2020. You can view this video for a full year at this link: https://youtu.be/CM3LqFaqiFY It features the Wind Section of the VMO performing through Dvorak's Wind Serenade in d minor, op. 44 There is a pre-concert talk from the beginning with Principal Bassoonist Ingrid Chiang with Ken Hsieh (if you wish to skip straight to the music, please see below): ... 1st Movement: From 12:08 2nd Movement: 16:44 3rd Movement: From 23:18 4th Movement: 31:57 Please consider Donating to the Orchestra (Tax Deductible Receipt provided for all donations over $20 dollars) Due to COVID-19, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra Society was not able to carry out its live performances since March, 2020; however, we are excited to be continuing our 2020-2021 season virtually for at least the first half of the season. Join Maestro Ken Hsieh and members of the string section from the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra through a virtual concert from the beautiful Chan Centre for Performing Arts.

The Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra Society is pleased to present the Wind Serenade Concert featuring the wind section of the Orchestra. The Wind Serenade is one of Dvorak’s most beloved work, and the VMO is excited to be presenting this piece at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts, through a recording that will be live broadcasted on December 8, 2020 (It will be available for viewing for one year) Ken Hsieh will lead the ensemble through this wonderful work written for the winds with the addition of a cello and bass.

The 18th Season Opening Concert is now up for viewing on youtube. Please click on this link: https://youtu.be/KcdFvhWE_UQ to enjoy the concert. The video will be up for one full year, so please enjoy!

VMO is back in action! Members of the string sections from the VMO got together at the beautiful historical Orpheum theatre in a socially distanced recording session to be live broadcast from October 25, 2020 onwards for one year. Please join us and consider supporting us through these extraordinary times. The programme includes works by Stephen Chatman, Kalinnikov, Mendelssohn and Sibelius. #vmo #ilovevmo #vancouvermetropolitanorchestra #orpheumtheatre #orpheum #socialdistanceorchestra #socialdistancing2020 #socialdistancing #socialdistance #livebroadcast #kenhsieh #stringorchestra #mendelssohn #kalinnikov #stephenchatman #sibelius #conducting #conductor #beautifultheatre #playingmusic #musiccovid #covidmusic

Dear VMO friends, Due to the COVID-19 situation, the VMO regrets due to the cancellation of all events at UBC, including the Chan Centre, the concert on May 31 will be postponed into next season. We apologize for the inconvenience and had wished to see you all at the season finale; however, we are worried about everyone’s safety and health as our first priority. Please stay tuned as the VMO will announce our new season for 2020-2021 shortly!

Dear VMO fan: Due to the Coronavirus situation, we feel for the safety of our audience. Therefore, we have decided to postpone the concert. Thank you for your support!

On Sunday, November 17, please join us for a special concert with proceeds benefiting The Rotary Foundation & End Polio Now. Ken Hsieh & The VMO will be performing alongside Loig Morin Music & The Band, as well as Spencer Cheung & His Dream Continues. We welcome you for an evening of everyone's favourite pop songs, and to join us in helping to eradicate the horrible disease of polio. ---------------- Get Your Tickets Now at: https://bit.ly/2Pl7Ju1 Date: Sunday, November 17, 2...019 Location: River Rock Casino Theatre Address: 8811 River Rd #8831, Richmond, BC V6X 3P8 Concert Starts at 7:30pm! See more

VMO Famous Pop Classics Concert Featuring Loig Morin Music! Get Your Tickets Now at: https://bit.ly/2Pl7Ju1 Loig Morin is Originally from Brittany in France. He has been a Vancouver resident for 10 years. He signed an Artist contract for 3 albums with the immense French pop artist William Sheller in 1997, then he moved from Lyon in France to Canada 10 years ago. In Vancouver, he made two albums, including "La Rivière" in 2018, very well received by media and public across all... Canada. His last album " Citadelle" is Recorded, mixed and co-directed by renowned Chris Potter (Sarah McLachlan, REM, Tragically Hip, Diana Krall). "Citadelle" is a concept album of 11 poetic titles, nostalgic and captivating, which drives the listener through the joys and sorrows of the city. Loig explores sounds, melodies and words within an attractive and sophisticated universe, with his very own distinctive style. Loig also collaborated in studio with drummer Ashwin Sood (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright), keyboardist Vincent Leslie Jones (Alanis Morrisette, Asaf Avidan...) and guitarist Jean-Luc Charreton ( Benjamin Biolay sound recording ). For this special event with the VMO, Loig worked with the talented musician Marc Baril who made the orchestration. Loig Morin played live across Canada and was repeatedly nominated at Francophone and Canadian Music Awards as best Francophone artist, sound engineer and arrangements. He is a fine handler of words, an exceptional arranger and outstanding melodist. Canada clearly got the best in the exchange! ---------------- Date: Sunday, November 17, 2019 Location: River Rock Casino Theatre Address: 8811 River Rd #8831, Richmond, BC V6X 3P8 Concert Starts at 7:30pm! Get Your Tickets Now at: https://bit.ly/2Pl7Ju1

VMO Charity Concert: An Encounter with Pop Classics Get Your Tickets Now at: https://bit.ly/2Pl7Ju1 VANCOUVER A classical symphony orchestra playing popular music is no longer a rare encounter. But the upcoming Famous Pop Classics charity concert of the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra (VMO) is a true rarity that results from the joint efforts of four unlikely partners.... The concert, co-organized by the Rotary Club of Richmond with the proceeds benefiting the Rotary Foundation and End Polio Now, will take place on November 17 at 7:30 p.m., at the River Rock Casino Theatre (8811 River Road, Richmond). A total of ten pop classics will be performed, with the VMO taking to the stage under the baton of Maestro Ken Hsieh, to be joined by two local bandsSpencer Cheung & His Dream Continues, and Loig Morin & the Band. Particularly noteworthy is that Loig Morin, a French musician who makes Vancouver his home, will give the audience a big surprise. After his latest album La Rivière was released last year, the Canadian musical world was immediately enchanted by its deeply rich French flavour. Ken Hsieh offered Loig to adapt his titles in symphonic version, and co-operation between the two thus began. In this concert, you can see the sparkles that result when they work together. ---------------- Date: Sunday, November 17, 2019 Location: River Rock Casino Theatre Address: 8811 River Rd #8831, Richmond, BC V6X 3P8 Concert Starts at 7:30pm! Get Your Tickets Now at: https://bit.ly/2Pl7Ju1

Thank you for joining us at Chan Shun Concert Hall for our 17th Season Opening concert. An wonder Afternoon featuring French pianist Henri-Paul Sicsic with Chopin’s second piano concerto, and Beethoven Symphony No. 7. Also the new commission world premiere by composer-in-residence, Trevor Hoffmann.

The Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, is a piano concerto composed by Frédéric Chopin in 1829. Chopin wrote the piece before he had finished his formal education, at around 20 years of age. It was first performed on 17 March 1830, in Warsaw, Poland, with the composer as soloist. It was the second of his piano concertos to be published (after the Piano Concerto No. 1), and so was designated as "No. 2", even though it was written first. We are thrilled to have Henri-Paul... Sicsic come and perform this beautiful concerto! Here is a beautiful interpretation of it by the great Arthur Rubinstein https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T_GecdMywPw Get your tickets today at tickets.ubc.ca

Meet our amazing piano soloist! Henri-Paul Sicsic will be joining Ken Hsieh and the VMO through Chopin’s beautiful second piano concerto. An interesting note! Henri-Paul Sicsic was Ken Hsieh’s piano professor at UBC before Ken left to Tokyo to start his conducting journey! Read below about Henri-Paul Sicsic A concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, pianist Henri-Paul Sicsic has appeared with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Pas...Continue reading

VMO music director Ken Hsieh just returned from a successful opening concert in China with the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra. He is looking forward to another successful season with VMO. Our 17th Season Opening Concert, The VMO is very proud to present mentor (Henri-Paul Sicsic) and student (Ken Hsieh) performing together on the same stage. We are looking forward to another successful season-opening concert for VMO! Get your tickets online at https://chancentre.com//vmo-201...9-20-season-opening-concert/ -- Date: September 15, 2019 Time: 1:30pm- Pre-Concert Talk 2pm- Concert Begin Location: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts -- Special offer for VMO subscribers! - Get 20% off Season Opening tickets with promo code: VMO20 - Get 30% off Season Opening tickets by purchasing 10 or more tickets Promo code: VMO30 See more

Announcing our season opening concert at the Chan Centre for performing arts on September 15, 2019 at 2pm. The concert will feature sensational French Pianist, Henri-Paul Sicsic, as he plays through Chopin’s beautiful 2nd piano concerto in f minor with Ken Hsieh and the VMO. Get your tickets today!

We are pleased to welcome back Mark Ferris to lead the VMO Season-Opening concert. After 17 glorious years as a leader for the Vancouver’s Opera orchestra, and winning two Juno award album, we highly expect another successful concert for the VMO Season Opening on Sep 15th 2 pm at Chan Centre. Get your tickets online now at https://chancentre.com//vmo-2019-20-season-opening-concert/

More photos contributed by VMO's volunteer photographers - Thank you for capturing every bit of great moment from on to off the stage!

Our 6th Annual Live Symphony's photos are ready; more to be updated soon! Thank you for sharing your night with us at Jack Poole Plaza past Thursday. It was absolutely wonderful to enjoy all the amazing tunes by the water under chill summary night. We hope to see you again soon in our future concerts!

We are pleased to announce Sydney Frelick, as our soloist for our outdoor concert. She will be singing O’mio babbino caro Sydney Frelick is a twenty-one-year-old soprano studying opera performance at UBC. Sydney is from Medicine Hat, Alberta, and grew up singing in local choirs, taking part in local musical theatre productions, and competing in local and provincial vocal competitions. She travelled to Cuba, the UK, and South Africa with the Medicine Hat College Girl’s Choir, ...and since arriving at UBC Sydney had the opportunity to travel to Ireland and the UK with the University U Singers. Sydney has also performed as the soprano soloist in Bach’s Johannes Passion with the UBC Choirs and UBC Orchestra in 2018, she has sung The Queen of the Night in UBC Opera’s production of Die Zauberflote in February 2019, and Zerlina in UBC’s most recent production of Don Giovanni. When she is not singing, Sydney enjoys hiking, biking, and camping. Sydney will be returning for her fourth year of her Bachelor of Opera Performance at UBC in the fall. See more

Just 8 days away until the VMO 17th Season Opening featuring Trevor Hoffmann and his VMO-commissioned piece, "Rediscover" inspired by the idea of gratitude for the simple things in life. Read below about Trevor Hoffmann! -- Get your tickets today at tickets.ubc.ca Time: September 15, 2019 Location: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts... 6265 Crescent Rd., Vancouver, BC About Trevor: Trevor is an award-winning pianist, composer, and producer who excels at working with live orchestra as both a writer and orchestrator. He has worked extensively with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra (where he is currently composer in residence), specializing in creating syntheses across classical and contemporary genres. Trevor is a prolific song producer and is also a founding member of Smash Music Productions, an Emmy nominated team whose song albums for TV have reached number 1 worldwide on the iTunes and Billboard charts. He also spends many months of the year on the road as a musical director for a number of acts including the Canadian crossover group Vivace and David Foster’s artist Cody Karey. Rediscover is a piece inspired the idea of gratitude for the simple things in life. Every day we often miss little pieces of joy instead of taking the opportunity to appreciate and rediscover them. This idea is represented in my piece by simple harmonies supporting asymmetrical melodies which simultaneously creates a sense of both stability and vulnerability.

PCI and Ledcor are excited to present the 6th Annual VMO Live Symphony Performance a free, family-friendly summer evening of live music inspired by the classics and iconic pop culture. This is a FREE outdoor concert and seating is first-come, first-serve. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for comfort.

Dear VMO Friends! We are so delighted to continue our Outdoor concert kindly sponsored by PCI Developments and Ledcor at Jack Poole Plaza(Burrard Landing) Please join us at 7pm as we take you through many great classical and popular works in the orchestral repertoire! Bring a blanket or a low lawn chair to sit on for comfort! We look forward to seeing you there!

Featuring VMO CLEF Concerto Competition Winners: Nicole Linaksita - Senior Category Winner Hajun Chang - JUnior Category Winner ... Conductor - @Ken Hsieh See more

The VMO has designated our Season Finale concert on Friday night, June 28, as Family Night. This concert presents 2 young musicians who won the Clef Competition last May. To celebrate this special day with VMO, we are offering buy one ticket, get one free by using the promo code 21promo. We look forward to seeing you for these talented young musicians!

We are proud to hear that our senior winner, Nicole was a laureate for the Canadian Music Competition gaining first prize in the national competition. We are delighted that she will be joining us on June 28 through the Moszkowski piano concerto! Get your tickets today at: tickets.vmocanada.com

Save the date! Announcing our free outdoor concert at Burrard landing (Jack Poole Plaza) on July 25, 2019, Thursday evening starting at 7pm. We are opening to the public for music suggestions. Leave a comment below of pieces you may like to hear, and who knows.... maybe The VMO may program it in! Thanks again to our lead sponsors, PCI and Ledcor for supporting this wonderful premiere downtown event!

Are you a fan of Champagne? Our director, Van Doren is leading a wonderful fundraiser for the VMO at the Four seasons as part of the Grower Champagne Month. Tickets are only 75 dollars and they are going out fast! An exclusive event, only a limited number of tickets available. Please contact Van Doren at [email protected] or by calling 604-328-8989. Please join us for this wonderful occasion!

Meet our next soloist for June 28, Hajun Chang. He is the winner of the junior division of the clef competition in 2018 and will be performing The first movement of Grieg’s piano concerto. Read below on the amazing accomplishment of this young fellow! Get your tickets at tickets.vmocanada.com today! Thirteen-year-old Hajun Chang discovered his love for piano at the age of three. Studying under Dr. Sun Sung Kong for four years, Hajun has had the amazing privilege of enriching... his musical talent and passion. Hajun has received many awards and recognition since 2014. Many great accomplishments include First Prize winner of the 2016 Pacific Youth Piano Festival (Age 9-11 Category), where he then performed at the Gala Concert in Richmond Gateway Theatre. He received further recognition, winning First place in the CYO (Coquitlam Youth Orchestra) Concerto Competition, which resulted in his performance of Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No.2 with the orchestra. He was then awarded the Second Prize winner in the following year at the 2017 Canadian Music Competition (Age 11 Category), performing in the Prize Winner Concert shortly after. Hajun continued to perform for numerous concerts and even had the chance to participate in the BC Children’s Hospital Charity Recital, hosted by KL Piano Studio. In 2018, Hajun was awarded the Second Prize and Silver Medal, Division 2, in the Steinway and Sons International Piano Competition. In the following months, he participated as a finalist in the Pacific Rim International Music Festival (North American Division), selected from hundreds of video submissions. Hajun continues to show his talent through his performances, and is working hard to improve his musicality and technique everyday. He enjoys reading, playing basketball, and traveling with his family. See more

Our 2018 clef competition winner, Nicole Linaksita, who will be performing Moszkowski’s piano concerto. Read below on this amazing young talent, who will perform on June 28. Be sure to get your tickets at tickets.vmocanada.com Nicole Linaksita has performed solo and chamber concerts in Canada, USA and Europe. A participant in national and international competitions, she was selected to participate as one of 30 finalists in the CMC Stepping Stone Competition, placing among th...e top six in 2016. Recently, she won First Prize and the Audience Choice prize in the 2017 BC Bösendorfer Piano Competition. In addition, she was awarded a silver medal and a certificate for the best performance of a Canadian work for the piano artists division of the 2017 Vancouver International Music Competition. She was the BC piano representative for the 2018 Canadian National Music Festival and won third prize in the piano class. In December 2017, Nicole performed Moritz Moszkowski’s Piano Concerto in E Major, Op. 59 in the Music Without Borders Society Concerto Gala with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra. She performed with the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra in October 2018 at the Orpheum Theatre. Nicole has frequently performed the works of contemporary composers. More recently, she played with the Music on Main All-Star Band for their Vancouver premiere of Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians". In 2017, she was invited to be a featured artist for Emerge on Main, a programme hosted by Music on Main that supports rising musicians. Nicole completed undergraduate studies in Piano Performance and Computer Science at the University of British Columbia, studying under Corey Hamm and Ryo Yanagitani, receiving the Director’s Graduation Prize for Outstanding Piano Performance.

Join us for our season finale! 2018-2019 season comes to a wrap! We will be featuring the winners of the 2018 clef competition along with Dvorak’s magnificent 8th symphony. Get your tickets at tickets.vmocanada.com today

Greeting spring with wonder Friday night classics. :) Images by Mayowill Photography / All Rights Reserved

Spring is here, and there is only One day left until the 2019 Morihiro Okabe Kinen Spring Concert! So grab your tickets now at: https://bit.ly/2NS0fvG

Get your ticket today: https://bit.ly/2NS0fvG We can't wait to see you in just 2 days at the Morihiro Okabe Kinen Spring Concert! Friday, April 5, 2019, at 7:30 pm... 7:00pm Pre-concert talk by Kemuel Wong Shaughnessy Heights United Church See more

Get your ticket today: https://bit.ly/2NS0fvG Only 3 days left until the VMO Spring concert! We're excited to open the performance with the world premiere of local composer Thomas Beckman's new work "Flux", and also perform pieces by Mozart and Beethoven. Don't miss your chance to celebrate the commencement of a beautiful season with VMO featuring award-winning pianist Bogdan Dulu. VMO’s 2018/19 Okabe Kinen Spring Concert to be held on April 05, 7:30 pm at the Shaughnessy Heights United Church in Vancouver, BC.

Only 8 days left! Don't miss your chance to celebrate the commencement of a beautiful season with VMO's Spring Concert featuring award winning pianist Dr. Bogdan Dulu. In addition, Dr. Bogdan Dulu composed all cadenzas and eingangs specifically for this concert! Buy your tickets right now: https://bit.ly/2NS0fvG . See you guys on April 5, 2019 at 7:30 pm!

Get Your Ticket at: https://bit.ly/2NS0fvG The VMO is proud to announce its spring concert in tradition with the Morihiro Okabe Kinen concert. It will feature Beethoven’s most famous composition, Symphony No. 5 paired with Mozart’s piano concerto 21 played by Bogdan Dulu. Also on the program is South African composer, Thomas Beckmann’s new world premiere, Flux. We hope to see you there!

Thank you for a great 2018 and 15th Anniversary season! We couldn't do it without you. Wishing all of our patrons and volunteers a happy holidays! -

Check out these house concerts on tonight and tomorrow featuring the lovely, Libby Yu - Piano. She'll be playing at two beautiful, cozy living rooms in South Richmond (Sept. 21) and the UBC area (Sept. 22), which includes complimentary wine and snacks. The concerts are held by Music Friends. For ticket information, go to www.mymusicfriends.com or wechat: bingdai115

Throwback Monday to all the smiles and joy from our season opening concert! Courtesy of Cathy Wu & Rick Wu of Mayowill Photography capturing the moments.

Thank you for joining us at the VMO 2018-19 Season Opening Concert! -

Check out these house concerts on Sept. 21 & 22 featuring our last featured soloist, Libby Yu - Piano, in conjunction with Music Friends. The concerts will be held at two beautiful, cozy living rooms in South Richmond and the UBC area, and include complimentary wine and snacks! For ticket information, go to www.mymusicfriends.com or wechat: bingdai115

We are grateful to have you joining us this past Sunday afternoon at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts! Here comes the photo album to look back at some wonderful moments, and more photos (including our media wall ones) will be uploaded soon!

Some behind the scenes with featured solo pianist, Libby Yu! (1) Libby Yu - Piano with Conductor Ken Hsieh and the VMO as Libby embraces us at the Chan Centre with her amazing performance! (2) Libby with Conductor Ken, whose musical chemistry can be attributed to their teacher Professor Lee Kum-Sing.... (3) Libby is joined by Austin Ng, Lee Kum-Sing and Ryan Wang. Libby currently teaches Austin, who played at the VMO 2017/18 Season Finale Concert. Professor Lee was Libby's teacher at the Vancouver Academy of Music and at UBC. Professor Lee is also a teacher to Ryan Wang, who played at the 2017/18 VMO Gala. Images originally posted by and credited to Libby Yu - Piano

Today is the day! We can't wait to see you there at the Chan centre this afternoon to listen to the sound of Tchaikovsky featuring Libby Yu, and the wonderful Ken Hsieh. See you soon!

2 day countdown to the Opening Concert! We would like to introduce "Glacier", a VMO commissioned interlude by composer-in-residence, Trevor Hoffmann. This piece was inspired by the magnificent glacial landscapes fast Trevor has seen recently here in northern BC, and also in Iceland. We can't wait to hear the world premiere of this exciting, locally-inspired interlude this Sunday, 2pm at UBC’s Chan Centre!

Omni TV's Bowen Zhang (right) interviews Conductor Ken Hsieh (left) and Vancouver renowned pianist Libby Yu (middle) before Sunday's VMO Opening Concert! Airs tomorrow night (Friday) on Omni TV: 8:30 pm - Focus Cantonese 9:30 pm - Focus Mandarin

The VMO's Opening Concert is this Sunday! -

We can't wait to see you in just 4 days at the Season Opening Concert, the sound of Tchaikovsky Sunday, Sept 9, 2018 at 2:00 pm 1:30 Pre-concert talk by Kemuel Wong UBC's Chan Centre for the Performing Arts... Get your tickets today: http://bit.ly/2PjlrFBV817

Thank you to our amazing 2018/19 Season Sponsors! With your support, we have been able to expand the VMO and continue to cultivate the careers of many young musicians. See you all at the 2018/19 Season Opening Concert next weekend! Sunday, September 9, 2018 at 2:00pm. UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts @ Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

Catch Kemuel Wong for the pre-concert talk at 1:30, Sunday, Sept 9 at UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts