VANCOUVER, January 23, 2009 - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced funding for the Vancouver Society for Early Music, which will help the Society present the 2008-2009 Winter Series of 10 concerts and the 8 main events of the 2009 Summer Festival.
"Our Government is supporting arts and culture in Canada more than any other government in our country's history. We know how essential they are to our communities, our identity, and our economy," said Minister Moore. "The Vancouver Society for Early Music makes an outstanding contribution to the cultural vitality of the region, and we are proud to contribute to it."
"The ongoing support of the federal government has been of tremendous significance for the growth and success of Early Music Vancouver and for Vancouver's international reputation as an important centre for the performance and study of early music," said José Verstappen, Executive Director of the Vancouver Society for Early Music. "We are now able to regularly present large-scale programs, both during the winter season and our summer festival, which feature important collaborations between musicians from Vancouver and artists from across Canada."
The series and festival projects will showcase 159 local, national, and international artists and ensembles in 14 different classical music performances. The events will also include outreach activities in the community, pre-concert introductions, and workshops. The presentation and outreach venues include the Orpheum Theatre, the Chan Centre, Unity Church, UBC Recital Hall, and Hodson Manor, where today's announcement was made.
The Vancouver Society for Early Music aims to encourage appreciation and understanding of music in a historical context. The Society believes that music of any period is best understood when performed according to appropriate traditions. The Society sponsors performances and educational events and invites people from varying backgrounds to get involved in early music and create opportunities for performers, teachers, and instrument makers.
The Government of Canada has provided $93,000 in funding through the Arts Presentation Canada Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program gives Canadians increased access to the diversity and richness of Canada's culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.
