For musicians, the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s summer academies are an all-consuming, week-long study of music.
For music fans, they mean a blissful July schedule of shows known as the Summer Series.
“It’s the best thing that’s happening in the summer and (the performances) shouldn’t be missed,” said Gergana Velinova.
The accomplished jazz singer is teaching and performing in a week-long summer jazz workshop, one of 25 VCM academies running July 4 to Aug. 6.
Each academy organizes at least two performances, with faculty and students holding court in venues as low key as Moxie’s Classic Grill and as big as the Alix Goolden Performance Hall.
It’s a regime of theory and rehearsal by day, followed by performances at night.
“People who visit and do the workshop with me talk about it for the rest of the year. It’s so different than having just a lesson. It’s growing with each other and getting in the zone of studying music intensely.”
The News caught up with the Victoria-based singer on Tuesday at the conservatory. She recently returned from doing a show in New York, where she performs semi-regularly. From September to April, Velinova is the vocal teacher and instructor for the Camosun College music diploma program through VCM, and conducts the VCM vocal jazz ensemble.
From July 4 to 9 she is leading the “jazz and gospel days” portion of the jazz workshop’s itinerary.
And she’ll have some help.
Joining her from South Carolina are gospel singer Kim Pacheco and gospel and jazz pianist Richard White Jr. Guest instructors are what make the VCM workshops so valuable, and the visiting musicians find them mutually beneficial too, said VCM community school registrar Bethany McNeil.
Not all students are youths, but many are and it prepares them for life as a professional musician.
“It’s a concentrated week of study with master classes and quick concert preparations. They get the music a week before the class starts,” McNeil said.
Some classes, like VCM’s baroque vocal, draw musicians from across Canada, she said. “Some of the students are quite advanced and many of the shows will be high quality.”
Velinova, Pacheco and White Jr. will take part in the faculty jazz show of professional musicians hosted by Don Thompson in the Alix Goolden Hall next Friday (July 8), followed by a different era of jazz on Saturday (July 9) with Brad Turner and the All Star Faculty Big Band, also in the Goolden Hall. Both shows are at 8 p.m. and cost $20 to attend.
The first show in the series happens at 7:30 p.m. Sunday night (July 3) at St. Michaels University School, a string recital led by Michael van der Sloot. Tickets are $15, or $10 for students.
sports@vicnews.com
Summer Series concert schedule
Faculty Recital: Michael van der Sloot and Colleagues
Sunday, July 3, 7:30 p.m., St. Michaels University School
$15 adults, $10 students
Piano Faculty Recital: Michelle Mares
Monday, July 4, 2011, 7:30 p.m., Philip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Fortepiano Recital: Dr. Michael Redshaw
Tuesday, July 5, 1 p.m., Philip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Piano Faculty Recital: Roger Buksa & Anna Cal
Wednesday, July 6, 7:30 p.m., Philip T Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Musicians in the Making
Thursday, July 7, 7:30 p.m., Philip T Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Piano Faculty Recital:Walter Prossnitz
Friday, July 8, 7:30 p.m., Philip T Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Don Thompson hosts SJW Faculty
Friday, July 8, 8 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
$20 General Admission
Brad Turner leads All Star Faculty Big Band
Saturday, July 9, 8 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
$20 General Admission
Ensemble Night
Monday, July 11, 7:30 p.m., Philip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Adult Student Recital
Tuesday, July 12, 7:30 p.m., Philip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Concerto and Chamber Music Night
Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 p.m., Philip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Student Extravaganza
Friday, July 15, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Philip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Admission by Donation
Academy Orchestra Concert
Friday July 15, 7:30 p.m., venue TBA
All tickets $10
Music for a Midsummer's Night V, Mary Byrne (flute) and Wendy Stofer (piano) will present an evening of music for flute and piano.
Sunday, July 17, 7:30 p.m., Wood Hall, Victoria Conservatory of Music
$15 General Admission
Flute Academy Gala Recital
Friday, July 22, 2011, 2:00pm, Wood Hall, VCM
Admission by Donation
Celebration Concert I
Friday, July 22, 2 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
Admission by Donation
Faculty Recital
Saturday, July 30, 7:30 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
$25 adults, $15 students
Afternoon Serenade featuring the Junior Singers
Tuesday, Aug. 2 5 p.m., Wood Hall, Victoria Conservatory of Music
Admission by Donation
Evening Serenade featuring the Adult Learners
Tuesday, Aug. 2 p.m., Wood Hall, Victoria Conservatory of Music
Admission by Donation
Advanced Program Recital, Featuring the Advanced Singers
Friday, Aug. 5, 7:30 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
Admission by Donation
Handel's Solomon; Laurence Cummings – conductor with singers from the Advanced and Choral courses and
orchestra including members of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra
Saturday, Aug. 6, 7:30 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
$25 adults, $15 students
Celebration Concert II
Friday, Aug. 19, 2 p.m., Alix Goolden Performance Hall
Admission by Donation