METRO VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra recently released its 2015/2016 season of concerts, and classical music lovers can find some of the action in Surrey.
The VSO, under the musical direction of Bramwell Tovey, brings seven concerts to the Bell Performing Arts Centre this season.
On Nov. 16 at 8 p.m., Maestro Tovey and pianist Stephen Hough will lead a performance of Wagner, Schumann and Bartók.
Also coming to the Surrey venue in 2015 is the VSO’s Traditional Christmas Concert on Dec. 17, hosted by Christopher Gaze, conducted by Rosemary Thomson, and featuring UBC Opera Ensemble and EnChor. There is a 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. show.
The orchestra, now in it’s 97th season, hits the venue again on Jan. 25 and Feb. 22, 2016: the first features Otto Tausk as conductor and Simon TrpÄeski on piano, while the February show brings back Tovey with compositions by Milhaud, Britten, Stravinsky and Philip Glass.
Conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama leads an April 25 show, with Gilles Vonsattel on piano. The last concert of the season hitting the Bell Performing Arts Centre has Joshua Weilerstein conducting and Joyce Yang on piano on May 15, 2016.
Other shows for the 2015/2016 season that won’t be coming to Surrey include Peking Dreams, Bollywood: The Spirit of India, A Halloween Spectacular and the London Drugs VSO Pops series, which will feature music from James Bond films, and themes from Game of Thrones, Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Mad Men.
The VSO is also bringing back a previous guest to the season, that “wascally wabbit†Bugs Bunny, with Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II, which will be playing at the Orpheum Theatre on Nov. 7 and 8.
Subscriptions to the VSO season can be purchased by calling 604-876-3434, or online at Vancouversymphony.ca. Single tickets will be available for purchase in August. Those under 30, or full-time students, can grab the TD All-Access Pass, getting up to two $15 tickets to any eligible concert.
All Surrey shows begin at 8 p.m. except the Traditional Christmas Concerts.