Jason Scott’s Diamond Forever: A Celebration of Neil Diamond comes to the Sechelt Legion on Saturday, June 4. The one-man, live stage extravaganza is an entertaining recognition of the music and talent of this legendary singer-songwriter. Scott’s track record and credentials are impeccable – he is the only Canadian featured in this year’s Diamond Mountain, a documentary feature film showcasing Diamond tribute artists from around the world. Tickets are $25 in advance at the Legion (604-885-2526) or at the door (if available). Doors open at 6 p.m.; show starts at 7 p.m.
Chamber music tickets on sale
Tickets for the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival went on sale May 27 to Friends of the Festival and will be available starting June 10 to the public.
Scheduled for Aug. 18 to 21 at the School of Music in Madeira Park, the festival’s 12th season will feature a gathering of highly-acclaimed musicians: violinists Mark Fewer, David Gillham and Joyce Lai, violist Ian Clarke, cellist Simon Fryer, and Couloir, the dynamic harp/cello duo of Heidi Krutzen and Ariel Barnes.
The Rising Tide initiative – a free concert to showcase young performers – will bring together the Coast’s Hanna Crudele (violin) with violist Rae Gallimore and pianist Jenny Dou. Artistic director – and pianist extraordinaire – Alexander Tselyakov devotes his magic to both the keyboard and the elegant festival programming.
Opening night’s grand first concert culminates in Robert Schumann’s gorgeous Piano Quartet in E-flat major.
Friday follows with the Rising Tide musicians playing a broad selection of chamber repertoire in the free concert A Brightening Breeze: Strings of Summer Light that promises to enchant. On Saturday, In the Key of Blue offers pieces from the classical tradition to Duke Ellington. And that evening is Summer Dances, with Kikta, Schulhoff and Dvořák.
The festival ends Sunday with Paired to Perfection, a selection of virtuosic pieces, culminating in Mendelssohn’s magnificent Octet for Strings in E-flat major.
To purchase tickets, call 604-989-3995 or see www.penderharbourmusic.ca
Author honoured
A Theory of Expanded Love, the debut novel from Roberts Creek resident Caitlin Hicks, has been named by the Independent Book Publishing Pro-fessionals Group as one of the best indie books of 2016. Hicks’s book is the winner of Best Inspirational Fiction category in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the world’s largest not-for-profit book awards program for independent publishers and self-published authors.
The awards are judged by leaders of the indie book publishing industry, including many coming from long-standing careers with major publishing houses, to identify books that deserve to reach a wide audience.
In an article at CNN.com titled “If it’s cool, creative and different, it’s indie,” journalist Catherine Andrews wrote: “The term indie traditionally refers to independent art – music, film, literature or anything that fits under the broad banner of culture – created outside the mainstream and without corporate financing.”
A Theory of Expanded Love offers a humorous yet poignant exploration of religious doctrine, family tensions and adolescence, seen through the eyes of 12-year old Annie Shea in 1963.
The novel was an iBooks Best New Fiction pick in spring 2015, as well as one of JDC’s 50 top must-read books of 2015. It won the Somerset Award, first place for literary fiction, from Chanticleer Awards and is a finalist for Book of the Year (literary fiction) with IndieFab Awards in the U.S.
Art exhibit
Gigi Hoeller is having her annual art show at the Seaside Centre June 11 and 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Pia Sillem from Earls Cove will be joining her with her stunning claywork creations, very organic and beautiful.
Art show and supply sale
The St. John’s United Artists, an informal group of local artists, are holding a showing and sale of the works they have produced this past year. There will be some very interesting paintings of various shapes and styles, mediums and prices. There will also be a sale of gently used (in some cases never used) art supplies from their studios.
The sale starts at 10 a.m., Friday, June 17 at St. John’s United Church in Davis Bay with an opening reception from 4 to 7 p.m., and continues Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The artists meet at 1 p.m. every Thursday at the church in Davis Bay to paint. New members who paint in any medium are welcome.
Love it or list it
Love It or List It Vacation Homes – which currently airs Mondays on W Network – is casting for homeowners on the Sunshine Coast. The show’s expert designer and real estate agent help owners decide whether to commit to their current vacation location or pack up and move on to their next vacation home.
For further information or casting inquiries, contact bccasting@bigcoatproductions.com
Noon deadline
Send your notice of arts events by Tuesday at noon for Friday’s newspaper to jandegrass@dccnet.com or phone 604-886-4692. Please include a contact phone number or email.
