The annual medieval Christmas music show Winter Harp is back, on Saturday Nov. 30 at 2:30 p.m. at Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt. Voices, harps, flutes, violins and rare instruments combine in poetry, percussion and song. Tickets at Strait Music in Sechelt and The Blackberry Shop in Gibsons. If you can’t get to Saturday’s performance, there’s another opportunity for a similar musical experience in two weeks, on Friday, Dec. 13, when two former members of Winter Harp, Janelle Nadeau and Joaquin Ayala, along with Sunshine Coast violinist Serena Eades, perform twice as the Nadeau Ensemble in a concert called A Prairie Christmas, at the Arts Centre in Sechelt Dec. 13.
Christmas spirit
The Pender Harbour Choir presents ‘Tis the Season!, a program of festive music, new and old. There will be three opportunities to see and hear the choir this weekend: Friday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. at St. Hilda’s Anglican Church in Sechelt, and Saturday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the School of Music in Madeira Park. Tickets are $20, at EarthFair in Pender Harbour, Strait Music in Sechelt, and at the door. Children 12 and under are free.
The Inspirito Vocal Ensemble, led by Sarona Mynhardt, presents We Dream a World on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1, at 3 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church 711 Park Rd., Gibsons. Tickets $18 at 778-888-4957 or [email protected].
Reel Youth
See a selection of the best short films made by young people from around the world, chosen by a jury of their peers, at the Reel Youth Film Festival, screening at Gibsons Public Library on Friday, Nov. 29, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Three short animated films made by local young people at an August workshop will also be shown publicly for the first time.
Chariandry
Celebrated novelist David Chariandry, winner of the Rogers Writers Trust Prize-winning and Giller Prize-nominated Brother, and the book-length letter to his daughter, I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You, will read from his work at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt on Saturday, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m. Admission by donation.
Radio Play
In an homage to a bygone media age, a troupe led by producer David Short will perform a radio play version of The Wizard of Oz at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons. Veteran local actors Mac Dodge, Richard Lund and Brian Harbison lead the cast. There will be two performances: Saturday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets $10 to $15.
Art in words
Watercolourist and geographer Hiroshi Shimazaki, whom we’ve profiled on these pages in recent weeks, will give a talk entitled Pilgrimage: A Life-Enriching Subject of Academic and Artistic Endeavour, on Sunday, Dec. 1 at Gibsons Public Art Gallery. A meet-the-artist session starts at 1 p.m., with the talk scheduled to start at 2 p.m. As you’ll see from Shimazaki’s dozens of excellent watercolours at the current gallery show, the artist and academic knows a lot about the subject.
Studio Dogs
Artist and author Nicola Morgan has come up with a lovely theme for a book: “Portraits of 18 working artists, and the dogs who keep them company, while keeping them inspired.” She’ll be launching the just-published 84-page book Studio Dogs on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Gibsons Public Market from 4:40 to 5:30 p.m.
Mad Hot Ballroom
The award-winning documentary Mad Hot Ballroom charms and inspires with profiles of New York City schoolchildren preparing for a city-wide ballroom dancing competition. “Warm, funny, serious, and irresistible, this engaging film will make you want to laugh, cry, and maybe do a little dancing yourself.” The Sunshine Coast Film Society will screen the film on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt, and in Gibsons on Monday, Dec. 9 and Tuesday the 10th, 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Playhouse.
More music
Mairi Rankin and Eric Wright – “Cape Breton fiddle meets old time cello” – play St. Bartholomew’s Church in Gibsons on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Adults $20, kids $10, tickets at the door.
Accomplished classical guitarist John Searles performs in the Gibsons Public Market atrium on Saturday, Nov. 30, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Monty Montego and the Rocksteady Crew were scheduled to play Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Lighthouse Pub in Sechelt. They have had to cancel; DJ Mama will fill in.
Submissions
If there’s an event you’d like considered for Art Beat, please let us know by 11 a.m. Tuesday at [email protected]. Space is limited and, regrettably, we can’t list everything. Also check Coast Reporter’s Coast Community Calendar for more music and events.
