VICO – The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra – brings a rich smorgasbord of sounds and rhythms to Kalispell for two performances: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at Flathead Valley Community College and 3 p.m. Sept. 23 at Flathead High Performance Hall. Glacier Symphony Maestro John Zoltek will conduct both performances, which mark the orchestra’s U.S. debut.
VICO has been called the “United Nations of music” by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for combining musical instruments and traditions of the Middle East in an intercultural Canadian context that spans borders, cultures and centuries.
VICO brings together musicians and composers from many cultural and artistic communities in the Greater Vancouver area, including Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Indian, Persian (Iranian), Latin and South American, Vietnamese, African, North American and European. Together, they forge “music that sounds like Vancouver looks.” (The Georgia Straight)
VICO won the city’s Cultural Harmony Award in 2012 and was labeled a “world music super-group” by the Vancouver Sun.
In September, for the first time in its 17-year history, the full orchestra is going on tour, making their U.S. debut at the invitation of Glacier Symphony, Orchestra and Chorale in Kalispell, and then traveling to Winnipeg, Manitoba, for their first-ever prairie appearance, hosted by Groundswell.
VICO’s inaugural performance took place Nov. 13, 2000, at Vancouver’s Sacred Music Festival. Since then VICO has commissioned and performed more than 50 new intercultural pieces by respected, ground-breaking Canadian composers.
In Kalispell, and uunder the direction of guest conductor Zoltek, the 21-piece VICO will perform new and recent compositions by Lan Tung, Jennifer Butler, Farshid Samandari, Niel Golden, Jim Hiscott, Mark Armanini and others.
Orchestra members look forward to sharing their unique brand of contemporary Canadian “orchestral intercultural fusion” with new audiences this fall. “We are proud to present Canadian artists, Canadian music and a uniquely Canadian approach to diversity in art, both nationally and internationally,” says artistic director Mark Armanini.
According to the orchestra’s website, VICO’s mission is to be “a fresh and relevant voice in the contemporary music of our country … a creative force for innovation, diversity and understanding.”
To purchase tickets call 406-407-7000 or visit www.glaciersymphony.org.