New West: a destination for classical music

They may be called the Vancouver Chamber Music Society (VCMS), but the venue of the opening to their season will not be in Vancouver: it will be on the North Shore, with dates to follow in Delta and New West. 

It’s because artistic director and founder Kevin Park says they want to change the way people access classical music by finding venues that will reach a wider audience. 

“We want to break that barrier of high quality classical concerts being synonymous with downtown Vancouver. We want it to make it more accessible and affordable for the larger public,” he tells New West Anchor. 

Park, who is also a cellist, is gearing up for a busy season: he’s part of a team that will be bringing compositions by Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, and Haydn—to name a few—to the Anvil Centre later this month. 

The VCMS is made up of artists from the Lower Mainland, and will often welcome guests from other cities. As an example, one of this year’s guests includes Yoojin Jang, an assistant professor of violin at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She’s taken a number of top awards, including first prize at the 2016 Sendai International Music Competition. 

“She’s probably the youngest violin professor [at Eastman], which is the top music school in the US, or probably in the world,” says Park. Jang will be joined by pianist Henry Kramer, who has taken home high honours at competitions in places like Brussels, China, and Montreal—where he now lives. 

Park says it’s important to connect with a variety of musicians, and in turn connect them with a wide variety of audiences, because music really is for everyone. Park attended high school at Burnaby South, and was awarded a full scholarship to study at the University of North Texas. His love of classical music has always been a constant in being able to meet people from all over the world. 

It’s also taught him lessons about always working to improve himself, through practice and discipline. 

“The time that you sit in the chair in front of the music stands, that doesn’t lie. If you don’t put in the hard work and the focus, the result? There will be no surprise,” explains Park, who says exposure to music—whether playing or listening—can always enhance our skills. 

“We are always put into this situation, whether that’s being in an ensemble, or the smaller groups, you have to learn how to play together with others, and lead others playing…if you do your own thing and you disregard what others are doing, you screw up everything,” notes Park. 

New Westminster will not be the only city outside of Vancouver you’ll be able to find VCMS: there will also be performances in North Vancouver, in Coquitlam, and South Delta. Park says it was important to him that they reach more suburban communities.

“When I brought up the idea, I spoke to our board members and our fellow musicians. I said, ‘hey I want to bring concerts to New West,’ and they were like, ‘what are you thinking?’” Park, who previously lived in New West, shared his experiences with the board members, and noted how central it was for others to get there. 

Be sure to take a look at the full program for the 2022-2023 season.