Events

Upcoming Concerts

Nova Scotia Tour May 25 to June 2

Gillian Smith Violin and Jennifer King, piano

(Halifax, NS) Violin-Piano Duo Nova Scotia Tour

Award-winning East Coast pianist Jennifer King and violinist Gillian Smith are passionate advocates for new Canadian music, especially for music written by women.
They are taking their program of Canadian and Romantic favourites for violin and piano, solo violin and solo piano to the South Shore and northern Nova Scotia (with a
stop in Halifax) from May 25 to June 2.

The five-concert tour includes dates in Truro (May 25, Marigold Cultural Centre, 7:30 p.m.), New Glasgow (May 27, Trinity United Church, 7:30 p.m.), Halifax (May 28,
Maritime Conservatory of the Performing Arts, 2:00 p.m.), Shelburne (June 1, Osprey Arts Centre, 7:30 p.m.) and Lunenburg (June 2, St. John’s Church, 7:30 p.m.). Tickets
are available at the door and are $20 for adults and $10 for students.

The musical duo has been performing together since 2014 and are ECMA nominees and/or winners. Repertoire includes music by Nova Scotian composers Amy Brandon and Derek Charke, Carmen Braden and Adam Vincent Clarke, as well as works by Kevin Lau, Debussy, J.S. Bach and Eugène Ysaÿe.

Spirited and sensitive, Jennifer King is a versatile
pianist who enjoys exploring the world of classical music in the 21st century. Her remarkable career spans three decades and the impact of her artistry has inspired the
dedication of piano works and a growing number of commissions. King’s countless contributions to musical life in the province have been celebrated with an Award of Appreciation from the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.

Frequently heard on CBC radio, she released her first recording,
O Mistress Moon in 2018. In 2022, Jennifer released O Mistress Moon:Canadian Edition. Distributed by Leaf Music, Halifax, this set of twelve piano works has been praised for its “dramatic out of this world sonic listening” (The Whole Note). It won Classical Album of the Year at the 2023 ECMAs. 

Hailed as a “rising star” by The Whole Note magazine, Nova Scotian violinist Gillian Smith (www.gilliansmithviolin.com) has performed widely throughout Nova Scotia as a soloist and chamber musician. Her album Into the Stone, released on the Leaf Music label (2019), features works for solo violin by five Canadian women composers. La Scena Musicale wrote of the album, “Gillian Smith demonstrates a great skill and mastery...magnificently appropriates Canadian repertoire.” It was nominated for an ECMA award for Classical Recording of the Year in 2020.

Gillian is excited to have commissioned five new works for solo violin from composers Carmen Braden, Amy Brandon, Derek Charke, Corie Rose Soumah, and Hsiu-Ping (Patrick) Wu. A recording featuring these works will be released on the Leaf Music label in November 2023. She gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for this project.

This concert tour is funded by Arts Nova Scotia and NS Gaming Support 4 Culture.

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Previous events

For tonight’s program, three of Halifax’s finest musicians bring us a program of romantic and lush music for piano trio: a brief gem from Schubert; French lyricism from Mel Bonis; and Anton Arensky’s impassioned and generously melodic Trio No. 1.

Isabelle Fournier, violin; Hilary Brown, cello; Jennifer King, piano

Franz Schubert - Notturno in E-flat major, Op. 148, D. 897

Mel Bonis - Soir et Matin, Op.76

Anton Arensky - Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32

$35 for Adults $25 for those 30 and under

The third fall performance in our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts, presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, brings cellist India Gailey together with our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King. The pair will perform a warm and intimate program containing Dutch-Jewish composer Henriette Bosmans' hauntingly beautiful 1917 work "Arietta", Erik Satie's atmospheric "Gymnopedie" No. 3, and the airy yet intricate "Halcyon" by Canadian composer Jocelyn Morlock. Also featured is French composer Nadia Boulanger's post-impressionistic 3 Pieces for Cello and Piano I. Modere, and set of traditional Spanish songs arranged for cello and piano by the composer Manuel de Fallaas, as well as works by composers who are always audience favourites, including Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, and Antonio Vivaldi. Sensory-Accessible Concerts are designed to be welcoming, friendly, and accessible for autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members of all ages and their families. They are open to the public free of charge on select Sunday afternoons at the Halifax Central Library's Paul O'Regan Hall. Seating is limited, and registration is required.

India Gailey is a cellist and composer who performs most often in the realms of classical and experimental music. Named by CBC as one of 2022’s “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30,” she has been the recipient of numerous honours, including awards from Arts Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Talent Trust, the Canada Council for the Arts, and McGill & Acadia Universities. She is a member of the improvisational quartet New Hermitage and frequently works with living composers, visual artists, filmmakers, and dancers to create exploratory works of interdisciplinary art. Energetic and insightful, Jennifer King is a versatile, award-winning pianist who is equally at home as a soloist or a collaborator on the concert stage. With a career spanning almost three decades, she has established herself as a sought-after performer and recording artist in the region. She performs with many respected soloists and multidisciplinary artists throughout the Maritimes.

FREE OF CHARGE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Nov27

We are celebrating Canada Music Week this year with a special concert on Sunday, November 27, 2:00 PM at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts. This concert will be a collaborative event with the Contemporary Showcase Festival, Maritimes and we are delighted to join forces and to be able to perform in the lovely Lilian Piercey Concert Hall.

The first part of the concert will be performers from the Festival entries that are chosen by the adjudicators of that event, which happens November 20-23.

After that, our guest artist, Jennifer King, a well known pianist, educator and recording artist, will introduce and perform selections from her latest recording - “O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition.” This recording features 12 contemporary piano works, some of which Jennifer commissioned from Atlantic Canadian composers. The pieces are linked to the monthly full moons and their names in both Mi’kmaq culture and folkloric tradition. We are very excited to have Ms. King introduce us to her album Canadian music which has received a nomination for Classical Album of the Year with Music Nova Scotia.

After Jennifer King’s presentation, we will hear students of Halifax Chapter teachers performing Canadian or original compositions. We will also hear some winners of the Nova Scotia Student Composer Competition.

Please come join us in celebrating Canadian composers!

Free

The second fall performance in our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts (formerly Sensory-Friendly Concerts), presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, features percussionist Ken Shorley and our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King. This dynamic pair performs a cross-cultural exploration of music travelling from Africa through Europe and includes original compositions on a wide range of percussion instruments mixed with piano – sure to spark the imagination. The program includes the traditional dance Pomaško Sirto, a work that celebrates the Muslim inhabitants of Bulgaria; French composer Erik Satie's gorgeous Gnossienne No. 1, arranged here for piano and percussion; Bowl Bells from Lou Harrison's east-meets-west Varied Trio; along with original works composed by Ken Shorley, including Still Waiting, Atmospheres, and Locked in Orbit. Sensory-Accessible Concerts are designed to be welcoming, friendly, and accessible for autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members of all ages and their families. They are open to the public free of charge on select Sunday afternoons at the Halifax Central Library's Paul O'Regan Hall. Seating is limited, and registration is required.

Ken Shorley is a Canadian percussionist and composer specializing in the hand drumming traditions of the Middle East and India. A faculty member with the Acadia University School of Music, he is based in Wolfville, but his musical passions have taken him to many parts of the globe. He has been a featured performer at the Halifax Jazz Festival, Sound Symposium, Prismatic Festival, Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Sunfest, Mosaiq Festival, Deep Roots Music Festival, and on national broadcasts for CBC Radio. Energetic and insightful, Jennifer King is a versatile, award-winning pianist who is equally at home as a soloist or a collaborator on the concert stage. With a career spanning almost three decades, she has established herself as a sought-after performer and recording artist in the region. She performs with many respected soloists and multidisciplinary artists throughout the Maritimes.

Join Music Nova Scotia and Canadian Music Centre Atlantic at the Highland Arts Centre for an afternoon of classical and jazz performances by: Jennifer King Catherine Little The Charke Cormier Duo Maureen Batt and Grej James Shaw Quartet Doors open at 12:30pm and performances start at 1pm. View the full Nova Scotia Music Week schedule at nsmw.ca

Timi Levy is a professional violinist, originally from Budapest, Hungary. She has performed throughout Europe as a solo violinist and also as a chamber and orchestral musician. Timi is known as a highly- skilled artist, chamber musician, and violin instructor. She currently performs and teaches not only in her home town of Parrsboro, NS, but also throughout Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. She has performed with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and both the National and Alberta Ballet Companies, and now performs regularly with the PEI and New Brunswick Symphony Orchestras. In addition, she serves as concertmaster in Halifax’s Nova Sinfonia. Locally, Timi is one of the founding members of the Classics by the Bay music festival in Parrsboro. Pianist Jennifer King is known as an energetic, insightful and versatile musician who is at home as a collaborator, soloist and speaker on the concert stage. “King’s sensitive performances make for moving listening”. (The Wholenote). “King creates an introspective and meditative universe, both serene and lively”. (Panm360) Jennifer holds a Master of Music in Performance from McGill University with post-graduate diplomas from the University of Reading and the Royal Academy of Music in London. She has received numerous prestigious awards including two Nova Scotia Talent Trust awards. With a busy career spanning almost three decades, she has established herself as a sought-after performer and recording artist in Atlantic Canada and has been featured on CBC Radio 2 and Ici-Musique. The program to be presented by Timi and Jennifer will include works by Bach, Bartok, Debussy, Greig and Schubert. Tickets are $20. Children and youth over 7 and under the age of 18, accompanied by an adult ticket-holder, will be admitted free of charge. Tickets are $10 for Mount Allison music students. Advance tickets are now available at Trinity-St. Stephen’s United Church Office, Ratchford Street, Amherst or by calling 902-667-8483 during weekday business hours, 9-4. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Tickets will also be available at the door.

The first performance in the second season of our series of Sensory-Accessible Concerts (formerly Sensory-Friendly Concerts), presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, features bassoonist Gabe Azzie and our host, curator, and pianist Jennifer King performing a fun collection of works by composers Johann Friedrich Fasch, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Edward Elgar, as well as two familiar medleys by John Williams from the Harry Potter and Star Wars movies including the much-loved Cantina Band song.

Named one of CBC Music's 30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30 in 2022, Gabe Azzie is Principal Bassoonist with Symphony Nova Scotia. He graduated from Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and the University of Ottawa, and has performed frequently with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau. Energetic and insightful, Jennifer King is a versatile, award-winning pianist who is equally at home as a soloist or a collaborator on the concert stage. With a career spanning almost three decades, she has established herself as a sought-after performer and recording artist in the region. She performs with many respected soloists and multidisciplinary artists throughout the Maritimes.

Our Sensory-Accessible Concerts, presented in partnership with the Halifax Central Library, are specifically designed to be welcoming, friendly, and accessible for autistic, neurodivergent, and intellectually disabled community members and their families. They are open to the public free of charge on select Sunday afternoons at the Halifax Central Library's Paul O'Regan Hall. Seating is limited, and registration is required.

Beginning again Sept 18th 2pm

Sunday Music in the Garden Room is a series of free classical music concerts, all are welcome to attend.

Concerts are sponsored by the Associated Alumni of Acadia University, and the Garden Room is provided free of charge under the auspices of the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre.

Aug22

One of the largest annual gatherings of Commonwealth Parliamentarians will take place at the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) hosted by the CPA Canada Region in Halifax, Canada from August 20 to 26, 2022. The annual flagship event will bring together over 500 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decision makers from across the Commonwealth to address the critical issues facing today’s Parliaments.

The CPA’s annual conference offers the opportunity for Members to benefit from networking, professional development, supportive learning and the sharing of best practice with colleagues from Commonwealth Parliaments together with the participation of leading international organisations.

The 65th CPC Conference will be hosted by the CPA President (2019-2022), the Hon. Anthony Rota, MP, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.

During the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there will also be a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 38th CPA Small Branches Conference; 7th triennial conference of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP); 65th CPA General Assembly; meetings of the CPA Executive Committee; and the Society of Clerks at the Table (SoCATT) meetings.

The forthcoming annual conference will also hold elections for the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee; the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians; the Chairperson of the CPA Small Branches; and the CPA Treasurer for new terms of office.

The third and final concert in the series features Symphony Nova Scotia's French horn player Mary Lee and violinist Isabelle Fournier with pianist Jennifer King performing fun and contrasting works from the Romantic Era by composers Edward Elgar, Charles Gounod, Claude Debussy, and more.

The second concert this season features award-winning cellist Norman Adams with pianist Jennifer King performing a range of Romantic to Contemporary works designed for calm introspection and contemplation. Composers include Camille Saint-Saëns, Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann, and more.

This first concert in the series, presented as part of Baroque Fest, features award-winning flutist Derek Charke with pianist Jenifer King performing an engaging program of works from the Baroque era with featured composers including Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Philipp Telemann, Johann Sebastian Bach, and more.