Earth, Wind, Fire and Life

Enjoy a full spectacle of organ music, video visuals, and stimulating narration featuring commentary by CBC’s Bob McDonald – science guru, host of CBC’s Quirks & Quarks, and author of several books – topped off with exquisite music played by Jenny Vincent on the organ. Audiences will be enraptured by this fascinating, breathtaking, and entertaining programme, wrapped up with spectacular visuals on large screens. This is an event not to be missed.
The first performance on Vancouver Island last year sold out and received ecstatic praise from concert-goers. Bob McDonald, host of Quirks & Quarks  brings science to over 500,000 devoted CBC listeners weekly. He also is CBC’s science correspondent for The National and hosts Heads Up, a series for children. McDonald’s most recent book is Canadian Space Walkers : Hadfield, MacLean and Williams Remember the Ultimate High Adventure.
Jenny Vincent is organist at Knox United Church in Parksville.  She has played an eclectic mix of instruments over her career, ranging from the iconic Hammond B-3 jazz organ to a Casavant Frères 3000+ pipe organ. Jenny has performed throughout Canada and the United States.  “Jenny Vincent is a gifted organist with skill and dedication, who brings music to sparkling life”  ( David Drinkell, Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton ).  It is Jenny’s passion to make the organ a valued and accepted musical instrument in our mainstream society.

Fanfare for the Common Man                       Aaron Copland

(1900-1990)

         Arranged by Richard Lloyd

EARTH

Genesis of a Planet

Sabre Dance                                            Aram Khachaturian

         (1903-1978)

     Arranged by Friedemann Winklhofer

The Earth is Alive!

Aquarium                                                   Camille Saint-Saens

                                                                                 (1835-1921)    

                                           Transcribed by Ekaterina Melnikova

WIND

Making It Blow

The Ride of the Valkyries                             Richard Wagner

         (1813-1883)

                                                               Transcribed by Edwin Lemare

Our Protective Blanket

Deuxieme Arabesque                                   Claude Debussy

         (1862-1918)

                                                                 Transcribed by Leon Roques

FIRE

Ever Changing, Always the Same

.

Rondo in G                                                     Richard Ellsasser

                                                                                           (1926 – 1972)

                                                               Attributed to John Bull

Fire and Life

Magic Fire Music                                           Richard Wagner

                                                                                 (1813-1883)

                             Transcribed by Stokowski/James H Rogers

LIFE

Origins

Dance of the Water Spirits                     Hans-Andre Stamm    

(b.1958)

Life Elsewhere?

Maroondah Merzbau                                              Stephen Ingham

Transcriptions

Most of the music selections in this program are transcriptions of original works that have been scored for a different instrument or instruments. Usually transcriptions stay close to the original music but often become more of an arrangement with certain aspects of the piece changed to suit the composer and new instrumental needs.