Calendar – RCCO Vancouver Centre

VCT Orpheum Silent Movie Mondays: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde @ Orpheum Theatre

Oct 26 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Base on the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson and starring John Barrymore. Accompanied live by organist Edward Norman on the historic Wurlitzer organ.

Oct

Fri

2026

UBC Halloween Concert @ Roy Barnett Recital Hall, UBC School of Music

Tickets

Oct 30 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Works including:

Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 – J. S. Bach

Dance of the Knights – Sergei Prokofiev

Offrande and Alleluia final from Livre du Saint-Sacrement – Olivier Messiaen

Improvisations

Maria Gajraj completed her Doctoral studies at McGill University with Isabelle Demeres, was awarded First-Place in the RCCO Canadian National Organ Competition (2025) and was named in CBC’s Top 30 Classical Musicans under 30. She performs internationally at venues like Salle Bourgie, Maison Symphonique (Montreal), and the Orgelpark (Amsterdam) and in series such as Cal Performances (USA) and Bergen Orgelsommer (Norway). She is the Director of Music at St. Philip’s Anglican Church, Vancouver.

Alexander Weimann is one of the most sought-after ensemble directors, soloists, and chamber music partners of his generation. After traveling the world with ensembles like Tragicomedia, Cantus Cölln, Freiburger Barock Orchester, Gesualdo Consort and Tafelmusik, he now focuses on his activities as Music Director of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra in Vancouver and the Seattle Baroque Orchestra. He worked for several years as a vocal coach at the Université de Montréal and harpsichord teacher at McGill, and now teaches harpsichord, basso continuo and Early Music Ensemble at the UBC School of Music.

Church Tour @ St. James' Anglican Church

Tickets

Oct 30 @ 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

TOUR OF ST JAMES’ ANGLICAN CHURCH

St James Anglican Church is an exotic jewel of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In the midst of the area’s notorious poverty, its endurance, magnificent architecture and history of service make it a symbol of hope” (The Canadian Encyclopedia). Designed in 1935 by Adrian Gilbert Scott, a member of the architecturally renowned Scott family of England, the church is an octagon rising from a Greek Cross plan. Massive walls, tipped with Art Deco-influenced neo-Gothic, step up like a ziggurat to a pyramid belfry. Join PJ Janson for a guided tour of the historic St James’ Anglican Church to discover the fascinating architecture and beauty of this unique building, which famed Canadian architect Arthur Erickson has called the ‘best building in the city.’

Belfry Tour @ St. James' Anglican Church

Tickets

Oct 30 @ 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm

THE BELFRY OF ST JAMES’ ANGLICAN CHURCH

The bells of St James’ were cast in 1936 at Taylor’s of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. Shipped through the Panama Canal, they were installed at St James’ and first rung on Christmas Eve in 1937. Since then, their sound has been part of daily life in the neighbourhood. Now here is your chance to discover where that sound comes from. Climb the spiral staircase to the church’s steeple and into the historic belfry to see the bells up close, and have an opportunity to play them yourself ! Join tour guide PJ Janson for an unforgettable experience in the belfry as we bring to life the words of Canadian poet and song writer Leonard Cohen : “Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in !”

20th Annual Organ Canada (RCCO) Vancouver Halloween Organ Spooktacular @ St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church

Tickets

Oct 30 @ 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

The King of Instruments Meets the Ghosts, Ghouls

& Unforgettable Sounds of Halloween!

Bach meets Top Gun. Vierne meets Unsolved Mysteries. And the pipe organ does things you may never have imagined.

Join Organ Canada (RCCO) Vancouver Centre for a spectacular evening of spooky music, virtuosic playing, unexpected twists, and musical surprises as we celebrate the 20th Annual Halloween Concert!

This year’s programme starts with a wonderfully unexpected turn. Retired college music instructor Gilles Parenteau, a featured performer at previous Vancouver Halloween organ concerts, returns with his extraordinary fusion of pipe organ, orchestral, and percussion sounds. Pushing the boundaries of what the pipe organ can do, Gilles will perform the iconic Top Gun theme as well as Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand,”performed live using his innovative approach to the instrument.

Gilles’ unique sound is the result of years of experimentation, bringing the timeless power of the pipe organ together with modern sound technology to create a thrilling bridge between the classical and contemporary worlds. His recent performances have included appearances with the Calgary Symphony at Jack Singer Concert Hall in 2024 and at Prague Castle in 2025 for the Lobkowicz Royal Family.

And then, performers from across North America treat the audience to works ranging from the great masters of the organ to music inspired by the screen:

Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 – J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Isaac Howie

Introduction et Toccata (from Trois Esquisses) -Denis Bédard (b. 1950)

Jayden Liu

Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 – J. S. Bach

Matthew Li

Elfin Dance, Op. 12 No. 4 (from Peer Gynt Suite) and March of the Dwarfs, Op 54 No. 4 (from Lyric Suite) – Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), arr. Porter Heaps

Huiyuan (Cindy) Ma

Prelude in G minor, BuxWV 149 – Diderik Buxtehude(1637-1707)

Angelique Po

Tune in to Terror: A Tapestry of T.V. Themes – arr. Michael J. Park (b. 1983)

Michael J. Park

Dance of the Knights (from the ballet Romeo and Juliet) – Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), arr. Pierre Gouin

Maria Gajraj

Finale (from Symphony No. 2, Op. 20) – Louis Vierne (1870-1937)

Angela Kraft Cross

Costumes encouraged. Surprises expected.

Come celebrate two decades of Vancouver’s annual Halloween organ tradition, and discover just how spooky, spectacular and surprising the King of Instruments can be!

Admission

Admission is by donation. Registration is free, and as seating is limited we recommend reserving your spot in advance.

Registered guests will be admitted first. Reservations are held until 15 minutes before the concert, after which admission is subject to availability.

Reserve your spot now

zeffy.com/ticketing/halloween20

Nov

Sun

2026

Introduction to the Pipe Organ @ St. James' Anglican Church

Tickets

Nov 1 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

INTRODUCTION TO THE PIPE ORGAN

How does a pipe organ actually work? What do all those pipes, keyboards, pedals and stops do? And how can one instrument produce everything from the smallest whisper to a sound that can fill the whole church? Come and discover the historic pipe organ at St James’ up close. Director of Music Abraham Ross will take you behind the music to demystify how this remarkable instrument works and demonstrate the extraordinary range of sounds it can produce, from delicate flutes and quiet whispers to the great, powerful sound of the full organ. Whether you know nothing about pipe organs, play another keyboard instrument and are curious to discover this one, or are already an enthusiast, come and explore an instrument that is as fascinating to see as it is to hear.

Evensong for All Souls @ St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church

Tickets

Nov 1 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Sunday 1 November is the first Sunday of the month, which means the Choir of St. John’s, Shaughnessy will offer the traditional Anglican service of Choral Evensong at four o’clock in the afternoon.

This month’s music list:

Introit: Healey Willan, O how glorious
Responses: Eleanor Dunnet
Psalm 116: Percy W Whitlock
Canticles: Herbert Howells, Collegium Regale
Anthem: Edgar L Bainton, And I saw a new heaven
Voluntary: Olivier Messiaen, Joie et clartés des corps glorieux

On All Souls’ Day, we consider the dead, no longer with us, but finding their eternal joy in the company of God. Edgar Bainton’s setting of the Revelation text And I saw a new heaven paints this picture beautifully, comforting us that “God shall wipe away all tears”. Healey Willan’s O how glorious speaks to God’s creation surrounding him in the heavens. And Messiaen’s jazzy, exuberant, and mystical Joie et clartés presents us with the dazzling brightness of souls dancing in the afterlife.

Grieve our loss of friends and family, and meditate on the greater joy that will be when we rejoin them. May this service of Choral Evensong calm your spirit, lift up your soul, and grant you peace.

Evensong for All Souls @ St. Mary's Kerrisdale Anglican Church

Tickets

Nov 1 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Responses: Thomas Tallis
Psalm 130: Out from the Deep (Thomas Tallis)
Canticles: ‘Short’ Evening Service (Thomas Tallis)
Sung Prayer Responses: In the Midst of Pain (Michael Park/Roberta Fraser)
Anthem: And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears (Eleanor Daley)

Nov

Wed

2026

Open Vancouver Cantata Singers Rehearsal @ St. James' Anglican Church

Tickets

Nov 4 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

BEHIND THE MUSIC : AN OPEN REHEARSAL WITH THE VANCOUVER CANTATA SINGERS

What does it take to turn a page of music into a unified choral sound? Join the Vancouver Cantata Singers and Artistic Director Paula Kremer for a rare opportunity to experience the choir at work. Hear the singers rehearse repertoire for their upcoming concert and discover how individual voices become one ensemble through listening, blend, balance, rhythm and interpretation. With commentary from Paula Kremer, this informal open rehearsal offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process of one of Vancouver’s longstanding choral ensembles. Come for the music, stay for the discovery, and experience what happens before the applause.

Nov

Thu

2026

Solemn Requiem for All Souls @ St. James' Anglican Church

Tickets

Nov 5 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

SOLEMN REQUIEM FOR ALL SOULS

At this solemn service, we remember all who have died. We gather in remembrance, acknowledging the grief of loss while making space for reflection, hope and comfort. Led by Dr. Abraham Ross, St. James’ High Mass Choir will sing the Officium Defunctorum (1604) of Tomas Luis de Victoria, a seldom-heard yet stunning musical setting for choir in six parts. The Requiem brings together the voices of the choir in music that has long given expression to mourning and memory, providing comfort in the solace of music. Everyone is welcome to join us for this service of remembrance and solace.

October – November 2026 Oct – Nov 2026