Calendar
Sunday 7 June 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:
- Voluntary: Herbert Howells, Psalm Prelude, Op.32, No.2
- Introit: Thomas Tallis, Verily, verily I say unto you
- Responses: Richard Ayleward
- Psalm 110: James Turle
- Canticles: Herbert Howells, Collegium Regale
- Anthem: John Ireland, Greater love hath no man
- Voluntary: Dieterich Buxtehude, Praeludium in D, BuxWV 139
Come listen to the lofty lines of Herbert Howells‘ setting of the Magnificat, inspired by the vaulted ceiling of King’s College Chapel; encounter the sacrificial love of God in John Ireland‘s ubiquitous anthem; enter into the mystery of the eucharist through the father of English church music, Thomas Tallis. A 500-year-old tradition, Choral Evensong provides peace and prayer amidst our work and worry, inviting us to hear God’s beauty and hold to hope.
St John’s, Shaughnessy
1490 Nanton Ave (@ Granville St)
Vancouver, BC
Hymns: SNC 56, O Blest Creator, SNC 122
Responses: William Byrd (c. 1540-1623)
Psalm: 34
Canticles: C.V. Stanford (1852-1924) Evening Service in G
Anthem: William H. Harris (1883-1973) Bring us O Lord
While we know and love Bach for his cantatas, oratorios, concertos, and chamber music, he never seems more himself than on the organ. His writings for the ‘king of all instruments’ (W.A. Mozart) open the gates to an entire universe of harmony and polyphony, achieving a degree of freedom impossible for any other instrument, and allowing for a unique window into Bach’s mind.
The pieces chosen for this recital on the renowned Pasi organ at the West Vancouver United Church touch on the four pillars of Bach’s organ work: Toccata and Fugue, Concerto, Sonata and Chorale Prelude.
Generously sponsored by The Graham & Gayle Cooke Foundation.
PROGRAMME
J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750)
5th Trio Sonata BWV 529
‘An Wasserflüssen’ BWV 653
Passacaglia & Fugue BWV 582
Concerto BWV 593
Toccata & Fugue BWV 538
‘Vor deinen Thron’ BWV 668
The internationally renowned keyboard artist Alexander Weimann has spent his life enveloped by the therapeutic power and beauty of making music. Alex grew up in Munich. At age three he became fascinated by the intense magic of the church organ. He started piano at six, formal organ lessons at 12 and harpsichord at university (along with theatre theory, medieval Latin and jazz piano.) He is in huge demand as a director, soloist and chamber player, traveling the world with leading North American and European ensembles. He is Artistic Director of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra in Vancouver and teaches at the University of British Columbia where he directs the Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Programme.
Alex has appeared on more than 100 recordings, including the Juno-award-winning album “Prima Donna” with Karina Gauvin and Arion Baroque orchestra. His latest album series “The Art of Improvisation” (Volume 1: A Prayer for Peace; Volume 2: Ad libitum; and Volume 3: Canavian Variations, released on Redshift, 2024) unites his passions for both baroque music and improvisation on organ, harpsichord, and piano.
Artists: Maria Gajraj, organetto; Len Torrie, voice, Isabelle Douailly-Backman, medieval fiddle. (Mentored by Benjamin Bagby)
This is a free event in collaboration with the Vancouver Public Library – event registration is required.
As part of the 2026 Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival, the Vancouver Public Library is presenting a very special concert of medieval music performed by visiting ensemble COMTESSA.
COMTESSA is a Montreal-based ensemble that brings the music of the 11th to 15th centuries to life through dynamic performances and meticulous research. Using medieval period instruments, the ensemble offers audiences an immersive journey into the soundscapes of medieval music. Featuring women and nonbinary performers, COMTESSA showcases a fresh perspective on this timeless repertoire.
Maria Gajraj, Organetto
Organist Maria Gajraj recently received her Doctorate from McGill University in Montreal. Her research focused on 20th-century Caribbean organ repertoire. A recipient of the Godfrey Hewitt Scholarship (2022) and other awards, and first prize winner in the 2025 RCCO National Organ Competition, her doctoral research was funded by the FRQ (Fonds de Recherche du Quebec). She is the executive director of COMTESSA, co-founder of Sapphonix Collective, which promotes women, queer, and racialized classical musicians, and has been featured on CBC Radio.
Maria has performed internationally, at venues like Salle Bourgie, Maison Symphonique, and the Orgelpark (Amsterdam) and in series such as Cal Performances (USA) and Bergen Orgelsommer (Norway). She has recently accepted the position of Music Director at St. Philip’s Anglican Church here in Vancouver, and will start there this fall
Len Torrie, voice
Isabelle Douailly-Backman, Medieval Fiddle
Isabelle Douailly-Backman (she/her/they/them) is a Montreal-based historical string player. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Montreal to pursue a degree in modern viola at McGill University. There she discovered a love for early music and has since completed a B.Mus in Baroque Viola and a M.Mus in Baroque Violin from McGill University under the tutelage of Hélène Plouffe and Olivier Brault.
Benjamin Bagby, Ensemble Mentor
Vocalist, harper and medievalist Benjamin Bagby has been an important figure in the field of medieval musical performance for over 40 years. Since 1977, when he and the late Barbara Thornton co-founded Sequentia, his time has been almost entirely devoted to the research, performance and recording work of the ensemble.
Apart from this, Mr. Bagby is deeply involved with the solo performance of Anglo-Saxon and Germanic oral poetry: his acclaimed performance of Beowulf has been heard worldwide and was released as a DVD in 2007. In 2017, he was awarded the Artist of the Year Award by REMA, the European Early Music Network. In addition to researching and creating over 75 programs for Sequentia, Mr. Bagby has published widely, writing about medieval performance practice; as a guest lecturer and professor, he has taught courses and workshops all over Europe and North America. Between 2005 and 2018 he taught medieval music performance practice at the Sorbonne – University of Paris. He currently teaches medieval music performance at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany.
Organist Tina Christiansen brings her extensive international experience to Vancouver for a concert that highlights her deep engagement with organ repertoire across centuries and cultures. A graduate of The Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and a soloist since 2013, she has built a performance career spanning more than 90 concerts throughout Europe and Russia, including appearances at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London.
Tina frequently appears as a recitalist and chamber musician, and she has contributed to the organ’s repertoire through world premieres by contemporary composers. Her recordings and performances with ensembles like the Doppler Duo have drawn attention for their clarity, precision, and detail, illustrating the organ’s expressive possibilities in both historic and modern contexts.
Presented in one of Vancouver’s resonant venues, this concert offers listeners a chance to hear an artist whose career reflects both tradition and thoughtful exploration. Tina’s musicianship is informed by years of international touring, deep familiarity with historical instruments, and a commitment to making organ music enjoyable to audiences.
Join us for a fun-filled evening of spooky and scary music! Come in costume!
Treats for kids (and the young at heart) after the concert.
More info to come this fall.
In collaboration with the St. James Music Series.
More info to come in the spring of 2027
More details to come later in 2026 and in early 2027.
Will include concerts by renowned performers, workshops, masterclasses, and the RCCO National Organ Competition.