Apricity – A Free Virtual Concert

About the Performance

Apricity is a special word meaning to feel the warmth of the sun in winter; a fitting name for a concert that aims to bring extra warmth and joy this Christmas season.

KnoxVan Events is over joyed to have some musicians from the previous Instrumental Measures Series this past summer and fall volunteer to join us again for a very special and collective performance. Each group or musician will be performing a winter favorite in celebration of the season.

About the Performers

Kurt Chen, Christian Bailey & Anican Yu – Performing Silent Night

Kurt Chen (violin), Christian Bailey (Viola) and Anican Yu (piano) have an innate talent for improvisation and performing by ear, which means that this group can play almost any requested song given fair notice ahead of time to prepare without the need to arrange sheet music! Their strengths lie in repertoire consisting of jazz, ballads, and pop songs. Throughout the summer of 2019, the pair played together at many occasions throughout the Vancouver area. Their versatility allows them to play anywhere – as long as there is a piano or an outlet for an electronic piano!

Rosea – Performing Angels We Have Heard On High/the First Noel

Rosea, formed by flautist, Kelly Li, violinist, Ayumi Yaesawa, and pianist, Vanessa Mak, blossomed first as a friendship. The three met in their first year at the University of British Columbia and are now in their fourth year of studies. It was this budding friendship that led to the decision to form a musical ensemble. 

Rosea’s first gig was at the Alzheimer’s cafe, which is a monthly event held for seniors with Alzheimers to learn about their disorder and to make friends. It was a wonderful and eye-opening experience.

Since then, they have performed at various events around Vancouver and built up their repertoire considerably, to include movie favourites and old-time classics on top of our home genre of classical music.

Artemisia Duo – Performing Waltz of the Flowers

Formed in 2015, Artemisia Duo is an ensemble comprised of flutist Emily Richardson and pianist Susan Xia. The name Artemisia draws upon the root “Artemis”, the Greek goddess of wild animals and the moon. It also has a long history in the arts as the name of an accomplished female painter in the Baroque period. In addition, the word Artemisia combines segments of each of the members’ names with the word “art”, signifying their collaborative approach to creating music.

Both graduates of the UBC School of Music, Emily and Susan have learned from renowned musicians including Corey Hamm and Christie Reside. They have both made names for themselves, with Emily selected as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada for 2018 and Susan featured as a soloist with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra. Artemisia Duo is currently coached by Terence Dawson.

Connor Page & Leanne Page – Performing Taladh Chriosda (Christ Child Lullaby)

Connor Page – Pianist, harpsichordist, and frequent multi-instrumentalist Connor Page is currently completing a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of British Columbia, where he has had the privilege of studying with Terence Dawson and Alexander Weimann among other gifted teachers. An enthusiast for early music performance and historical keyboard technique, Connor also enjoys exploring repertoires and practices ranging from jazz to Celtic traditional music. He considers it an especial pleasure, particularly in these times, to make music—guitar and Irish whistles in hand—with his mother, Leanne, and to join her in bringing you some of the rich and beautiful music of the Celtic harp this Christmas season.

Leanne Page – a Celtic harpist and classically trained singer based in Surrey, B.C, is a passionate musician who is enchanted both by the rich and ancient history of the harp and by its magical voice. Her performances reflect her love for a variety of genres from classical to sacred to popular, yet she is continually drawn to traditional music because of its deep connection to the land, its people and its lore. In 2019, she traveled to Ireland, Scotland and Wales where she immersed herself in the study of the harp whilst rambling many a mountain and moor. It is with pleasure that she joins her son to share her love of song in this special virtual concert.

About “Tàladh Chrìosda” (Christ Child Lullaby) is a Gaelic hymn traditionally sung on Christmas Eve on the islands of Barra, South Uist, and Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Although the melody, which exists in several versions, is a Scottish folk-tune, the words were penned by the Reverend Father Ranald Rankin (1799-1862), who left the verses to his Highland congregation before emigrating to Australia. We chose this song to share with you a haunting and tender expression of Hebridean folk-melody and of the hope that fills this time of Christmas.

Sodam Lee – Performing O Holy Night

Sodam Lee is a lyric coloratura soprano with a warm and colorful voice. She has performed leading roles in operas and soloists in oratorios and mass settings including Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, F.Poulenc’s Gloria, and R.V.Williams’ Dona nobis pacem, etc. She also performed in Germany and Czech Republic, and had a huge success with a lot of compliments.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the KNU President’s Award for Graduate of Honour (Bachelor’s), and two times of the People’s Favorite Choice Award in the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions. Sodam discovered her love of opera when she first learned to sing with her father, Euichun Lee.

She completed her Bachelor’s at Kyungpook National University under Professor Soyoung Yoo, and recently graduated with a Master’s under the guidance of Professor Nancy Hermiston at University of British Columbia. Currently, she performs as a professional opera singer and teaches voice not only operatic vocal but also choir, musical and pop vocal, and piano as well.