“Fluidity in Diversity” can mean many things. In the context of Lunar New Year, it refers to how musicians from a broad range of backgrounds will come together at the Orpheum Theatre on Monday (January 27) to ring in the Year of the Snake.
Like humans, modern snakes are incredibly diverse, with more than 3,700 species around the world. These fluid reptiles range from tiny leaf eaters to pythons that can consume mammals as large as an antelope.
The annual LunarFest concert, entitled Fluidity in Diversity, will once again feature musicians from the East and West. Tickets are available through Showpass.com for the show, which comes in advance of Lunar New Year’s arrival on Wednesday (January 29).
One of the headliners is Suona Gang, a Taipei-based group of young musicians re-imagining a classical Chinese instrument in contemporary jazz and folk music. Meanwhile, Harmonia Ensemble, conducted by Nicholas Urquhart, will return to perform western classical and Asian music. Founded by viola player Tony Lee in 2004, the orchestra changed its name to Harmonia in 2018 to reflect the high quality of musicianship.
Urquhart is also associate conductor with the West Coast Symphony and Ambleside Orchestra, as well as a music teacher. In the past, he has served as assistant conductor with the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kelowna Pops Orchestra. Urquhart has a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Victoria, a degree in music education from the University of British Columbia, and a master’s degree in music curriculum and pedagogy from Acadia University.
Diversity in musical choices
Harmonia’s program includes eight compositions ranging from Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished”, 1st movement, to a traditional arrangement of “Mo Li Hua” (“Jasmine Flower”). The ensemble will close with Victor Herbert’s Serenade for Strings, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th movements.
In addition, Harmonia will demonstrate more diversity in performing three collaborations with the West Vancouver Youth Band, which Urquhart also conducts. One of the pieces is Johannes Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No. 5. They will also perform two Asian songs, King of Mandopop Jay Chou’s “Chrysanthemum Terrace” and Chen-Yi Lee’s “Temple Square”.
The LunarFest Concert will also feature two young violin soloists, Michiyo Yu and Hyden Ho, who formed the award-winning Corner Duo in 2021. They will perform Pablo Sarasate’s Navarra for Two Violins with Harmonia.
Yu is in Grade 8 at Lord Byng Secondary School, where she’s enrolled in the Byng Arts Strings Program. She captures first prize at the 2023 Canadian Music Competition.
Ho has won top prizes at the Vancouver Kiwanis Festival and VAYA International Festival. A Grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School, he’s also in the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra.
LunarFest Vancouver presents Fluidity in Diversity at 7 p.m. on Monday (January 27) at the Orpheum Theatre. Ticket prices range from $8 to $18 and are available through Showpass.com.
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