Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre hosts top instrumentalists Cascadia Reed Quintet

Step out of your comfort zone and into an intimate setting dedicated to the understated reed instruments.

The Cascadia Reed Quintet, presented by the Kamloops Symphony Chamber, will play at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on Friday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The group is made up of top woodwind players from around Vancouver. The reed quintet, a unique instrumental ensemble less than 30 years old, includes only instruments that use a reed to produce sound.

“So that the individual tones blend together naturally,” Cascadia’s saxophonist Colin MacDonald said.

The Cascadia Reed Quintet comprises of an oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, and bass clarinet and covers a broad music style.

“Our repertoire ranges from the baroque keyboard music of Jean-Philippe Rameau, to an arrangement of a Mozart serenade, to some pieces by living composers who are more influenced by jazz and world music,” MacDonald said.

“We think the program will appeal to anyone who is interested in hearing the instruments of the woodwind section of the orchestra in an intimate setting, played with virtuosity and style.”

Program:

Box Office:

When: Friday, Jan 22 at 7:30p.m.

Tickets: $15. Buy tickets online and access online discounts here. Enter promo code revmountaineer for a special online-only 5% discount.

Watch below: Dutch group the Calefax Reed Quintet provided inspiration to begin the Cascadia Reed Quintet.

Who are the talented Cascadia Reed Quintet players?

Marea Chernoff, oboe, is an active freelance musician based out of Vancouver and is currently principal oboe with the Kamloops Symphony and Lions Gate Sinfonia in North Vancouver. Marea has played with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Broadway Across Canada, Ballet B.C., CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra.

Christopher Lee, clarinet, is currently principal clarinet of Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra and occasionally performs with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Victoria Symphony Orchestra. He is also devoted to teaching and conducting and he joined the clarinet faculty of Vancouver Academy of Music since 2014. Lee has appeared as a soloist with many orchestras including Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Pilgrim Orchestra, The Korean Clarinet Orchestra and VYSO.

Colin MacDonald is a freelance saxophonist, composer and arranger living in Vancouver. He teaches classical saxophone at Douglas College and St. George’s Boys School. In 2006 he formed his own chamber orchestra, The Colin MacDonald Pocket Orchestra, to present his original works. Colin’s debut CD Circle of Wind containing his chamber compositions for saxophone was released in 2011.

Olivia Martin, bassoon, is a busy freelance musician performing in a number of ensembles around B.C. Based out of Vancouver, she has been Principal Bassoonist in the Kamloops Symphony since 2002 and has played with the Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra since 1999. A graduate of the University of Victoria, she performs regularly with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Lions Gate Sinfonia and the Okanagan Symphony.

AK Coope, bass clarinet, performs with an eclectic array of ensembles, including the Vancouver Symphony, Turning Point, Vancouver New Music and Victoria’s Aventa Ensemble, among many others. For over 10 years she has been a member of Standing Wave, one of Canada’s leading new music chamber ensembles. She can also be heard on countless CD recordings and film sound tracks, from Dan Mangan to Disney. AK is a faculty member at both the Vancouver Academy of Music and at the VSO School of Music.