NYE Concert: Rising Stars

Celebrate this New Year’s Eve by supporting live classical music featuring some of the Okanagan’s most talented artists on the rise.

If you are looking for some entertainment to uplift and celebrate, “Rising Stars” featuring some of the most outstanding talent in the classical music genre may be just the ticket. This benefit concert on Friday, December 31, 2021 will honour the musical contributions of local pianist, Arnold Draper.

A New Year’s Eve 2 pm Matinee performance brings together eight highly accomplished young classical musicians from across the Okanagan.  The young musicians featured are no strangers to the stage, as they have already achieved multiple awards and some even international recognition.  

Denise Griswold, concert organizer, knew that many of these performers would be returning home over the holidays from their course of studies, and would be eager to perform for a live audience since concerts were cancelled during the pandemic. 

With the expert guidance of Rosemary Thomson, Music Director and Conductor of the OSO, a diverse program including solo piano, flute, and strings in trio and piano quintet combinations are to be performed by multiple young artists with Ms. Thomson at times accompanying at the keyboard. Former vocal proteges of Alexandra Babbel will also take the stage. Works include compositions by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Mendelssohn.  

The list of Okanagan performers includes two graduates of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music: Alicia Venables (violin) and Nicholas Denton Protsack (cello); Julliard School graduate, Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (piano); Olivia Smith (soprano) currently studying at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; Thomas Bauer (flute) Univ. Of Victoria; and other rising stars.  

Mr. Draper was recently honoured by the Chamber Music Kelowna Society for his tremendous contribution to the arts community and for enriching the lives of young Okanagan artists through his mentorship.

This Fund, which is held by the Central Okanagan Foundation, was initiated by Denise Griswold, a Past President of CMK, to provide financial support as well as performance opportunities for promising young artists in the Okanagan Valley. The balance in the fund at COF at the end of our last fiscal year in April 2021 was $10,725.
 
Donations to the Arnold Draper Fund for Young Artists will be accepted at this event by cheque only, payable to Chamber Music Kelowna Society. CMK will then match donations to the fund at 50% (to a maximum contribution by CMK of $10,000) and remitted to the COF before the end of our current fiscal year to add to the Fund. Donations may also be made via our website.

Ticket Information

Tickets for Rising Stars are available online and in advance only at eventbrite.ca; adult tickets are $25 and youth/student tickets are $15 (plus a small service fee). Please click here this to purchase tickets on eventbrite.ca
NOTE: Under current orders issued by the Provincial Health Officer, proof of vaccination and photo ID is required for all in attendance, and masks must be worn. 

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