Acrpost: A Project of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres

Event Description

Hexaphone, Victoria’s six-member a cappella ensemble, presents “Byrds and B’s”, a concert inspired by Valentine’s Day and devoted to composers whose names begin with the letter “B”. There will be motets of William Byrd, partsongs of Johannes Brahms, a wonderful English story set by Benjamin Britten, and light-hearted songs of William Billings, Dave Brubeck and Irving Berlin. Hexaphone won the Elmer Iseler Prize for the Best Performance of a Canadian Composition and enjoyed enthusiastic audiences this past summer at the Kathaumixw International Choral Festival in Powell River. Come and listen to Hexaphone’s version of the “Byrds and B’s”.

Hexaphone is Carolyn Howe (soprano), Hannah Mitchell (alto), John Doughty (tenor), Ian Bullen (tenor), Nicholas Fairbank (baritone), and Paul Boughen (bass). Now in its eleventh season, the group was formed in 2002 with the goal of performing diverse styles of vocal music, one voice to a part. Hexaphone has become a highlight of Victoria's vocal music scene, singing music of many styles and periods, with a particular focus on new Canadian works. They have appeared at the Victoria Symphony's New Currents Festival, the Voice++ Festival, and the New Music In New Places concert series sponsored by the Canadian Music Centre. In 2008, Hexaphone was chosen to premiere Five Songs for BC, a new work commissioned by the Canadian Music Centre celebrating BC's 150th anniversary. In 2011 and 2012 they toured the Okanagan, singing in Hope, Penticton, and Kelowna. This past July 2012, Hexaphone won the Elmer Iseler Prize for the Best Performance of a Canadian Composition at the International Choral Kathaumixw in Powell River, BC. They also placed second in the two classes they entered, competing against choirs from Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, China, Mexico, the United States and the Philippines.

“tight, polished, entertaining a cappella performances... by the adventurous, eclectic vocal sextet Hexaphone” - Kevin Bazzana, Times-Colonist, Victoria

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact 250-479-2773, mscobie@shaw.ca, hexinfo@hexaphone.org, or visit our website www.hexaphone.org.