Mayor Sam Sullivan declares June “CBC Radio Orchestra Month”
The month of June was declared “CBC Radio Orchestra Month” by councillor Elizabeth Ball, reading a proclamation from Mayor Sam Sullivan at a rally on May 24 in support of the orchestra.
The event, which took place on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery, was attended by approximately 300 supporters, and featured speeches by Bard on the Beach artistic director Christopher Gaze, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra conductor Bramwell Tovey, renowned bassoonist George Zukerman, and local blues legend Jim Byrnes, among others.
Letters of support from virtuoso violinist James Ehnes and Spirit Of the West’s John Mann were read to the cheering crowd. The speeches were punctuated by musical performances by a variety of groups, including the orchestra’s acting principal cellist Ariel Barnes’s Trio Accord, and violinist/composer Cam Wilson’s gypsy jazz quartet Van Django.
Other notables spotted in the crowd included pianist Jane Coop, UBC School of Music director Richard Kurth, acclaimed local harpist Heidi Krutzen, and local artist Tiko Kerr, who told the Straight, “I paint to classical music. It’s integral to my work.”
Comments
11 Comments
rossdaw
May 27, 2008 at 1:21pm
Congrats to the Georgia Straight for covering Saturday's Save the CBC Radio Orchestra Rally. It is a pity the CBC didn't bother to mention it..as a woman pointed out at the rally, there are many demonstrations in Canada..Canadians are demonstrating and they do a great job of it but their efforts are going unnoticed by the likes of CBC..
originalpie
May 27, 2008 at 3:22pm
Thank you for covering the Vancouver rally, and announcing June as CBC Radio Orchestra month. This week on May 27 and May 29, citizens will testify in front of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on the CBC Radio Orchestra, programming at Radio 2, and the changes at the CBC. Stay tuned. The rally has just begun!
Tanya B.
Vancouver
Andrew Brown
May 28, 2008 at 1:40am
Hi Jessica,
I'm glad the Straight covered the CBCRO rally; but as a long established reader of this paper I can't help but think that 20 years ago this issue would have been given front page coverage - before the Straight went corporate, that is.
Despite previous coverage in the Straight (much appreciated) many readers of this article will not be familiar with the decision by CBC executives to terminate operation of the CBCRO. This article gives no indication of why the rally was held nor it's intended objective - to "restore the CBCRO within a revitalized CBC network."
Is it too late to elaborate on this coverage before going to print?
Sincerely, Andrew Brown
Rally music co-ordinator and artistic director, associate principal viola - VSO, CBCRO and member of Trio Accord.
Stephen
May 28, 2008 at 2:47pm
It should be acknowledged that the rally was also addressed by Bill Siksay MP, the NDP's Heritage critic, and Don Davies, Federal NDP candidate in Vancouver Kingway.
It is thanks to Siksay's efforts that the House of Commons Heritage Committee agreed to conduct hearings this week on the CBC's misguided decision to kill the Radio Orchestra.
Stephen Phillips
Vancouver
islandgirlssi
May 29, 2008 at 9:02pm
It is vital to save the CBC Radio orchestra and to save CBC radio two in its present format.
We are a culturally rich county and it behooves us to save the medium whereby that diversity and richness is preserved and enhanced.
All the people in Canada benefit from the range of programming on the CBC from opera to jazz to new music to ancient music to upcoming Canadian indie bands to new world class Canadian singers to the dialogue that holds the fabric of our vast heritage tohether. '
'How can a very few people have the termerity to use their momentary power to rip apart the very heart of our Canadian community radio? Shame on them.
Keep the pressure on to prserve this unique part of our past, present and future heritage.
Carol Dodd
Salt Spring Island
Ann Kujundzic
May 30, 2008 at 12:41am
I really appreciated your good coverage of the "Save the CBC Orchestra" rally/concert/happening.
Thank you for giving it proper attention. I was especially appreciated by those of us who unfortunately could not be there for one reason or another
Ann Kujundzic
lrfloyd
May 30, 2008 at 7:57am
Good for Vancouver!! Toronto had 500 people at their rally but guess what? Salt Spring Island had 50 extremely concerned attendees (and about that many travelled over to Victoria a couple of weeks ago - a half day of travel/protest plus high ferry fares).
Our ArtSpring Executive Director, George Sipos, and several impassioned, loyal CBC Orchestra/Radio2 supporters spoke from their hearts about their life-long histories of the importance of classical music and educated/musician radio hosts, worries of "dumbing down", and ignorance by the CBC decision-makers of how important the radio and orchestra are to everyone in every community of every age all across Canada. Ms. Hatch also performed on her lovely violin and the Raging Grannies sang a very appropriate protest song,
Canadians need to speak out! This is OUR radio and OUR tax dollars!
emilymackinnon
May 30, 2008 at 2:20pm
Wow, that's a lot of high-profile support for this issue - you'd think this story would be making headlines across the country!
I find it particularly weird that I've *never* heard this issue discussed on CBC. You'd think that would be a pretty important forum to discuss it. Hmmm, maybe there's some freedom of the press issues?
akroeger
Jun 3, 2008 at 8:13pm
The CBC Radio Orchestra is a unique national treasure - one of our best! Given the quality of this orchestra and the acclaim it has achieved its shocking to hear that it is threatened. This sends a clear message on our government's lack of support for arts and culture. It's sad to see this message sent to our children as well - that achievement in music is of so little value.
A. Kroeger
North Vancouver, BC
Brigid Coult
Jun 4, 2008 at 9:36pm
It's pretty obvious that the CBC doesn't *want* to notice events like this - the more kudos to the Straight for covering the event. I wonder if this would have been happening if the Orchestra was a Toronto ensemble...?