The Canadian Music Centre in BC (CMC BC) will celebrate the completion of recent renovations to its home at the Vancouver Creative Hub (837 Davie Street) with an exclusive concert series in its brand new, 40-seat black box theatre and salon, starting this fall.

Named after Toronto-born composer Murray Adaskin (1906-2002), the salon will open on October 14 for the first show in the inaugural Murray Adaskin Salon Concert Series. It will consist of four recitals that are each dedicated to a different Canadian composer. 

The new salon is complete with a refurbished Heintzman Salon Grand piano, which was owned by Adaskin when he wrote the majority of his most well-known compositions while living in Victoria. The piano was purchased from Adaskin's estate by CMC BC in 2002.

In addition to the new performance space, the Vancouver Creative Hub has been updated with a new lobby and box office. 

"CMC BC is thrilled to unveil a new era in its history as we become, for the first time, a presenter of Canadian works performed by acclaimed artists," said CMC BC director Sean Bickerton in a press release. "Through this evolution, we will have the opportunity to engage more deeply with the community in our mission to boost awareness around the exciting world of Canadian composition."

Each concert in the inaugural series will be a tribute to a CMC associate composer.

The first, a celebration of the music of Murray Adaskin, will be held on October 14. Performers will include sopranos Jessica Tovey and Catherine Fern Lewis, pianist Chiharu Linuma, basoonist Gwen Seaton, violinist Joan Blackman, and French horn player Nick Anderson.

The second will honour the music of Barabara Pentland (1912-2000), who is conisdered one of Canada's first avant-garde composers.  It will take place on November 18, and be performed by pianists Barbara Pritchard and Jane Hayes, as well as vocalist Janice Isabel Jackson, harpist Albertina Chan, and flutist Mark McGregor.

In February, the music of Vancouver-born Jean Coulthard (1908-2000) will be performed by the Koerner Piano Trio, featuring cellist Joseph Elworthy, violinist Nicholas Wright, and pianist Amanda Chan. They'll be joined by soprano Robyn Driedger-Klassen.

Lastly, an April concert will celebrate the songs of composer Elliot Weisgarber (1919-2001). Flutist Roderick Seed, clarinetist Gene Ramsbottom, bassonist Gregory Cukrov, horn player Brian G'froerer, pianist Richard Epp, and oboist Tony Nickels will perform two of Weisbgarber's compositions.

Find more information about the Murray Adaskin Concert Series here, and find season subscriptions for $99 here. 

As it was prior to renovations, the venue is rentable by local arts groups at reasonable rates.