Three Nanaimo area high school students will be showcasing their musical talents in the upcoming Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra (NCO) program, titled “Soundscape for Spring”. NCO members and students Jasmine Mather, Joanna Lee and Hannah Stroink will be performing J.S. Bach’s “Concerto for 3 Violins and String Orchestra in D” at Brechin United Church on March 15. The Nanaimo performance will be the first time that any of the girl’s have soloed in front of a larger size audience. “We’ve always played in the orchestra but this is the first time we’ve soloed,” Mather said. “So definitely it will be a little scary but I think it will be lots of fun. We’re all quite excited about it.” Mather, who is in her third year with the NCO, is a senior student at Nanaimo District Secondary School and has studied violin with Karl Rainer. Following graduation, Mather is hoping to study violin at a higher level. “Next year, I am hoping to goto UVic or UBC for violin,” she said. Lee is a student at Dover Bay Secondary and studies with Leslie Krull. She has been a member of the NCO for 2 years. Stroink, who is home-schooled, has been with the NCO for 2 years. Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra cellist and board member Bruce Farquharson said the young performers are all very talented in their own right. “These are local students who have been taken into the orchestra and we like to give them a chance to experience soloing with an orchestra, which is a fairly rare opportunity,” Farquharson said. The event will also feature a variety of music performed by the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra. Farquharson said that part of the NCO’s mandate is to provide a strong mentoring program for young players. “This represents the ongoing endeavours to encourage more students to play string instruments and to be able to take part in the resource that is the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra,” he said. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students. Those under the age of 12 are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Port Theatre Box Office and at the door.

Nanaimo News Bulletin