When the executive of the South Okanagan Concert Society sat down to plan for the concert season, it suddenly seemed possible to bring lyric soprano, Jenavieve Moore, home. She was out there, equally at ease on the opera or the concert stage, performing in London and Germany and Shanghai and “sending chills through the audience with her brilliant performances”. Here we had a fabulous new theatre and we could bring Jena, as she is known locally, back to her home community. The date was set. Jena will perform Friday, April 10th at 7:30 pm at the Venables Theatre. Tickets for $20 (a fraction of the price she commands in Europe) are available at Beyond Bliss in Oliver and Imperial Office Pro in Osoyoos.
Many of us remember the little girl who loved to play both flute and piano as well as sing her heart out. She was the child who won a string of gold medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music. When she was accepted to study at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music in London, we all celebrated her success. No longer that little girl, Jenavieve has matured into a beautiful young artist with an elegant soprano voice that masterfully executes the coloraturas and trills required to make her mark on the world stage. The South Okanagan Concert Society felt it was time to bring Jena home and help her share her exceptional talents with the people who cared for her, supported her and encouraged her during her growing up years.
Jena really stands as an inspiration to every kid in town who wants to aim high. She is living proof that a small town girl with small town support can reach goals and dreams of the highest order. She hasn’t forgotten the local Kiwanis who covered the costs of trips so she could compete at higher levels after winning the local contests. She hasn’t forgotten the way members of the Oliver United Church spontaneously donated $20 bills towards her further musical education after she sang for them.
The Arts Council presented Jena with various grants through those early years. The council also hosted and supported Jena’s last Oliver appearance, in the summer of 2011, with a standing-room only fundraising concert that raised $1000 from the council, $1250 in audience donations, and some private benefactors for ongoing support. For a full review of that concert, go to http://oliverartscouncil.org/?tag=jena-moore
Teachers including her own mother (Dorothy Moore), Antonia Mahon from Leir House, Sue Gay of Oliver and later Rosalyn Franz of Kelowna all contributed to Jena’s musical development. She now holds two Performance A.R.C.T. diplomas from the Royal Conservatory in piano and flute as side lines to her vocal career.
Jenavieve has won so many awards it would take pages to name them all. Most important is that she will simply be home and she will sing her heart out once again for the community that holds her dear. Come out and welcome her! She will be accompanied on piano by Kelly Charlton currently a senior member of the Piano Faculty at the Victoria Conservatory of Music.
