Grandmothers for Africa Bridge Event February 16th

Thursday, February 16th, is the date to mark on your calendar for the annual Grandmothers for Africa BRIDGE EVENT from 10 to 2:30 at Fairview Mountain Golf Club.   Preregistration by Feb. 14th is necessary so email bridgesocialnews @ gmail.com or call Leslie at 250 498 2282. For only $20 you get the entire bridge social including lunch and you also are contributing to the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s work with unsung heroines, African grandmothers.

Recent global events have had women all over the world marching for social justice. The recognition that we are all connected as human beings is front and center.   That is why women in Oliver have gathered to support the empowerment of grandmothers in Africa.   The depth of love, tenacity, intelligence and hope at community level in Africa is absolutely compelling. Most African grandmothers live in under-resourced communities and face the brunt of the effect of HIV/AIDS and poverty as they bear the load of caring for families, financially, emotionally and physically.   With their strong sense of responsibility they quite literally make the impossible happen. They are the greatest hope for kids growing up orphaned by the AIDS pandemic.

Grassroots support groups, funded and encouraged by the Stephen Lewis Foundation, carry particular meaning for African grandmothers.   They are greeted with love, warmth and open arms and they find in their groups a place to share their life experiences and to learn new coping strategies.

When you come to play bridge on February 16th, you will have the opportunity to see and buy goods made by both African and Canadian grandmothers.   It is a day to come together, have fun and support other women carrying burdens greater than our own.   Don’t forget the preregistation deadline of February 14th!

Photo: Shirley Polk, President of Oliver Grandmothers for Africa and African Grandmother, Mariam Mulindwa

Friday Night Live at Medici’s

The Season IV Kick-Off of the great Friday Night Live was incredible. We had so many great artists and bands that the amazing Marcel could barely hang on to them all. New bands, new performers, even a sneaky karaoke performance. Episode II (I’m pretending we’re an HBO series now) promises to be even bigger and better…how could that be? 

We always have some familiar stars and new bright lights to amaze and hypnotize you. Sound master Stephane made everyone sound soooo good. His sweet Corrie is back from Mexico, so maybe!!! (Floyd the dog only nibbled on his guitar).

FNL stars from all over are making the pilgrimage home. Lean and Rod are holding court on their big table. Lean is threatening to return to the stage: yeah!! So is Rod: Booo!

Marcel is on fire and his beautiful daughter Jazz has begun what promises to be a remarkable singing journey.

Come kick the doors down with your own vibe. We are gonna be packed comme toujours.. The music is gonna blow the doors off. The beer is cold and the music IS of course always sooooo HOT! We crank it up shortly after 7:00, all we need is you! Bring your music!! Bring your fun!! Get in here!!

We are licensed. We have beer, wine, coffees with a kick and our usual great gelato and snacks, sweet treats. Medici’s this Friday, Feb 3rd at 7:00 PM. 522 Fairview Road. 250-498-2228.

Don’t Dress For Dinner in Oliver

Don’t Dress for Dinner opened this past weekend to enthusiastic Osoyoos crowds. Attendance both evenings was among the highest for any SOAP production at the OSS Theatre. The cast and crew look forward re-tuning for the larger stage at the Frank Venables Theatre and welcoming crowds from Oliver to Penticton this Friday and Saturday, February 3-4, at 7:30 both evenings. Of course, we also expect a sizeable Osoyoos contingent who heard about this great show from their friends that attended this past weekend!

 

Don’t Dress for Dinner is Mr. Camoletti’s “saucy” sequel to last fall’s bedroom romp, and will be staged by SOAP Theatre Society at the OSS Theatre in Osoyoos on January 27-28 before moving to the Frank Venables theatre in Oliver on February 3-4. Curtain time for all shows is 7:30 pm.

Several years have passed since Bernard (Trevor Leigh) married his “favourite” fiancee, Jaqueline (Jackie Brockholm) and moved to a converted farmhouse outside Paris. With Jacqueline off to visit her mother, Bernard is salivating over the idea of a weekend romp with his mistress, Suzanne (Louise Szalay). It’s foolproof; what could possibly go wrong?

Well, Bernard’s old pal Robert (Craig Bjornsen) is also invited to supply an alibi. But unbeknownst to Bernard, Robert is having an affair with Jacqueline, who swiftly cancels on mother when she gets wind of her paramour’s arrival.

The prime source of the play’s accelerating confusion is Suzette (Angela Stuart), a Cordon Bleu chef hired by Bernard for the evening. Given Suzanne and Suzette’s similar names, Robert initially assumes Suzette is Bernard’s mistress and passes her off as his date to cover for his friend. By the time he wises up, it’s too late to correct the mistake without exposing either his own hanky-panky or his buddy’s.

Unfazed by the eccentricities of her clients, Suzette is happy to play along and pose as Robert’s girlfriend, niece or whatever, extorting additional payments from both men for each fresh layer of deception, including having to pretend to be the mistress while the mistress is unable to cook.

​An evening of hilarious confusion ensues as Bernard and Robert improvise at breakneck speed, to be interrupted only by arrival of a gruff and suspicious George (Bryan Sykes), to pick up his wife, Suzette at the end of her evening catering engagement.

Nathan Linders is back to direct his third performance for SOAP. “I have been most fortunate to work with this great cast … a lively mix of seasoned professional and amateur actors (Mr. Leigh, Mr. Bjornsen), recent SOAP additions (Ms Brockholm , Ms Szalay) and newcomers (Ms Stuart , Mr. Sykes).”

 Frank Venables Theatre uses assigned seating, so get your tickets early for best selection and to save money on at-the-door prices. They can be purchased at:

Sundance Video in Oliver (cash only please)·        

On-line ticket office (www.venablestheatre.ca … Visa/MasterCard… 24 hours/day)

Venables Box Office in person (6100 Gala Street Oliver … Tue-Wed-Thu 10:00 to 3:00…cash, credit, debit)

Buy by phone (250-498-1626 … Tue-Wed-Thu 10:00 to 3:00…Visa, MasterCard)

If you miss our office hours, you can email tix@venablestheatre.ca with your phone number and they’ll call you back.

Advance tickets through all outlets are $22.50 for adults and $15.00 for students (includes all fees).Adult prices at the door increase to $25.00 

With your advance, assigned seat ticket in hand, enjoy an offering from our licensed concession before the show. The theatre lobby opens at 6:30 pm on show nights.

 

Friday Night Live is Live January 20!

The Season IV Kick-Off of the great Friday Night Live at Medici’s is gonna bust out this Friday, January 20th. with a killer night of live music featuring a brand new band, Lulu and The Lazy Boys, out of Keremeos. 

Stef and Dan Laramie have put this great new band together and we are gonna give them their 3 song shot in the line-up and then have them back to close. Acoustic Noire is coming back from Summerland. We hear our wonderful friend Stephane is back from Mexico (apparently Floyd, the dog, was threatening to eat his new guitar if left by himself any longer). 


Many of our great FNL stars are jetting in from all over but, But, BUT, the true icing on the cake: our beloved host, leader and musical guru, Marcel Morneau is returning. We thought he had joined up,been captured by or ransomed to some international conflict…..But no! He’s been on retreat for several months to find his inner self only to realize there wasn’t one…aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnddddd….He’s BACK!!! 


Come kick the doors down with your own vibe. We are gonna be packed. The music is gonna blow the doors off. The beer is cold and the music IS of course always sooooo HOT! We crank it up shortly after 7:00, all we need is you! Bring your music!! Bring your fun!! Get in here!!


We are licensed. We have beer, wine, coffees with a kick and our usual great gelato and snacks, sweet treats. Medici’s this Friday January 20th at 7:00 PM. 522 Fairview Road. 250-498-2228.

WOW Trade Show February 18

shopping-coupleThe Trade Show began in 1993 as a fundraiser for Soroptimists International of Oliver. When that group disbanded in 2003, the Trade Show continued through the work of the WOW Club.

The Trade show title “Mainly for Women” reflects our mission statement, with the funds raised going to support our projects which focus mainly on women and children within our community.

Trade show displays feature everything from beautifully handcrafted jewelry to pottery, wood crafts, fibre art, health products and services, real estate and investments, home improvement, fashion, food, and many more themes.

The ‘Mainly for Women’ Trade Show occurs every February, on the third Saturday of that month.  Forty to sixty individual vendors showcase their wares in the Oliver Community Centre, where there is free parking for patrons.  A lunch and snack area is available.

If you would like to be part of the next Trade Show, please download

WOW Trade Show Entry Form 2017

WOW Trade Show Info Sheet 2017

Women's Oliver Trade Show Poster

Christmas Concert donates food, cash

The arts council hosted the annual Community Christmas Concert (held on November 27) as admission by donation with proceeds going to the Oliver Food Bank. Entertained by dancers, choirs, soloists, and humorous narration, the audience once again opened their hearts and pocketbooks to people in need. Proceeds of $500 and bags of groceries were presented to the food bank. Pictured are Brian Mapplebeck (right) presenting Jim Ouellette of the Oliver Food Bank with monies and food collected. Thank you to our audience for their generosity! The arts council board is already brainstorming ideas for next year’s revue!CCC Donation to OFB 2016

 

“A Tribute to Dave Brubeck” January 27

IMG_9657hWhen the Remi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble performs “A Tribute to Dave Brubeck” words like “dazzling virtuosity and stunning maturity” come to mind. Bolduc, one of Canada’s best jazz saxophonists will be on stage at the beautiful Venables Theatre, Oliver, at 7:30 on Friday, January 27 as the third concert in the South Okanagan Concert Society’s 2016-17 season.

Remi Bolduc brings with him guest artist Montreal jazz pianist, Francois Bourassa, as well as Fraser Hollins on double bass and Dave Laing on drums. Together they will be performing the music of Dave Brubeck who in 1950 to 1960 reigned with his celebrated band as the most influential and popular American jazz ensemble. Brubeck created the album Time Out, one of the most famous and best-selling albums in the history of jazz to this day. Take Five, Blue Rondo a la Turk and several other compositions from the album are on the program.

Remi plays sax with intensity and control, breathtaking precision and a magnetic stage presence. He is acclaimed at venues from New York to Paris by way of Geneva, Tokyo and Beijing. With his band he composes and plays numbers that “convey his formidable energy and spontaneity, allowing his organic sound to breathe freely.”

Teacher and head of the McGill University jazz department, Remi has won awards for the best jazz album of 2011 and the Opus prize for Jazz Concert of the Year in 2013.

On his latest album recorded in collaboration with Francois Bourassa and released to much acclaim, the joy these two musicians share in playing together is palpable.

Pianist and composer, Francois Bourassa, is the son of Robert Bourassa, Premier of Quebec from 1970–1976 and 1985–1994. Francois, as a side project, has recently finished his first concerto for orchestra and percussion while maintaining an international concert tour on three continents with his jazz quartet.

Fraser Hollins, Remi’s man on double bass, studied music at Ottawa University and later in Montreal at Concordia.   He regularly plays with groups of national and international artists.   He lives in Montreal and teaches at McGill.

David Laing, on drums, grew up in a musical family, studied at McGill and began his professional career shortly after. In the past fifteen years he has recorded, toured, and performed with national and international stars. He currently resides in Montreal where he also teaches at McGill.

Those requiring bus transportation from Osoyoos can call Maureen at 250 495 7978 to make arrangements.

Assigned seating tickets for the event on January 27th can be obtained online at www.venablestheatre.ca, at the theatre box office now open from Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or at the Door. Single entrance is $22.50 and students under 17 are free.

 

Remi Bolduc SOCS

Review: Saratovsky Brothers at the Venables

by Jan Nelson

In anticipation of Sergei and Nikolai Saratovsky’s piano duo concert in December, I was brought back to my own childhood piano concerts. Under the tutelage of Agnes Sutherland, I spent many years sharing the piano bench with friend and classmate Eryn Moore. Aggie repeatedly stressed how the success of a piano duet was reliant upon an implicit trust between the two performers, and how their unspoken communication and ability to share the joy of making music together was key to a good performance. Nikolai and Sergei have managed to put aside any sibling rivalries and have perfected this combination; a blind trust in the other’s ability to perform, a deep respect of the other’s skills, and a true sense of joy in sharing the stage together.

The Saratovsky brothers, originally hailing from Russia, are masters of their trade. Both display world-class technical skills, a deep sense of expression, a true understanding of the pieces they perform, and a great sense of humour to boot. Sergei, the more vocal and physically expressive of the duo (he definitely lets the audience know when a piece is finished!), guided the audience through a programme featuring some of the best piano duets written. From Mozart to Brahms to Gershwin, their performance tested the limits of the genre and shared with the audience the awesome advantage of having twice as many hands at the keyboard. Sergei enjoys a successful and award-filled career in Canada as a classical performer, having received a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of British Columbia where he studied with Canadian great Jane Coop.

I remember Coop’s performance in Oliver at a SOCS concert in the 1980s, before which she was kind enough to share a meal at my family’s dinner table. We had a few albums of her recordings to which we frequently listened, and as a budding performer myself, I noticed we had one piece of music in common. During her stay, I snuck off to the piano and played the piece in hopes of her noticing my hidden musical brilliance, but I failed to receive the fanfare my 12 or 13 year old brain expected. To be honest, she probably did not even notice my performance as she had a concert of her own to prepare for that evening, but now I was just as happy to have this connection with Sergei even before meeting him. But I digress…

Nikolai is the steady base of the duo, creating an amazing and expressive base for Sergei’s more dramatic performance. As they played, my mind wandered wondering how they managed to divide the tasks of their performance; Sergei dominated the microphone and played the more flowery treble while Nikolai was alloted the role of ‘support’ playing bass. How sibling dynamics must make this simple decision so much more difficult! To our surprise, after the intermission Nikolai appeared alone at the microphone only to apologize for his brother’s mindlessness in forgetting the sheet music for the next piece, offering a jab that only an older brother can. Nikolai then sat down in the treble position and showed us all how fantastic and expressive he could be.

There were some pieces in particular that stood out; their encore of Brahms’ No. 4 for four hands, the Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky, the Fantasy in F Minor for Piano Four Hands by Schubert, and the Rhapsody in Blue for four hands was brilliant. But more than the awesome spectacle of witnessing these two world-class performers share their gift with the audience on our humble stage was the honour I felt in watching them perform in Oliver.  Having lived in many places around the world, some more ‘cosmopolitan’ than our small town, I am still in awe at the dedication the South Okanagan Concert Society has shown over many decades bringing some of the world’s most gifted performers to the Venables Auditorium. From the first concerts I experienced as a restless elementary school student, to the unforgettable performers I now have the pleasure of enjoying as a parent myself, we are so lucky to have this dedicated group of volunteers who work tirelessly to bring a little more joy to our small community.

The next SOCS presentation is the Remi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble, performing a tribute to jazz great Dave Brubeck. As an ex-saxophonist myself, I am looking forward to enjoying an evening with one of Canada’s best jazz sax performers on Friday, January 27th at the Frank Venables Theatre. The concert starts at 7:30pm, and tickets are available online (www.venablestheatre.ca) and at the Venables Theatre box office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10am to 3pm.

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Ballet Meets Johnny Cash

The music of Johnny Cash will take centre stage as Ballet Kelowna brings 150 Moves to the Frank Venables Theatre on Sunday February 12.

 In Studies of Cash, the Company pays tribute to country legend Johnny Cash. With a heart-rending mix of Cash recordings, choreographer Simone Orlando’s soulful, stylistic work explores some of the country musician’s most famous songs.

 Folk dance, country music and rhythm ‘n’ blues will be experienced in a unique combination of ballet and the works of Johnny Cash. Country fans have the rare opportunity to see their genre of music come to life on an evening you wont want to miss.

 Studies of Cash is one of five pieces which together create Ballet Kelowna’s 150 Moves: A Celebration of Canadian Dance. Other pieces include Romeo and Juliette, choreographed by Joshua Beamish and Canadiana Suite featuring the music of Canadian legend Oscar Peterson.

Ballet Kelowna takes the stage Sunday February 12th at 7:00 at the Frank Venables Theatre, 6100 Gala St, (corner of Fairview Rd) Oliver. Tickets are available online at venablestheatre.ca, at the Theatre Box Office and at Beyond Bliss. For information, please visit our website or call (250) 498-1626.

Do You Have the Spirit of the Okanagan?

Call to Artists January 1 to 31 2017 for the art kiosk at Kelowna International Airport.
Call to Artists who have the Spirit of the Okanagan

The annual callout to Thompson Okanagan Artists to have the opportunity for a presence at Kelowna International Airport (YLW) in 2017 runs from January 1 to 31st.

All artists who live and work in the Thompson Okanagan area, from Kamloops to Osoyoos, are welcome to submit their work for the art kiosk in the YLW departures lounge.  The kiosk, branded “Spirit of the Okanagan,” is managed by Suk’wtemsqilxw West Kelowna Arts Council (SWAC).

Artists are selected annually via jury, with the focus on the Okanagan theme and quality of work.  The cost to submit work for jurying is $30, which doubles as a membership fee to SWAC.  Twenty artists will be selected in 2017, ideally with half of those artists being Indigenous and half non-Indigenous, in keeping with the philosophy of the Arts Council.

“The goal of the airport art kiosk is to sell, and SWAC is proud to say revenue to Okanagan artists in our first year is around $20,000.  Considering the majority of those sales are between $30 and $70, that’s quite outstanding,” said Julia Trops, SWAC Chair and Spirit of the Okanagan Founder. “We have a very defined set of protocols for the artists, and having this structure is what has made the Spirit of the Okanagan kiosk successful.”

Skyway Gourmet Ventures Inc. processes the sales of artwork, with the artist paying a 30 per cent commission. Revenue generation from the artwork is the priority, and chosen works should be considered mementos, capturing experiences throughout the valley.  All artwork must be original and Okanagan themed, creating an authentic, tangible memory for visitors.

“We’re very pleased to support this program as it creates a sense of place for our passengers,” said John Devitt, YLW’s Manager of Business Development and Community Relations. “With nearly 2,500 travellers through the departures lounge every day, it’s also a great opportunity for local artists to gain exposure.”

Future possibilities at YLW for Thompson Okanagan artists include the artwork displays, to work in the departures lounge and to speak or participate in workshops. YLW plays a vital part in the economic development and prosperity of the Okanagan Valley, and the door is now opened for artists to be included.

To apply or for more information on this program, visit: http://www.swac-arts.com/airport.html

For more information, contact:
Julia Trops
Suk’wtemsqilxw West Kelowna Arts Council Chair
250-215-0079   swacarts@gmail.com

Free Paint-In January 9

On Monday, January 9th there will be a free Paint-in at the Okanagan Art Gallery in Osoyoos!  While you’re there, tour their exhibits, and check out the painting classes and workshops they have to offer.

On January 9, there will be painting demonstrations by Sandra Albo, Michael Jorden, Libby Parsons and Bonny Roberts, with soapstone carving by Claudia Punter. You’ll have a chance to join in yourself!

The Paint-in is from 10 to 4 at the Okanagan Art Gallery, 8302 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC. Refreshments will be available.

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Friday Night Live is Back at Medici’s January 20th!

Rumours abound that our great host Marcel Morneau will return after a 2 month Hiatus. We have even heard that Medici’s sound master and performer extraordinaire Stephane will also be back!

Sooooooooo, we should be ready to go! We will have our grand opening FNL on January 20th with hearts full, guitars tuned and voices set to warble! Bring your instrument, bring your music, play and be part of the night’s sounds.

People get ready!

Friday, January 20, 2017. Doors open at 7 pm.

Medici’s Gelateria and Coffee House, 522 Fairview Road, Oliver, BC. 250.498.2228       We are licensed.
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