The Rossland Council for Arts and Culture Performance Series presents
88 Strings – Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra
Two 45-minute acts with 20-minute intermission
88 Strings is a Canadian quartet that mixes traditional Chinese, Persian and Western plucked instruments, presenting new musical inventions and adventures written or arranged specifically for the group.
Described by an audience member as “plucked string heaven,” 88 Strings’ unique sound blends classical and world music together into enveloping and often hypnotic music.
The ensemble was formed as an initiative of the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra (VICO) in 2020, who sponsored their first activities giving composer workshops and concerts. 88 Strings’ first performances took place during VICO’s “The Longest Night: Music For Solstice” in December 2020.
The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra was founded in 2001 and is one of the world’s first concert orchestras devoted specifically to performing new intercultural music on a grand scale. It is currently the only professional ensemble of its kind in Canada.
Through composition, performance and educational outreach, VICO supports the development of Canadian composers and musicians of diverse backgrounds (including Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Indian, Persian (Iranian), Latin and South American, Vietnamese, North American and European), and fosters the creation of musical works that fuse and transcend cultural traditions.
88 Strings Musicians:
Dailin Hsieh, guzheng
Joy Yeh, harp
John Oliver, guitar
Ali Razmi, tar
The RCAC 2024/25 Performance Series Includes:
Newberry and Verch- Sunday, November 10th, 2024
Joe Newberry and April Verch showcase tunes, ballads, step dancing, and original songs by way of Canada and the Ozarks. With beautiful harmony singing, breathtaking instrumentals, and exquisite dancing, these two singular musicians hit the stage in perfect rhythm, making audiences remember why this music existed in the first place.
Royce Rich Accompanied by Joseph Stacy- Saturday, December 14th, 2024
Listed as one of CBC Music’s “Top 30 Under 30 Hot Musicians,” Royce Rich is establishing himself as one of Canada’s up-and-coming concert artists. Rich says “the program that the community of Trail and the supporters of the Rossland Arts Council can expect is a classical recital program that will encompass excitement, thrill and sheer virtuosity featuring show pieces and encore pieces that reflect what the violin is fully capable of demonstrating at the highest level.” Rich and Stacy will combine forces to bring us an unforgettable night of classical mastery.
The Pairs- Sunday, March 23rd, 2025
Powered by soaring sister harmonies, this quirky trio’s unbottled chemistry quickly connects them to their audience. Renée Coughlin, Noelle Frances Coughlin, and Hillary Watson are the three distinct lead singers/songwriters of The Pairs. Together they offer a unique blend of music with stories of life’s hope, hilarity, and hardship. These classically trained vocalists blur the line between the stage and the crowd as if we’ve pulled up a seat around their family’s lively kitchen table.
Raine Hamilton String Trio w/ ASL Interpreter- Saturday, April 12th, 2025
A classical violinist and musicologist by training, Raine and their string trio offer string-quartet-like arrangements of Raine’s original songs. They call this chamber-folk, a hybrid of the classical tradition of string quartet chamber music, with the singer songwriter folk that comes so naturally to Raine. Prism-clear vocals + strings, reaching out beyond the earthly.