Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra

06/11/2026

📣 FESTIVAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Amir Amiri! 📣
Santur player, composer, and cultural inventor dwells at the centre of a unique musical universe where ancient inspiration, dazzling virtuosity, and bold creativity meet. Surrounding himself with outstanding collaborators from the worlds of jazz, classical and world music, Amiri fearlessly transcends genres and borders, exquisitely transporting his ancient instrument into the musical conversations of our time.

Vancouver audiences will have TWO chances to see Amir play at our Festival!

Amir’s first concert on June 11 brings together three santur players—two from Iran (Amir and VICO’s own Saina Khaledi) and one from Uzbekistan (Ravshan Tukhtamishev)—in a musical encounter that, he says, “reflects centuries of cultural exchange across the Silk Roads. In many ways, it will be a family reunion: a gathering of long-lost relatives rediscovering one another through sound. Their voices are distinct, shaped by different histories and landscapes, yet they remain connected by an enduring musical lineage.”

In his second Festival appearance on June 12, Amir will perform with the VICO’s own Artistic Director Farshid Samandari on piano. This adventurous collaboration will weave together traditional and contemporary influences, improvisation, and more!

FESTIVAL TICKETS & INFO:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/
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The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
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06/09/2026

📣 FESTIVAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Ravshan Tukhtamishev! 📣
A master of a traditional Uzbek hammered dulcimer called the chang, Ravshan Tukhtamishev will be performing in our Festival's opening concert on June 11 at 7:30 pm, with vocalist Khurshida Djuraeva and percussionist Jonathan Bernard.

Ravshan says “At Global Soundscapes, listeners can expect a program featuring traditional maqom music, which originated in the court culture of Samarqand and Bukhara in the 18th century, alongside traditional and folk music that is distinctive and rarely heard outside the region. The performance will showcase rich musical dialogues and some of the finest examples of Uzbek music.”

Read more about Ravshan in this article by Lillian Liao in The / La Source:
https://thelasource.com/culture/2026/06/09/global-soundscapes-festival-showcases-uzbek-music-creating-cultural-dialogues/

FESTIVAL TICKETS & INFO:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

******
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
*****

06/05/2026

FESTIVAL CONCERT FEATURE: The Stančul Trio!
June 14, 2026 @ 3:00 PM | The Historic Theatre at The Cultch

We are so excited to welcome this Festival's featured international guest ensemble, The Stančul Trio! Formed by Jasminka Stančul (piano), Žarko Perišić (bassoon), and Milan Milosević (clarinet), the trio represents a meeting of internationally acclaimed soloists, each bringing a unique perspective into a shared artistic vision. They strive to make chamber music a living, relevant form of expression that uplifts underrepresented voices, honours the legacy of women in music, and reaffirms the enduring value of dialogue, sensitivity, and innovation in the classical tradition. They will close the Festival with this matinee concert featuring music by Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert, and the world premiere of a new work by Zoran Novačić.

Don't miss out! Tickets & info here:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

******
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
******

The VICO’s biennial Global Soundscapes Festival offers a feast of adventurous classical and world music from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Canada at the Historic Theatre, June 11–14, 2026.

06/04/2026

FESTIVAL CONCERT FEATURE: VICO String Orchestra Live Debut!
June 13, 2026 @ 7:30 PM | The Historic Theatre at The Cultch

The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra performs in a number of different configurations; this concert will feature the VICO String Orchestra, a 15-member chamber ensemble composed of Persian kamanches, Chinese erhus, violins, violi, cello, and double bass. The String Orchestra was developed for a pandemic-era series of filmed performances; this Festival concert under the baton of conductor Janna Sailor marks its first ever performance for a live, in-person audience! The all-Canadian programme features compositions by Mark Armanini, Kara Gibbs, Elizabeth Knudson, Farshid Samandari, Amy Stephen, and Edward Top.

Don't miss out! Tickets & info here:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

******
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
******

The VICO’s biennial Global Soundscapes Festival offers a feast of adventurous classical and world music from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Canada at the Historic Theatre, June 11–14, 2026.

06/04/2026

FESTIVAL CONCERT FEATURE: Santour, Piano, String Quartet, Oud!
June 12, 2026 @ 7:30 PM | The Historic Theatre at The Cultch

The second concert of our Global Soundscapes Festival features a double bill of matches made in heaven:
1. Visiting guest artist Amir Amiri (santour) with VICO's Artistic Director Farshid Samandari on piano - an adventurous collaboration that will weave together traditional and contemporary influences, improvisation, and more!
2. Vancouver's own Borealis String Quartet with soloist Douglas Hensley (oud), performing a colourful intercultural programme including music by Rodney Sharman and others!

Don't miss out! Tickets & info here:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

******
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.
We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
******

The VICO’s biennial Global Soundscapes Festival offers a feast of adventurous classical and world music from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Canada at the Historic Theatre, June 11–14, 2026.

06/02/2026

FESTIVAL CONCERT FEATURE: Santours, Chang, Voice & Percussion!
June 11, 2026 @ 7:30 PM | The Historic Theatre at The Cultch

Our biannual Global Soundscapes Festival opens with an exciting double bill featuring two dynamic trios:
1. the Tukhtamishev Trio: Ravshan Tukhtamishev - chang, Khurshida Djuraeva - voice, and Jonathan Bernard - percussion
2. Visiting artist Amir Amiri (santour) with Saina Khaledi (santour) and Ravshan Tukhtamishev (chang)

Both featured instruments (santour and chang) are hammered dulcimers - one from the Persian tradition and the other from Uzbekistan. This one-of-a-kind meeting of talented musicians will showcase their incredible sound palette, and the fascinating similarities and differences that have emerged over centuries between two musical cultures.

Don't miss out! Tickets & info here:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

******
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
******

The VICO’s biennial Global Soundscapes Festival offers a feast of adventurous classical and world music from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Canada at the Historic Theatre, June 11–14, 2026.

05/23/2026

TONIGHT: 🎶 Sounds Global in Concert! 🎶
Saturday May 23, 2026 at 7:00 pm
St. Andrew’s United Church, North Vancouver
Admission: pay what you wish at the door!

In this exciting chamber concert, an intercultural string quartet (kamanches x2, alto qeychak, viola da gamba) performs the world premieres of new works created by participants in our 2026 Sounds Global Composers’ Workshop: John Patrick MacLachlan, Vahid Massah, Parsa Noroozian, Farangis Nurulla-Khoja, Dubravko Pajalic, Francis Reyes, and Emil Qing Zhuo Wu.

Join us on May 23rd to witness what they’ve created!

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With thanks to the following funders and partners for their support of this program: The Canada Council for the Arts
The City of Vancouver (Cultural Services)
North Vancouver Recreation & Culture
Canadian Music Centre (BC Region)
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05/16/2026

UP NEXT: 🎶 Sounds Global in Concert! 🎶
Saturday May 23, 2026 at 7:00 pm
St. Andrew’s United Church, North Vancouver
Admission: pay what you wish at the door!

In this exciting chamber concert, an intercultural string quartet (kamanches x2, alto qeychak, viola da gamba) performs the world premieres of new works created by participants in our 2026 Sounds Global Composers’ Workshop: John Patrick MacLachlan, Vahid Massah, Parsa Noroozian, Farangis Nurulla-Khoja, Dubravko Pajalic, Francis Reyes, and Emil Qing Zhuo Wu.

Join us on May 23rd to witness what they’ve created!

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With thanks to the following funders and partners for their support of this program: The Canada Council for the Arts
The City of Vancouver (Cultural Services)
North Vancouver Recreation & Culture
Canadian Music Centre (BC Region)
******

05/08/2026

📣🎶 WIN FREE FESTIVAL TICKETS! 🎶📣

The VICO was fortunate to be awarded a City of Vancouver Transit Shelter Advertising Grant to help get the word out about our upcoming Global Soundscapes Festival. Our giant posters went up on bus shelters around the city this week! If you spot one, here’s what to do to win a pair of Festival tickets:

1. Take a photo of the Festival poster (see image for what it looks like)
2. Post your photo on Facebook or Instagram, and tag the VICO so we can see it! (We are on Facebook, and on Instagram)
3. That’s it! The VICO team will contact you via a comment or DM to organize your free tickets.

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FESTIVAL INFO:
Tickets are now on sale for our biennial Global Soundscapes Festival, back this year at the Cultch from June 11-14! Join us for four unforgettable concerts – a rich feast of sounds & rhythms from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Canada.

Featured acts include Montreal santur virtuoso Amir Amiri, Austria's Stančul Trio, and Vancouver’s own Borealis String Quartet, Tukhtamishev Trio, and the VICO String Orchestra under the direction of Janna Sailor.

Get your tickets now!
https://thecultch.com/event/global-soundscapes-festival/
FULL FESTIVAL PROGRAMME:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

*****
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:

Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
******

05/07/2026

Global Soundscapes Festival 2026 **ARTIST LINE-UP**
We are so excited to showcase these amazing artists and guest ensembles in our upcoming Festival! Join us June 11-14 at The Cultch for four days of adventurous music!

FEATURED ARTISTS & ENSEMBLES:

June 11 at 7:30 PM
Tukhtamishev Trio (Ravshan Tukhtamishev, Khurshida Djaraeva, Jonathan Bernard)
Amir Amiri with Saina Khaledi & Ravshan Tukhtamishev

June 12 at 7:30 PM
Amir Amiri & Farshid Samandari
Borealis String Quartet with Douglas Hensley (oud)

June 13 at 7:30 pm
The VICO String Orchestra with Janna Sailor, conductor

June 14 at 3:00 pm
Stančul Trio (Austria)
Jasminka Stančul (piano), Žarko Perišić (bassoon), and Milan Milosević (clarinet)

INFO & TICKETS:
https://vi-co.org/global-soundscapes-festival-2026/

*****
The VICO respectfully acknowledges that our Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, in particular the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tseil-Waututh Nations.

We also extend grateful thanks to the following funders and community partners, whose support is crucial to this project:
Canada Council for the Arts
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Province of BC (Community Gaming)
The City of Vancouver
The Hamber Foundation
The Deux Mille Foundation
The SOCAN Foundation
******

Tickets ON SALE NOW! The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra’s Global Soundscapes Festival presents four days of adventurous classical and world music – a rich feast of sounds & rhythms from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Canada. Festival concerts will showcase outstanding local musicians alo...