Victoria Summer Music Festival

05/31/2026

Congratulations Milena!

The University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance announces that Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt will join the Department of Strings as an associate professor in August 2026. Pajaro-van de Stadt is a world-renowned violist and educator. “Known for her beautiful tone and exquisite musicianship...

05/22/2026

The prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) is held every three years, and we are delighted to present Poiesis Quartet, the first-prize winners at BISQC 2025, this season. For the second of their two concerts at the Festival, they will be joined by Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, herself a previous BISQC winner as the founding violist of the Dover Quartet.

Poiesis Quartet become the eighth BISQC-winning ensemble to appear at VSMF. Past winners that have played at the Festival are: St. Lawrence String Quartet (2000), Dover Quartet (2014-2025), Cecilia String Quartet (2016), Rolston String Quartet (2019), Viano String Quartet (2022), Isadore String Quartet (2023), Marmen Quartet (2023).

05/08/2026

Wonderful!

05/03/2026

Congratulations, Élisabeth! 👏 We can’t wait to welcome you to Victoria.

04/27/2026

Phillip T. Young Recital Hall at the University of Victoria has been home to VSMF every year, except for our inaugural Festival in 1996, held at St. John’s Church, and the 2021 post-COVID Festival, which was held at Christ Church Cathedral.

We look forward to welcoming you to PTY again this summer!

04/23/2026

VSMF is delighted to announce our 30th anniversary season, Jul 24 - Aug 9, 2026. Once again, all our concerts will be taking place in UVic's Phillip T. Young Recital Hall and a pre-concert talk will begin 30 minutes before each concert.

Artistic Director Arthur Rowe has crafted a lineup that includes emerging artists and recent prizewinners alongside long-established performers, both local and international. Repertoire will span several centuries, up to the present day.

Do join us, for the finest in chamber music!

🎵Fri, Jul 24 - 7:30pm - Poiesis Quartet

🎵Sun, Jul 26 - 2:30 pm matinee - Poiesis Quartet and Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola

🎵Tue, Jul 28 - 7:30 pm - David Boutin-Bourque, clarinet; Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola; and Arthur Rowe, piano

🎵Sat, Aug 1 - 1:30 pm matinee (*note day and time*) - James Ehnes, violin, and Andrew Armstrong, piano

🎵Wed, Aug 5 - 7:30 pm - Élisabeth Pion, piano

🎵Sun, Aug 9 - 2:30 pm matinee - David Lakirovich, violin; Desmond Hoebig, cello; and Arthur Rowe, piano

🎟️ Festival passes on sale April 24, 2026 (until May 24)
🎟️ Tickets to individual concerts on sale May 24, 2026

For full details, please visit www.vsmf.org

07/26/2025

It's here! VSMF 2025 opens TODAY, with Jacques Forestier, violin, and Arthur Rowe, piano. Tickets will be available at the door.

Jacques Forestier, violin, and Arthur Rowe, piano
play a concert of music by Dvořák, Brahms, and Strauss
at UVic Phillip T. Young Recital Hall
Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 2:30 pm
with a pre-concert talk at 2:00 pm

Details at vsmf.org/concerts

VSMF continues through August 10

07/20/2025

Bravo, Jaeden!

05/20/2025

Congratulations to Joel Link of Dover Quartet, newly named as Concertmaster with the Cleveland Orchestra. Glad to hear that the Dover Quartet will keep making music together, too. We're looking forward to hearing them this Saturday at 2pm ... join us! vsmf.org/tickets

05/12/2025

In less than two weeks the Dover Quartet return to Victoria! Don't miss your chance to hear them - Sat, May 24 at 2pm - in a performance featuring Mozart, Janáček, and Schumann. Get your tickets now at vsmf.org/tickets