Music lovers, here's a wonderful one coming up for you.
The next offering in the Music at Queens concert series is on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
It features a performance by Bridge Professionals, a group founded in 2012 by Kevin Park - a cellist from right here in the Royal City.
He returned to New Westminster in 2010 after studying music at the University of Texas.
A press release notes that he formed Bridge Professionals to create more performance and collaboration opportunities for talented musicians from Vancouver and abroad an to create a "bridge" between musicians and audience.
"The musicians' priority is the pursuit of harmony and communication beyond the barriers of language and culture," it notes.
The project provides exposure to current professionals and invitations to new and upcoming talents locally and beyond - Kevin keeps an eye on the B.C. concert scene to recruit talented new performers.
The February concert features works from the trio repertoires of Beethoven, Dvorak and Piazzolla. Pianist Susan Choi and violinist Yun Jung join Kevin in concert.
The concert is at Queens Avenue United Church, 529 Queens Ave. Tickets are $20 regular, $15 students and seniors, and $10 for children, available at the door. Call 604-522-1606 for more info.
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Are you a songwriter? Do you have music to share?
Don't forget about the songwriters' open mike nights, running every Sunday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Heritage Grill.
Enrico Renz and Lawren Nemeth host the nights in the backroom at the restaurant, at 447 Columbia St.
You're welcome to bring your songs to join in at the open mike, or just pop in to listen.
Poets are also welcome for collaboration.
Check out more at the Royal City Literary Arts Society's website, www.rclas.com.
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Short story writers, don't feel left out - the Royal City Literary Arts Society has one for you too.
The society is running a monthly short story open mike session at the Heritage Grill, also in the backroom.
The open mike sessions are hosted by Margo Prentice and happen on the second Wednesday of the month.
The next one's coming up on Feb. 12, and it runs from 7 to 9 p.m.
Bring your short stories or excerpts from novels. Storytellers are also welcome.
Check out www.rclas.com for the details.
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Yes, it's true, the Royal City Literary Arts Society is keeping the local literary scene pretty darn busy!
The society, in partnership with the New Westminster Public Library, is offering a free workshop with Garry Ward: Rhyming Verse - The Joy, The Curse.
It's taking place on Thursday evening, Feb. 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
As a press release notes, "This workshop examines the elements that distinguish great modern rhyming verse from Hallmark cards, including surprise, variation and musicality."
Ward is a Saskatchewan-born poet who moved to B.C. in 1969 and published his first book, Watching the Sun Rise & Other Poems, in 1970.
He spent 30 years travelling throughout Western Canada as a trainer and consultant, and he's currently working on a collection called The Jazz Poems.
The library is at 716 Sixth Ave., uptown. Register ahead by emailing [email protected].
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If you're into poetry, don't forget about Poetic Justice.
The weekly poetry readings include presentations by feature poets as well as open mike sessions, running from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoons in the backroom at the Heritage Grill.
It doesn't run on Sunday, Feb. 9 - it's closed for Family Day weekend - but it starts up again on Feb. 16, when host Sho Wiley leads readings by Candice James, Dennis Bolen and Brad Cran.
On Feb. 23, the readings feature Manolis, Kyle McKillop and Lilija Valis, and the session is hosted by Sonja Grgar.
See www.poeticjustice.ca for the schedule and bios of the participating poets.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected]. You can also find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
