Christopher Dewdney could be considered one of Canada's least-known literary treasures. He gets no hype -- it's a miracle he's published at all. He's best known as the b.f. of literary princess Barbara Gowdy, but he's got his own thing going as a poet, critic, all-round intellectual and a closeted groovy kinda guy. Consider his recent contribution to the CBC Radio program Ideas. Dewdney participated on a panel for a special feature called "Tick Tock Bang - Noise in Modern Art," where the poet came out of the classical closet, claiming his love for modern music: "I don't work with techno, with really heavy, hard-core dance techno on. I do work with rave and trance rave on, which is more ambient; particularly ambient rave. That is music I can easily work with. In fact, I prefer to work with it."

Not bad for some 50-yr-old plus poet who is hanging around as a consort to one of Canada's literary Glitter Gals. While Gowdy's last novel was a poetic exploration of the language and emotion of elephants, Dewdney's been working with the human species and has churned out volume of poetry published recently by McLelland & Stewart. I urge you, if not to purchase, than to at least go into a bookstore and flip through Signal Fires.

Signal Fires

The VSO Hits the Road
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's Summer Concert 2000 series is moving to a new venue tonight. Rather than the Orpheum, the VSO will be onstage at the Chan Centre. The orchestra will be performing Bach's Brandenburg - Concerto No. 3, Haydn's Divertimentio for Winds in Bb, Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn and Beethoven Symphony No. 5.

Tomorrow (that's Saturday) the roaming VSO hits the Deer Lake Park in Burnaby for an evening of outdoor entertainment. Beethoven's Concerto No. 4 - 1st movement will be performed with Marine Hauschildt on piano, plus Grieg's Piano Concerto in A-, 1st movement with Sean Bayntun tinkling the ivories.

For more details visit:
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Vancouver Chamber Music Festival
Starting tonight Vancouverites will have the chance to hear an assemblage of some of the most talented young musician from around the globe. The Vancouver Chamber Music Festival (organized by the indefatigable Leila Getz), has gathered "18 extraordinary musicians performing some of chamber music's most exciting repertoire, including works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Bartók, Barber, and the hot, young British composer, Thomas Adès." The program features 80 concerts over the next 8 days, so check the sked.

2000 Vancouver Chamber Music Festival
July 21 - 29
Crofton Schoolhouse in Vanier Park
Info: 604-602-0363

STOMPing into Winnipeg
Have you seen STOMP? If you haven't then you're missing out on one of the wildest nights of innovative musical, dance theatre in recent history. STOMP actually defies description. It began when a bunch of British buskers wanted to shake some money out of people's pockets. They used the tools they had at hand to create a new manner of street performance.

Brooms, tin cans, garbage pail lids and even their own bodies were employed to create a cacophony of sound. There's no plot. "No political connotations, no pretentious techniques, and no dialogue to misconstrue. Instead, you're bombarded by noises that you usually try to block out. STOMP takes the everyday sounds of pipes and brooms, lighters and garbage pail lids, and creates the extraordinary." I've seen the show and it had me stomping around joyously for weeks.

Stomp
July 21 - 23
Winnipeg
Centennial Concert Hall
(204) 780-3333

Drop me a line.

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