Skip to content

Valley Concert Society presents eight cellists in concert

O-Celli performs Friday, April 5 at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium
16208769_web1_190403-ABB-O-Celli_1
The group O-Celli performs on Friday, April 5 at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium in Abbotsford. Photo by Benjamin Brolet

The Valley Concert Society presents the group O-Celli, featuring eight cellists, on Friday, April 5.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (32315 South Fraser Way). A pre-concert talk takes place at 6:50 p.m. in the foyer.

O-Celli is a musical project, characterized by its originality and dynamic presentation, in the world of classical music.

Their Abbotsford concert begins with an with an overture from one of Verdi’s great operas and ends with a dance by Mexican composer Arturo Marquez that captures the fire and energy of the Latin spirit.

Along the way there will be film music by Nino Rota and Chabrier’s beloved España sprinkled among a generous helping of Latin tunes.

The group was created in 2010 through the initiative of Sébastien Walnier – principal cello of the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels – and Alexandre Beauvoir, chamber musician.

RELATED: Diderot String Quartet performs Haydn and Mozart

RELATED: Valley Concert Society presents vocal group Cantus

These celebrated chamber musicians are members of prominent European orchestras such as the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, National Opera of Paris, and the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As with their adopted city of Brussels (Belgium), O-Celli is a cosmopolitan ensemble which is represented by five different nationalities.

Since its creation, O-Celli has performed for numerous European festivals – most notably, the International Cello Festival in Beauvais, the Flâneries musicales de Reims, the Festival Sully sur Loire (France), Festival Musiq’3 (Belgian National classical radio station), and the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (Belgium).

O-Celli’s first international tour occurred in 2017, when they performed from Ontario to Nova Scotia.

They also broadened their horizons with concerts in Switzerland and Luxembourg.

O-Celli has released two discs – “O-Celli fait son cinéma”(2013) and “Dances” (Fuga Libera-2015).

A third recording is planned based upon the theme of Latino-Spanish music. The disc will be presented during the group’s current tour of B.C.

Tickets for the Abbotsford are $28 for adults and $15 for students. Visit valleyconcertsociety.com for tickets or more information.