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March in Vancouver: Rachmaninoff at the Orpheum and medieval melodies meeting jazz

March in Vancouver covers a lot of ground.

The month's most unusual concert is Amour Courtois, in which the French jazz pianist Baptiste Bailly takes medieval melodies and reworks them through contemporary improvisation, at Christ Church Cathedral. On the same evening, and about as far from that as the city's programming gets, Otto Tausk leads the VSO in Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony at the Orpheum — an hour of lush, unembarrassed melody and a good first orchestral concert if you're new to this.

Elsewhere there's chamber music worth planning around: the Leonkoro Quartet at the Playhouse early in the month, Jonathan Crow leading Bach concerti at Music in the Morning mid-month, and the Vancouver Cello Quartet at the Anvil, which is exactly what the title suggests.

This is the same lineup that went out in this month's newsletter, adapted here in case you'd rather browse than scroll an inbox. If you're new here, Discover is the editorial side of Allegro — a little more opinionated than the full listings. Subscribe below and I'll send the next one straight to your inbox.

🌟 Top Highlight 🌟

Fri
Mar 13
7:30 PM
Amour Courtois: Medieval Meets Jazz

Amour Courtois: Medieval Meets Jazz

A bold and evocative musical project led by French jazz pianist Baptiste Bailly, reimagining medieval melodies through contemporary improvisation, exp…

📍 Christ Church Cathedral

🎭 Early Music Vancouver

🎼 Best First Classical Concert 🎼

Fri
Mar 13
7:30 PM
VSO: Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony

VSO: Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony

Maestro Otto Tausk leads the VSO in Rachmaninoff's towering Second Symphony, overflowing with lush melodies and sumptuous orchestrations. The program …

📍 Orpheum Theatre

🎭 Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

🚀 For the Adventurous 🚀

Mon
Mar 23
1:00 PM
Vancouver Cello Quartet: Nothing but Cello

Vancouver Cello Quartet: Nothing but Cello

The beloved Vancouver Cello Quartet returns to VCMS with "Nothing but Cello," a celebration of the cello's rich and captivating range. Experience the …

📍 Anvil Theatre

🎭 Vancouver Chamber Music Society

✨ Can't Miss ✨

Sun
Mar 8
3:00 PM
LEONKORO QUARTET

LEONKORO QUARTET

The acclaimed Leonkoro Quartet presents an afternoon of chamber music. Post-performance talk back included.

📍 Vancouver Playhouse

🎭 Vancouver Recital Society

Wed
Mar 18
10:30 AM
Jonathan Crow & Friends: Bach Concerti & Concerto Grosso

Jonathan Crow & Friends: Bach Concerti & Concerto Grosso

Toronto Symphony Orchestra's concertmaster Jonathan Crow returns to Music in the Morning, leading a small chamber orchestra in a joyful celebration of…

📍 Christ Church Cathedral

🎭 Music in the Morning

Wed
Mar 25
7:30 PM
UBC Bands: Energy & Life

UBC Bands: Energy & Life

Two acclaimed UBC wind ensembles take the Chan Centre stage: the Concert Winds present a programme rich in Canadian and American band classics, while …

📍 Chan Centre for the Performing Arts

🎭 Chan Centre and UBC School of Music

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Upcoming Concerts in Vancouver

Fri
Nov 27
7:30 PM
Mozart Requiem & Coronation Mass

Mozart Requiem & Coronation Mass

United Voices Choir's 60 singers join a professional orchestra and four soloists for two sides of Mozart: the dramatic, deeply moving Requiem of 1791,…

📍 St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church

🎭 United Voices Choir

Tue
Mar 9
7:30 PM
Fauré Quartett (Germany)

Fauré Quartett (Germany)

One of the world's leading piano quartets explores repertoire beyond the old rules with piano quartets by three women composers: Fanny Mendelssohn-Hen…

📍 Vancouver Playhouse

🎭 Friends of Chamber Music

Sat
Apr 3
7:30 PM
The Music of Zimmer vs Williams

The Music of Zimmer vs Williams

Two of film music's greatest composers go head to head as the VSO performs the best of Hans Zimmer and John Williams, from Star Wars and Harry Potter …

📍 Orpheum Theatre

🎭 Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Sun
Apr 4
2:00 PM
Beethoven Lives Upstairs!

Beethoven Lives Upstairs!

A vibrant family concert on the power, passion and playfulness of Beethoven, from the Fifth Symphony's famous four-note motif and Für Elise to the joy…

📍 Orpheum Theatre

🎭 Vancouver Symphony Orchestra