Vancouver Island Symphony to present Majestic Mozart! in Nanaimo
Published 5:30 am Sunday, March 8, 2026
Vancouver composer Dorothy Chang will have her compositions featured alongside Mozart and Nicole Lizée, in Vancouver Island Symphony’s latest Nanaimo show.
Majestic Mozart! Featuring the World Premiere of Dorothy Chang’s Three Songs Without Words takes place at the Port Theatre on Saturday, March 14.
Cosette Justo Valdés, artistic director, told the News Bulletin that the music crosses generational boundries, creating an all-ages experience.
“This is music that is incredibly beautiful,” Justo Valdés said. “That is one thing in common for the three pieces in the program.”
Three of Chang’s pieces will be performed, described in a press release as a “luminous exploration of colour, texture, and character – an intimate dialogue between soloists and orchestra.” Chang, who is known for “musical storytelling,” has each of her three pieces delivering a different solo, creating what is intended to represent an “instrumental” voice. Featured soloists include Paolo Bortolussi, on the flute; Hannah Addario-Berry, on cello; Lani Krantz, on harp; and Christopher Lee, on clarinet.
While Chang might be at the heart of the concert, her music is joined by Nicole Lizée’s Sepulchre, a piece that blends acoustic with electronic worlds, which the symphony said is “celebrated for its originality, precision, and cinematic flair, making Sepulchre a thrilling addition to the evening.”
To conclude the concert, attendees will hear Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C major, otherwise known as Jupiter.
“[It] is one of his most famous, if not the one most famous symphony,” Justo Valdés said. “Everybody loves it, the listeners and musicians alike.”
Justo Valdés said Chang’s modern harmonies complement the classic with its colourful nature.
“Chamber music, as I said, is intimacy and freshness. In this case it will be a nice piece that we will perform for the first time … It’s a gorgeous piece that I’m sure many orchestras will want to perform in the future.”
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., with a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets on sale now through https://vancouverislandsymphony.com.