2024/25 Annual Report

September 1, 2024 – August 31, 2025

A letter from the Artistic and Executive Director

This year EMV celebrated 55 years of excellence in early music presentation, performance and discovery, a truly noble achievement! Thanks to the dedication of our community of music enthusiasts, artists, educators, board members, staff, and supporters, EMV has continued to reach new heights as one of British Columbia’s foremost arts organizations. Increasingly, we are recognized both nationally and internationally for our artistic excellence, innovation, and creativity.

Our commitment to balancing historical performance with artistic innovation, which includes true dialogue with other cultures and contemporary ideas, shone through our programming this season and reinforced EMV’s role as a leader in reimagining what “early music” can mean in the world today. Through our performances, we travelled through time and across cultures, bringing to our stage the sounds of Dante’s Italy, the legend of St. Gregory the Great, exquisite choral music from the Venetian Renaissance, works by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw, and early music from Bolivia, India, Senegal and Persia.

The 24/25 season also saw a deepened commitment to the next generation of artists, to the commissioning of new works for old instruments, to collaborations that reflected the diversity of our community, strengthening of our cultural bonds. New collaborations included the Awina’kula Foundation, Modern Biology, Sound the Dragon Ensemble, and Les Jardins Chorégraphiques. In addition to our Mentorship programme at UBC (BOMP), we supported the first album of the Gallo Chamber Players, a local early music ensemble, and commissioned a piece for them by emerging composer Gregory Borton, presented in the festival. Our Emerging Artist Competition drew the attention of the Göttingen Handel Festival, and we have been invited to collaborate with their Emerging Artist Competition.

Another mark of success lies in the feedback I get from artists who perform here or who write to ask if they can be part of our season or festival. EMV’s reputation around the world is alive and well, and it’s exciting to be on the wish list of the best ensembles and artists.

At the core of it all is our wonderful Pacific Baroque Orchestra, led by Alexander Weimann. Alex’s reimagined Goldberg Variations set the tone for a season that shone with great masterworks and great artistry coupled with vivid imagination.

Our management also excelled, increasing ticket sales, building our profile, and, with the help of new sponsors and generous donors, raising $167,000 at our Rondeau Gala. 

Allow me to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers, and to our generous donors, funders, and partners. Your commitment to EMV, coupled with your passion for the music, will continue to fuel us forward for many years to come.

Suzie LeBlanc, C.M., Artistic & Executive Director

EMV Staff & Consultants

Suzie LeBlanc C.M., Artistic & Executive Director

Read their biographies

Alexis Douglas, Summer Festival Production Manager
Kiran Bhachu, Graphic Designer
José Verstappen, Designer & Typesetter and Artistic Director Emeritus;
Joanna Dundas, Digital Strategy Consultant
Murray Patterson Marketing Group
Jess MacAleese, Photographer
Collide Entertainment

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A letter from EMV’s Board Chair  

Welcome to Early Music Vancouver’s 2025 Annual Report.

This past year marked EMV’s 55th season—a remarkable testament to the vision of our founders, the dedication of countless volunteers, and the passion of audiences who continue to find joy and meaning in early music. As we honour our past and the strength of our tradition, we also look ahead with optimism. With the establishment of the EMV Foundation, we have taken a bold and lasting step toward ensuring that our music will flourish for generations to come. Already, funds have been transferred into the Foundation, and as its resources grow, so too will our capacity to safeguard EMV’s artistic vision well into the future. This achievement reflects the thoughtful governance of our Board and, above all, the profound generosity of our community.

We also celebrate an extraordinary artistic triumph: the Summer Festival’s performance of Mozart’s Requiem, which drew record-breaking audiences and became, quite possibly, the highest-selling summer concert in EMV’s history. Our 2024–25 season concluded with a positive result, driven by the remarkable support of our donors, complemented by steadfast public sector support.

But numbers tell only part of the story. The true measure of our success lies in the vitality of our programming: in sold-out concerts and the superb artistry of our main season; in the insights of our artist-in-residence; and in the promise of the 2026 Summer Festival, which Alex Weimann, newly appointed as Festival Co-Artistic Director, is already co-developing. EMV continues to present performances that both delight and inspire. We also take pride in fostering the next generation through EMV’s Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Programme (BOMP), a partnership with the University of British Columbia that gives young musicians the rare chance to learn and perform Baroque music on period instruments.

None of this would be possible without the many hands and hearts that sustain us. We are deeply grateful to our members, donors, and corporate partners; to the volunteers who open their homes, provide transportation, and welcome audiences at our concerts; and to our Artistic and Executive Director, Suzie LeBlanc, C.M., O.A.L., whose artistry and vision continue to enrich us. Together with our dedicated staff, Suzie ensures that historically informed performance not only survives but flourishes here in Vancouver.

It is a privilege to serve as President of this thriving society. As we cross the threshold into our 56th year, we stand rooted in tradition yet oriented toward the future—drawing on centuries of human imagination while nurturing the promise of generations to come. May we continue to grow in strength, in sustainability, and above all, in the joy of music.

Warmly,

Pam Ratner, Chair of the Board

EMV Board of Directors

Pam Ratner, Chair; Jeff Sodowsky, Vice President; Andrew Szeri, Past President; Ron Kruschen, Treasurer; Vincent Tan, Secretary; Board Members: Janet Lea, Jia Wang, Denis Prager, Serena Ko (on leave). Read their biographies.

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Vision

A world in which the power of music inspires all people to engage with and value the arts.

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Mission

To engage, enrich and educate through music

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Values

We promote historically informed performance practices.
We deliver inspirational experiences.
We foster collaborative relationships.
We generate opportunities that support local early music professionals.
We commit to inclusivity in all our activities.
We strive for excellence and sustainability in everything we do.

EMV acknowledges that we operate on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples – the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

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EMV’s 2024-2025 Main Season 

Artistic Partnerships in 2024/2025

Chan Centre for The Performing Arts

Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver

Vancouver Chopin Society

Vancouver New Music Society

Early Music Society of The Islands

Season Highlight: VOCES8

In this sold out concert, led by Barnaby Smith, VOCES8 performed a variety of works from Thomas Tallis to Irving Berlin. The concert attracted choirs from around the lower mainland making the concert our most well attended by young BC artists.

This production was the highest selling concert in the 2024/25 Season.

“On behalf of all of VOCES8 I want to share how much we enjoyed our first visit to Vancouver last week. It’s always a great joy to visit new venues and cities, and we were blown away by the enthusiasm of the audience at the Chan Centre. Thank you so much to you and your whole team for making us feel so welcome and well catered for (we all really appreciated the thank you note given to us after the concert as well!)

We hope we’ll be able to return to Canada again soon”. – Euan Williamson, member of VOCES8 

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The 2025 Summer Festival – Bach & Mozart: Endless Ascent

EMV’s Summer Festival, Bach & Mozart: In Endless Ascent, celebrated nature’s elements and journeys ever upward. From the earthly forces of Rebel’s Les Élémens and Geminiani’s The Enchanted Forest, to Bach’s celestial works, the poetic beauty of Schubert lieder, and the soul’s final ascent in Mozart’s Requiem, the festival’s sense of infinity was perfectly aligned with our triumphant anniversary year and our ongoing exploration of both old and new works.

These also included meditative sounds of the 11th-century and a cross-cultural encounter between Chinese instruments and baroque strings with Vancouver’s Sound the Dragon. We were proud to present an exceptional number of new works featuring Canadian composers Edward Top, Dorothy Chang, Lan Tung, Grégoire Jeay, Sandeep Bhagwati and Métis artist Gregory Borton. These bold new works reflect EMV’s commitment to expanding early music into today’s world.

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Artist in Residence Programme

The Artist in Residence programme brings outstanding performers to the Summer Festival to participate in a number of festival concerts and engage with the local community through workshops, interviews, coaching and/or panel discussions. 

Magali Simard-Galdes, 2025 Artist-in-Residence 

Quebec soprano Magali Simard-Galdès is distinguished by a broad repertoire ranging from Baroque music, which she is particularly fond of, to contemporary music, for which she possesses all the precision required.

On the operatic stage, Magali imposes a celebrated presence and theatrical ease. Her ability to blend in with each character has enabled her to take on roles as diverse as Agnès (Benjamin, Written on skin), Musetta (Puccini, La Bohème), Micaëla (Bizet, Carmen), Tytania (Britten, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Gilda (Verdi, Rigoletto), Roxane (DiChiera, Cyrano de Bergerac), Constance (Poulenc, Dialogues des carmélites) and Nicette (Hérold, Le pré aux clercs), performing in many prestigious venues, such as, the Vancouver and Montreal Operas, Opera Carolina, Toledo Opera, Tapestry Opera and the Wexford Festival Opera, not forgetting the Cologne Opera and the Auditorium du Nouveau Siècle in Lille.

On the concert platform, Magali displays the charisma, performing with world renowned specialist ensembles such as Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, Les Violons du Roy, Arion Orchestre baroque and Ensemble Caprice.

She performs just as regularly with symphonic ensembles and conductors such as Orchestre National de Lille, Orchestre Classique de Montréal, the National Arts Center Orchestra in Ottawa, the Houston Symphony and Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Orchestre Métropolitain and Orchestre du Festival Classica in Quebec, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jacques Lacombe, Jean-Marie Zeitouni, Bernard Labadie, Jean-François Rivest, Mathieu Lussier, François-Xavier Roth, Jérémie Rhorer and Alexandre Bloch.

Alongside a busy international career, Magali can be regularly heard on Radio-Canada ICI Premiere as an sustainability consultant.

“I enjoyed having the opportunity to fully engage with the festival community, not only through music but also by sharing another important facet of my professional life. I was especially thrilled to return to Vancouver, a city I’ve had the joy of working in several times, and to dive into the vibrant energy of the summer festival while collaborating with outstanding artists. This residency also allowed me to explore different musical landscapes—from baroque and classical sacred music, to early romantic recital.” – Magali Simard-Galdès

EMV’s 2025 Artist-in-Residence, Magali Simard-Galdes was generously sponsored by Denise and Eric Pugash.

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EMV: The Next Generation

The Gallo Chamber Players

Early music is continually refreshed and rejuvenated by successive generations of young artists who bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the repertoire. Early Music Vancouver was delighted to welcome The Gallo Chamber Players, an up-and-coming Vancouver-based early music ensemble formed by students from our Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Programme. Their concert featured works by Bach alongside new compositions by Rebecca Nelson and Gregory Borton, honouring the historically informed practice of premiering new music. The ensemble recorded their debut album this summer, which will be released in 2026.

Learn more.

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Rondeau in The Forest Fundraising Gala 2025

Our fourth annual Rondeau gala, Rondeau in The Forest, was a resounding success. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported EMV through this event. Everyone enjoyed their evening and, thanks to our lively and generous auctioneer, Fred Lee, we more than doubled our fundraising goal and raised over $216,000!

Thank you to our many Corporate sponsors, individual table hosts and donors who made gifts before, during and after the event!

We’d like to give special thanks to the following people who made the event a success:

Auctioneer | Host

Fred Lee            Margaret Gallagher

Corporate Sponsors

Strand 

Global BC

Sager Financial Group

Leis De Buds

Live Auction Successful Bidders

Paddle Raise Donors over $2,500

Special Supporters

Photo Credit: Jess MacAleese

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The Pacific Baroque Orchestra

Alexander Weimann, Music Director sponsored by Bruce Munro Wright, O.B.C.

Chloe Meyers, Concertmaster sponsored by Jill Bodkin

Established in 1990, Pacific Baroque Orchestra (PBO) is recognized as one of Canada’s most exciting and innovative ensembles performing “early music for modern ears”. PBO brings the music of the past up to date by performing with cutting edge style and enthusiasm. EMV fully integrated the Pacific Baroque Orchestra (PBO) into the organization in 2016-2017 under the leadership of keyboardist and conductor Alexander Weimann. 

PBO regularly joins forces with internationally-celebrated Canadian guest artists, providing performance opportunities for Canadian musicians while exposing West Coast audiences to a spectacular variety of talent. The Orchestra has also toured throughout BC, the northern United States, and across Canada. Their 2019 East Coast Canadian tour with Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin culminated in a critically acclaimed album, Nuit Blanches, released by Atma Classique. 

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Education & Outreach Initiatives

EMV’s education programs are key to developing historically-informed performance practices on the West Coast. Our goal is to develop the next generation of period performers, ensuring the legacy of this specialized art form lives on while enriching the knowledge and appreciation of early music to the wider public. EMV’s and UBC’s Baroque Orchestra Mentorship Programme continued to thrive and performed in EMV’s free concert for the summer festival. Our ongoing free public lecture-recitals in the intimate Coach House at Green College (UBC) gives the audience a chance to meet our performers in an informal and educative manner.  BC Scholarship Programme students continued to hone their skills with members of the PBO and other local and national instructors. Learn about all of our initiatives here.

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Fundraising & Financial Summary

Our year in fundraising at Early Music Vancouver has been outstanding. Donations exceeded $652,000, which is an increase of over $150,000 from the previous fiscal year. Our loyal donor base, along with many new major donors have helped us reach this amount, and we are grateful. 

Other contributions of in-kind donations were made, which do not factor into this amount, but are important and greatly appreciated.

We are grateful for all of our donors, who continue to support us, in so many ways. All donations matter – ! Every dollar counts!

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Donor Thank You

EMV would like to extend  heartfelt thanks to all of our incredibly generous donors who have made our success in recent years a reality. The following list represents donations made between September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025.

Government:

Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver, BC Gaming Commission, Conseil des Arts et des Lettres de Québec, Creative BC, Metro Vancouver

Foundations:

Graham and Gayle Cooke Foundation, The Drance Family Early Music Vancouver Fund, Nemetz Foundation, Mary and Gordon Christopher Foundation, McLean Foundation, Hamber Foundation, Chan Endowment Fund at the University of British Columbia

Production Partners:

Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, UBC School of Music, Green College, Christ Church Cathedral Vancouver, Vancouver Chopin Society, Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver,

Vancouver New Music Society

Production Partners in Victoria:

Christ Church Cathedral Victoria, Pacific Baroque Festival, Victoria Conservatory of Music, Victoria Baroque, Early Music Society of The Islands 

Corporate Support:

Strand, Global BC, Sager Financial Group, Leis De Buds, Rosedale on Robson Suite Hotel, Glenmore Printing, Prism Printing

Volunteer Thank You 

The work of Early Music Vancouver is made possible through the generous assistance of our many volunteers who offer their time, skills, and support.

Contact 

For more information about making a donation or becoming involved with EMV, contact”