Crowds were flocking to the Inner Harbour this afternoon in preparation for the 20th anniversary of the Bayview Residences Victoria Symphony Splash.
Even by 11 a.m., several hundred anxious concertgoers had already staked out positions along the upper and lower causeway.
Rows of lawn and fold-up camping chairs were lined two deep in high-profile areas directly across from the barge, where 50 classical musicians were to take the stage in the early evening.
Some people arrived as early as 6 a.m. to snag a prime spot.
Sharon Klein said she used to show up early to lock her chair in place. But that practice has been barred, so Klein arrived at 9:30 a.m. and planned to sit all day with her ten chairs.
Volunteers in green, fluorescent T-shirts meandered through the crowds, collecting donations for the symphony.
Victoria Symphony executive director Mitchell Krieger scanned the growing crowd at midday and seemed pleased.
"It's pretty exciting," said Mitchell, who arrived in Victoria about six months ago.
At 2 p.m., the 聯musical instrument petting zoo聰 opened on the lawn of the provincial legislature.
Squawks, toots and taps filled the air as school-aged children tried to play flutes, trumpets, saxophones, drums and other instruments.
"It's so noisy," squealed eight-year-old Sarah Collins.
The Victoria girl was banging away on a snare drum after trying to play cello, trumpet, saxophone and xylophone.
Throughout the Inner Harbour, people passed the time leading up to show in a variety of ways. Some read or played Sudoku, while others napped under the warm sun.
The Victoria high school R&B band opened the festivities at 4 p.m. with a smooth and groovy set.
The band filled the air with the funky sounds of the Supremes and Stevie Wonder, among others.
Kayaks, zodiacs, speedboats and a single red canoe congregated in the harbour between the barge and the causeway to get a close-up glimpse of the show.
By 5 p.m., an estimated 8,000 people had already gathered on the upper and lower causeway and on the lawn of the provincial legislature.
Most of the chairs set up in the morning had been claimed.
R&B was to give way to the most refined R&R in North America by 7:30.
That's when nearly 50 of B.C.'s finest musicians were to take to the stage on a barge in the harbour for the 20th anniversary concert, and as many as 40,000 guests were expected to hum along.
The largest ongoing outdoor concert on the continent, Splash will deliver more than two hours of classical ear candy.
Additional speaker stacks on Belleville Street promise the best acoustics yet for fan favourites including Tara's Theme from Gone With the Wind, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and John Williams's theme from Star Wars, along with Amazing Grace performed by the 91原创 Scottish Regiment Pipe and Drum Band.
Splash's finale is set for 10 p.m. with Maestra Tania Miller conducting Tchaikovsky's 1812
Overture accompanied by fireworks and antique guns manned by teenage cadets from HMCS Quadra in Comox.
The forecast calls for a sunny day with temperatures in the low- to mid-20s, so a picnic downtown is doable.
A number of family-friendly events are on offer. Kids' activities get underway at 2 p.m. and the Victoria High School R&B Band revs up at 4 p.m.
One Splash button-buyer will earn the right to conduct the opening of Strauss's Radetzky March, the famous closing march in the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's concert.
Check out the Provincial Capital Commission tent near Government and Belleville streets at 3:15 p.m. as three hopefuls audition before conductor-in-residence Giuseppe Pietraroia and executive director Mitchell Krieger.
Later, and for the first time, orchestra members wearing formal whites will parade toward the barge through the crowds with their instruments -- tuba excepted. They'll begin behind the legislature buildings, accompanied by two pipers.
Think about tossing a few toonies in the donation buckets. Splash has never come near its goal of collecting $5 a head, even though regular symphony tickets run to $67. The donations from Splash will be used for other concerts, education and outreach programs.
With arts cutbacks looming, the orchestra has rung up its first deficit in five years -- $61,000 -- making public support all the more critical.
Splash costs $300,000 to stage, even with 330 volunteers. The feeling it gives Victoria is priceless.
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THE FUN BEGINS IN THE AFTERNOON:
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
- 2 p.m. Children's activities such as the "instrument petting zoo" on the legislature lawn
- 4 p.m. Opening act, the Vic High R&B band, performs
- 7:30 p.m. Maestra Tania Miller conducts the Victoria Symphony
- 10 p.m. 1812 Overture, punctuated by fireworks and cannon fire
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THE PROGRAM
- O Canada
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4
by Sir Edward Elgar (3 minutes)
Tara's Theme from Gone With the Wind by Max Steiner (4:00)
Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin (12:00)
Farandole from L'Arlesienne by Georges Bizet (3:00)
Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich (7:00)
Radetzky March by Johann Strauss Sr. (2:00)
INTERMISSION (20:00)
Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland (2:00)
Waltz from Sleeping Beauty by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky (4:00)
Serenade from The Student Prince by Sigmund Romberg (4:00)
Nella Fantasia by Ennio Morricone (3:00)
Jupiter from the Planets by Gustav Holst (6:00)
Star Wars Main Title by John Williams (6:00)
1812 Overture by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky (10:00)
Encore featuring the 91原创 Scottish Regiment Pipe
and Drum Band
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SHARE YOUR SPLASH MEMORIES
Symphony Splash is always a memorable experience, so we want to share your memories of this year's concert with our readers.
What was your favourite music from this year's Splash? Have your children grown up with Splash? Do you have a Splash ritual?
E-mail your thoughts and pictures of yourself and your friends at Splash to [email protected] and we will post a selection of them on our website: timescolonist.com
