Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra
  • Home
    • Our Director
    • About Us
    • Sponsors
    • History
    • Musicians >
      • Violin
      • Viola
      • Cello
      • Double Bass
  • Concerts & Tickets
    • Tickets
    • 2019-20 Season >
      • November 2019
      • NCO and Malaspina Choir
      • March 2020 Concert
    • Past Performances >
      • 2018-19 Season >
        • November/December 2018
        • March/April 2019
        • June 2019
        • August 30, 2019
      • 2017-18 Season >
        • November 2017
        • March 2018
        • June 2018
      • Summer 2017
      • June 3 & 4, 2017
      • Mar 11 & 12, 2017
      • Nov 26 & 27, 2016
      • Opera! 2016 Oct 22, 23
      • June 4 and 5, 2016
      • March 19 and 20, 2016
      • Nov 28 and Dec 6, 2015
      • Opera! Oct. 24 and 25, 2015
  • Concerto Competition
    • Past Winners
    • Application Information for 2019
  • Gallery
  • Contact Us
    • Contact List
    • Guestbook
    • Join Us!
  • Members Only
    • Chamber Music Organizations
    • NCO Rules of Conduct
    • Rehearsal Notices
    • Performance Opportunities
    • Board Meetings >
      • 9 January 2018
      • 13 February, 2018
      • 13 March 2018
      • 10 April 2018
      • 8 May 2018
      • 12 June 2018
      • 11 September 2018
      • 13 November 2018
      • January 2019
      • March 2019
      • April 2019
  • Chamber Music Event Links
Picture
The Orchestra before a performance at Vancouver Island University in June of 2019 (photo by: Blair Photos)
                                                         

About Us

The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra is a community-based string orchestra numbering approximately 25 musicians. Members include experienced professionals, dedicated amateurs and talented young musicians. The age range of the membership spans about 70 years, from mid-teens to the mid-80s. Although all the NCO musicians are passionate about playing music, there exists a variety of backgrounds in the group--lawyers, nurses, business executives, teachers, electricians, realtors, computer geeks, dental hygienists.

Mentoring young musicians by providing training and performance opportunities is an important goal of the orchestra. One of those opportunities is an annual concerto competition for young instrumentalists or vocalists. The competition winner performs at the June concerts with the orchestra. In addition, talented young musicians are often invited to perform solo parts in other concerts. The NCO has been very fortunate to have had over 30 young musicians participate as orchestra members over the past 11 years.

The NCO also supports the String Section of the Upper Island Musical Festival. In 2019 bursaries were awarded to Ella Wyndlow (Jr 'A' Provincial Rep) and Maya Harbo (Alternate Jr 'A' Provincial Rep).

The NCO features local soloists whenever possible. Our soloists have included clarinetist Earl Thomas, percussionist Nicole Arendt (marimba), oboists Deborah Vitek and Pippa Williams, flautists Jennifer Cluff and Cindy Speelman, soprano/alto duo Elizabeth Lutz and Elizabeth Wilson, guitarist Oscar Clemotte, cellist Helena Jung, violinists James Mark and Karl Rainer, pianists Sarah Hagen, Sharon Wolzien and Rie Okamura, Trumpeters Bryn Badel and Stevan Paranosic, horn players, Andrew Clark and Heather Walker, saxophonist Chris Helman and bassoonist Katrina Russell.

The NCO's regular season is comprised of three programs between September and June. The orchestra has played the "Sing Along Messiah" with the Malaspina Choir and for many years has performed summer concerts of lighter, more familiar music. 
  • Home
    • Our Director
    • About Us
    • Sponsors
    • History
    • Musicians >
      • Violin
      • Viola
      • Cello
      • Double Bass
  • Concerts & Tickets
    • Tickets
    • 2019-20 Season >
      • November 2019
      • NCO and Malaspina Choir
      • March 2020 Concert
    • Past Performances >
      • 2018-19 Season >
        • November/December 2018
        • March/April 2019
        • June 2019
        • August 30, 2019
      • 2017-18 Season >
        • November 2017
        • March 2018
        • June 2018
      • Summer 2017
      • June 3 & 4, 2017
      • Mar 11 & 12, 2017
      • Nov 26 & 27, 2016
      • Opera! 2016 Oct 22, 23
      • June 4 and 5, 2016
      • March 19 and 20, 2016
      • Nov 28 and Dec 6, 2015
      • Opera! Oct. 24 and 25, 2015
  • Concerto Competition
    • Past Winners
    • Application Information for 2019
  • Gallery
  • Contact Us
    • Contact List
    • Guestbook
    • Join Us!
  • Members Only
    • Chamber Music Organizations
    • NCO Rules of Conduct
    • Rehearsal Notices
    • Performance Opportunities
    • Board Meetings >
      • 9 January 2018
      • 13 February, 2018
      • 13 March 2018
      • 10 April 2018
      • 8 May 2018
      • 12 June 2018
      • 11 September 2018
      • 13 November 2018
      • January 2019
      • March 2019
      • April 2019
  • Chamber Music Event Links