Early Music Vancouver was founded in 1970, and has been bringing world-class music to appreciative audiences for 40 years. Early Music Vancouver’s concerts largely highlight music from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras, with the occasional foray into music of later composers such as Mahler and Schoenberg. The Society presents music from these time periods according to traditions, and on instruments from the time when the music was first composed – inviting its audiences to explore music in a historical context.

Early Music Vancouver presents one of the foremost early music concert series in North America, with performances featuring musicians from Vancouver and across Canada and beyond, including many of the world’s stars in the field. Early Music Vancouver’s extensive and varied Winter Concert Season runs from September to May. Its innovative annual presentation of ‘Festive Bach Cantatas for Christmas’ at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC has become one of the musical highlights of Vancouver’s holiday season.

Early Music Vancouver also offers the annual summer Vancouver Early Music Programme & Festival in July and August on the beautiful University of British Columbia campus. This event features a stellar concert series alongside a number of workshops and training programmes for both amateur musicians and for aspiring early music performers. Alumni of these programmes have continued on to have successful musical careers. The concerts of the Festival feature the talents of the faculty members of the workshops (all acclaimed musicians from across North America and from Europe), together with guest artists and ensembles from the local early music scene and elsewhere in Canada and abroad.

Early Music Vancouver’s long-time Director José Verstappen recently received the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honour, for his dedication to fostering early music in British Columbia and across Canada.