Victoria, BC is my home-away-from-home. Without question, I spend more time there than any other city besides Vancouver. There are a number of reasons for this: 1.) the beer is spectacular. Really, I mean it: it boasts some of the best microbreweries in North America, including Phillips, Driftwood, and Spinnakers; 2.) the local gin is outstanding. Victoria Spirits is owned and operated by the Murray family, who not only created the most beautiful sipping gin ever, but continues to be stalwart supporters of the arts; 3.) there is an amazing musical culture that is entirely unique — the musicians and composers there continue to be an incredible source of  inspiration and cultural nourishment for me, and my association with the Aventa Ensemble remains one of the most exciting musical collaborations I’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing.

So when Victoria’s Open Space asked me to present a concert there this Friday, October 12th, I took the offer very, very seriously. In addition to works for solo flute by Kajia Saariaho, Toru Takemitsu, Salvatore Sciarrino, and Toronto-based composer Gregory Lee Newsome, I’ll be presenting three recent works for flute and percussion with my longtime friend and collaborator Brian Nesselroad: Coming Home by Farshid Samandari, Iyr by Dubravko Pajalic, and a new premiere for alto flute and percussion, For Annette Brosin, by Victoria-based composer Darren Miller.

If you’re in Victoria this weekend, please consider coming to this concert: the music is incredible, and Brian and I have had a blast putting this repertoire together. And for the record, I want a t-shirt made from the poster image below — I was informed that those are actually flutes burning merrily away…

Mark McGregor, flute and Brian Nesselroad, percussion

Open Space 510 Fort Street, Victoria BC

October 12, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.