For the seventh year, Serenade in the Snow brought the music of the Kamloops Symphony Chamber Musicians to Sun Peaks.
Organized by Jim and Bijou Farrell and Ines Popig, the event was an evening of classical music, food and beverages, hosted in a Sun Peaks residence. Sixty classical music lovers attended the fully sponsored show.
“That we can command such talent in a little community like ours and such organizational skills, musicological skills and culinary skills all in one place, in our living room as it were,” says show patron Roy Fox, “It makes (this) a truly unique community.”
The organization of the concert was revised this year to have its operating costs sponsored. Concert goers were invited to make donations to the evening’s charity, the Sun Peaks Education Society (SPES), at the door; a model that both Farrell and Barb Kupferschmidt Linder, president of the SPES, found to be favoured by patrons. The evening raised $4,150 for the school.
Kupferschmidt Linder is appreciative of the significant fundraising contribution to the Education Society.
“We’re very pleased, it was a very successful event,” she says. “The attendees love this type of event, and the music was excellent.”
Organizer Jim Farrell explains that he and his wife Bijou sponsored the musicians for the event, while Petr Duda and Ines Popig, as well as Sun Peaks Lodge and Steakhouse and Bella Italia provided the food. Beverages were sponsored by Michael and Jennifer Howard and chocolates supplied by Peter and Lucy Guido of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
Serenade musicians were Cvetozar Vutev, Kamloops Symphony Orchestra’s concert master, on violin and viola, Sally Arai on clarinet, and Naomi Cloutier on piano and harp. Junior musicians for the evening were Zana Farrell on violin and piano and Jasper Schoff on violin.
“The two young violinists were stunning,” says Fox. “Zana Farrell did her very best with Rondo Alla Turca by Mozart. A pretty astonishing achievement for an 11-year old, flawless.”
The success of this year’s event has organizers looking toward the future.
“I think, people really enjoyed it and it was probably our best one yet,” says Farrell. “We’re thinking about next year’s one already.”
Help us bring you more local news
SPIN has been able to serve Sun Peaks as its sole news source for over 20 years thanks to the overwhelming support of our community. Join over 126 of your neighbours and become a monthly or yearly member so that we can continue to regularly publish the digital newsletters and stories our readers rely on.
