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Living Room Live wants to bring classical concerts to Quesnel

They’ve organized tours around Manitoba, Saskatchewan and southern B.C.
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A classical musician performs in a house concert with Living Room Live. Submitted photo

Classical pianist Nicola Davies started Living Room Live with a friend in Winnipeg last year.

The company sees classical musicians off on tours across Canada, where they play house concerts and spend a night billeting at their host’s home. The concerts are intimate, personal, and open up the ability of the musician to better connect to their concert.

Since last May, Davies has sent musicians on four tours, three on the Man. to Sask. tour and the other on a route around Southern B.C., from Vancouver Island to Nelson.

Now, Davies is trying to start a Northern B.C. route — and she’s looking for hosts in Quesnel.

“It’s often people who are involved in committees and boards, and community things like that,” she says. “[People who] know what’s required to put on an event. You know, people who really enjoy hosting things.”

In particular, she’s looking for someone who can host a minimum of 20 people, but adds if there’s space for 25 to 30 people, “that’s great.”

Davies is also looking for hosts who can provide the musicians with a place to sleep on the night of the concert. If possible, she prefers hosts have an acoustic piano. If not, she adds, they can still try to make it work. Some communities also have co-hosts, meaning they have shows in more than one home, with each getting different musicians. Otherwise, hosts are typically expected to host four tours — so four shows — in their home.

Hosts are also provided with posters and other things they can use to promote the show.

As a classical pianist, Davies has also attended and performed at several house concerts. “I love going to the symphony, but it’s so nice to get to meet the musicians,” she says.

“And for me as a musician, as well, then I get to meet the audience, and at intermission have a chance to talk about music — and even during the concerts, you know the musicians will discuss the music and tell some fun stories, or [give the audience] background information behind it.”

Following their inaugural season of tours, Davies says they’ve had several accomplished musicians send in applications to do a tour with them. “There’s really a lot of interest in it, which is great.”

If anyone in the Quesnel area is interested in hosting a show, they can reach out to Davies at info@livingroomlive.ca. If anyone is interested in attending the concert once a venue is found, they can visit livingroomlive.ca/attend to sign up for notifications about concerts in the area.

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Heather Norman
Community Reporter
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