Mission

Mission Statement

The North Shore Chamber Music Society is dedicated to promoting the value of lifelong participation in music. We believe that community music-making fosters personal development and healthy self-expression, and strengthens social cohesion. For over 50 years, the Society has encouraged amateur musicians of all ages to participate in the North Shore’s rich cultural life.

The Society’s orchestra (NSCO) gives amateur string players the opportunity to learn a range of orchestral works for strings under a skilled conductor, and share them with a broad audience in accessible North Shore venues, through regular concerts throughout the year.

Mandate

We engage in practices that encourage the appreciation of music and the benefits of participating in community music-making on the North Shore:

  1. Maintain a friendly and democratic ensemble, where members can feel comfortable in their own development as an orchestral musician. New members are welcomed without audition.
  2. Promote music-making in the community by welcoming local youths to continue their music development, as well as young soloists to perform with us in public concerts. We also provide music majors an avenue to earn course credits by working with their educational institutions.
  3. Collaborate with local visual and performing arts groups with inventive and diverse programming. We intend to foster collaborations by commissioning new works for string orchestra, with an emphasis on multicultural music and local, young composers.
  4. Enliven institutionalized seniors by bringing private concerts to North Shore and Greater Vancouver care facilities. Four to six times a year, we bring a mix of classical works and popular songs to seniors right in their homes. Christmas concerts always feature a carols sing-along.
  5. Showcase our work and dedication in public concerts multiple times a year, where friends, family, and the general public are welcomed to join. Entry is generally via donation. We also play free concerts in more casual settings like gardens and art galleries (sometimes in support of charities) where people can enjoy chamber music in situ. We have found this to be an effective way of attracting families with young children.