Our Mission
Our mission is to fill the city with live, original music from around the world as a means to personal and political empowerment, creativity, and wellness.
By drawing from the skills of some of Vancouver’s top performers, we create a nurturing space for ordinarily extraordinary people of all ages and from all walks of life to polish their inborn creative talents, musicianship and professional ethics. We accomplish this through our community band, The Carnival Band, and our public workshops.
Did you used to play? Want to start? Looking for a way to bring a little colour to your community? Stop on by! In addition to countless local shows, our performers have toured twice to Europe, to the eastern seaboard of the US, and to China. We hope you enjoy the show.
Our Vision
We see a society in which every person can confidently express themselves in song.
We see community bands thriving in every neighborhood of our city, filled with people listening and performing together from all walks of life.
We see an entertainment district in Vancouver that is safe and that serves as a place to celebrate the arts, creativity, and one another.
We see a society of every day cooperation and collaboration that mirrors the egoless wonder of ensemble experiences, bridging the gaps of race, age, gender, religion, wealth, and, yes, musical training.
We Believe
We believe that many of our social and environmental dilemmas today stem from a lack of empathy and effective, non-violent expression. The creation of music in group settings has, for millennia, been a critical part of how we learn these vital human skills.
Today recorded music has far surpassed live music in popularity. We believe that, while at times useful and enjoyable, recorded music can never replace the social value that is inherent in ensemble playing. By focusing on sensitivity in perception and an appreciation for music history and theory, we aim to enable the creation of new life in sound.