The Canadian Music Centre-British Columbia (CMCBC) recently opened the Victoria Creative Hub—a lending library for contemporary music—at the Victoria Conservatory of Music (VCM).
VCM Victoria engagement leader Christopher Reiche, whose work can be found in the library, says that the chance for the centre to grow presented itself because the city has such an active music community.
“We saw it as an opportunity to expand the Canadian Music Centre into another location to help serve and support the Victoria community,” says Reiche.
He says that the partnership between the Canadian Music Centre and VCM will bring back classroom programs where musicians teach music to elementary- and middle-school kids for one hour a week for eight weeks.
“It takes several different forms depending on the class they are in, because it’s really catered towards that individual class,” says Reiche. “So, it can look like anything from creative activities that involve sound to having people from the class prepare pieces that are performed at the end of the eight weeks,” says Reiche.
Camosun College is partnered with VCM (VCM is a Camosun satellite campus); Reiche says that Camosun students are always welcome to come down and practice, borrow music from the library, or just chat.
“We have a loaning library of scores that have been catered toward supporting different requirements for various performance exams and that sort of thing.”
Reiche says that the library is always open to Camosun students, and they are welcome to come down and ask questions.
“Part of my job here is to help support the community in any shape or form that they ask me to, so I will try my best to answer any questions and help people find knowledge about Canadian music.”
Reiche says that for him the most amazing aspect of music culture in Victoria is “bringing a new piece into the world.”
“I really do like creating new things, and I like the challenge of exploring what a new piece can be,” he says. “I’m very much someone that likes to think about not just what people think is music, but the possibilities of what music can be.”
Reiche says that the Victoria Creative Hub always keeps in mind that people are often a little bit intimidated by new music, but that doesn’t stop him.
“I really do honestly believe that on my shelf here I have a piece of new music for everyone,” he says. “I want to try and find the right new music piece for anyone that walks through the door.”
Reiche says that the hub is largely centred on making music more accessible to Victorians who want to learn more and who need a space to do it in.
“I hope that it’s going to be a wonderful space for people to come and meet and engage with Canadian new music,” he says.