Current Openings
The VPO welcomes both amateur and professional musicians. We are looking for players that practice regularly and have experience playing in an orchestra. To be able to play the repertoire that is typical to a VPO season, we recommend musicians have training at a university entrance equivalent level (e.g., RCM Level 8) or higher. Auditions for some positions may be required. All ages are welcome.
The VPO is currently seeking musicians for the following positions:
- Concertmaster (Click here for more details)
- Harp (occasional)
- Viola (regular)
If you play an instrument other than the above, you can email us to be added to our substitute player list (). In the event that one of our regular members is absent or if our repertoire requires a large orchestra, we invite substitute players to join us on a per-concert basis.
Rehearsals & Concerts
Weekly rehearsals take place Wednesdays from 7:30 – 10pm from early September until the end of May or early June. Dress rehearsals occur on Friday evenings before each concert. Rehearsals take place at Shaughnessy Heights United Church, 1550 West 33rd Avenue @ Granville, Vancouver.
The VPO currently performs a five concert season. Concerts occur mostly on Saturday evenings with an occasional Sunday matinée concert. Most concerts take place at Shaughnessy Heights United Church and 1-2 concerts per season will be at other venues throughout metro Vancouver (e.g., Capilano University, UBC Chan Centre).
Attendance Policy
Players are expected to attend all rehearsals for a concert, although 1-2 absences are usually permitted at the discretion of the section leader. Absences must be reported to the section leader as soon as possible so efforts may be made to find a substitute player for the missed rehearsal. Players are encouraged to play as many concerts in the season as possible.
Membership Fees
The VPO is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization and membership fees are essential to supporting our annual operational costs. Regular Membership fees are payable at the beginning of each season and include the benefits of a guaranteed seat for each concert as well as first priority when registering to join for the following season. Occasional Players pay a per concert fee and do not have a guaranteed seat.
REGULAR MEMBERS (annual fee includes all concerts)
Adult $150
Student/Senior $75
OCCASIONAL PLAYERS (per concert fee)
Adult $30
Student/Senior $15