November 2020 Edition
2021 Festival Update
Dear PRISMA friends and supporters,

We have some exciting news to share. As we head towards a brand new year, many have been asking us about our plans for PRISMA in 2021. We are cautiously hopeful that we might be able to return to live music in some form this summer and are exploring various scenarios for a return to physical events, as we monitor the ongoing developments of the pandemic and continue our dialogue with various health authorities and government stakeholders.

On December 1, we will be opening recruitment for a strings-only edition of PRISMA set to run June 14 to 26 in Powell River. This smaller orchestra will be comprised of violinists, violists, cellists and bassists from right here in beautiful British Columbia, performing repertoire that simply hasn't been possible in past iterations of PRISMA. Chamber concerts, as well as those from student quartets and quintets, will round out our musical offerings for this extraordinary chapter in PRISMA's history.

The Victoria-based and internationally-renowned Lafayette String Quartet will serve as our Artists in Residence, along with additional guest artists and featured performers. More information will be available in the coming months.
Upcoming Events
Join us for "A Holiday Cellobration" on December 13!
As a valued supporter of PRISMA, we wish to invite you to take part in a special interactive edition of PRISMA on the Couch – “A Holiday Cellobration” on Sunday, December 13 at 2pm PST on Zoom.

Maestro Arthur Arnold will be hosting this live Q&A session from his home in the Netherlands, playing holiday favourites on his cello, and conversing with co-hosts Misty Oakes and Andy Rice about all things PRISMA. As the maestro is always entertaining and never without engaging stories, this is sure to be a great start to your holiday festivities! We hope you will join us. Please visit prismafestival.com/holidays to RSVP in advance.
Giving Tuesday is December 1

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, PRISMA is able to attract outstanding students and guest artists for inspiring classical music performances throughout the qathet region. This #GivingTuesday, we are grateful for donations of any size.
'Virtual' Annual General Meeting: January 28
Please mark your calendar for Thursday, January 28 at 6:30pm, when we will host an online overview of our 2019/2020 season and finances over Zoom. As always, entertainment will be enjoyed. Please make sure your membership is renewed prior to the date to access your Zoom link for voting members. Details will be posted at prismafestival.com/agm.
Other News
Thanks, Powell River!
Did you know? This past July, PRISMA was announced as a finalist in Powell River Living Magazine’s 2020 Best of Powell River Readers’ Choice Awards under the ‘Best Event or Festival’ category! PRISMA artistic director Arthur Arnold was also named ‘Best Local Celebrity.’
Staffing Changes – Familiar faces in new places
Earlier this fall, PRISMA welcomed Misty Oakes (formerly our Audience Services & Volunteer manager) into the role of Operations & Engagement Director, which has now grown to encompass donor and stakeholder relations as well. Misty took over this position from Kim Barton-Bridges, who continues as our Community Outreach Manager and chair of the PRISMA on the Beach organizing committee.

“I’m so excited to have Misty taking on this role,” says Barton-Bridges. “Misty brings a depth and breadth of experience in arts administration that will complement the talent we have on our amazing team. I look forward to remaining involved with PRISMA, and having more time for grandchildren!”

Kim can be reached at: outreach@prismafestival.com
Misty can be reached at: operationsdirector@prismafestival.com
PRISMA on the Couch – Available on Demand
Fun Fact: PRISMA on the Couch has aired over 500 times on Shaw Spotlight (Channel 4) in various markets across BC since the month of June. We are grateful for the support of Shaw for making these 10 episodes available to music-lovers in the Comox Valley, Cowichan Valley, Sea-to-Sky corridor, and beyond. Have you tuned in for some music, conversation and celebration yet?
Mosolov Harp Concerto – Coming Dec. 4
The first-ever recording of Alexander Mosolov's Concerto for Harp & Orchestra will be released the Naxos label on December 4 – with a special PRISMA connection! Not only does it feature maestro Arthur Arnold as conductor of the Moscow Symphony, but also Taylor Fleshman – winner of PRISMA's 2018 Concerto Competition. Full story here.
Acknowledgements
A look back at 'Musical Chairs'
Here's a look at PRISMA's 'Making a Life As a Musician' program and our own unique take on the game 'Musical Chairs'. (Viewers of our PRISMA on the Couch broadcasts may recognize this clip from Ep. 8, which first aired on June 24.) Thanks to the generous support of Creative BC, PRISMA was able to enhance its academy offerings with these important initiatives in 2019 (in-person) and 2020 (online), providing a chance for guest artists and students to sit down to discuss a variety of topics pertaining to a lifelong career in music. We look forward to our 2021 edition!
#WeArePRISMA | prismafestival.com