The Vancouver Recital Society (VRS) is one of the premier concert presenters in North America, offering a milestone debut series for rising stars and an internationally renowned concert series for the world’s most celebrated performing artists.
Started in 1980 by Founder and Artistic Director Leila Getz, the VRS presents twenty concerts a year at the Vancouver Playhouse in downtown Vancouver and at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC.
Among other legendary artists, Yo-Yo Ma, Kiri Te Kanawa, Jessye Norman, Itzhak Perlman, Evgeny Kissin, Kathleen Battle and Vladimir Ashkenazy have all appeared in recital for the VRS.
Notable VRS debuts include Cecilia Bartoli, Maxim Vengerov, Anne Sofie von Otter, Sir András Schiff, Joshua Bell and Bryn Terfel. The VRS has also been a champion of Canadian artists such as Angela Cheng, Scott St. John, James Ehnes and Jon Kimura Parker among others.
The Vancouver Recital Society is committed to fostering music education and appreciation in our community by offering concerts by leading world artists free of charge to inner-city and other Vancouver-area schools.
The VRS also partners with the Saint James Music Academy, the VSO School of Music and the Vancouver Academy of Music to offer lectures, workshops and masterclasses to Vancouver music students by visiting artists.
Mission
The VRS strives to be a visionary presenter of emerging and internationally acclaimed artists, committed to cultivating audiences through excellence and innovation in programming.
Vision
Enriching lives through extraordinary cultural experiences.
Values
We strive to create intimate and innovative experiences that leave listeners transformed.
We present rare opportunities to experience the world’s finest artistry, bringing acclaimed musicians at the height of their careers to our city’s concert halls.
We are committed to the discovery and development of emerging musical talent throughout the trajectory of their careers.
We are dedicated to total organizational excellence; every interaction with us, from purchasing tickets to attending a concert, should convey a sense of warmth and community.
We give back to our community, actively working to remove barriers and develop programs that share live music performance and education as broadly as possible.
We foster a culture of respect, dignity, and inclusion by embracing the diversity of our patrons, artists, staff, supporters and partners.
Land Acknowledgment
Vancouver Recital Society acknowledges that we are on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.