• EMSI 2022-23 Season

    New start time: 7:30 pm.

    Upcoming ConcertsTickets

  • EMSI is On the Move!

    Venues for the 2022-23 season: St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, First Church of Christ Scientist, and First Metropolitan United Church.

    Venue Info

  • Celebrating Victoria’s own talented artists!

    A new initiative from EMSI to support our local amateur and professional musicians.

    more informationupcoming concerts
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Upcoming Concerts

  • Aug 20 | Garden Concert: In the Trees
    • Garden Concert: In the Trees

    • Baroque music for two violins, recorder, bassoon, recorder and cello, performed in a beautiful garden. Music by Boismortier, Marais, Corette, Handel and more.   Performers: Carolyn Hatch, violin Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith, […]

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  • Aug 21 | Garden Concert: In the Trees
    • Garden Concert: In the Trees

    • Baroque music for two violins, recorder, bassoon, recorder and cello, performed in a beautiful garden. Music by Boismortier, Marais, Corette, Handel and more.   Performers: Carolyn Hatch, violin Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith, […]

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  • Oct 1 | Vivaldi’s Other Seasons
    • Vivaldi’s Other Seasons

    • Hélène Brunet soprano Rodolfo Richter violin and direction Ensemble Castor (AUSTRIA) A light-hearted alternative to the familiar Four Seasons, this programme includes concerti and cantatas by Vivaldi related to nature, […]

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  • Oct 29 | A New Springtime of the World
    • A New Springtime of the World

    • Diabolus in Musica (FRANCE) In the twelfth century, in the famous words of George Duby, “a new world blossomed on the old Latin stump.” This new world witnessed the composition […]

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  • Nov 26 | Masters of the Lute: Dowland to Bach
    • Masters of the Lute: Dowland to Bach

    • Thomas Dunford lute (FRANCE) Thomas Dunford has quickly established himself as the most exciting and acclaimed member of the new generation of lutenists. In his Victoria debut, he will bring […]

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  • Dec 10 | Christmas Around Europe
    • Christmas Around Europe

    • SPECIAL EVENT Sinéad White soprano (TORONTO) Victoria Baroque Marco Vitale harpsichord and direction EMSI’s Christmas concert is always the musical highlight of the season. This year, one of Canada’s most […]

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  • Jan 7 | In the Salon of Madame Brillon
    • In the Salon of Madame Brillon

    • Raritan Players (USA) Rebecca Cypess & Yi-heng Yang keyboards For a brief, glorious moment harpsichords and pianos coexisted in the drawing rooms of Europe and the two instruments together could […]

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  • Feb 18 | The Ascendancy of the String Quartet
    • The Ascendancy of the String Quartet

    • Consone Quartet (UK) Victoria will host the Canadian debut of this exciting young British string quartet that is taking the world of early music by storm. The featured works are […]

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  • Mar 18 | Vivaldi: Gloria!
    • Vivaldi: Gloria!

    • SPECIAL EVENT Ensemble Caprice (MONTREAL) Ensemble Vocal Arts-Québec In the early years of the eighteenth century, music lovers from all over Europe traveled to Venice to hear performances by orphan […]

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  • Apr 22 | Concert of the Birds
    • Concert of the Birds

    • La Rêveuse (FRANCE) Composers have long been inspired by the beauties of birdsong, among them Caix d’Hervlois, Couperin, Rameau and Purcell. Performing on recorders, flageolets, flutes with viola da gamba […]

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Next concert

Garden Concert: In the Trees
August 20

Baroque music for two violins, recorder, bassoon, recorder and cello, performed in a beautiful garden. Music by Boismortier, Marais, Corette, Handel and more.   Performers: Carolyn Hatch, violin Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith, […]

Read More
Past Concerts

Welcome

to The Early Music Society of the Islands!

Founded in 1985 and based in Victoria BC, the Early Music Society is a non-profit, volunteer-run society dedicated to offering accomplished performances of music composed prior to 1800.

EMSI embraces the idea that early music deserves to be heard with close to its original intent. To that end, our concerts feature period instruments, accurate scores, and historical performance practices.

Renowned artists, both international and homegrown, have graced our stage.

Sponsors

The list of soloists and ensembles presented by EMSI is a who’s who
of the international early music scene:

Anonymous 4 Ensemble Clement Janequin Monica Huggett Orlando Consort Stile Antico Boston Early Music Festival Nancy Argenta Fretwork Dame Emma Kirkby Red Priest Tafelmusik Baltimore Consort The Harp Consort Ton Koopman Jordi Savall Daniel Taylor Concerto Koln John Holloway London Baroque Sequentia Collegium Vocale Gent

EMSI News

June Covid Update

There will be no capacity restriction for our June 5th Dueling Setars concert, but EMSI kindly requests that patrons continue to wear a mask at all times while inside the venue, for the continued safety and comfort of our artists, volunteers…
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February Covid Update

As we welcome you back to the concert hall, EMSI is keeping the health and comfort of our guests, musicians and volunteers in mind. Our March 5th Musica Pacifica concert will maintain the 50% capacity limit to allow for physical distancing,…
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Quicksilver Postponed

EMSI has made the difficult decision to cancel January's Quicksilver concert, in light of rapidly escalating covid transmission. The safety of our members, volunteers and patrons is our prime concern, and the Board of Directors could not feel…
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