• EMSI 2023 - 2024 Season

    Check out our exciting 2023 – 2024 season lineup
    Tickets on sale beginning August, 2023

    Season Summary
  • Celebrating Victoria’s own talented artists!

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

    more informationupcoming concerts

Upcoming Concerts

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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.

We acknowledge and respect the Lǝḱwǝŋǝn peoples on whose traditional territory EMSI presents concerts, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.

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

Nathan Nun artwork

Cats & Lutes

Shoutout to artist Nathan Nun, for his beautiful cats & lutes artwork! Read an interview here.

Fanned frets, circa 1590

A 'new' innovation for electric guitars, the fanned fret concept actually dates back to the 1590s! Read more about the wire-strung bandora and orpharion from the Lute Society of America and Early Music Muse.

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Create an account on EMSI’s Tix page (you will have already done so if you’ve bought tickets online) and be sure to opt in to our mailing list.