PRISMA on the Couch – A Virtual Out & About, July 2020

Many of us enjoyed the wonderful Probus trip to Powell River this time last year, for PRISMA’s highly popular Sail to the Symphony event.  For a look back at last year’s Out & About report and photos, click here.

With Sail to the Symphony cancelled this year, PRISMA (Pacific Region International Summer Music Association) has created PRISMA on the Couch, a series of 10 variety hour episodes available online, and coming up on local Shaw TV (schedule below).

The episodes feature pre-recorded orchestral and chamber music performances, engaging interviews, educational content, historical highlights, behind-the-scenes access, as well as brand new studio segments and solo performances recorded from a safe social distance. Hosted by maestro Arthur Arnold and members of the PRISMA staff, this livestream series filled the two-week spot PRISMA’s annual festival and music academy would have occupied.

Shaw TV, Nanaimo and Oceanside, will air all 10 episodes of PRISMA on the Couch from Monday July 6 to Friday July 31:
Shaw will run episodes 1 – 5 the first week, episodes 6 – 10 the second week, and then repeat for the third and fourth week, as follows:

• Monday – 3am & 3pm
• Tuesday – 6am & 6pm
• Wednesday & Friday – 9am & 9pm
• Thursday – 12am & noon

If you prefer to livestream episodes, click here.

On a normal year, PRISMA would have welcomed 80 pre-professional musicians from all over the world to form a one-of-a-kind symphony orchestra guided by 20 guest artists from the finest orchestras in Europe, North America and beyond. While not the festival anyone could have imagined just a few short months ago, this revised digital edition offered a new and exciting challenge, and created a special chapter in the organization’s history book. It also gave PRISMA the opportunity to say a heartfelt thank-you to its generous supporters in Powell River and beyond, with an hour of daily musical entertainment to brighten their day and fill their ears.