The first Come to the Concert class of the semester will be a piano-lover’s delight that presents not one but both of the piano concertos of Frédéric Chopin. Of the few works that Chopin wrote for piano with orchestra, these two are the best known and most frequently heard—but seldom in the same programme. What a treat! As much, if not more of a treat is that the soloist is local piano virtuoso Jaeden Izik-Dzurko from Salmon Arm, who this year won the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition. [In addition, he will be giving two solo recitals on September 24 and 25.] This class will also examine the concert’s other composition namely Three Autumn Scenes by the BC composer and teacher Christine Donkin.

The presentation Andrew will give is based on his study leave in India during January and February of this year. He explored nine different religions in India. He wanted to experience the rituals, converse with the people, try the food and meditate to the music. Andrew will include a touch of humour in his presentation, and along with the photos he took, he will share some interesting stories and insights with you. Andrew’s goal is to leave you with the hope that humans can find unity in the face of incredible diversity. Religion can be misused, but it can also be a force for peace and reconciliation.

Kamloops is fortunate to have natural areas all around us, sometimes literally right outside our back doors. Recently, the BC Parks Foundation acquired a piece of property on the edge of Juniper Ridge and Rose Hill neighbourhoods. The area is readily accessible and easy to visit to see some of the distinctive features of local grassland ecosystems. In this class, the importance of BC’s grasslands, as well as some of the threats they face, will be discussed. A short easy hike on the property will give participants a chance to experience this piece of nature. Meet in the parking lot of Rose Hill Park, on Rose Hill Road, at 9:45. From there we will drive to the entrance of the new park, a short distance away. Dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear.

The course will cover the ins and outs of printing on a 3D printer, where to find already made 3D files to print, and introduce how to design your own 3D items to print. You will be able to print a small item on the day of the class.

This presentation will provide an overview of WCT over 50 years. Find out how we started. Learn about big players, grand performances, accolades, our education program, and our Indigenous productions. You will even learn about where we are headed. As a follow up to this class, we suggest enrolling in Ginny Ratsoy’s class, Great Canadian Plays You May Have Seen, which begins Tuesday, October 14.

In the spirit of community, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Western Canada Theatre by studying some past Canadian productions of the company. Expect a brief introduction to Canadian theatre history, along with in-depth looks at several short — and exciting — plays: Ernestine Shuswap gets her Trout, Women of the Fur Trade, Unity (1918), Serving Elizabeth. The instructor will provide you with details on how to purchase the plays closer to the start date of the course. As an ideal prelude to this course we suggest in enrolling in Terri Runnalls class, “Western Canada Theatre is 50: A Short, Exciting History”.

Braden Hallett wrote and illustrated not one, not two, but THREE middle grade books about living with clinical anxiety while dealing with an invasion of brain-eating hamsters. They have been published. They have won awards. They have sent him on book tours. And the publisher has asked Braden to keep writing for them. Braden is understandably confused about all this, but he is very happy to share how it happened. Braden will share his method for writing and illustrating, and of getting a book series published from start to finish. He will also give a quick primer on the conventions and requirements of publishing books for children.

The Mustard Seed is a nonprofit organization with a vision to eliminate homelessness in the communities it serves. Operating for 40 years in 7 cities in Western Canada, the Mustard Seed leads this vision by providing hope and well-being to the most vulnerable in our city. In this presentation, we discuss the complex causes of homelessness and why people in our community experience poverty. We also discuss what the Mustard Seed is doing and the programs we offer. This presentation is information-based, with a short experiential learning piece.

We will provide a tour of the ALS Metallurgy Kamloops laboratory. We will demonstrate how we run testing programs to determine appropriate processes to recover metal out of rock, and provide engineering groups with data to determine if such processes would be economically feasible. We will also tour the comminution laboratory where we do tests that determine the amount of power required to break rock ahead of metal recovery, which is a key parameter to determine mine capital and operating costs. The tour will also include the mineralogy laboratory, where we use powerful microscopes to examine what mineral forms the metals are in, and how much breakage is required to physically separate the minerals of economic interest. We will also tour the sample preparation laboratory, where rocks and test products are prepared and then the assay laboratory where the content of metal in rock and test products is determined. Finally, we will visit the pilot plant where processes can be tested on a continuous basis. Wear closed-toe shoes, long sleeve shirts, and long pants. Please plan to arrive a few minutes before 10 to ensure we begin on time.

Understanding political populism helps us recognize how leaders appeal to “the people” instead of the elites, often using emotional language and simple solutions. It is useful for identifying potential threats to democracy, media manipulation, and polarization—making us more informed citizens in an age of political upheaval and misinformation. In this interactive seminar, we will watch, and discuss, a number of videos and other sources of information through which you will be introduced to the causes, characteristics, and consequences of political populism.

Solutions journalism is considered a newer practice with a focus on solutions. “Solutions journalism investigates and explains, in a critical and clear-eyed way, how people try to solve widely shared problems,” the Solutions Journalism network states. In the class we will explore more about what it is and why it is important by examining various examples of ways of reporting and comparing and contrasting their differences with traditional media.

Every two years, Luminocity presents a selection of artworks that respond to the current state of the world through diverse perspectives. With each iteration, the global context seems to be increasingly in flux with the entrenchment of power systems. At the same time, the environmental emergency becomes harder to ignore. Luminocity lets in the light, offering insight into the world around us through artworks that open up networks of cultural exchange and transport us to other realms. We will meet at Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park. The tour will begin promptly at 7:00pm and will be approximately 90 minutes long. Comfortable walking shoes, weather appropriate clothing and water are recommended.