Nothing is better than combining music and food while having a little getaway — or maybe a luxurious staycation. That’s why Peterborough violinist Victoria Yeh has launched a curated live concert series that promises to elevate a simple night out into a complete experience.
Running from September to December, Yeh’s “Travel by Sound” is a six-concert music series in Peterborough and Cobourg that features musical theatre, jazz fusion, orchestra, and classical music. With support from Kawarthas Northumberland Tourism, Travel By Sound is giving both locals and visitors the opportunity to turn each show into a whole experience, including exclusive pre-show specials at local eateries, discounts for overnight stays at local accommodations, and more.
“It’s about really enjoying where you’re going and getting to see more of a city than you normally do,” says Yeh, who is producing the series.
Raised in Edmonton with most of her career spent in Toronto, Yeh moved to Peterborough a year ago with her husband Trevor Hesselink and their 13-year-old child. Classically trained since she was four years old, Yeh eventually began getting into jazz and fusion — which she describes as “the intersection of rock and jazz” — in high school and has now performed on electric violin from coast to coast.
On top of performing, Yeh is also an internationally acclaimed recording artist, film composer, and music teacher, specializing in adults and intermediate to advanced youth. Although she says she’s been busy with the construction of her new home, she’s been working away at bringing her one-of-a-kind concert experience to Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
As part of the experience for the Travel by Sound shows in Peterborough, ticket holders will be able to get pre-show dinner specials at Amandala’s, an upscale restaurant in downtown Peterborough, and discounted hotel stays at the near-by Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront.
For the Cobourg shows, ticket holders will have access to pre-show specials at Arthur’s Pub, a casual English pub that often features live music, and discounted hotel stays at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre, where Arthur’s Pub is located.
“I have a lot of people that come from out of town to see my shows,” says Yeh, who regularly performs around Peterborough. “I love being able to help them find a great place to eat and find a good place to stay so that they can actually experience the region.”
The concept for Travel by Sound began during the pandemic. Yeh wanted something unique to make the virtual concerts she was doing more engaging for her online audience. She would begin the show by introducing the city or region where she was performing and, during an intermission between performances, she would go on some sort of adventure that offers a large tourism appeal, like fly-fishing, kayaking, or snowshoeing through the Bruce Trail.
“Even as a musician, it was difficult for me to sit through like a whole virtual production,” she explains. “Even people who are locals don’t often go to the things in their own city that all the tourists do. I wanted to help people discover the great things that were happening in their local community.”
Following the pandemic, she decided to bring back the Travel by Sound concept and name for another series, although now people get to experience it in person.
“It’s totally fitting even as a live experience because you’re travelling with music,” Yeh says. “These are anchor cultural events that are a big reason that people will travel, so why not make it a bigger experience?”
VIDEO: “Tom Thomson’s Wake” trailer
The Travel By Sound series kicks off on Saturday, September 23rd at Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough with an original folk musical from Shipyard Kitchen Party titled Tom Thomson’s Wake. Two years after renowned painter Tom Thomson’s mysterious death, his friend Larry Dickson, his mentor A. Y. Jackson, and his lover Winnie Trainor gather to share their memories of Algonquin Park’s most famous resident. But did any of them really know the man? Through their diverging songs and stories, a new portrait of the iconic Canadian artist emerges.
Along with the three actors, the production features high-definition imagery of artworks by Thomson and the Group of Seven, with an original folk music score performed by five musicians including Yeh on violin.
The musical will also be performed at Victoria Hall in Cobourg on Saturday, September 30th as part of the Travel by Sound series. The Peterborough and Cobourg stops are two of many performances of “Tom Thomson’s Wake” happening throughout southern Ontario this fall.
VIDEO: “Take It Off The Top” by Dixie Dregs performed by Paul DeLong’s ONE WORD
Next in the Travel by Sound line-up is a performance by Canadian drum legend Paul DeLong’s jazz fusion quintet ONE WORD at Peterborough’s Market Hall on Thursday, October 26th. Led by the Juno award-winning DeLong, best known for his multi-platinum success with rocker Kim Mitchell, and featuring Yeh on electric violin, ONE WORD plays classic fusion music from the ’70s including works by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, jazz violist Jean-Luc Ponty, the late guitarist Jeff Beck, and more.
“That type of music is music that really no one is playing live,” Yeh notes. “It’s very, very progressive and very difficult. It’s extremely challenging music for all of us to play, and these are world-class musicians.”
Along with DeLong on drums and Yeh on electric violin, ONE WORD includes Marco Luciani on keyboards, Grammy nominee Steve Lucas on bass, and Mike Murray on guitar.
“ONE WORD is a real powerhouse band, so that’s a night to get your socks knocked off.”
Since Yeh was recently appointed the new concertmaster of the Northumberland Orchestra & Choir (NOC), two performances are featured as part of the Travel by Sound series. On Saturday, November 4th, NOC’s season premiere at the historic Trinity United Church in Cobourg will feature last year’s winner of Markham’s Yip Music Festival, which brings together talented young musicians and singers through musical performances.
Then, on Sunday, December 17th, for the second performance in the series, NOC will return to Cobourg for a matinee concert at 2 p.m. at the Best Western Plus. Back by popular demand, the orchestra is presenting a “dine and dance” concert, playing classic waltzes and more.
For the last concert in the Travel by Sound series, Yeh will be celebrating the winter solstice with her concert Timeless, which she originally performed on the winter solstice last year to a sold-out crowd at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough. This year, she’ll be at the much larger Market Hall on Thursday, December 21st to perform music from Piazzolla’s Four Seasons in Buenos Aires, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, and the world premiere of her own composition “Winter in Canada.”
The second half of the evening will feature new music from Yeh and Peterborough guitarist and composer Mike Graham, with whom she performs regularly (the two will also be performing at the Peterborough Folk Festival at Nicholls Oval Park in August).
“Last year it was very much violin through the ages, so we went from classical to my original fusion,” explains Yeh. “This time it’s ‘Timeless’ as around the world, but also with violin in various forms from classical to electric violin.”
The Timeless concert also features The Spirit Awakens Orchestra, an 11-piece string orchestra with concertmaster Natalie Wong and conductor John Kraus.
Through her Travel by Sound series, Yeh says she is excited to use music to connect people and place while also supporting communities in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
“You can’t underestimate the economic role of arts and culture for any community, so why not jump on these opportunities and just make it happen even more?” she asks.
More information about Travel by Sound, including tickets and discounts, can be found at travelbysound.com. You can learn more about Yeh at victoriayeh.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
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