Local residents can enjoy one more concert with Juno award winning musician Phil Dwyer before he moves East.
Dwyer and his Adult Jazz Intensive Ensemble will deliver a final local public performance to kick off the summer Music by the Bay concert series at the Deep Bay Marine Field Station in Bowser this Thursday, July 10.
Dwyer, who has made his home in Qualicum Beach for the last 10 years, is relocating to New Brunswick to study law.
For his final local show, Dwyer will be accompanied by his good friends and Vancouver Island University (VIU) music instructors Pat Coleman (guitar) and Ken Lister (bass), both of whom enjoy illustrious careers in their own right.
Along with numerous Junos and other prestigious awards, Dwyer is one of a select group of Canadian musicians to be named to the Order of Canada.
“It will be a great evening of tunes from the classic era of the Great American Songbook,” said Stephanie Richards, facilities coordinator at the Station.
Music lovers are also invited to the second Music by the Bay concert on July 24 featuring award-winning Flamenco guitarist Eric Harper. Among other achievements, Harper has also co-scored Kevin Spacey’s movie entitled “Inseparable”, worked closely with Grammy award winning producer KC Porter and The Office’s Rainn Wilson.
The series concludes August 15 with the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra playing favourite tunes, from classics to pops, to ragtime to show tunes.
Tickets ($60 per concert) include a buffet dinner, and are available at the Salish Sea Market in Bowser, Milner Gardens & Woodland in Qualicum Beach, and at the Deep Bay Marine Field Station. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; dinner is served at 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, other summertime activities at the Field Station include Tea by the Sea every Tuesday. High tea is served between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and includes a delicious selection of sandwiches, pastries and other goodies.
High tea ($20 per person) includes admission to the Field Station where visitors can enjoy stunning views of Baynes Sound, and self-guided tours to learn about marine science through colourful exhibits, large public aquaria and touch-tanks teeming with marine life collected from B.C. waters.
Proceeds from Tea by the Sea benefit Deep Bay Marine Field Station’s education programs. Reserve in advance as space is limited.
A regional transit package ($25 per person) is available for guests visiting the Field Station from Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum. The package includes admission to the station, High Tea, shuttle to and from Magnolia Court in Bowser, and time to explore.
Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. staff are available for one-hour guided tours ($10 per person) of the Field Station. “It’s a great chance for the public to learn about our green building, and the projects we are working on,” said Richards.
Deep Bay Marine Field Station also offers marine biology camps for kids throughout July and August. Each day will be packed with adventures, experiments, scavenger hunts, crafts, games and more.
The Station is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 pm. Private tours and “Sunset Dinner on the Deck” are available upon request.
For more details, and driving instructions visit www.viu.ca/deepbay or call 250.740.6611. The Deep Bay Marine Field Station is located at 370 Crome Point Road in Bowser.
—Submitted by Marilyn Assaf