Open Frequencies

The annual VNM Festival returns with Open Frequencies, a three-day program spotlighting bold, globally engaged approaches to new music by artists working at the forefront of experimental, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural sound practices. Featuring renowned percussionist Kuniko Kato with Haruka Aoyagi, Karin Tozaki, Koichi Hosono and Misaki Matsuno (Japan) in a virtuosic quartet performance dedicated to the music of Steve Reich, cellist and composer Okkyung Lee (Korea), vocalist and sound artist Nadah El Shazly (Egypt/Montreal) with harpist Sarah Pagé (Montreal), and BC artists Meredith Bates (Salt Spring Island) and Piu (Nanaimo).

This is for a Festival Pass to all three dates. For single day tickets (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3), please see the links below.

Festival Schedule

THU OCT 22
Kuniko Kato Quartet (Japan)

Kuniko Kato Quartet presents a program celebrating the 90th birthday of legendary minimalist composer Steve Reich, featuring some of his most complex, hypnotic, and beautiful percussion works. Internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s leading percussion virtuosos, Kuniko Kato will be joined by outstanding percussionists Haruka Aoyagi, Karin Tozaki, Koichi Hosono, and Misaki Matsuno who have been involved in the Steve Reich Project, Kato’s international concert series devoted to meticulously arranged performances of Reich’s masterpieces. This special performance is part of the REICH90 North American Tour, a major celebration of Steve Reich’s 90th birthday across the United States and Canada.

Purchase Day 1 tickets

FRI OCT 23
Okkyung Lee (Korea)
Meredith Bates (Salt Spring Island)

Okkyung Lee is an internationally recognized cellist, composer, and improviser known for her innovative practice and improvisational work utilising visceral extended techniques on her instrument. Lee has taken a broad array of inspirations—including noise, improvisation, jazz, western classical, and Korean traditional and popular music—and used them to forge a highly unique approach.

JUNO and WCMA award-winning violinist, violist, and composer Meredith Bates performs selections from her recently released album, The Observer Effect.

Purchase Day 2 tickets

SAT OCT 24
Nadah El Shazly and Sarah Pagé (Egypt/Montreal)
Piu (Nanaimo)

Egyptian vocalist and composer Nadah El Shazly in collaboration with harpist Sarah Pagé will blend voice, electronics, and harp, performing selections from El Shazly’s album Laini Tani (2025) as well as additional singles from her previous work.

A dynamic live performance by musician, composer, and producer Priyanka Chakrabarti (Piu), blends live electronics, raga-inspired vocals, and field recordings.

Purchase Day 3 tickets

Banner credits:
Kuniko Kato, Sarah Pagé, Nadah El Shazly, Piu, Okkyung Lee, Meredith Bates (from top left, clockwise)