Events › How to Listen to Classical Music: Great Pianists of The Past

Are you curious about classical music but don’t know where to start? Or are you already a classical music fan looking for a deeper experience of the music you love? Join us for a fascinating lecture for beginners and experts alike, presented in partnership with the Vancouver Recital Society and Muzewest Concerts!

In this presentation, historical recordings expert Mark Ainley (The Piano Files) will share the sublime music-making of some master pianists of the past. Historical recordings can offer more than inspiring performances: they are a form of sonic time travel that provide a direct transmission from artists who were present when the music we love was new. 

As he unpacks what makes these legendary musicians and their performances so extraordinary, Mark will help you open your ears and mind to hear classical music in a new way - both in recordings and in live concert settings.

Mark Ainley brings the past to life. A piano recordings connoisseur who writes the Historical Perspectives column in International Piano magazine, he has for forty years collected and explored the artistry of pianists whose playing has been preserved since the dawn of recording technology. With clear explanations and examples that appeal equally to music lovers and professionals alike, Mark makes accessible the qualities that make musical performances so captivating and memorable.

The Vancouver Recital Society (VRS) is one of the premier concert presenters in North America, offering a milestone debut series for rising stars and an internationally renowned concert series for the world’s most celebrated performing artists.

Muzewest Concerts is a Vancouver-based presenter passionately committed to nurturing the next generation of music lovers, bringing world-class classical, jazz, and cross-cultural performances together with bold new commissions and meaningful youth engagement programs.

Accessibility: VPL is committed to making our programs accessible for all. If you have an access need that we have not addressed here, please email us at programs@vpl.ca.

• Elevator access to the Alice MacKay Room is available in the concourse near the bank machine.
• There will be designated spaces for wheelchairs and patrons with mobility devices.

For more information on physical access, view the Accessibility information on the Central Library page.