Overview
In 2005, St. Michael’s Presents…Society was established as a registered charity to present concerts in the small, intimate space of St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, Chemainus. In a bold move and with an eye to the long-term future of the concert series, the Society purchased a new C1 Yamaha piano. Throughout all the years since then, the Society has provided constant maintenance and tender loving care to keep this fine instrument, a keystone in the success of the whole venture, in pristine condition. St. Michael’s Church has also been able to enjoy the use of this grand piano for their church services and events.
By 2012, the popularity of the concerts was growing rapidly, and to add clarity to the concert series, the Society formally started doing business as “Chemainus Classical Concerts”. This name gradually started to attain widespread recognition amongst both artists and audiences, and the Society gained a reputation for presenting world-class music in a friendly, intimate and inclusive ambience.
Concert programming is designed to include local and international performers, with a variety of instruments and styles. The Society operates almost entirely on volunteer power which, along with a strict streamlining of expenses, allows the Board to simultaneously meet two important goals: paying the artists as much as possible; and keeping tickets at prices that welcome audience members of all income levels. Generous donors contribute to this effort, receiving charitable tax receipts for their financial donations. For several years, the Society has also been the grateful recipient of a CVRD Arts and Culture grant.
In 2025, the Society held a 20-year Anniversary Celebration in the St. Michael’s Church Hall. This heart-warming occasion turned out to be a fitting close to an era, because as audiences have grown with the series, drawing people from all areas of the wider Cowichan Valley, it became apparent that the beautiful and historic St. Michael’s Church could no longer hold the number of people wishing to attend the concerts. In 2026 the name was officially changed to Cowichan Classical Concerts Society to reflect the increase in audience size, and the corresponding need to seek larger and more varied venues within the Cowichan Valley to accommodate this growth.
Cowichan Classical Concerts values and celebrates the powerful shared experience of live, high-level classical chamber music. We are proud to locate our performances in the Cowichan Valley, where we are the only arts organization to offer regularly scheduled classical concerts, one each month from October through June. We are grateful to our volunteers and audience members alike for their steadfast support over the years, as we share our passion for intimate classical musical offerings of the highest standard.
Cowichan Classical Concerts is a Registered Charity (No. 842945073 RR 0001) and all donations are tax deductible.
Board of Directors
- President: Sue Ryan
- Vice President: Ann Mendenhall
- Secretary: Brenda Braaten
- Treasurer: Donna-Lynn Thompson
Directors at Large:
- Eleanor Montour (Tickets)
- Marion Priestley (Promotions)
- Margaret Ames (Flowers and Archives)
Artistic Co-Directors:
- Rykie Avenant
- Catharina de Beer
Volunteers:
- Tickets – Eleanor Montour
- Programs and posters – Catharina de Beer, Rykie Avenant
- Photographs and social media – Rykie Avenant
- Piano – Gloria Fraser, Christine Dandy
- Website – Catharina de Beer
- Flowers and Archives – Margaret Ames
- Membership and Contributing writer – Ann Mendenhall
Volunteer Opportunities
We need volunteers to run our organization. Please consider volunteering your time to keep the association healthy and running.