The Nanaimo Big Band Festival
The Nanaimo Big Band Festival is the only festival in British Columbia that focuses on the era of Big Band music. The inaugural festival took place on Labour Day Weekend 2022 at the bandshell at Maffeo Sutton Park. This year the festival moves inside on Day 1 (Friday) and Day 2 (Saturday) for Big Band music fans to enjoy the beautiful acoustics of The Port Theatre in Downtown Nanaimo. Day 3 of this year’s Festival offers Big Band fans an opportunity to dance (optional) and enjoy a beverage as they listen to the sounds of Dock Side Drive on Sunday afternoon May 19 at Bowen Park Auditorium located in Bowen Park, Nanaimo.
Buy a 3 Day Festival Pass or a 2 Day Pass (Friday & Saturday) to SAVE!
Call 250-754-8550 for package options.
Festival Pass: $118 | 3 Day Festival Pass with Food: $139 | 2 Day Pass (Fri & Sat): $81.00
Single Ticket: $29 – 46 | Sunday, Single Ticket with Food: $66.50
(Ticket Prices include all taxes & fees)
SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Stevan Paranosic
Nanaimo Big Band Festival Artistic Director
Stevan has been the Principal Trumpet of the Vancouver Island Symphony since 2003. Previously he performed as Acting Second Trumpet with the Victoria Symphony for seven seasons and has appeared with trumpet sections of the Vancouver, Kamloops, Prince George, and Okanagan Symphony Orchestras.
As a freelance player, Stevan has performed a variety of styles for many years, working in bands for all the local major productions of musicals including the Victoria Operatic Society.
A big fan of brass chamber music performance, Stevan is active as a member, arranger and organizer of many brass groups. He is the band leader and trumpeter for the successful genre bending Victoria-based Festive Brass. The Festive Brass have played for 20 + years to audiences at Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, BC and recently toured to packed houses and effusive audiences in major venues on Vancouver Island.
After working for several years as a specialist with local jazz bands and inspired by his deep love for the big band genre, Stevan used the forced time off from the pandemic to start his own successful big band, the Vancouver Island Repertory Jazz Orchestra – a group of outstanding Van Island jazz professionals dedicated to re-creating the authentic jazz sounds of classic big band repertoire. VIRJO is the in-house band of the blossoming Nanaimo Big Band Festival held every year.
As a committed music educator and devoted big band jazz historian, Stevan hopes to bring his trumpet, big band and sincere appreciation for the genre to all ages and audiences.
Buy a 3 Day Festival Pass or
a 2 Day Pass (Fri. & Sat.)
to SAVE!
Book online at www.porttheatre.com
or call 250-754-8550
for package options.
SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
3 Day Festival Pass: $118
3 Day Festival Pass with Food: $139
2 Day Pass (Fri & Sat): $81.00
Single Ticket: $29 – $46
Sunday, Single Ticket with Food: $66.50
(Ticket Prices include all taxes & fees)