Remembering George Zukerman
White Rock Concerts lost its founder and Artistic Director Emeritus with the passing of George Zukerman on February 1st 2023.
White Rock Concerts has been so fortunate as an integral part of George’s vision to bring live performances of classical music throughout regions of Canada far from the metropolitan hubs endowed with major, respected symphony orchestras.
There were several factors in realizing his vision:
· faith in people’s love of classical music and their enjoyment in attending live performances,
· a business structure that would be financially viable,
· a deep knowledge of classical music, friendships with musicians and the logistics of travel arrangements needed to reach remote venues,
· recruitment of local volunteers who would form music societies in those remote areas, and
· an ability to create interesting, unique musical programmes infused with local talent.
Thus, in the 1950s George took to wearing two hats following his years with the fledgling Vancouver Symphony: a solo performer of the bassoon touring most of the world’s continents and an impresario building a network of community music societies based on a series subscription model.
White Rock Concerts was among the first of the series to be started and the network grew as communities from the Gulf Islands, the Fraser Valley and Okanagan were added. Committees were formed, dates chosen for performances, subscriptions were sought, ticket sales vetted (George’s mantra: “subscribe to the series; the concerts are free”). Travel arrangements were often a logistic nightmare – How do you get four harps on a small plane? Where do the cellos sit? Can the float plane stay ahead of the Arctic storm?
White Rock Concerts became the hub of George’s network after he and Erika moved to South Surrey in 1980. Connections and friendships were made with music lovers and the parents of some of Erika’s violin students. George asked a cadre of these contacts to serve on the Board and undertake key administrative roles and they served loyally and enthusiastically. One of the first volunteers, Emerson Reid, served in the key role of Membership Secretary for 20 years.
George’s series subscription model afforded him an organizing budget that could determine who he could include as a headliner. As the number of concerts in the series grew, he ensured that subscribers would see variety throughout the year: string quartets, choirs, solo instrumentalists, even symphony orchestras. A further dynamic came with George’s deep knowledge of the classical music repertoire. He knew in the planning stages the cost of the season’s performances and, if it could be afforded, he added elements that would provide more scope for a soloist’s programme: a string quartet for a soprano (Simone Osborne); a small orchestra for a cellist (Istvan Vardi); a chamber orchestra for Susan Platts and Benjamin Butterfield.
With White Rock Concerts as the flagship of the BC networks, the performers were then booked into the Sunshine Coast, Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, Fraser Valley and Okanagan musical series. Thus, musicians played more, earned more and were appreciated by more sold-out audiences.
Success bred success and, thanks to the South Surrey/White Rock community having full membership, their experience in listening to live classical music has been incredibly rewarding. If anyone browses the Archives section on White Rock Concerts’ website, you will discover the amazing array of musical talents that have performed for us over the decades.
George lived the life of a musical juggler; not only was he a world class, internationally touring performer with his bassoon, but he was an impresario, businessman, and producer.
Most of all he was a good friend.
By Roger Phillips, long-time friend of George and Director on White Rock Concerts Board