VSO and VIFF join forces to present Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman

For one night only on October 5th, two-time Oscar-winning composer and songwriter A.R. Rahman will join the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver International Film Festival, for An Evening with A.R. Rahman: Stories and Music from his Career. The international superstar will provide a keynote and performance with the VSO at the Orpheum, with music spanning his legendary career composing for some of Hollywood and Bollywood’s biggest hits.

This special concert presented by the VSO and VIFF is part of an exciting new collaboration between the two organizations that celebrates the connection between music and film. Both mediums use emotion and rhythm to create immersive experiences, enhancing the storytelling and mood of a narrative. In Vancouver, music and film are deeply intertwined, reflecting the city’s vibrant cultural scene and contribute significantly to its economy, and identity as a hub for innovation.

A marquee event of VIFF and highlight of the VSO season, An Evening with A.R. Rahman will share his life’s journey with fans through a new and custom-made presentation which blends storytelling and song. The legendary artist will invite audiences behind the scenes of his greatest works, sharing insights to his process and stories from his remarkable career, and perform segments of his scores live with the VSO, with clips from the fan-favourite films projected on the Orpheum’s big screen.

A.R. Rahman’s career has been adorned with a staggering list of achievements, making him a true luminary in the industry. Rahman’s scoring and composition for Hollywood includes notable works like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘127 Hours’, ‘Pele’, ‘People Like Us’, ‘The Hundred Foot Journey’, ‘Messenger of God’, ‘Million Dollar Arm’, and many more. The pinnacle of Rahman’s global recognition arrived in 2008 with the astounding success of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, earning him two Academy Awards, two Grammys, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA, among many other accolades.

His orchestral compositions have been played by renowned orchestras like the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and others.

“BMI is proud to sponsor A.R. Rahman’s concert with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver International Film Festival,” said Tracy McKnight, BMI’s VP of Creative, Film, TV & Visual Media. “Supporting the remarkable works of our composers and songwriters is at the heart of what we do, and we’re thrilled that the VSO and VIFF are giving A.R. a platform to showcase his exceptional musical artistry and extraordinary talent.”

An Evening with A.R. Rahman: Stories and Music from his Career
Saturday October 5, 2024
8pm at the Orpheum
Ticket pre-sale for VSO Donors starts 10am Wednesday August 21
Pre-Sale for VSO Subscribers starts 3pm Wednesday August 21

General ticket on sale 10am Thursday August 22

VancouverSymphony.ca or 604.876.3434

About Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Led by Music Director Otto Tausk since 2018, the VSO performs more than 150 concerts each year, throughout Vancouver and the province of British Columbia, reaching over 270,000 people annually.

The orchestra presents passionate, high-quality performances of classical, popular and culturally diverse music, creating meaningful engagement with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Recent guest artists include Yo-Yo Ma, Melissa Etheridge, Sarah Chang, Steven Isserlis, Louis Lortie, Yeol Eum Son, and more.

About VIFF

VIFF is the largest film festival in Western Canada, and a vital champion of Canadian and Indigenous cinema, particularly filmmakers from this region.

Every year, VIFF’s kaleidoscopic film lineup transports audiences to more than 70 nations. For 11 days, independent cinema becomes the hottest ticket in town, with lineups for our marquee venue circling around the block. After the rapturous applause that accompanies the end credits, audiences engage with filmmakers in Q&As, cast their ballots for the Audience Awards, linger in lobbies to further discuss what they’ve seen, and leave the cinemas seeing the world in a different light.

Through the annual festival and year-round programming at the VIFF Centre, VIFF hosts over 1,800 screenings each year, celebrating the work of more than 600 leading Canadian, Indigenous, and International filmmakers, and providing support to nearly 100 non-profit and arts organizations. Beyond the screen, VIFF serves as a hub for film and film culture in the province, connecting local artists with national and international industry through dozens of talks, workshops, and other creative development activities.

About BMI

Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, BMI® is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 22.4 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on Instagram @BMI or stay connected through BMI‘s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.