The Recorder Orchestra Experience
Presenter: Karen Epp
Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm PT (Click here to find your local time)
Location: In person only
Playing Level: Intermediate to Upper Intermediate
Fees: $50 members; $75 non-members
Registration: Opens February 10, 2026; Closes April 3, 2026 at 9:00am PT
Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm PT (Click here to find your local time)
Location: In person only
Playing Level: Intermediate to Upper Intermediate
Fees: $50 members; $75 non-members
Registration: Opens February 10, 2026; Closes April 3, 2026 at 9:00am PT
Join us for a rare opportunity to experience the richness of playing in a large recorder ensemble—one that goes beyond the familiar SATB arrangements most of us know and love. Recorder orchestras are increasingly popular throughout North America, Europe, and Asia yet here in Canada the only example is the venerable Okanagan Recorder Orchestra. Now, we finally have the chance to discover what all the buzz is about.
Recorderist and conductor Karen Epp returns this season to lead an all-day workshop introducing participants to the world of the recorder orchestra. Repertoire will be shaped in part by participant input and the instruments they bring, and will include two larger-scale works, such as a double-choir piece and a work written or arranged specifically for recorder orchestra.
Karen describes what makes orchestral playing so rewarding: “Emotionally, you feel surrounded and supported by a large group of like-minded people, and the experience of being immersed in a rich, complex sound is incredibly powerful. Listening and communication skills, along with rhythmic precision and expressive response to a conductor, develop quickly.”
To ensure the best possible experience, BCRS will open registration earlier than usual and share additional information in advance. This will allow us to gather details about participants’ instruments, enabling Karen to assign parts accordingly. Music will be distributed one month before the workshop, giving everyone time to prepare and fully enjoy this engaging musical experience.
THIS WORKSHOP IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO IN-PERSON PARTICIPANTS.
Recorderist and conductor Karen Epp returns this season to lead an all-day workshop introducing participants to the world of the recorder orchestra. Repertoire will be shaped in part by participant input and the instruments they bring, and will include two larger-scale works, such as a double-choir piece and a work written or arranged specifically for recorder orchestra.
Karen describes what makes orchestral playing so rewarding: “Emotionally, you feel surrounded and supported by a large group of like-minded people, and the experience of being immersed in a rich, complex sound is incredibly powerful. Listening and communication skills, along with rhythmic precision and expressive response to a conductor, develop quickly.”
To ensure the best possible experience, BCRS will open registration earlier than usual and share additional information in advance. This will allow us to gather details about participants’ instruments, enabling Karen to assign parts accordingly. Music will be distributed one month before the workshop, giving everyone time to prepare and fully enjoy this engaging musical experience.
THIS WORKSHOP IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO IN-PERSON PARTICIPANTS.