The Big IDEA: Sharing our music and telling our stories

Obtain your tickets for The Big IDEA concert! Tickets are offered for free or pay what you can.

Entry for this concert will be at the Victoria Conservatory of Music – 900 Johnson Street.

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The Big IDEA: Sharing our music and telling our stories

A series of events including performances and conversation in creating a more inclusive and equitable music space. These uplifting and informative, faculty forward events focus on the principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) through the lens of the vibrant 2SLGBTQIA+ community. These events are offered through support from the City of Victoria.

Our next events are Sunday, May 5- Hope in 2SLGBTQIA+ community and Sunday, June 23- Celebrate Pride!

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Sunday, May 5 – Hope in the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community

Enjoy an afternoon of beautiful music, performed by Conservatory faculty who identify as members or allies of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This concert event will also feature a panel discussion with invited guests focusing on the importance of hope as well as how we all can nurture our mental health.

Faculty and Special Guest Musical Performers

Mary Byrne, flute

Alexander Richards, saxophone

Jany Lu, piano

Robert Holliston, piano

Marsha Elliott-Edwards, flute

Anna Bigland-Pritchard, voice

Claire Saunders, dancer

Conservatory Chat

Invited guests bring their experience and expertise to discuss the topic of hope in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community as well as the importance of maintaining our mental health as we navigate our sometimes complicated lives. This Conservatory Chat will strengthen our sense of hope through exploration of the positive influences and support we experience. As well, panelists will discuss ways everyone can strengthen and enhance their mental health. This panel discussion will conclude with a short Q & A for the panelists.

This conversation is moderated by Jack Edwards

Special Guests

Ace Mann

Originally from the Unceded Traditional Territories of the K’ómoks First Nation, they now live on the Unceded Coast Salish Territories of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples. A lifelong queer whose passions have always revolved around amplifying marginalized voices and providing support to their community, Ace has volunteered for GSRD spaces for over 20 years from here to “Manitoba” and back. They are a trained neuroscientist, psychotherapist, and the president of the Victoria Pride Society. Beginning in academia, Ace studied the immunology of brains at a molecular level.

After losing a sibling to suicide, they moved their studies into counselling as a way to study how brains protect themselves in a different way. Seeing the ripple effect that a person’s loss could have on a community, Ace likes to take any opportunity to create a ripple effect of good; the potential impact for the mental health community and the people who would benefit from their work continues to be the driving force behind Ace’s passions.

Ace plans to work towards a Ph.D. in the near future; they are interested in syndemics and social structure and, in particular, the vast inequities faced by equity-deserving people who are disproportionately affected by mental and physical epidemics caused by societal systems of oppression.

Together with their partner, Ace co-founded the Trans and Loved community on Instagram. As avid scuba divers, Ace and their partner are happiest on, in, or under the water. Otherwise, you can find Ace volunteering with VPS, writing research papers, hiking with their dog and partner.

Katree Weick

As a white settler living and learning on the unceded lands of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, Katree is committed to anti-racism, decolonizing, and staying critical in their social work practice. They were born on the stolen lands of the Klallam peoples, and her ancestors hail from Germany, France, England, Belgium and Poland. They Identify as Queer using both they and she pronouns. She is Polyamorous, Bisexual, straight sized and deals with long term invisible chronic illness. As a Social Worker registered with “BC” and “Alberta,” and as a human living in a gender rich and relationship diverse community, She opened an alternative practice offering counselling support to folks who, like them, experience life from an anti-normative lens. They are a creative being at heart bouncing between different art forms and creative processes which fuel up her life, and remind them that in all of the systemic challenges we face, we can ignite change with our hearts, our hands, and our voices together.

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Venue Accessibility

The 900 Johnson Street entrance is at ground-level and wheelchair accessible. There is an elevator located on the first floor: as you enter the building go down the ramp to your right and the elevator is on the left at the bottom. Priority seating can be provided at concerts if you have accessibility issues; please contact the Venues Department . Wheelchair accessible restrooms are located on the main floor, beside the lobby in the Reception and Registration area.