Cellist Marina Hasselberg invites 35 listeners into the cozy world of a winter art-gallery concert
The intimate event takes place at VisualSpace Gallery on Dunbar Street, where an exhibition called Seasons is on view
Marina Hasselberg at VisualSpace Gallery. Photo by Koichi Saito
Golya Mirderikvand’s Snow Shoeing at Cypress, acrylic on canvas.
Marina Hasselberg’s Cello Music for a Winter Afternoon takes place at VisualSpace Gallery on January 17 at 4 pm; the exhibition Seasons continues to January 24
VANCOUVER HAD ITS first snow of the season last week, which means winter has officially arrived. Mind you, it was only a few flakes, and they were quickly washed away by a torrential downpour—but around here, that’s certainly cause for spending a cozy afternoon indoors, bundled up on the couch with a big blanket and a mug of tea.
Cellist Marina Hasselberg is embracing that calm seasonal energy with a concert called Cello Music for a Winter Afternoon, which she’ll be performing at photographer Yukiko Onley’s VisualSpace Gallery. The inviting multipurpose space is nestled among grocery stores, cafés, and hairdressers on Dunbar Street, giving it a real “neighbourhood vibe”, as Hasselberg puts it. With its white walls and big street-facing window, the bright, open-concept gallery is the perfect spot to alternate between people-watching and artwork-observing.
Hasselberg will be playing at VisualSpace Gallery for an audience of just 35 people—and she’s devised a program to match the intimate setup.
“My music is usually pretty out there,” the Portuguese-born artist tells Stir. “I really love experimental stuff and chaotic sounds and just kind of pushing boundaries a little bit—that excites me a lot. But for this show, I felt like something completely different. I think because of the fact that it’s winter, and that the world has been pretty insane lately, all I’m excited about right now is comforting music.”
She’ll certainly deliver that at the gallery on January 17. Hasselberg’s hour-long program will start at 4 pm, just as the winter sun is setting on the current exhibition, Seasons. On view until January 24, it features pieces by local landscape painters Golya Mirderikvand, Marisa Mary Myrah, and Brian O’Connor, all of whom draw on B.C. nature for inspiration.
Marina Hasselberg, wearing a piece designed by Soseisoudou, styled by Yukiko Onley. Photo by Koichi Saito
“I’ll be surrounded by visual art, and I think that will create a really beautiful environment,” Hasselberg says, noting that the pieces will add “a whole other layer” to her concert. She’ll be performing a collection of what she calls “sound poems”, or short compositions that sound gentle, calming, and comforting. Many are just a few minutes long.
“Instead of playing a heavy 20-minute piece, this concert is made of little bonbons—little tiny desserts,” the cellist explains.
Among those bite-sized delights are ambient classical pieces by French composer Erik Satie, cello movements from beloved J.S. Bach suites, and the well-known Spiegel im Spiegel by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. Hasselberg will also be playing a Brazilian-style piece written for her by Brazilian American composer Marcel Camargo, along with some of her own compositions; and she’ll tie it all together with a bit of improvisation.
In an age of concerts where audiences often comprise hundreds of listeners, it’s worth noting that back in the earliest days of chamber music—before evening entertainment consisted of TV binge-watches and social-media doomscrolling—string instruments were played in small rooms for just a few people at a time. A popular setting was the dinner table, with the musicians playing by candlelight.
Hasselberg says she adores the tranquility these intimate performances evoke. And having played a few concerts at VisualSpace Gallery in the past, she’s eager to return.
“I know for practical reasons, obviously, music cannot just happen in small rooms,” the cellist acknowledges. “But I find it the most beautiful experience.”
Thank goodness we’re allowed to do away with practicality every once in a while. 
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