Don Fisher & Jane Elder-Davis Concert
Tenor Don Fisher loves to
sing! Listening to him talk about singing is engaging in itself but hearing him sing is to enter into his love
affair with song.
He embraced the life of a musician as a young man, in world wide travels as a folk artist.
Since that time, his delicious and compelling voice has warmed the hearts of Salt Spring Islanders in more formal
settings not only as guest soloist with Tuned Air, Salt Spring Singers and Cantus, but also in several solo
recitals at All Saints’ church.
Clemency Perrins, Don’s beloved teacher on the island, died in June of last year, after which he took time away
from public performance, to reflect on what lay ahead. Her influence remains strongly in the expression of his
musicality which she nurtured over the years.
It is with great delight that on Saturday, June 19th, Music Makers of the Anglican Parish is presenting Don
Fisher in concert once again. Together with pianist Jane Elder-Davis of Victoria, he is offering a wonderful
evening of music entitled Songs of Travel. The programme is named after the song cycle by Ralph Vaughan Williams,
which is featured in the evening’s works. Perhaps because of his early years of traveling and his passion for the
music of Vaughan Williams, Don is able to bring to life so vividly the beautiful words of Robert Louis Stevenson,
creating the melancholy and poignant mood of a solitary traveler.
The second major portion of the evening will be given to the equally moving song cycle, Liedekreis, by Robert
Schumann. Schumann himself chose the poems by Joseph von Eichendorff to set to music and they perhaps convey some
of the many changing moods of the composer. Saying much with so little in both words and music, we sense the
mystery of silence a moonlit night in the woods, the fascination of the sorceress Lorelei and the power of love
and death.
Perfectly blended with Don’s voice is the sensitive playing of Jane Edler-Davis. The Two artists breathe as
one. An honours graduate as Bachelor of Music at te University of Victoria, Jane spent 16 years as a coach and
acompaniest at the Brucknerkonservatorium in Linz, Austra. She now does similar work in Victoria and has played in
recital with Don several times in Victoria and the Gulf Islands.
The concert begins at 7:30 at All Saints’ church. The choice acoustics and ambiance of this venue is well known
on the island and is perfect for the mood and music of these two skilled performers.
Tickets are $12.00 each or $8.00 for students and are available at the church office Monday to Friday, 9 AM to
noon, and at Acoustic Planet. | 
