For Denise Ball, becoming the new Artistic Director of the Coast Recital Society was a daunting proposition. After all, she was taking over from the legendary Frances Wainwright, who led the organization for twenty years and made it into one of the finest concert presenters in the country. “Frances has exquisite taste, an incomparable flair for programming and deep connections to both the classical music world and the people of the Sunshine Coast,” Denise says. “She is a tough act to follow.”
Before joining the CRS, Denise was at the centre of Canada’s classical music scene for over three decades as a music producer with the CBC. She spent seven years leading the CBC Radio Orchestra, commissioning outstanding Canadian composers and capturing performances by the world’s finest soloists. After the CBC axed the Radio Orchestra in 2007, Denise became Executive Producer of Classical Music for CBC Radio until retiring in 2020.
Her work has been recognized with the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for Music, a Grammy, a couple of Junos, and a Western Canadian Music Award along with a Prix Italia for best radio series on music. She is a Fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Music
Since stepping away from the CBC, she’s produced recordings for orchestras, soloists, and ensembles across the country and has established a thriving side-hustle helping musicians craft better bios. Despite her trepidation at taking over the artistic helm from Frances, she’s thrilled to be joining the CRS.
Highlights of the 2024-25 season include the exquisite Vancouver chamber choir musica intima, with a midwinter-themed concert featuring Lil’wat composer and singer Russell Wallace. Timothy Chooi, the virtuoso Canadian violinist who is blazing a concert trail through Europe, appears with esteemed pianist Jane Coop. And the Scottish pianist Steven Osborne performs Schubert alongside music composed by legendary jazz pianists such as Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans.
“I’m planning to keep the essential qualities of the CRS as the guiding principles for all programming,” says Denise. “Excellence in the standard of performance. A broad selection of repertoire. And concerts that take you on a journey of emotional discovery.”
“I want every concert to be a vital opportunity to enhance our collective wellbeing.”
