The Day of Music is a free day of concerts hosted by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Some of the concerts are with the VSO, but many are with other groups.
Free Concerts at Vancouver’s Day of Music
In 2026 the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra marks the 107th anniversary of its first concert with the Day of Music, a series of free shows featuring hundreds of performers.
This year’s event happens on Saturday, May 16th. Dozens of shows take place at multiple venues from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm. On top of concerts, there are also a series of both in-person and online workshops to check out.
One of the best parts of the Day of Music is that it’s entirely free. You can go see as many of the shows as you’d like for no charge and there isn’t any need to reserve tickets in advance. All of the performances are first-come, first-served in terms of seating.
Day of Music
Free performances take place at a number of different venues in Vancouver on May 16th. Below is each location’s schedule for this year’s Day of Music.
VSO School of Music
The VSO School of Music building is located at 843 Seymour Street in Vancouver. This venue hosts the most shows including open rehearsals and workshops.
Pyatt Hall (in 2026)
- 9:15 am – Sinfonietta Open Rehearsal
- 11:00 am – Camerata Ensemble Open Rehearsal
- 12:30 pm – Azalea Chinese Music Ensemble
- 1:30 pm – Aureum Chamber Ensemble
- 2:30 pm – Kara-Kata Afrobeat Group
- 3:30 pm – Quartetto Vivo
Willms Salon (in 2026)
- 10:15 am – Gergana Velinova
- 11:15am – Opera Lirica
- 12:15 pm – Noeul Duo
- 1:15 pm – Ava Shadmani, Kiandokht Nouri, Bahare Poureslami
- 2:15 pm – Jonathan Lo, Christine Ngai, Jae-won Bang
- 3:15 pm – Laxphobia – Where the Light Wanders
- 4:15 pm – Forest Benson
Activity Rooms (in 2026)
- 10:00 am – Orchestral Instrumental Playzone (Room 411)
- 10:00 am – Mini Music Makers Mini-Classes (Room 412)
- 1:30 pm – Meet the Ukulele (Room 412)
- 3:00 pm – Michael Dirk Organ Building Workshop (Room 412)
The Orpheum
The Orpheum Theatre is one of Vancouver’s most well-known music venues. It’s located at 601 Smithe Street. Below is what’s happening when and where.
Orpheum Stage (in 2026)
- 10:00 am – VSO Open Rehearsal
- 1:15 pm – MEI Screaming Eagles Marching Band
- 2:00 pm – Michael Dirk Saturday Morning Cartoons with the Historic Mighty Wurlitzer
- 3:00 pm – The Saint James Music Academy Marimba Ensemble
- 4:00 pm – VSO School of Music Big Band
- 7:30 pm – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: Conductor Trevor Wilson with special guest Valerie Lin
Westcoast Energy Hall (in 2026)
- 2:30 pm – Saxophilia Saxophone Quartet
- 3:30 pm – Strings of the East: A Dialogue Between Erhy and Zheng
Helmcken Plaza
A park in Yaletown, Helmcken Plaza is located at 338 Helmcken Street. Below is what you can see in the plaza in 2026.
- 2:00 pm – Flamenco Dim Sum
- 3:30 pm – Ardeshir Trio
- 5:00 pm – Interactive Street Party with Cooking with Brass
TELUS Garden
The headquarters of the TELUS corporation is located at 510 West Georgia Street. Below is who you can see and when on May 16th in 2026.
- 12:00 pm – YoYo Duo
- 1:00 pm – The Saints Boys x Hot Moose Trio
- 2:00 pm – Schubertiade
Deloitte Summit
Deloitte Summit is a uniquely designed high-rise office tower in downtown Vancouver. It’s located at 410 West Georgia Street. Below is what you can see there this year.
- 12:00 pm – Between Ocean & the Moon: New Works by Paniz Moslehi
- 1:00 pm – Hamilton Lau
- 2:00 pm – PianoKage
- 3:00 pm – Romantic and Spanish Piano by Estelle Copery
Other Locations
More locations with shows on May 16th this year include Arts Umbrella, Ballet BC, Zameen Art House, Revue Stage and Vancouver Playhouse.
For the full lineup of performances, visit dayofmusic.ca.
About the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
The VSO is one of the biggest and most famous orchestras in the country. The orchestra has won both Grammy and JUNO Awards, and performs hundreds of concerts. The main orchestra has up to around 80 members.
In addition to the Day of Music, the VSO runs other special events. They include Symphony in the Park, A Traditional Christmas, Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert and more.
Check out our article about the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to learn more about the organization.
Other Information
Visit the Day of Music website for more information about the event.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
Another website you might also find of interest is VancouverTheatres.ca.
