Organizers of the annual Pacific Region International Summer Music Association (PRISMA) Festival and Academy in Powell River have pivoted their offerings online for the second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, online lessons were facilitated between students and guest artists from around the world, while the Victoria-based Lafayette String Quartet and Cascadia Trio both presented in-person concerts in Powell River.
Since July 23, a second season of PRISMA on the Couch has been airing weekly on YouTube, Facebook and Shaw Spotlight (Channel 4). The broadcast series debuted in 2020 as a way to highlight performances, interviews and educational content from throughout PRISMA’s nine-year history.
In 2021, music director Arthur Arnold and special guests have been anchoring the show from various outdoor locations in the qathet region. The final two episodes, filmed in Desolation Sound and Willingdon Beach respectively, will air on August 20 and 27 at 8 pm.
