ROMANTIC STYLE AND SPIRIT Concert

Hy Chanthavouth, tenor from Cambodia and Arne Sahlen, piano  present opera, Chopin, Broadway, popular, Brahms and Cambodian music - with a lively dose of fun!

Special guest: Dylan Matheson, guitar

WEDNESDAY June 2, 7:30 pm at Okanagan Centre for Spiritual Learning, 2913-29th Ave. (behind the theatre), Vernon

Admission by donation to the Cambodia Support Group (CSG) - a volunteer Registered Charity est. 1983.   More details: 250-549-9135, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Tenor Chanthavouth (Chan-ta-voot), CSG-sponsored to study in Canada, sang three concerts with the Youth Symphony of the Okanagan in March. Conductor Imant Raminsh called him "... a young tenor of great promise and bright future, also... an extremely charming person and a splendid ambassador for his country."  As his voice teacher says, he is good at stand-up comedy too.  He sings opera arias, Broadway hits like "My Way" and "As Time Goes By," plus Cambodian and other music.  He is dedicated as well to humanitarian service and cultural diplomacy.

Pianist Arne Sahlen, CSG President, performs and teaches internationally.  A concert review for him is at http://horizon.bc.ca/miv/reviews/r2007-07-07-dgrb.html 20-year-old Dylan Matheson, brilliant self-taught guitarist and composer, is based in Kelowna.  He has performed in CSG fund-raising events since late 2007.

The concert will celebrate many links between Vernon and CSG - including a splendid  refugee success story.  The OUCH family arrived in 1990, sponsored by All Saints Anglican Church - escaping desperate refugee life to find freedom, friendship and opportunity here.  Husband Ath and wife Loeung worked tirelessly to provide the best of home and schooling for sons Oeun and On, daughters Maly and Malim.  On now co-owns "The Rice Box" Asian food outlet; in the past two years, its total revenue (not just profit) earned each April 30 has been divided between CSG and Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

Two other Vernon residents deserve honoured mention.   Nurse Sharon Dawe often volunteers for overseas medical work; in her recent Cambodia trip for Operation Rainbow Canada, CSG set up its translation team.  The Reverend Dale Jukes co-anchored a Cambodian refugee project in the East Kootenays back in 1988.  He arranged for CSG to use Wednesday's concert site, the Okanagan Centre for Spiritual Learning.

Enjoy music and merriment this Wednesday, while supporting a truly deserving country and people - and honouring the power for change shown by and in this Okanagan city.

Contact 250-549-4399 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more details.