Well the holidays are over and the music scene is coming back to life from its seasonal diet of musical plum pudding.  There’s not a lot on this week but there is the first vocal concert of the year in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre.  Mezzo-soprano Marion Newman will be joined by Kathleen Kajioka (violin) and Adam Sherkin (piano)in a programme of Canadian works exploring First Nations themes.  It includes Dustin Peters’ song cycle, Echo|Sap’a, which explores the journey of The Echo (or Sap’a in Kwakwala), a para-natural entity that mimics the sounds and movements she encounters throughout the woods and waters, as well as Kinanu, a lullaby composed by Newman for her baby sister.  Noon, of course, and free.

Later on Thursday, at 9pm to be precise, there’s AtG’s first Opera Pub Night of the year featuring beer, singers and a Craig’s list piano.  It’s at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club on the Esplanade and I strongly recommend arriving early.