A young couple from Chilliwack will be performing at the Township of Langley’s Canada 150 free concert at the Willoughby Community Park Amphitheatre on Thursday, July 27, at 7 p.m.
Married for less than a year, Jason and Anna Ratzlaff were both experienced solo artists when they met, but found perfect harmony in one another as a musical duo. Portraits of Us, the name they chose to brand their partnership, is appropriate, as it evokes thoughts of Jason and Anna, a couple expressing their moods and feelings through words and music, and creating an intimate concert experience for their audiences.
Since October, Jason and Anna have been performing together and working on an album of eight songs, which will be released later this summer. Earlier this year, Portraits of Us was invited to be part of the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra’s spring concert. In May, the CSO accompanied the duo and performed an original composition by Jason entitled Guard Your Heart, which blended vocals and harmonies from the couple with the strings and horns of a community orchestra.
Portraits Of Us - Guard Your Heart (Live with the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra) from Casey Kowalchuk on Vimeo.
Jason and Anna’s musical genre and performance style is often compared to that of The Staves and The Civil Wars, both highly acclaimed and renowned musical groups known mostly for melodic arrangements and superb harmonies. With clean acoustical performances and beautifully blended vocals, Jason and Anna have found their starting point in the music world.
At the July 27 concert, residents are invited to bring their lawn chairs and blankets, pack a few snacks, and get acquainted with this rising duo. The performance by Portraits of Us is the fourth concert in a series of nine being held at the amphitheatre during July and August. Organized by the Township as part of its Canada 150 celebrations, the concert series is sponsored by Long & McQuade and the Langley Times newspaper.
In the event of rain, the concert will be held at an alternate indoor location. Please visit tol.ca/events for further details and a schedule of upcoming performances.
For more information about the concert series, email canada150@tol.ca or call 604-534-3211.