Includes the 2014 Canary Pages directory of choirs.
CANARY PAGESWelcome to
CANARY PAGESWelcome to the TWELFTH editionof The WholeNote’s annual CanaryPages, as we continue to provide anopportunity for Southern Ontariochoirs to introduce themselvesto individuals of all ages seekingopportunities to sing, in everygenre and at every level of skill andcommitment. The 123 choirs in ourdirectory this year cover an incrediblerange: choirs that have thrived fordecades, new groups breakingenergetically into the scene, powerfulchoruses of hundreds of voices,small and intimate chamber choirs,children’s choirs, choirs enhancingworship and choirs connectingcommunities across the province. So,if you are new to the region, a lapsedchorister looking to start up again, onthe hunt for new choral challenges orthinking of taking the plunge for thefirst time, this is the perfect place toAMABILE CHOIRS OF LONDONstart. And if a choir you are involvedwith missed the deadline for this printedition, it can still apply to the onlinedirectory year round.If flipping through the physical pagesdoesn’t strike your fancy, be sure tocheck out thewholenote.com/canary,where we have a brand-new searchfunction that allows you to narrow yoursearch by location, audition type, choirsize, age range and more!THE 2014 CANARY PAGES TEAMPROJECT MANAGER Karen AgesPROJECT EDITOR Sara ConstantPROOFREADER Adam WeinmannLAYOUT & DESIGN Susan SinclairWEBSITE, SURVEYS & MAPPINGBryson WinchesterCOVER PHOTOGRAPHY Emily DingFor more information contactcanary@thewholenote.comor phone Sara at 416-323-2232 x27.Achill Choral SocietyThe Achill Choral Society began as a communitychoir in 1982, drawing members from an area northwestof Toronto. We gather Wednesday evenings torehearse repertoire. Our membership is around 85and we are a mixed, auditioned adult choir. EachChristmas and spring, we perform concerts in thechurches and halls of our communities, includingAlliston, Beeton, Bolton, Bradford, Caledon, CaledonEast, Orangeville, Shelburne and Tottenham. We areled by A. Dale Wood. His lifelong musical career alsoincludes directing the Georgetown Choral Societyand Georgetown Children’s Chorus, as well asteaching lessons in piano, voice, organ and composition.Thanks to the commitment and vision of ourdirector, the choir maintains an excellent standardof performance, attracting guest soloists and accompanistsof the highest calibre.CATHERINE WILSON705-434-2253catherine@catherinemachry.comachill.ca Amabile Choirs of LondonAmabile Choirs of London, Canada is a communitybased,world-class choral organization of 300 singers.The choirs were founded in September 1985 by JohnBarron and Brenda Zadorsky and have now grownto include eight choirs, ages 8 through adult. Girlsand boys move up through gender specific choirsin the Amabile family as their voices and experiencelevel develop. The older choirs tour nationallyand internationally. Our focus is to provide anenriched venue for children and youth to demonstratemusical excellence, promoting opportunity forpersonal growth and achievement through concerts,recordings, competitions and tours. Choral auditionsare held each May/June, with the choir seasonrunning through the school year (September throughMay). Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings at variouslocations throughout London.519-641-6795info@amabile.comamabile.comtheWholeNote 2014/15 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORYWhy Learne to Sing? (1588) by William Byrd… Amadeus Choir of Greater TorontoWith its upcoming 40th Anniversary Season, the85-voice Amadeus Choir, under the brilliant directionof conductor Lydia Adams, has evolved into oneof Canada’s pre-eminent choral groups. The choir’s2014/15 season includes, among others, great worksby Brahms, Mozart, Jestadt, Robinovich and WatsonHenderson. Collaborations with the Toronto SymphonyOrchestra, Bach Children’s Chorus and the Elmer IselerSingers will make this an unforgettable season of music!Rehearsals take place Tuesday evenings in Don Mills;performances happen throughout the city. Membershipis by audition, with auditions held in May/June –please phone or email the choir office.OLENA JATSYSHYN416-446-0188olena.amadeuschoir@gmail.comamadeuschoir.com30
Annex Singers of TorontoThe Annex Singers of Toronto is a vibrant communitychoir delivering an eclectic repertoire with spirit andsophistication. Now in its 35th season, the 60-voicechoir performs classical and contemporary repertoire,including premieres of Canadian works. The AnnexChamber Choir is a 20-voice ensemble drawn fromthe larger choir, presenting works from the chamberrepertoire. Director Maria Case’s dynamic leadershipand programming continue to invigorate thechoir, attracting new members and wider audiences.We typically present two formal concerts each yearand close the season with a cabaret. Experiencedsingers should contact our membership coordinatorthrough our website to arrange an audition. Werehearse Monday evenings at St. Thomas’s Church,383 Huron St.RICHARD PARTINGTON416-968-7747rpart85@hotmail.comannexsingers.com…irst, it is a knowledge safely taught and quickly learned…ASLAN BOYSCHOIR OF TORONTOASLAN Boys Choir of TorontoBach Children’s ChorusBell’Arte SingersThe ASLAN Boys Choir is a premier performingensemble, based in mid-town Toronto. We welcomeboys aged 7 to 13 and their families to participate inour choir and community. Concerts, practices andan array of social activities all contribute to a stimulatingmusical experience with like-minded boys.The 2014/15 season includes performances with theBoys Choir of Basel, the Pax Christi Chorale, the SalvationArmy band and others. We also have regular visitsfrom guest musicians. Tryouts are held regularly foradmission to ASLAN. We simply look for a pleasantsinging voice, an engaged and inquisitive mind and alove of music. Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays from4:30pm to 6:00pm during the school year.THOMAS BELL, artistic director416-859-7464aslanboyschoir@gmail.comaslanboyschoir.caBach Chamber Youth ChoirThe Bach Chamber Youth Choir, now in its 19thseason, is an award-winning SATB choir for boys withchanged or changing voices and girls, aged 16 yearsand up. Under artistic director Linda Beaupré, BCYChas earned first place awards at the local, provincialand national levels of the Canadian Federation ofMusic Festivals, and this year earned the Elmer IselerAward for Best Choir at the Toronto Kiwanis Festival.As the senior level of the Bach Children’s Chorus,BCYC will perform at the two annual concerts atthe Toronto Centre for the Arts. Additional performanceswill include a cabaret-style concert and a benefitconcert. BCYC rehearses Sunday evenings at a churchon Danforth Ave., at Chester.JANE GREENWOOD416-431-0790info@bachchildrenschorus.cabachchildrenschorus.caBach Children’s Chorus, now in its 26th season, isan award-winning organization of three treble-voicechoirs and one mixed voice choir (Bach ChamberYouth Choir – see separate listing). Led by founderand artistic director Linda Beaupré, an awardwinningToronto conductor and clinician, thesechoirs have a membership of 200 young people, aged6 and up. Training is offered in vocal technique, sightsingingand theory. BCC rehearses weekly in Scarborough,performs as a Company-in-Residence atthe Toronto Centre for the Arts and appears regularlyat Toronto events. Each choir participates inweekend festivals, workshops and concerts with otheryouth choirs and world-renowned clinicians. BCChas released six solo CDs and has won provincialand national choral awards.JANE GREENWOOD416-431-0790info@bachchildrenschorus.cabachchildrenschorus.caBel Canto SingersDirected by Linda Meyer, the Bel Canto Singersis a 40-voice, community-based SATB choir thatprovides good music, fun and fellowship. Auditionsto determine voice range are required. We performtwo concerts per year, fall and spring. We also singin seniors’ residences and at fundraisers for otherorganizations. Repertoire is varied and includes folk,movie music, swing, spirituals, Broadway and classicalselections. Rehearsals are 7:30pm to 10pm, Tuesdays,at St. Nicholas Anglican Church, Warden andKingston, Birchcliff.JULIA416-284-3975robpeck@rogers.combelcantosingers.caDirected by Brenda Uchimaru, Bell’Arte Singers isa choir of advanced amateur singers, music educators,music students and professionals who value thecommunity created by making music together andsharing this music with others. The choir performs amix of global and traditional choral repertoire fromall periods and integrates into its performances thework of other artists through dance, multi-mediaand storytelling. The choir performs three concertsper season. Rehearsals are Saturday mornings from10am to 12:30pm at the Toronto Mennonite Centreon Queen St. E., in the beautiful Beach neighbourhoodof Toronto.TANYA BEREZUK, membership coordinator905-579-6368manager@bellartesingers.cabellartesingers.ca Bravado! Show ChoirBravado! is not your ordinary community choir. Withits unique performance style of accessible music fromacross the globe, Bravado! offers its audiences a rareand unforgettable choral experience. Founded in1996, this 34-voice auditioned SATB choir, under theleadership of long-time member and local musicianScott Boyer, presents an eclectic repertoire from traditionaland sacred to jazz, pop and rock. All piecesare performed from memory, allowing the choir tobe more interpretive and to better connect with theaudience. The result is dynamic entertainment witha focus on musical excellence combined with thevisual appeal of staging or choreography. Each year,Bravado! presents Christmas and spring shows, andalso performs at private functions and fundraisers.SCOTT BOYER705-790-8086bravado_sings@yahoo.cabravadoshowchoir.comtheWholeNote 2014/15 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY31
