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Volume 22 Issue 8 - May 2017

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • Arts
  • Musical
  • Jazz
  • Festival
  • Symphony
  • Theatre
  • Choir
  • Orchestra
  • Quartet
From science fact in "Integral Man: Music and the Movies," to science fiction in the editor's opener; from World Fiddle Day at the Aga Khan Museum to three Canadians at the Cliburn; from wanting to sashay across the 401 to Chamberfest in Montreal to exploring the Continuum of Jumblies Theatre's 20-year commitment to the Community Play (there's a pun in there somewhere!).

CANARY PAGES

CANARY PAGES theWholeNote 2017/18 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY ●●Oasis Vocal Jazz Oasis Vocal Jazz, Toronto’s longest running close harmony ensemble, has been making a unique contribution to the city’s artistic life since 1985. Influenced by pioneers Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and inspired by modern-day masters of the genre such as New York Voices, Take 6 and Toronto’s own Cadence, we enjoy sharing our love of vocal jazz with a wide range of audiences. Whether performing in community or corporate events and charitable fundraisers, or putting on our own concerts backed by some of the city’s top jazz instrumentalists, we have always valued both the pursuit of musical excellence and the joy of making music with each other. We are always looking for new voices to add to our blend. For more information, contact us. Why not become a fan of our Facebook page? ALAN GOTLIB 416-466-7040 info@oasisvocaljazz.com www.oasisvocaljazz.com ●●Opera for All Visiting artist maestro Alvaro Lozano Gutierrez leads this choir exclusively devoted to opera. Whether you are an amateur singer or experienced chorister, this is for you. Learn popular choruses in Italian and French. June 19 to July 31. Choose between Monday afternoons 2pm to 4pm or Wednesday evenings 7pm to 9pm. Learning materials provided. DEANNA DI LELLO 416-924-6211 x250 operaforall@mnjcc.org www.mnjcc.org ●●Opus 8 Opus 8 comprises eight of Toronto’s finest ensemble singers, dedicated to musical excellence as they strive to share the finest choral music with the widest audience possible. Their repertoire covers the breadth of history, from unpublished 14th-century chansons and 17th-century partsongs to 21st-century jazz arrangements. From the wild sound-worlds of Stockhausen, Schoenberg and Machaut to the elegant compositions of Elgar, Brahms and Bach, this versatile and invigorating group of choral soloists draws diverse audiences of all ages –experts and newcomers alike –with a motivation to inspire all through their formidable artistry. Silly and serious, sublime and audacious, Opus 8 offers an ambitious and compelling venture into spreading their love of music-making at an internationally high standard. REBECCA 647-233-5803 rebecca@opus8choir.com www.opus8choir.com ●●ORIANA Women’s Choir ORIANA Women’s Choir is an auditioned, amateur ensemble of about 36 female singers. Under artistic director Mitchell Pady, ORIANA strives for excellence and versatility in performing compositions for women’s voices. The choir promotes Canadian choral music, expanding the repertoire for women’s voices by commissioning works from Canadian composers. The singers share their enjoyment of beautiful music, beautifully performed, in a friendly, supportive environment. ORIANA presents three subscription concerts every year at Grace Church on-the-Hill. The 2017/18 repertoire includes serious and humorous works for the winter season, collaborations with two other high-calibre Canadian women’s choirs, and several works written specifically for ORIANA. The choir is currently inviting new singers. Rehearsals are on Tuesdays, 7:30pm to 10pm in midtown Toronto. DAWN PEAR 416-575-1517 auditions@orianachoir.com www.orianachoir.com ●●Orpheus Choir of Toronto The Orpheus vision is to celebrate the transformational power of choral music as an agent of social change and a passionate medium of artistic expression. The 65-voice choir, under artistic director Robert Cooper, champions the new and unusual in choral performance, commissioning and introducing new works and performing overlooked masterpieces. With repertoire ranging from classical to jazz, a cappella to full orchestra, Orpheus has introduced audiences to many fascinating and accessible works from the current generation of leading composers. Our 54th season includes the Canadian premiere of Esenvalds’ Nordic Light Symphony, and a jazz Christmas spectacular. Orpheus supports young emerging vocal talent through its highly respected Sidgwick Scholars Program. We welcome enthusiastic singers for an “expect something different” experience! ROBERT COOPER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LISA GRIFFITHS, MANAGING DIRECTOR 416-530-4428 info@orpheuschoirtoronto.com www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com ●●Pax Christi Chorale Entering its 31st season, Pax Christi Chorale performs choral masterworks with passion, conviction, and heart. The membership of roughly 100 singers spans diverse ages and backgrounds. Artistic director David Bowser has programmed an exciting 2017/18 season featuring outstanding soloists, two concerts with the Toronto Mozart Players, and great repertoire: Bruckner’s Te Deum, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, Poulenc’s Gloria, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, and works by Brahms, Gounod, and Fauré. The season also includes an annual community concert, “The Children’s Messiah,” and collaborations with students. Paid positions exist for choral scholars and leads. To book an audition in spring or fall, please contact associate conductor Daniel Norman at daniel. norman@paxchristichorale.org JENNIFER COLLINS, GENERAL MANAGER 416-786-2509 gm.paxchristichorale@gmail.com www.paxchristichorale.org ●●Penthelia Singers A vibrant ensemble of women, Penthelia Singers is committed to excellence in performing culturally diverse and musically sophisticated repertoire spanning the Renaissance to the 21st century. Now in its 20th season, the choir has earned a reputation for presenting innovative concerts of four- to eight-part choral repertoire in a multitude of languages. The choir aims to demonstrate the diversity of choral music and to cross ethnic and cultural boundaries by connecting with its community through music. The choir works to promote contemporary choral music by talented Canadian composers. Penthelia Singers is a welcoming group of women committed to high standards of music-making, diversity, community outreach and enjoyment through the learning process. The choir adheres to the City of Toronto Declaration of Non-Discrimination. ALICE MALACH 647-248-5079 pentheliasingers@gmail.com www.penthelia.com ●●Peterborough Singers Peterborough Singers’ entire 2017/18 season will be a celebration of our 25th anniversary. Concerts this season are Yuletide Cheer, Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and the February concert “Greatest Hits.” Our February concert is always devoted to popular music, something outside the box of regular classical programming, thanks to local associates who are able to create original arrangements for this repertoire. Outside our regular season we will be performing Brahms’ Requiem with the Peterborough Symphony. Peterborough Singers is an auditioned 100-voice choir of adults and youth which attracts audiences from Peterborough, the Kawarthas, Northumberland and locations along the lakeshore. Rehearsals take place Wednesday evenings in Peterborough, often preceded by ongoing educational initiatives which allow members to greatly improve their skill levels. Auditions take place throughout the season. PEG MCCRACKEN 705-745-1820 singers@peterboroughsingers.com www.peterboroughsingers.com ●●Resonance Resonance is the newest member of the Mississauga Festival Choir (MFC) family. A non-auditioned choir for youth and young adults aged 15 to 28, MFC launched Resonance in February 2016 to help enrich more lives through music. The new choir is led by award-winning conductor Bob Anderson. Performances in their first complete season (2016/17) include appearances with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and the Luminous Nights Festival with composer Ola Gjeilo. Spring concerts include collaborations with A Few Good Men on April 22, the Elmer Iseler Singers on May 8, and the Cawthra Park Chamber Choir on June 3, 2017. C12

Interested youth are invited to observe a Monday evening rehearsal at First United Church in Port Credit, 7:30pm to 9:30pm. BOB ANDERSON 647-244-7471 banderson@mississaugafestivalchoir.com resonance.mfchoir.com ●●Royal Conservatory School Children’s Choirs The Royal Conservatory School’s Children’s Choirs provide a full year of exciting activity, emphasizing well-rounded musical development through singing unison and simple two- and three-part pieces. Young singers will learn the rudiments of choral singing in a variety of languages and will be exposed to exceptional vocal training through fun, interactive exercises, activities, and workshops. We offer three choirs for children, all of which do not require an audition: Let’s Sing! (ages 4 to 5), Royal Conservatory School Elementary Choir (ages 6 to 8) and Royal Conservatory School Children’s Choir (ages 9 to 12). CONSERVATORY SCHOOL 416-408-2825 conservatoryschool@rcmusic.ca www.rcmusic.ca/rcs ●●Royal Conservatory School Community Chorus + Solo Training Experience choral singing in a friendly and relaxed environment! We cover repertoire from well-known classical selections to crossover music to choral arrangements of classic popular pieces. Specific repertoire selections depend on enrollment. No audition and no prior choral experience required, although music reading skills would be a definite asset. Students may enroll for 14 weeks or for 28 weeks. Students interested in refining vocal skills as a soloist or within a choral setting will benefit from enrolling in our Solo Training course, which takes place right after the Community Chorus. Students in this course will work on repertoire to prepare them for singing solos or in small ensembles (duets/trios/ quartets) in RCS Community Chorus concerts. CONSERVATORY SCHOOL 416-408-2825 conservatoryschool@rcmusic.ca www.rcmusic.ca/rcs ●●Schola Magdalena Schola Magdalena is a six-voice ensemble singing medieval polyphony, chant and new music for women’s voices. Ensemble-in-residence at the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Toronto, we have recorded two CDs (available on iTunes) and have toured from Stratford to Chicoutimi, from Waterloo to Waupoos. Our past season centred around touring, recording and holding workshops with amateur singers with an interest in learning about Gregorian chant and the music of Hildegard von Bingen. In the coming year we look forward to a return to Prince Edward County, and a program pairing medieval music with Messiaen. For all the details of our activities, please visit our website or our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/scholamagdalena, or check out our Bravo Video on YouTube. STEPHANIE MARTIN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 416-256-9421 stmartin@yorku.ca www.scholamagdalena.ca ●●Serenata Singers The Serenata Singers are a lively group of seniors, about 65 of us, who enjoy singing four-part harmony. We’re celebrating our 41st year in 2017, under the direction of Vincent Cheng. Serenata’s repertoire covers a wide range of music including classical, show tunes, pop, folk, and Canadiana. Rehearsals are Wednesday mornings from September to May at Wilmar Heights Centre, 963 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough. Each season crescendos with a pair of concerts in the spring, and we sing out at seniors’ homes in October and March. The choir welcomes new members in every vocal range. LOIS SULLIVAN 416-223-6885 marypatknits@gmail.com www.serenatasingers.ca ●●Shout Sister Choir Shout Sister Choir is an all inclusive women’s choir with 23 chapters in Ontario. We don’t audition our members and they don’t need to read music. Our first choir started 15 years ago in Kingston, Ontario by our founder, vocalist Georgette Fry, who was recently awarded the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal - Civil Division for her vision in starting the choir. We sing at fundraisers and each choir ends their spring session with a fundraising concert for their community. We learn our music by ear and we sing popular music with plenty of love, peace and understanding themes! We welcome all women and you can check out our locations at our website. We believe that music is a great source of joy, newfound confidence and community. Visit us with no obligation and see what all the fun and singing is about! NANCY GREIG 613-453-6570 manager@shoutsisterchoir.ca www.shoutsisterchoir.ca ●●Skyway Connection Chorus Enjoy singing? Skyway Connection Chorus is made up of a dynamic group of women who share the love of singing a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. Through the commitment and vision of our director Andrea Binnington we strive for excellence. Annually, along with our Nuance Quartet, we compete regionally and offer performances at community events. We also open our doors on our education day to ladies who will experience the friendship, enjoyment and fun in achieving the art of singing a cappella harmony. Previous singing experience or ability to read music is not a requirement. Interested? Visit us! Join us Tuesday evenings 7:30pm to 10pm in Stoney Creek, Ontario. ANDREA BINNINGTON 905-630-SING (7464) skywaymembers@cogeco.ca www.skywayconnectionchorus.com ●●Society of Singers The Society of Singers is a 35-member non-auditioned SATB choir that rehearses Wednesdays 1pm to 3pm at Blythwood Road Church (80 Blythwood Road, east of Yonge St. between Eglinton and Lawrence). Under the direction of Peter Ness, we sing a wide repertoire of music from many genres and time periods. One or two afternoon concerts are performed per month at Toronto seniors’ residences. We are looking especially for tenor and bass voices but all who love to sing are warmly invited to attend any Wednesday rehearsal or contact us for more information. CATHY 647-202-1800 societysingers@gmail.com www.societyofsingers.ca PAX CHRISTI CHORALE theWholeNote 2017/18 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C13

Volumes 26-29 (2020- )

Volumes 21-25 (2015-2020)

Volumes 16-20 (2010-2015)

Volumes 11-15 (2004-2010)

Volumes 6 - 10 (2000 - 2006)

Volumes 1-5 (1994-2000)