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Volume 26 Issue 1 - September 2020

  • Text
  • Ensemble
  • Classical
  • Concerts
  • Singers
  • Choral
  • Jazz
  • Toronto
  • Musical
  • September
  • Choir
Choral Scene: Uncharted territory: three choirs finding paths forward; Music Theatre: Loose Tea on the boil with Alaina Viau’s Dead Reckoning; In with the New: what happens to soundart when climate change meets COVID-19; Call to action: diversity, accountability, and reform in post-secondary jazz studies; 9th Annual TIFF Tips: a filmfest like no other; Remembering: Leon Fleisher; DISCoveries: a NY state of mind; 25th anniversary stroll-through; and more. Online in flip through here, and on stands commencing Tues SEP 1.

CANARY PAGES Canaries on

CANARY PAGES Canaries on the Fly! Welcome to The WholeNote’s 18th annual Canary Pages choral directory, which would normally have been published within last May’s issue. We’ve been gathering profiles since March and publishing them on line as we received them. But, given the circumstances, we decided to delay publication of this print version until September, to allow choirs to a bit more time to figure out their plans. As you’ll see from the 76 profiles that follow, even with the delay much remains uncertain in the choral scene. More choirs than usual have provided a more general view, using what they had planned for the coming season as an example of what they do; fewer than usual are able to be specific about how they are moving ahead. Most important, though, by being here they are all saying “Reach out to us if we seem like the choir you might be looking for! Because we are not going away!” The profiles here, provided by the choirs themselves, as always reflect ELMER ISELER SINGERS the richness and variety of our community’s choral scene. If you’re looking to join a choir, there’s something for everyone, from amateur, non-auditioned choirs, to professional, kids choirs, large and small ensembles, with a wide range of genres covered. Given the uncertainty of these times, we encourage you to visit the choirs’ websites, listed here, to find out what’s happening, or contact them at the phone numbers given. We will also keep adding and updating profiles on our website on an ongoing basis, so bookmark www.thewholenote.com/ canary for more information whenever we receive it! Let’s hope that by next May all of us will be back in good company – once again raising our voices together, to celebrate being able to do so. THE 2020 CANARY PAGES TEAM PROJECT MANAGER: Karen Ages PROJECT EDITOR: Danial Jazaeri LAYOUT AND DESIGN: Susan Sinclair WEBSITE: Kevin King ●●A Cappella Niagara! A Cappella Niagara is a vibrant male chorus performing four-part harmony in the Niagara region. As a member of our chapter you’ll not only experience the fun and fellowship of singing with the chorus and maybe a quartet, but you will also spread joy through performance, enriching your life and the lives of others. We share the delight of music at the Candlelight Stroll, Santa Claus parades, senior homes, district convention, annual Corn Roast, and other events. In February, our quartets deliver Singing Valentines to that special someone. Today, barbershop singing is a lot more than old tunes - we sing a wide range of styles, contemporary songs and fine arrangements. It’s a sound that appeals to men of all ages and all walks of life. You’ll find four-part harmony is a little challenging, very creative, and a lot of fun. TIMOTHY HEALEY 905-684-1634 thealey198@aol.com www.niagarasingers.com ●●Achill Choral Society Achill is an 80-member mixed voice, auditioned choir composed of singers who are dedicated to becoming better musicians. We have been performing since 1982, with a repertoire that includes classical, contemporary, and traditional works. Our artistic director, Shawn Grenke, is also the associate conductor and accompanist of the Amadeus Choir and accompanist of the Elmer Iseler Singers. We normally rehearse at St. John’s Church, east of Orangeville and perform two concert series a year, with performances rotating between Alliston, Bolton and Orangeville. During this time when we cannot meet physically, we will be focused on singing and performing in new and creative ways and increasing our musical skills. To learn more about Achill please email us or visit our website. GAIL MACLENNAN 905-857-2737 info@achill.ca www.achill.ca theWholeNote 2020/21 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY ●●All Saints Kingsway Choir All Saints Kingsway Choir provides musical leadership at weekly Sunday morning Eucharists, Festival Evensongs, community outreach projects and concerts year-round. The choir is made up of paid section leads and volunteer participants and welcomes new singers throughout the year. Recent performances include Karl Jenkins’s Stabat Mater, Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light: A Requiem, festal celebrations with the drumming ensemble Beyond Sound Empijah, the Michael Occhipinti Jazz Quartet, Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s The Atonement, both with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. Jazz Vespers and lunchtime organ recitals round out the regular musical offerings. New members are always welcome to the Music at All Saints Kingsway family. Come C2

and be a part of a fantastic choral and instrumental creative community. D. BRAINERD BLYDEN-TAYLOR 416-233-1125 music@allsaintskingsway.ca www.allsaintskingsway.ca ●●Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto Enlivening Toronto’s arts community for 46 years, the award-winning Amadeus Choir is a semiprofessional choir of auditioned voices. Led by the dynamic artistic director and conductor Kathleen Allan, the choir champions the best of choral music through a self-produced Toronto concert series, guest performances, and special events. The choir is known for programming major classical works with orchestra, as well as works by Canadian and international composers. The Amadeus Choir actively engages in educational and community outreach through choral workshops. Regular rehearsals are held on Tuesday nights in the Don Mills and Lawrence area. Auditions are scheduled May 23 to 26. Depending on recommendations from the Ontario government, auditions may be held virtually. Please email us for more information. ALLISON LUFF 416-446-0188 managingdirector@amadeuschoir.com www.amadeuschoir.com ●●The Annex Singers Now in its 40th year, The Annex Singers is a spirited 65-voice auditioned choir with an eclectic repertoire spanning seven centuries. Under the dynamic and creative leadership of artistic director Maria Case, the choir performs three concerts annually, collaborating with a wide array of professional soloists and ensembles. Recently performed largescale works include Fauré’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Gloria, and Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor. The Annex Chamber Choir, a smaller ensemble drawn from the main choir, is dedicated to presenting gems from the chamber repertoire. We provide ongoing professional development to all choir members and encourage young singers with a sponsorship program. Rehearsals are held Monday evenings at St. Thomas’s Anglican Church, 383 Huron St. Please visit our website to arrange your audition. JOANNE EIDINGER 416-458-4434 joeidinger@gmail.com www.annexsingers.com ●●Avanti Chamber Singers Named Promising New Adult Ensemble in the 2019 Choral Canada National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, Avanti Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Rachel Rensink- Hoff, is a community-based SATB chamber choir based in Niagara. We are dedicated to presenting intimate choral performances of exemplary quality in genres ranging from the Renaissance to presentday, emphasizing the works of living composers. Our concerts typically feature an eclectic range of old and new musical styles, from small-scale compositions to extended choral works. We strive to build an enthusiastic audience base through inspired thematic programming. We offer three concerts each season as Ensemble-in-Residence at Brock University with additional performances in collaboration with area ensembles and festivals. TIM STACEY 905-650-9962 avantichoir@gmail.com www.avantisingers.com ●●Bel Canto Singers Bel Canto Singers is a four-part community choir with singers of various ages. Under the guidance of our accomplished Music Director, Leanne Piller, members enjoy the rewards and challenges of a varied repertoire including classical masters, Broadway show and movie tunes, opera choruses and pop songs. Traditionally, rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings, 7pm to 9:30pm, from early September through May at Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Road. Presently, all of our in-person activities are suspended until further notice. We will return to rehearsing and performing in concerts as soon as it is safe to do so. At that time, experienced and committed choristers will be welcomed to join us. Please visit our website for updates. KAM belcantomembership@gmail.com www.belcantosingers.ca ●●Canadian Celtic Choir Founded in 1996, conducted by Paul Grambo (also emcee) and accompanied by Jean Willadsen, the Canadian Celtic Choir is a London-based SATB choir of more than 50 voices that has built a solid reputation as one of the most in-demand choirs in SW Ontario. Our repertoire features songs primarily from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, and the Canadian Maritimes. Recipients of the Mayor’s Award from the City of London for our cultural contributions to the city, we won the Most Popular Classical Choir at the Forest City London Music Awards in 2015. The Choir plans a tour every three years (next tour in 2023). Our two most recent CDs are: A Celtic Noel (2013), and Celtic Inspiration (2014) and are available from our website. Our conductor emeritus is William “Bill” Zadorsky (retired June 2020). IAN DAVIES 519-319-5847 celticchoir@iandavies.com www.celticchoir.ca ●●Canadian Children’s Opera Company As the only permanent children’s opera company in Canada, the CCOC is committed to providing young people opportunities to develop their voices, build performance and musicianship skills, connect with opera and theatre professionals, and reach their full potential by learning about themselves and the world around them through storytelling and music. We commission, produce, record and tour new operas, with children as both the principal performers and main audience. The CCOC regularly collaborates with other leading arts organizations, including acting as the children’s chorus for the Canadian Opera Company. Spread across 6 chorus divisions plus an outreach program, hundreds of young people ages 4 and up receive unparalleled performance experiences and ageappropriate vocal and dramatic training annually. KATHERINE SEMCESEN 416-366-0467 x223 katherine@canadianchildrensopera.com www.canadianchildrensopera.com CHORUS NIAGARA theWholeNote 2020/21 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C3

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)