i HORAL HAPPENINGS AND
i HORAL HAPPENINGS AND HIGHLIGHTS ~ One special week .... & now we're ready to go by Larry Beckwith As we roll into September and choir rehearsals and concerts begin again, I thought that I would take up most of this month's column reliving a special experience that I had for a week in August. The Ontario Youth Choir comes together every year for a week of rehearsal and a camp concert in August, in preparation for a week-long tour in September. This year's camp took place on the campus of Queen's University in King~ton. The choir is made 1,1p of 40 young people between the ages of 16 and 22. This year's choir had 26 women and 14 men, including only 5 tenors! The conductor of the 1998 Ontario Youth Choir is Diane Loomer, the distinguished west coast conductor of the Flek*ra Women's Choir and Chor Leoni. The accompanist is Ruth Watson Henderson and the two vocal coaches at the camp were Darryl Edwards and Sandra Graham. The kids had a week of intensive musical activity. A typical day began at 7:30, with breakfast at 8, warm-up at 9 and a full rehearsal from 9:15 to 12 Noon. After lunch, there were sectional rehearsals and private voice lessons all afternoon. After dinner, there was a ! workshop from 6:30 to 7:30 and another ·full rehearsal from 7:30 to 9. The choir had been sent most of the I repertoire in advance of the camp, I although Diane brought some more music with her to rehearse. The full rehearsals were hard work, with the biggest initital challenge being to establish a good balance between the sections. There were many languages to learn how to sing in, from the familiar English, German, French and Latin, to the not-so-familiar Estonian, Japanese, Russian, Zulu and Spanish. Each chorister received three twenty-minute private lessons during the 1 week. For many of them, this was the first i opportunity they had ever had to examine I the ~ay their voice works and what it 1 really means to be a singer. For choristers interested in various I facets of being a musician, there was a set four workshops, each led by a member İof the artistic staff. Darryl Edwards gave a wonderful talk on teaching singing, Diane Loomer spoke on the are of the voice, complete with visual aids (slides, a model of a larynx, etc.), and Sandra Graham talked about having a career as a solo singer. The final workshop was given by Ruth Watson Henderson on composition. As the choir, conductor and vocal coaches poured into the lecture rOQm, there was a sense that something special was about to happen. Ruth took us through a piece that she had recently written, entitled In Memoriam Elmer Iseler, to be given its premiere later this year by the Elmer Iseler Singers. She spoke so eloquently and humourously about the creative process that led her to write this piece, a prelude and fugue on the text of Kyrie Fleison. With ten minutes left in the talk, Ruth humbly asked if we would like to read through the piece and everyone responded positively. What followed was a magic time. The piece is quite short and not tremendously difficult to sing, so we all gave it a pretty good read. At the end everyone clapped for a very long time and I couldn't help feeling what a marvellous experience that was for these young singers .. .to be that close to a major living composer and to have the opportunity to sing a major new work just hot off the presses. The final evening, the choir gave a stunning concert at St. George's Cathedral in Kingston, having worked very hard all week long. If you would like to hear them on tour- and I highly recommend that you do, they will be at Port Nelson United Church in Burlington on Monday, Sept. 21, Metropolitan United Church in London on Sept. 22, Owen Sound on the · 23, St. Marys on the 24, Windsor on the 25, and the final concert takes place in Toronto at Eastminster United Church (Chester and Danforth) on Saturday, September 26. OTHER CHORAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS MONTH ARE •two nights of a capella fun with Hampton Avenue at the Music Gallery, Sept. 24 and 25. •early in October, two extraordinary events. The Mendelssohn Choir provides the live soundtrack for Carl Dreyer's 1928 silent film Joan of Arc at Convocation Hall on October 3. Music is by contemporary American composer Richard Einhorn. • October 7, Brainerd Blyden-Taylor unveils his new Nathaniel Dett Chorale at the Glenn Gould Siudio, with special guest Joe Sealy. And then, as we get further into October, the usual suspects will be opening their seasons and choral activity will be on again in earnest! COMPETITION TIME For all composers: the Ruth Watson Henderson Choral Composition Competition is looking for entries. The deadline is October 1st. For more information, contact me at the Choral Federation office at 416-363-7488. R.I.P. In closing, I would like to extend the Choral Federation's sympathies to the family of Evelyn Dodington. Evelyn passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 9'0. She was a tireless supporter of choirs in Ontario, and specifically the Ontario Choral Federation, for which she worked for several years. There is an Evelyn Dodington Fund at the Ontario Choral Federation, which gives bursaries to young people, enabling them to attend the Ontario Youth Choir camp. The Dodington family requested hat, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Evelyn Dodington Fund at the Ontario Choral Federation. Our address is 100 Richmond Stree~ Suite 200, Toronto, M5C 2P9. (Larry Beckwith is the General Manager of the Ontario Choral Federation) CHORAL QUICK GUIDE FOR SEPTEMBER 98 Consult the concert listings (page 22-29) for details. •September 20: St. Anne's Choir. •September 21: Ontario Youth Choir." •September 24 & 25: Hampton Avenue: Tongues in Groove •September 26: Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir •September 26: Ontario Youth Choir TORONTO'S ONLY COMPREHENSIVE MONTHLY CLASSI
CHORAL QUICK GUIDE CONTINUED •October 3: Toronto Mendelssohn Choir •October 3: U of T Choirs •October 7: High Park Girls' Choir & Boys' Choir of Toronto. •October 7: Nathaniel Dett Chorale The SaznT AnoRew ChoRaLe A Concert Choir Under the Direction of Alan Barthel Is Holding Auditions For the 1998-99 Season Telephone Alan Barthel (585-4534)or Ann Cope (960-8737) to arrange an Audition Appointment Rehearsals begin Monday September 21 at 7:30p.m. At Wymilwood (Victoria College, U ofT) SINGING LESSONS study with Narelle Martinez • Holds diplomas from Paris & Italy. •Affiliate Teacher of the R.C.M. • Assistant Teacher at Nice Academy, France Teaching Festival winners & student winner of highest award in Ontario Serious students welcome Call 536-6033 2 LOCATIONS: Spadina & Bloor • High Park AUDITIONS The Mfllentu11 Stngers A 11 vof ce parts (SATB) L fmfted spaces avaflable. Join this exciting 30- member choir in its second season and share in the love of singing. No, you do not need a trained voice, just dedication and a love for choral music. Downtown rehear sa 1 s Wednesday event ngs. Presently preparfng for our Afr 1 can tour. Contact Kefth MOller 416-361-5120 after 7 pm to arrange a n a u d 1t 1 on t 1 me • CHRIST+ CHURCH-,-----____, DEER PARK 1570 YONGE, NORTH OF STCLAIR CALL FOR VOLUNTEER SINGERS SENIOR CHOIR with Bruce Kirkpatrick Hill Adults with blending voices welcome in all sections; Sunday mornings and other liturgies; concerts JUNIOR CHOIR I with Luanne Schlueter Ages 7-13; weekly practices; no experience necessary ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA (416) 920-5211 x28 Voice'Ihrlning for singers with Paul Mason (416) 495-9872 http://www.interlog.com 1-pmason LIKE TO SING? THE EAST YORK CHOIR NEEDS ADDITIONAL TENOR AND BASS SINGERS. Learn as you sing & master a varied repertoire from classical to popular choral music. Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30 at East York Collegiate, starting Sept. 15. Singers of all ages are welcome. Call 416-421-5891 for info. SHEVCHENKO MUSICAL ENSEMBLE Mixed Choir • Mandolin Orchestra • Ukrainian Dancers • the CHOIR welcomes male and female voices. Folk, classical, & contemporary repertoire. You don't have to be Ukrainian ... lyrics are wrttten in phonetics. Call to arrange for a "listening" and placement. • the ORCHESTRA welcomes mandolinists (we'll teach you to play, mandala, tenor or mando-cello), woodwinds, accordion, string bass and percussion. • the KANIV dancers welcome qualified Ukrainian dancers or those wishing to learn. Enrol your child in an exciting dance and music program! Ukrainian Dance (ages 4-16) includes ballet and character movements and technique. Music offers mandolin lessons, a children's folk instrument orchestra (mandolins, bayan, accordion, sopilka, etc), and a vocal ensemble. All rehearsals and classes are held at Columbus Centre, 901 Lawrence Ave. W. Call the Ensemble Office at (416) 533-2725 for auditions, schedules and School fees. TORONTO'S ONLY COMPREHENSIVE MONTHLY CLASSICAL & CONTEMPORARY CONCERT LISTING SOURCE
