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Volume 14 - Issue 1 - September 2008

A TORONTO CH]LDREN'SW

A TORONTO CH]LDREN'SW CHORUSThe Magic of Music2008 - 2009 Concert Season*Magic in the AirFeaturing spell-binding musicand a live magician ISat Oct 25 2008 - 4:00 p.m.The Magic of SongWith the Hamilton Children'sChoir.Sat Nov 15 2008 - 3:00 p.m.A Chorus Christmas:Magic of the SeasonA long-standing Christmastradition, featuring True NorthBrass and other special guests.Sat Dec 20 2008 - 2:00 p.m.*Animal Ma9ic and aTeddy Bears PicnicA delightful afternoon of animalmischief followed by a TeddyBears' Picnic.Sat Feb 21 2009 - 4:00 p.m.•.The Magic of MusicAn alluring spring concertfeaturing Canadian and Maorimusic.Sat May 2 2009 - 7:30 p.m.Around the Worldin 80 MinutesA magic carpet ride around themusic of the world with guestartists of World Mu sic anddance.Spring 2009Musical Magic Acrossthe BordersEuropean tour send-offconcert.Spring 2009*Bring you r bab ies and tots'To purchase tickets: carol@torontochildrenschorus.com(416) 932-8666 ext. 231 www.torontochildrenschorus.comA Choral Life Q&AYour first everchoral experience?I often say I grewup in Ealing Abbey(West London). I went to theBenedictian boysschool (funnilyenough called St.Benedict's) run bythe monks from theAbbey, and boysfrom the schoolauditioned everyyear for the Abbeychoir. I had startedmusic at an earlyage, knew how toread, and decidedto audition. I wasaccepted into themen and boyschoir at 8 yearsold.COMPILED AND EDITED BY MJ BUELLfeaturing Lasana BarrowWhat choirs have you sung with?Ealing Abbey Choir, of course, Westminster Abbey Choir summerschool, Ontario Youth Choir, National Youth Choir of Canada,World Youth Choir, various choirs at the University of WesternOntario, Trinity College of Music Singers, Woodstock FanshaweSingers, and the Stuttgart Chamber Choir for a master class, whichwas great fun! (There are a lot I have missed so apologies .)There's also this relatively unknown choir called Tafelmusik thrownin there.Are you currently singing with a choir?By the time this is published I will have regretfully just left Tafelmusikto pursue my MBA at HEC in Paris. lvars Taurins suggestedthat I try to sing with Les Arts Florissant or La Chapelle Royaleboth located in Paris. I will have to see how much time I have - Ihave always been a bit of an idiot that way, doing too many things.Where does choral singing fit into other aspects of your life?Wow ... well I have always done it, since age 8 or so. I took a breakfor a while when I was studyingarchitecture back in the UK andBOSLEY subsequently when I was workingfull time drawing and shouting atREAL ESTATE contractors. I hadn't sung in aBOSLEY UAL ESTA1'£ LT Cr., l!.EALTO J:while until I rejoined Tafelmusikthis past season and realized that Iwas really denying an integralpart ofme in not singing inchoirs. It is such a wonderfullycreative and bonding experiencethrough the music that we createin rehearsals and concerts. Itmust be and will always be a partofmy life .PETER MAHONSales Representative416-322-8000pmahon@trebnet.comwww.petermahon.comWhat kind of concerts to you liketo attend? How often?Not as many as I would like dueto time constraints. I tend to go tomore symphonies and operasWWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM S EPTE M BER 1 - O CTOB ER 7 2008

actually, as well as the mainstream pop concerts: different stimulifor the ears.Have you ever performed in what you would consider an unlikelyvenue?Well yes actually: performing in the small streets of an eastern Italiantown called Loretto for a choir festival when I was young ... lots ofchoirs from different countries in Europe who were required to singnational folk songs. All the other choirs had a plethora of songs tosing and honestly the English choir, us, had ONE song that wemurdered over and over: "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean". It washorrific! It was a form of torture to sing "My Bonnie" so many timesduring the course of the festival. We could have at least put in Greensleevesas well!Comment on the ups, downs, and complexities of the vocal registeryou sing in, as a choral singer.For a countertenor I have always had a very high range, almost moreof a male soprano actually, so I have always had issues with mylower register. It's a lot better than it used to be (that could be thenumerous travels to the pub). But I have always found the mostdifficult part was blending my head and chest voice to negotiate thelower alto requirements. When you sing with an ensemble such asTafelmusik that performs things at Baroque pitch it becomes evenmore challenging. Don't even mention Purcell to me as far as periodpitch goes! (For the non-early music geeks out there: Purcell's 'A'tone was not at the standard 440htz; it was at 392htz. In practicalterms this means that one is singing approximately a whole tonelower than usual!)Occasionally when you are singing in front of an audience as acountertenor soloist you see the shocked faces of some guys thathave been dragged along to the concert by their significant other.But audiences tend to be quite knowledgeable and prepared for whatis to come.Coming up with your choir ... ?As for the October Tafelmusik concert with Emma Kirkby, I am sosorry that I will miss it. I had an opportunity to sing for her in a masterclass when I was doing my masters at Trinity College of Music inLondon. I sang a Handel Aria and in the melismatic middle sectionshe really showed me how to sing coloratura. I mean I was huffingand puffing, honestly really forcing it. Emma Kirkby sings so effortlessly.She got me to relax and just sing through the phrases. If youhaven't heard her before, which is almost an impossibility since sheis probably on the majority of the early music recordings you own,you are really in for a treat.Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir performs "AMusical Banquet" with Dame Emma Kirkby October 17-23 (Handel,Rameau and Monteverdi).www.paxchristichorale.orgWWW,THEWHO LENO TE.COM27

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