Choral Sceneby mJ buellSomething Old, Something NewTHE REGENSBURGER DoMSPATZEN, the official choir for liturgical musicat St Peter's Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, traces its officialbeginnings to the year 975, somehow surviving 1030 years of war andpeace, famine and feast, and every other curve that the forces ofpolitics and religion could thrown their way . Imagine that rollercoasterride: how many different conductors is that? How many budgets?How many rehearsals?!"Old" is understood differently in North America than in otherparts of the world, whether one is talking about architecture orchoirs. Toronto's oldest choir is probably the Toronto Choral Societywhose debut concert took place at the opening of St. George the MartyrChurch on June 25, 1845 . This makes them just a little older thanthe Harvard Glee Club, founded in 1858.This makes St. George the Martyr just slightly older than KnoxUnited Church Agincourt, who will celebrate their 160th anniversarywith an Oct. 25th concert featuring the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir,who are a comparatively young 115 years old this year.Willcocks: father and son- with the Elmer Iseler Singers choir and orchestra by John Esta-(30 years old this year!), Musicus cio and poet John Murrell aboutBortnianskii, the Toronto Ukrain- people experiencing conflict,ian Male Chamber Choir, and the destruction, and hope. The OrGryphon Trio.pheus concert also features LuxOn Saturday, Oct 25 the Tallis Perpetua: Peace and Unity, byChoir offers us A Time of Re- British composer Jonathan Willmembrance,which includes Her- cocks, conducted at this performbertHowells' Requiem, and ance by Jonathan's father, well-Other concerts this month will get the work-out of theirreveal this vigorous predisposi- lives as they sing their way Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing. known British choral conductortion to longevity: Kitchener's through War and Peace,The latter, written in 1938, takes Sir David Willcocks.Grand Philharmonic Choir, in Prokofiev's opera about the Rusit's87th season presents From sian people, their defiance andits title from a poem written by the Which brings me back to the4th century Spanish poet Pruden- anniversary theme: the WillcocksDarkness to Light (Saturday, hard-won victory over Napole- tius. They will also performOctober 11); the Orpheus Choir on's military, based on the epic Vaughan Williams' Mass in g.of Toronto, in their 43rd season, Tolstoy novel, opening Oct.10. Both the Grand Philharmonicpresent A Concen of Hope and Saturday, Oct.18, the Vesnivka Choir, and the Orpheus ChoirReconciliation (Saturday, Nov. I). Choir's Memorial Concen com concerts (mentioned above) include"The Houses Stand Not FarThe Elora Festival Singers kick memorates the 75th anniversaryoff their 30th season with Lift Up of the Ukrainian famine and in- Apart": a large-scale cantata forYour Heart - Music for Organ eludes a new work by Lawryshynand Choir (Sunday, Oct. 26), The -----------------------Exultate Chamber Singers, in :}[ave you wanted to sing in a full-scale performancetheir 25th season, offer Bernstein of Messiah but needed a "refresher"? Have you everand Britten (Friday, Oct.24); and wanted to "try on" a choir experience before joining?returning for a moment to thevenerable Toronto Mendelssohn Then we have a special offer just for you!folks, their Toronto season opensFriday, Nov. 7 with A Man Divine:Vaughan Williams: DonaNobis Pacem; Brahms: Ein DeutschesRequiem.Apparently choral music peopleare survivors. Maybe it hassomething to do with how peopleneed to sing together, regardlessof what else is happening in theworld, or perhaps because ofwhat happens in the world.So .. choirs who are celebrating!Oth anniversaries this year(Da Capo Chamber Choir, EnsembleTryptych Chamber Choir,Georgetown Bach Chorale, andThe Grand River Chorus, toname a few) should feel bothassured and challenged.I mentioned earlier the themesof war, and peace, famine andfeast. Whether we are celebratingor lamenting all are omnipresentin choral repertoire, andperhaps particularly so at thistime of year.The Canadian Opera CompanyChorus and a large ensemble cast16~~c \ COUNTERPOINTC CHORALEWILLIAM WOLOSCHUK, Artistic Directorinvites you to join them for theirannual presentation of:sing-alongMessiahGENERAL REHEARSALS TO THE PUBLIC:Tuesdays Sept. 23, Oct. 21 and Nov. 187:30- 9:15 pmSt. Vladimir Institute, 620 Spadina Ave., TorontoCONCERT:Friday November 28, 2008 at 7:30 pmMetropolitan United Church56 Queen Street East, TorontoThis is a wonde,ful opportunity to participatewith Counterpoint Chorale, professionalsoloists and orchestra.For information go to www.counterpointchorale.comor call 416-253-4674WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM
work was partly inspired by the80th anniversary of the November1918 armistice. It includestexts from the poetry of LaurenceHousman and Siegfried Sassoon,the Bible, Hindu scripture, theVedas, the Buddhist litany forpeace, and the Requiem Mass.Moving on from conflict andfamine to faith and hope, thelatter part of the month is a veritablefeast of people singingabout wonders and mystery ofone kind or another: on Sunday,Oct. 19 Soundstreams presentsthe Orphei Driinger Choir fromSweden in a programme thatincludes Schafer' s choreographedMagic Songs, Britten' s Ballad ofLittle Musgrave, and Schubert'sPsalm 23. On Saturday, Oct. 25 ,the Mississauga Children'sChoir will sing about Music Mystery& Magic. On the same daythe Toronto Children's Chorusproposes there is Magic in the Air.On Sunday Oct. 26 the PaxChristi Chorale will make therafters ring with a Fanfare ofCanadian Hymns : hymns by Canadiancomposers and poets,with organ and brass ensemble.In similar celebratory spirits thesame day, you could take inGreat Hymns of Faith: A TenthAnniversary Festival, with theHumbercrest United ChurchChoir and The Salvation Army TorontoBrass, and featuring favouritehymns (plus the winning hymn in theSouthern Ontario Chapter oftheHymn Society anniversary hymnwritingcompetition).Finally, youthful voices fromthe Etobicoke School of the ArtsChorus join soloists and the TorontoSymphony Orchestra forBroadway Rocks (Nov.4) withselections from Tommy, Phantomof the Opera, The Wiz, Godspell,Jesus Christ Superstar andother musicals, as we sing ourway into the here and now, andthe month of November.ELMER ISELER SINGERSLydia Adams, Conductor2008-2009: 30TH ANNIVERSARY SEASONG eorge Frederick Handel's~Sir David WillcocksGuest ConductorFriday, December 5 at 8:00 p.m.Metropolitan United Church56 Queen St. East, TorontoSpecial Guest Artists:The Amadeus ChoirLeslie Fagan, Soprano; Jennifer Enns, Mezzo-SopranoColin Ainsworth, Tenor; Tyler Duncan, BaritoneRobert Venables & Robert Di Vito, TrumpetsPatricia Wright, Organ and OrchestraLESLIE FAGAN JENNIFER ENNS COLIN AINSWORTH TYLER DUNCANFor tickets, call 416·217-0537www.elmeriselersingers.comPRESENTS CAROLS OF THE CONTINENTSMUSIC ON THE DONWAYpresents:Canada's choral treasure,The Elmer lseler Singersin a special30th Anniversary concertfeaturing Canadian folksongsand choral masterpieces.Saturday, Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m.Donway CovenantUnited Church230 The Donway West(Lawrence/Don Mills)For information call 416-444-8444Tickets: O CTOBER 1 - N OVEMBER 7 2008BOSLEYREAL ESTATEBOS LEY JEAL ESTATE LTD .. J:[ALTO RPETER MAHONSales Representative416-322-8000pmahon@trebnet.comwww.petermahon.comMUSICOFNORTH&SOUTHAMERICAWILLlAM BROWNArtistic DirectorJAMES BOURNEPianistSATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2008 · 8PMGrace Church on-the-Hill300 Lonsdale Road, TorontoTickets: 125.00 Regular 120.00 Seniors ho.oo Students--. ~SPEClAL GUEST ARTISTS:. ... -":.- ~ . -: :.~. - -..r..· . p .Nukariik, Inuit p,rfonnm of tftroat si11gi11g,drum da11ci119, aud Ajaja sougsAndrew Chan,H11rpContact ORIANA:10 Morrow Avenue, Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario M6R 2)1Tel: (416) 538-1650 Email: info@orianachoir.com Web: www.orianachoir.comtorontda rt sbounci I··~~·......········
