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Volume 16 Issue 8 - May 2011

  • Text
  • Choir
  • Toronto
  • Choral
  • Singers
  • Concerts
  • Jazz
  • Musical
  • Repertoire
  • Orchestra
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Canary PagestheWholeNote

Canary PagestheWholeNote CHOIR LISTINGS | 2011-2012fun and supportive environment. The childrenlearn a variety of music from all di≠erent genres,and enjoy bi-weekly drama classes with actorJoanne Mitchell. The choir has four levels of instructionfor kids ages 4–15. We perform at leastthree of our own concerts each year, includinga staged production at the end of the year. Weare continuously invited to sing for di≠erentengagements in the GTA.Bronwen Low 416-698-9864torontobeacheschildrenschorus@sympatico.cawww.torontobeacheschildrenschorus.com• Toronto Chamber ChoirToronto Chamber Choir, one of Canada’s leadingearly music choirs, specializes in renaissanceand baroque music, as well as works from othereras related to our programming. Our 2011/12season of four concerts with Music DirectorMark Vuorinen includes the medieval polyphonyof Ockeghem’s 36-voice motet Deo Gratias;a Christmas concert juxtaposing an array ofancient carols with modern songs; Canticlesand Cries, a concert of Gibbons, Byrd andothers with guest viols the Cardinal Consort;and Bach’s cantata Brich dem Hungrigen deinBrot. Rehearsals are at St Patrick’s church hallMonday evenings. We are auditioning for allvoices in mid-June.Mark Vuorinen, 416-760-7674info@torontochamberchoir.cawww.torontochamberchoir.ca• Toronto Choral ArtistsThe Toronto Choral Artists (TCA), foundedin 2008 by Mark Vuorinen, are on their wayto establishing themselves as one of Toronto’sfinest chamber choirs. Consisting of accomplished,auditioned singers from a variety ofbackgrounds, the TCA are a project-based ensembledevoted to professional-calibre performanceswith an emphasis on championingnew Canadian works. They have given multipleworld premiere performances and their skillinterpreting a variety of styles has led them toamass a diverse repertoire to complement theseworks. Behind all the Toronto Choral Artists’performances is the shared belief that musiccan unite performers and audiences for socialchange.Mark Vuorinen, conductortorontochoralartists@gmail.com• Toronto Choral SocietyThe Toronto Choral Society is Toronto’s oldestcommunity choir. It was founded in 1845to present concerts and foster the developmentof the local musical community. Todaythe 130-voice TCS choir continues to presentgreat works of the choral repertoire as well asinnovative concerts celebrating this city’s historyand diversity. It produces at least two majorconcerts each season, collaborates in otherartistic productions, and participates in specialcommunity events. Artistic director GeoffreyButler, accompanist William O’Meara, and assistantconductor Jenny Crober provide musicalleadership. Rehearsals are Wednesdaysat 7:30pm at Eastminster United Church,310 Danforth Avenue.Geoffrey Butler, artistic director, 416-410-3509info@torontochoralsociety.orgwww.torontochoralsociety.org• The Toronto ChoristersRalph Peters directs this non-auditioned mixedvoice choir which is now completing its 19thsuccessful season. The choir consists almostentirely of retired teachers from the Boards ofEducation in the Toronto area, but applicantsfrom the general community are welcome.Repertoire is varied, from classical to modern,contemporary and pop. Rehearsals: Thursdayafternoons, September through May. Our membershipnumbers 108 and women wishing tojoin may be placed on a waiting list. A few vacanciesfor male voices exist. Come and hear ussing at this year’s Spring Concert, May 25, 2011,7:30pm, at Sir John A MacDonald Collegiate,2300 Pharmacy Avenue.Bill Smyke416-596-8286bill.smyke@sympatico.ca• Toronto Classical SingersThe Toronto Classical Singers is a non-profit auditionedchoir celebrating its twentieth year.Members of the TCS are inter-generational, rangingfrom talented students to mature singerswith years of choral singing experience,representing a wide variety of professions andwalks of life. Performing three concerts a yearaccompanied by the Talisker Players Orchestraempowers some of the country’s finest professionalsoloists. We invite you to come andenjoy our season in a relaxed and informalsetting at Christ Church Deer Park (wheelchairaccessible). All concerts are Sundays at4:00pm: Dec 4, 2011 Bach: Christmas Oratorio(highlights) March 4, 2012; Vivaldi: Gloriaand Schubert: Mass in G; May 6, 2012 Verdi:Requiem. Rehearsals: Mondays, 7:30–9:30pm,September–May at Christ Church Deer Park416-443-1490www.torontoclassicalsingers.cainfo@torontoclassicalsingers.ca• Toronto Jewish Folk ChoirThe Toronto Jewish Folk Choir is conductedby Alexander Veprinsky and accompanied byLina Zemelman. Started in 1925 by immigrantneedle-trade workers, the SATB choir singsfolksongs and classics in various languages.The choir’s 85th annual spring concert takesplace on May 15, 2011 at 3 pm in the PoslunsAuditorium, Baycrest, 3560 Bathurst. It honoursthe memory of the choir’s immigrant founderswith the lively klezmer suite In Amerike by SidRobinovitch, performed with special guestsBeyond The Pale klezmer band. A delightfulmix of songs in Yiddish, Hebrew, Judeo-Spanisand English completes the program.S Howard Kaplan 416-593-0750tjfolkchoir@sympatico.cawww.winchevskycentre.org/institutions/choir.html• Toronto Mendelssohn ChoirGrand symphonic sound has been the TorontoMendelssohn Choir’s trademark for over 100years. Performing sacred and secular repertoire,the TMC o≠ers audiences authentic interpretationof some of the greatest music evercomposed. The 150-voice choir includes a professionalcore, auditioned volunteers, and apprentices(17–22). The TMC performs over 20concerts annually, including Messiah with theTSO, Festival of Carols at Yorkminster ParkBaptist Church, Sacred Music for a Sacred Spaceon Good Friday at St Paul’s Basilica, and twoconcerts of major choral works with full orchestraat Koerner Hall. Rehearsals: Mondaysat Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. Auditions:Spring/September.Noel Edison, artistic directorKimber Jonah 416-598-0422 ext 24admin@tmchoir.orgwww.tmchoir.org• Toronto Swedish SingersThe Toronto Swedish Singers perform in Swedishand English under director Brigitte Bogar.The choir presents annual spring/Christmasconcerts, performs at local Swedish culturalevents and in the Swedish Lutheran Churchin Toronto at major church celebrations. Shorttours are also arranged periodically. Familiaritywith the Swedish language, interest in Swedishculture and ability to read music are desirable,but everyone is welcome. Weekly rehearsals;members also have the opportunity to learn/perform Swedish folk dances.Solveig Lalla 416-483-3921solan_46@hotmail.comwww.tsfs.ca• Toronto Welsh Male Voice ChoirThe Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir enters anotheradventurous and robust season of choralperformance under artistic director WilliamWoloschuk and accompanist Julia Sankey.Founded in 1995 by Gwyn Roberts, TWMVCshares its appreciation for beautiful songs thatlift the human spirit. TWMVC repertoire supportsthe choral traditions that have enrichedthe human experience through the ages. The vibrantblend of traditional music from the Landof Song and contemporary works from aroundthe globe are exhibited in the unique sound ofWelsh four-part harmony. Performances of noteinclude the CD launch entitled Toronto WelshMale Voice Choir with Shannon Mercer, Live atthe Glenn Gould Studio. TWMVC continues towelcome new members. “Welshness” is optional!Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 7:30–10pm.

416-410-2254, 1-877-410-2254 (905/705 only)info@twmvc.comwww.twmvc.com• UnivoxUnivox is a mixed-voice community choir foryoung adults, with singers in their twentiesand thirties. The organization holds relationshipbuilding, social responsibility and musicalexcellence as its core principles. Most newchoristers have previous choral experience orhave some musical proficiency. Regular attendanceis expected. Selected repertoire spans fivecenturies, including choral classics, contemporaryworks and popular music, ranging fromGabriel Fauré to Daft Punk. Potential choristersare invited to observe a rehearsal. Rehearsals:Tuesdays 5:45–8:00pm at New Horizons/DovercourtBaptist, 1140 Bloor St W. Season runsSeptember to June.Dallas Bergen, artistic director, 416-697-9561membership@univoxchoir.orgwww.univoxchoir.org• UofT Scarborough Concert ChoirThe University of Toronto Scarborough ConcertChoir is an auditioned mixed choir consisting ofstudents, sta≠ and members of the communityat large. Lenard Whiting, conductor, auditionssingers the first week of classes in both the fall(September) and winter (January) semesters.The concert choir option can be taken for creditor purely as extracurricular. Performancesinclude university special events and concertswithin the arts and events programming divisionincluding the end of term concert. Thechoir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from5–8pm in the Arts and Administration Buildinglocated at 1265 Military Trail.Lenard Whiting, conductor,416-287-7179lwhiting@utsc.utoronto.ca www.utsc.utoronto.ca• Upper Canada ChoristersThe Upper Canada Choristers is a non-auditionedmixed voice choir with a history of collaborationwith international choirs and localchildren’s choirs. Cantemos is the auditionedLatin ensemble under the umbrella of UCC.Under the artistic direction of Laurie EvanFraser, the choirs perform two diverse choralprogrammes annually, working with a varietyof guest artists. Weekly rehearsals for the largerchoir are Monday evenings at the SalvationArmy Community Church, 7 Eglinton Ave E7:30–9:30pm. Cantemos rehearses one eveningeach week at 2 Romar Crescent 7:30–9:30pm.The choir sings up to 20 concerts annually in avariety of community venues.Laurie Evan Fraser,conductor/artistic director, 416-256-0510www.chorister.org• Uxbridge Chamber ChoirThe Uxbridge Chamber Choir was formed inAUDITION THE CHOIRThinking about joining? Visit thewholenote.com/canary1983 to bring quality performances of sacredand secular music to the local community. Thechoir o≠ers accomplished singers a venue to expressand develop their musical talents. As wellas major works by the classical composers, programshave also featured more modern piecesby Or≠ and Jenkins – even the Beatles – and acommissioned work by Canadian R. MurraySchafer. Performance standards are maintainedby a non-threatening screening process duringearly rehearsals. For a good choral atmosphereunder the inspired direction of our founderTom Baker, come join the UCC.John Jackson, president, 905-852-7993jjackson@powergate.cawww.uxbridgechamberchoir.ca• Vesnivka ChoirFounding artistic director Halyna KvitkaKondracki established the Vesnivka Choir in1965. This award-winning women’s ensemblehas delighted audiences around the world withits rich repertoire of Ukrainian liturgical, classical,contemporary and traditional folk music.Together with its partner the Toronto UkrainianMale Chamber Choir (TUMCC), the choirs areoften accompanied by professional soloists andchamber ensembles of area musicians. Thereare three major concerts each season. Vesnivkaalso sings at Christmas and Easter liturgies.Vesnivka rehearses on Tuesdays, 7:30–9:30pm(4 Bellwoods Ave, Toronto). Male singers arewelcome to join TUMCC, with rehearsals heldon Mondays, 7:30–9:00pm (Ukrainian CanadianSocial Services, 2445 Bloor St. W. at Jane).Lesia Komorowsky, 416-236-8278nykola@vesnivka.comwww.vesnivka.com• Victoria College ChoirThe Victoria College Choir has been a fixture ofthe Vic community since the move to Torontofrom Cobourg in 1892. Though it has seen manydi≠erent forms and incarnations over the pastcentury, including the Victoria Glee Club anda Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, themusical presence at Vic has been consistentlydominated by the chorus. The present Vicchorus was established in 1991 as a non-audition,school community chorus. Two concertsare held each year. The fall concert is held inthe lovely Gothic setting of the Victoria CollegeChapel. The spring concert is held in the IsabelBader Theatre.Taylor Sullivanvicchorus@yahoo.comwww.vicchorus.com• Victoria Scholars Men’sChoral EnsembleOne of Canada’s finest male choral ensembles,the Victoria Scholars treat their audiences toa wide range of music – from medieval plainchantand works from the Baroque, Renaissanceand Romantic eras, through to contemporaryand newly commissioned works from some ofCanada’s best-known composers. Along withtheir annual 3-concert series in Toronto, theyhave released 3 recordings, toured nationallyand internationally, and performed with anumber of international vocal soloists and artsorganizations. If you are an experienced musicianwith excellent sight-reading abilities andwould like to join the Scholars for their upcomingseason, please contact us today.Dr Jerzy Cichocki 416-761-7776info@victoriascholars.cawww.victoriascholars• Village VoicesVillage Voices is a Markham-based mixed communitychoir of about 65 members, which presents2 major public concerts a year as well asmini concerts at seniors’ residences, specialcommunity events and festivals. Under the directionof Joan Andrews, the choir performs atoronto swedish singerstheWholeNote CHOIR LISTINGS | 2011-2012

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