CANARY PAGESvesnivka choirtheWholeNote 2013/14 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORYAUDITION THE CHOIR!“Sacred Music for a Sacred Space” on GoodFriday at St. Paul’s Basilica and concerts ofmajor choral works with orchestra at KoernerHall. Rehearsals are held Mondays at YorkminsterPark Baptist Church, with auditionsin May and September.Noel Edison, artistic directorKimber Jonah416-598-0422 x221admin@tmchoir.orgtmchoir.org●Toronto ● “Volungė” Women’sChamber ChoirFifteen years ago, under the direction ofDalia Viskontas, a small chamber group of14 ladies was formed with the intention ofperforming a repertoire of more challengingmusic. Since then the group has performed atthe annual church Christmas concert as wellas in North American Lithuanian communities.The repertoire has included such majorworks as Conrad Susa’s Southwest Carols andLullabies, Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony ofCarols, Nancy Telfer’s Missa Brevis and Pergolesi’sStabat Mater. Jazz, traditional folk songsand contemporary music round out the challengingrepertoire.Dalia Viskontas,conductor/artistic director647-244-5055dalia.viskontas@sympatico.ca●Toronto ● Welsh Male Voice ChoirThe Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir entersanother exciting performance season underartistic director William Woloschuk and accompanistChristina Faye. Founded in 1995 byGwyn Roberts, TWMVC’s repertoire performswithin choral traditions that have enrichedthe human experience through the ages. Thevibrant blend of traditional music from the“Land of Song” and contemporary worksfrom around the globe is exhibited in unique,Welsh, four-part harmony. We perform morethan 12 concerts per season, including toursto numerous US and Canadian destinations.A two-week tour of Wales is being plannedfor this July.TWMVC welcomes new members. “Welshness”is optional! Rehearsals take placeWednesdays, 7:30pm–10pm, 33 Melrose Ave.,Toronto.416-410-2254;1-877-410-2254 (905/705 only)info@twmvc.comtwmvc.com●●Univox Choir TorontoUnivox is a mixed-voice community choir foryoung adults, with singers in their 20s and 30s.The organization holds relationship building,social responsibility and musical excellenceas its core principles. Most new choristershave previous choral experience or have somemusical proficiency. Regular attendance andticket selling are expected. Selected repertoirespans five centuries, including choral classics,contemporary works and popular music,ranging from Gabriel Fauré to Daft Punk.Potential choristers are invited to observea rehearsal after initial contact. Rehearsalstake place Tuesdays, 5:45pm–8pm, at NewHorizons/Dovercourt Baptist, 1140 Bloor St.W. Our season runs September to June.Dallas Bergen, artistic director416-697-9561membership@univoxchoir.orgunivoxchoir.org●●Upper Canada ChoristersThe Upper Canada Choristers is a nonauditionedmixed-voice choir with a historyof musical excellence and community service.The program features collaborations withinternational choirs, local children’s choirsand professional guest artists. Cantemos is theauditioned Latin ensemble under the umbrellaof UCC. Under the artistic direction of LaurieEvan Fraser, the choirs perform three diversechoral programs annually. Weekly rehearsalsfor the larger choir are Monday evenings from7:30pm–9:30pm at Grace Church on-the-Hill,300 Lonsdale Rd. Cantemos rehearses onThursday evenings from 7pm–9:30 pm at 2Romar Cres. The choir sings up to 20 concertsannually in a variety of community venues.Laurie Evan Fraser,conductor/artistic director416-256-0510uppercanadachoristers.org●●Vesnivka ChoirFounding artistic director Halyna KvitkaKondracki established Vesnivka Choir in 1965.This award-winning women’s ensemble hasdelighted audiences around the world with itsrich repertoire of Ukrainian liturgical, classical,contemporary and traditional folk music. Thechoir’s regular concert season encompassesthree major concerts. Vesnivka, togetherwith its partner the Toronto Ukrainian MaleChamber Choir (TUMCC), are often accompaniedby professional soloists and chamberensembles of area musicians. Vesnivka alsosings at Christmas and Easter liturgies. Newsingers are welcome, with rehearsals held onTuesdays, 7:30pm–9:30pm, (4 Bellwoods Ave.,Toronto). Male singers are welcome to joinTUMCC, with rehearsals held on Mondays,7:30pm–9pm, (Ukrainian Canadian SocialServices, 2445 Bloor St. W. at Jane).Nykola Parzei, administrator416-246-9880nykola@vesnivka.comvesnivka.com●●Vespera Women’s ChoirThe Vespera Women’s Choir is an auditionedgroup of exceptional singers dedicatedto performing contemporary music. Alongwith its classical focus, Vespera embracespopular genres of music from the 20thcentury, including jazz, gospel and beyond.Now in its eighth season, Vespera has shownits continued commitment to performingnew works, especially those by Canadiancomposers. Since 2009 the choir has dedicatedits spring concerts to works by onlyCanadian composers. We perform three or fourconcerts yearly. Rehearsals happen Wednesdays,7pm–9:30pm, at Bloor Street UnitedChurch, Toronto.Sarah Johnsarahjohn64@gmail.comvesperaensemble.com
●●Victoria College ChoirThe Victoria College Choir has been afixture of the Vic community since the moveto Toronto from Cobourg in 1892. Althoughit has seen many different forms and incarnationsover the past century, including theVictoria Glee Club and a Gilbert and SullivanAppreciation Society, the musical presence atVic has been consistently dominated by the VicChorus. The present chorus was established in1991 as a non-auditioned, school communitychorus. Three concerts are held each year. Thefall concert and winter concert are both held inthe lovely gothic setting of the Victoria CollegeChapel, while the year-end spring concert isheld in the Isabel Bader Theatre and for thepast several years has involved a stage presentationof a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta.Taylor Sullivan, director416-813-4091vicchorus@yahoo.comvicchorus.com●●Victoria Scholars Men’sChoral EnsembleOne of Canada’s finest male choral ensembles,the Victoria Scholars treat their audiencesto a 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 three-concert series in Toronto,they have released four widely acclaimedrecordings (including their most recent releasein November 2012, O Night Divine), tourednationally and internationally and performedwith a number of international vocal soloistsand arts organizations. If you are an experiencedmusician with excellent sight-readingabilities and would like to join the Scholars fortheir upcoming season, please contact us today.Dr. Jerzy Cichocki416-761-7776info@victoriascholars.cavictoriascholars.ca●●Village VoicesVillage Voices is a diverse, mixed-voicecommunity choir of about 70 voices basedin Markham. The choir presents two majorconcerts a year and also performs at seniors’residences, community events and festivals.Directed by Joan Andrews, they sing a widevariety of choral repertoire, from the great standardclassics to contemporary music. Theyhave performed with other choirs in Ontarioand instrumental organizations such as theMarkham Concert Band and the KindredSpirits Orchestra, with whom they will performMessiah again in December. In 2013/14 VillageVoices will celebrate its 25th season withspecial concerts and events. Rehearsals areThinking about joining? Visit thewholenote.com/canaryheld on Wednesday evenings and in Septemberwill be moving to the new Cornell CommunityCentre. New members are always welcome.905-294-8687info@villagevoices.cavillagevoices.ca●●VIVA! Youth Singers of TorontoVIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto is a vibrant,innovative choral organization for over 120children and youth, from four-year-olds toyoung adults. 2012/13 marked VIVA!’s 13thseason as a downtown group of choirs whosemission is to provide youth with artisticallyexcellent musical opportunities in a supportive,inclusive environment. VIVA!’s Mentoring andLeadership Program provides young educatorsvaluable opportunities to work with youth,and a unique Inclusion Program offers individualizedsupport for youth with disabilities.Highlights from our past season includeNational Ballet’s The Nutcracker and a fullystaged production of Benjamin Britten’s children’sopera Noye’s Fludde. Opera performanceswill also be featured in our 2013/14 and2015/16 seasons.Susan Suchard, general manager416-788-8482info@vivayouthsingers.comvivayouthsingers.com●●Vivace VoxEstablished in September 2007 within theToronto Singing Studio, Vivace Vox is anexciting and energetic chamber vocal ensemble.Led by music director Linda Eyman, the groupis known for its joy of performance and wideaudience appeal. Its far ranging repertoireincludes madrigals, jazz standards, spirituals,world and folk music, pop classics, masterworksand music theatre, and sweeps awayall musical boundaries. Vivace Vox rehearsesThursday evenings, 7pm–9pm, at Bloor StreetUnited Church, 300 Bloor St. W., Toronto.Membership is by audition. A season membershipis paid.Linda Eyman, music director416-455-9238linda@thetorontosingingstudio.cathetorontosingingstudio.ca●●VOCA Chorus of TorontoThe VOCA Chorus of Toronto is an auditionedensemble performing selectionsfrom several genres (including premieres ofarrangements by our director), in collaborationwith artists from many musical traditions.Each season consists of two concertsas well as performances at community events.On Saturday, June 1, 7:30pm, at EastminsterUnited, we will present “Celtic Tide,”featuring Scott Macmillan’s Celtic Mass forthe Sea. Our director is Jenny Crober andour accompanist is Elizabeth Acker. Guests:Loretto Reid (tin whistle, Irish flute), SharleneWallace (Celtic harp), Rose Bolton (fiddle),Kelly Hood (uilleann pipes), Wendy Solomon(cello), Leon Taheny (bodhrán); from Halifax:Scott Macmillan (guitar), Jennyfer Brickenden(narration). Our December 7 concertwill feature the Bach Magnificat, with guestsoloists and the Talisker Players Orchestra.Rehearsals are Monday evenings at Eastminster(310 Danforth Ave.).vocachorus.ca●●Vocal MosaicFounded in 2007, this 65-voice non-auditionedadult choir is characterized by a vibrantmosaic of vocal styles and repertoire. Choristersenjoy singing madrigals, spirituals,popular standards, music theatre, classicalpieces and folk songs. Two formal concerts arepresented each season along with communityvespera women’s choirtheWholeNote 2013/14 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY
