Volume 21 Issue 8 - May 2016

CANARY PAGES

CANARY PAGES theWholeNote 2016/17 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY singers aged 19 to 24 to become involved in choral music. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 7pm to 9:30pm, September to May, at Kingston Road United Church (975 Kingston Rd.) with auditions in September and January; the ability to read music and previous choral experience are definite assets. MARITA FRANKEL 647-348-3535 marita121@rogers.com www.torontobeachchorale.com ●Toronto Chamber Choir Toronto Chamber Choir has held a place of prominence in Canada’s early music scene since 1968. The TCC specializes in renaissance and baroque repertoire, collaborating with Toronto’s rich pool of period instrumentalists, and explores other repertoire related to its themed programming. The choir offers a subscription series of four concerts: two Saturday evening performances, and two Sunday afternoon “Kaffeemusik” presentations which explore the music’s cultural context, often combining music with narration and a visual display. In June, the choir holds annual auditions for its Toronto Chamber Consort section-lead program, whose members provide active leadership within the choir. Rehearsals are at St. Patrick’s Parish on Wednesday evenings. Auditions for volunteer members are held throughout the season by arrangement with the director. LUCAS HARRIS, artistic director 416-763-1695 lucasharris@live.ca www.torontochamberchoir.ca ●Toronto Children’s Chorus The award-winning Toronto Children’s Chorus, marking its 39th concert season and tenth year under artistic director Elise Bradley, comprises a “family” of choirs – KinderNotes for children aged 3 to 6, four Training Choirs, the Main Choir (Cantare, Chorale, Chamber, and Choral Scholar levels) and the Youth Choir. All 300+ choristers perform in the TCC’s annual concert series and develop skills in vocal technique, sight-singing and music theory. Main Choir choristers attend masterclasses and receive exceptional performance opportunities, including collaborations with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Soundstreams Canada and Opera Atelier. The Chamber Choir also records and tours nationally and internationally. Chorus auditions are held in May and September; auditions are not required for KinderNotes. BRADLEY CHRISTENSEN 416-932-8666 bradley@torontochildrenschorus.com www.torontochildrenschorus.com ●Toronto Choral Society The Toronto Choral Society is Toronto’s oldest community choir. It was founded in 1845 to present concerts and foster the development of the local musical community. Today the 130-voice TCS choir continues to present great works of the choral repertoire as well as innovative concerts celebrating this city’s history and diversity. It produces at least two major concerts each season, collaborates in other artistic productions and participates in special community events. Artistic director Geoffrey Butler, accompanist William O’Meara and assistant conductor Jenny Crober provide musical leadership. ERIN SMITH 416-410-3509 www.torontochoralsociety.org ●Toronto Choral Society Children’s Choir The Toronto Choral Society Children’s Choir is a non-auditioned community choir for children, under the artistic direction of Sarah Parker. Launched in January 2013, the choir offers a safe, challenging and fun environment in which children sing, learn about music and contribute to the community. Rehearsing Thursday nights from 6:30pm to 8pm in the Carlaw and Danforth area, we perform in a minimum of three events per season. The TCS Children’s Choir provides a supportive environment in which singers develop their musical abilities by learning and performing choral classics, music from a variety of cultures and music that celebrates the heritage of the City of Toronto. Follow us on Twitter (@tcs_cc)! SARAH PARKER 416-410-3509 www.torontochoralsociety.org ●Toronto Choristers We are a non-auditioned mixed choir of over 100 voices, mainly retired teachers and others who have worked in the field of education. Under the direction of Ralph Peters, we sing a wide range of musical works: selections from Broadway musicals, religious and spiritual anthems, jazz, works by Canadian composers and medleys from various musical genres, just to name a few. We sing one concert in December and two concerts in May each year. Our practices occur each Thursday from September to May. New members are welcome to join our choir. Our annual spring concert at Sir John A. MacDonald Collegiate Institute, 2300 Pharmacy Ave., between Sheppard and Finch, takes place on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 7:30pm. Tickets are each, available from choir members or at the door. For more information or to order tickets, please call John Sinclair at 647-693-4671. We love to sing and to share the enjoyment of choral singing. We invite you to be a part of the audience at this concert. JOHN SINCLAIR 416-331-8097 jdbsinclair@gmail.com ●Toronto Classical Singers With its 2016/17 season, Toronto Classical Singers celebrates 25 years under the baton of artistic director Jurgen Petrenko. Opening with Handel’s Messiah on December 4, 2016, and heralding spring with Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle on February 19, TCS will crown the season on Sunday, April 30 with Handel’s Coronation Anthems and other Favourites Befitting Royal Occasions. Don’t miss 100 Singers perform with the Talisker Players Orchestra and Soloists. 4pm Sundays, Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. Season tickets and single tickets . SHIRLEY PAQUETTE 416-443-1490; 416-494-2870 shirleyjpaquette@gmail.com www.torontoclassicalsingers.ca ●Toronto Mendelssohn Choir Grand symphonic sound has been the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s trademark for over 120 years. Under artistic director Noel Edison, the TMC offers audiences authentic interpretation of some of the greatest sacred and secular music ever composed. The 130-voice choir includes a professional core, auditioned volunteers and apprentices (aged 17 to 22). The TMC performs over 20 concerts annually, including “Festival of Carols” at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, “Sacred Music for a Sacred Space” on Good Friday at St. Paul’s Basilica and concerts of major choral works with orchestra at Koerner Hall, in addition to performances of Messiah and other works with the TSO. The Choir also presents Singsation Saturdays, popular choral workshops for singers of all levels. KIMBER JONAH 416-598-0422 admin@tmchoir.org www.tmchoir.org ●Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir Calling all male singers! Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir (TWMVC) is growing and is seeking more members…If you are a male singer (you don’t have to be Welsh) who has always wanted to sing in a choir or rekindle your singing spirit from the past, drop in to one of our Wednesday night rehearsals in May or June at Dewi Sant United Church, 33 Melrose Ave., Toronto. We are a friendly bunch, open to singers of all abilities, performing a wide variety of traditional and contemporary music. For more information, please go to our website. AL SADEGURSKY 647-389-8084 alansadegursky@yahoo.ca www.welshchoir.ca ●TSM Community Academy Chamber Choir Chamber Choir with Matthias Maute, July 31 to August 7, 2016: Are you an advanced amateur musician looking for an opportunity to connect with other musicians who share your passion? Refresh vocal skills and study one of the great works of choral literature in the intimacy of a chamber vocal ensemble. Must be over 18 years of age. Tuition includes a ticket to all TSM Festival Concerts July 31 to August 7, daily lunch and coffee. Cost: 0 plus HST. NATASHA BOOD 647-430-5699 x114 info@torontosummermusic.com www.torontosummermusic.com C14

● Univox Choir Toronto Univox is a mixed-voice SATB community choir for young adults that is part of the larger Univox Choirs organization. The organization holds relationship building, social responsibility and musical excellence as its core principles. Most choristers have previous choral experience or some musical proficiency. Our season runs September to June and rehearsals take place Tuesdays, 5:45pm to 8pm, at New Horizons/Dovercourt Baptist Church. Regular attendance is expected. Selected repertoire spans five centuries, including choral classics, contemporary works and popular music, ranging from Gabriel Fauré to Daft Punk. UNIVOX COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR communications@univoxchoirs.org www.univoxchoir.org ● Upper Canada Choristers The Upper Canada Choristers is a mixed-voice community choir with a commitment to musical excellence and vibrant community service. The program features collaborations with international choirs, local children’s choirs, and professional instrumentalists and singers. Cantemos is the auditioned a cappella Latin ensemble under the umbrella of UCC. Under the artistic direction of Laurie Evan Fraser, the choirs perform three diverse choral programs annually. Weekly rehearsals for the Main Choir are Monday evenings from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at Grace Church on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. Cantemos rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 7pm to 9pm at 2 Romar Cres. The choir sings up to 20 concerts annually in a variety of community venues. LAURIE EVAN FRASER, conductor/artistic director 416-256-0510 lef@uppercanadachoristers.org www.uppercanadachoristers.org ● Vesnivka Choir Vesnivka Choir, established in 1965 by founding artistic director Halyna Kvitka Kondracki, is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. This award-winning women’s ensemble has delighted audiences around the world with its rich repertoire of Ukrainian liturgical, classical, contemporary and traditional folk music. The choir’s regular concert season comprises three major concerts. Vesnivka, together with its partner the Toronto Ukrainian Male Chamber Choir (TUMCC), are often accompanied by professional soloists and chamber ensembles of area musicians. Vesnivka also sings at Christmas and Easter Liturgies. Singers are welcome; rehearsals are held on Tuesdays, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (4 Bellwoods Ave., Toronto). Male singers are welcome to join TUMCC; rehearsals held on Mondays, 7:30pm to 9pm (2445 Bloor St. W., Toronto). LESIA KOMOROWSKY 416-236-8278 lkomorowsky@gmail.com www.vesnivka.com ● Victoria College Choir The Victoria College Choir has been a fixture of the Vic community since the move to Toronto from Cobourg in 1892. Though it has seen many different forms and incarnations over the past century, including the Victoria Glee Club and a Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, the musical presence at Vic has been consistently dominated by the Chorus. Many important moments in Vic history have involved the Chorus, including but not limited to the first staging of The Bob comedy review (oldest such performance in Canada) and the founding of The Strand newspaper. The present Vic Chorus was established in 1991 as a non-auditioned, communitywide chorus open to students, faculty, alumni and staff. Our performances have included the opening of the Isabel Bader Theatre and various gala events around Toronto, as well as our bi-annual concerts and many Christmas events. By participating in all of these events, the choir has become an integral part of the campus life, continuing its strong musical tradition. TAYLOR SULLIVAN 416-585-4541 t.sullivan.vicchorus@gmail.com www.vicchorus.com ●The Victoria Scholars Men’s Choral Ensemble A past winner of the Canada Council Healey Willan Grand Prize in the CBC Radio National Competition for Amateur Choirs and one of Canada’s finest male choral ensembles, the Victoria Scholars Men’s Choral Ensemble treats audiences to a wide range of music, from medieval plainchant and works from the baroque, renaissance and romantic eras through to contemporary and newly-commissioned works from some of Canada’s best-known composers. Along with an annual three-concert series in Toronto, the ensemble has released five widely acclaimed recordings, including Songs of Love released in January 2016; toured nationally and internationally; and performed with international vocal soloists and arts organizations. If you are an experienced musician with excellent sight-reading abilities and would like to join the Victoria Scholars, please contact us today. JERZY CICHOCKI, music director 416-761-7776 info@victoriascholars.ca ● Village Voices Village Voices, a diverse, mixed-voice community choir of about 70 voices based in Markham, will enter its 28th season in September. The choir presents two major concerts annually and sings at seniors’ residences and special community events. Directed by Oksana Vignan, the choir performs a wide variety of choral repertoire, from the great standard classics to contemporary music. Village Voices has collaborated and performed with other choirs in Ontario and as guest artists of instrumental organizations such as the Markham Concert Band and the Kindred Spirits Orchestra. The choir’s musical skills are honed regularly through special workshops with outstanding choral musicians. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings upstairs in the Rehearsal Hall at the Cornell Community Centre. New members are always welcome. ELLEN DOWSWELL 905-763-4172 www.villagevoices.ca ● VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto, now in its 16th season, is a vibrant, inclusive choral organization with excellent musical opportunities for young singers. Five choirs for ages 4 through young adults include support for differently-abled singers. VIVA!’s diverse programming features age-appropriate choral training through instruction in vocal technique, private vocal instruction and comprehensive theory. Monday rehearsals prepare singers for concerts where singers share the stage with guest artists TORONTO MENDELSSOHN CHOIR theWholeNote 2016/17 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C15