From science fact in "Integral Man: Music and the Movies," to science fiction in the editor's opener; from World Fiddle Day at the Aga Khan Museum to three Canadians at the Cliburn; from wanting to sashay across the 401 to Chamberfest in Montreal to exploring the Continuum of Jumblies Theatre's 20-year commitment to the Community Play (there's a pun in there somewhere!).
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CANARY PAGES ●●Church of St. Mary Magdalene Steeped in musical heritage and assisted by a generous acoustic, St. Mary Magdalene offers a music program strongly rooted in the tradition established by Healey Willan. Every Sunday at the 11am Solemn Mass, the Gallery Choir sings a mass and motet from the west gallery, while the Ritual Choir sings the Gregorian propers from the east end. Both choirs rehearse on Thursdays. At the 9:30am Sung Mass, the SMM Singers sing a motet and lead congregational singing. Membership is informal: rehearsals are at 9am directly before the service; regular attendance is not mandatory. One Sunday per month at 4:30pm, the meditative Solemn Evensong and Benediction is sung, preceded by an organ recital at 4pm. For information, please contact the director of music, Andrew Adair. ANDREW ADAIR 416-531-7955 andrew.timothy.adair@gmail.com www.stmarymagdalene.ca ●●Common Thread Community Chorus Common Thread Community Chorus is a secular, non-auditioned SATB choir that sings folk music reflecting the languages and cultures of Toronto. Common Thread is for anyone who believes that social justice and community can be built through music. One of our main goals is to help community groups raise funds for, or awareness about, social justice issues. We believe everyone can sing and strive to meet all accessibility needs. Rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings from September to June at Cecil Community Centre in downtown Toronto. All voices are welcome! LEANNE PILLER, ADMINISTRATOR info@commonthreadchorus.ca www.commonthreadchorus.ca 647-981-2205 javh1947@gmail.com www.countytownsingers.com ●●Cummer Avenue United Church Chancel Choir Cummer Avenue United Church Chancel Choir consists of a group of volunteer singers supported by a number of professional section leaders. The choir sings classical and contemporary repertoire and provides strong musical leadership for Sunday worship services 12 months of the year. In addition to full choir anthems, various ensembles and solos are presented by members of the chancel choir. On selected Sundays the choir presents extra choral music such as traditional carols at Christmas and a cantata at Easter. Choral music from all parts of the globe is regularly featured in the choir’s offerings. Rehearsals are held Thursday evenings from early fall to early spring and on Sunday mornings all year. TAYLOR SULLIVAN 416-222-5417 taylorsullivan@yahoo.com www.cummeravenueuc.ca ●●DaCapo Chamber Choir The 24-voice DaCapo Chamber Choir was founded in 1998 in Kitchener-Waterloo under the direction of Leonard Enns. The mission of the choir is to identify, study, rehearse and present outstanding choral chamber works of the past 100 years and to champion music of Canadian and local composers. In 2010, DaCapo received Choral Canada’s National Choral Recording of the Year award for ShadowLand; in 2011 it received first and second prizes in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs. DaCapo also annually offers NewWorks, a national choral composition competition. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @DaCapoChoir! SARA MARTIN 519-725-7549 info@dacapochamberchoir.ca www.dacapochamberchoir.ca ●●Durham Girls’ Choir The Durham Girls’ Choir welcomes girls from all over Durham region. Consisting of two choirs, the non-auditioned junior choir (ages 7 to 11) and the auditioned senior choir (ages 11 to 18), this dynamic and active touring choir performs several times a year at a variety of concerts and events. Notable recent performances include singing with Liona Boyd, The Tenors, Durham Turf Dogs and The Oshawa Generals. In addition to weekly practices, the choir makes a point of having a lot of fun! A fall camp experience, afternoon workshops, plus social events like movies and painting encourage choristers to build leadership skills and friendships. We are always looking for new members, and we’d love to see you! LAURIE STAPLEY, CHOIR MANAGER info@durhamgirlschoir.org www.durhamgirlschoir.org ●●Echo Women’s Choir Celebrating its 25th year, Echo is a 60-voice community choir open to women from all walks of life. Echo rehearses each Tuesday night at the Church of the Holy Trinity (beside the Eaton Centre), performs at city-wide grassroots events, and holds December and April concerts. Echo, a non-auditioned choir co-led by Becca Whitla and Alan Gasser, aims to build a strong, varied and vibrant culture and community through song. Repertoire includes music from village singing traditions around the world and newly-commissioned music. Echo aims to keep membership fees and concert tickets accessible to all. To join Echo, register on our website to begin singing with us in September. Winter concert December 10, 2017, 7:30pm at Holy Trinity with special guest, artist-in-residence Annabelle Chvostek. ALAN GASSER 416-779-5554 info.echo@gmail.com www.echowomenschoir.ca ●●Elmer Iseler Singers theWholeNote 2017/18 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY ●●County Town Singers We are a 75-voice mixed adult community choir from Durham Region within the GTA, started in 1967. Our motto is “We sing for the love of it.” We present a varied repertoire with many musical styles, though little classical. We practise on Wednesday evenings from 7:30pm to 10pm from January to May and September to December, presenting full shows in early May and December. In addition, we perform two or three smaller shows for community groups and charities. We have travelled extensively over our nearly 50 years of existence, most recently to the United Nations in NYC. Informal, easygoing auditions take place in early January and December. Yearly fees are reasonable. For additional info please visit our website or call/text John Van Hoof at 647-981-2205. JOHN VAN HOOF ●●Duly Noted Duly Noted is Toronto’s all-treble, a cappella ensemble. We sing everything from madrigals to Justin Bieber and have a lot of fun doing it! We sing in two self-produced concerts per year and 2+ charity, festival or paid gigs as opportunities arise. All of the profits raised from our concerts go to charity. To date we have donated over K to local Toronto charities. JENNIFER KIRNER 416-629-7554 dulynotedTO@gmail.com www.dulynotedTO.com Elmer Iseler Singers is a 20-voice professional chamber choir based in Toronto and founded in 1979 by Dr. Elmer Iseler. Directed by the acclaimed Lydia Adams, the Singers are known for tonal beauty and interpretive range, and valued for their contributions to masterclasses and workshops by schools and community choirs. Their unique “Get Music! Educational Outreach Initiative” mentors conductors, music educators and students. Inspired by conductor Lydia Adams, EIS has recorded over a dozen CDs featuring Canadian music, and was a JUNO award nominee in 2017. Touring of both Western and Eastern Canada is a major part of the Elmer Iseler Singers’ activities, offering both concerts and workshops to Canadian audiences. Weekly rehearsals are held on Mondays and Tuesdays, with annual auditions in May. JESSIE ISELER, GENERAL MANAGER 416-217-0537 info@elmeriselersingers.com www.elmeriselersingers.com C6
●●Elora Singers The Elora Singers, under the direction of acclaimed conductor Noel Edison, is an all-professional Grammy and JUNO-nominated chamber choir. Celebrated for its rich, warm sound and clarity of texture, the choir is renowned for its diverse styles, commitment to Canadian repertoire, and collaboration with other artists. Through its regular concert series, recordings, and touring, the Elora Singers has become known as one of the finest chamber choirs in Canada and beyond, contributing to the musical life of the local community – and on the international stage – with year-round programs in education, health and outreach. The choir is the principal choral ensemble of the Elora Festival and the professional core of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. ESTHER FARRELL 519-846-0331 info@elorasingers.ca www.elorasingers.ca DULY NOTED ●●Etobicoke Centennial Choir Following our celebratory 50th anniversary season, the Etobicoke Centennial Choir now looks ahead to the future. Under music director Henry Renglich, ECC provides a high-calibre choral music experience for both singers and audiences. Our 2017/18 season begins December 2, 2017 with Pergolesi’s Magnificat, Holst’s Christmas Day and other seasonal repertoire. Four stellar works of the choral repertoire will be featured on April 7, 2018: Haydn’s Te Deum, Poulenc’s Gloria, Brahms’ Vier Quartette and excerpts from Bach’s Mass in B minor. On June 2, 2018, “Oh Canada!” will feature diverse repertoire by composers and arrangers from our talented home and native land. New singers are always welcome and are invited to attend an open rehearsal in early September or January. GREG PIMENTO, CHOIR PRESIDENT 416-622-6923 info@etobicokecentennialchoir.ca www.etobicokecentennialchoir.ca ●●Exultate Chamber Singers ●●Fanshawe Chorus London Fanshawe Chorus London has built a world-class reputation since its inception at Fanshawe College in 1969, by performing the finest in classical choral orchestral music. As a semi-professional auditioned SATB choir conducted by artistic director David Holler, the chorus provides college-level training for adult singers and gives emerging vocal soloists the opportunity to perform professionally with orchestra. The chorus has won the prestigious Ontario Lieutenant-Governor’s Award twice, and was selected to sing at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Canada Day celebrations during the 2010 visit of HRM Queen Elizabeth II. Winner of London’s Classical Vocal Group of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017, the chorus offers talented adult singers an inclusive welcoming community committed to “Making Hearts Sing.” APRIL VOTH, GENERAL MANAGER 519-433-9650 generalmanager@choruslondon.com www.choruslondon.com ●●Forte - Toronto Gay Men’s Chorus Now proudly celebrating our 20th anniversary season, Forte - Toronto Gay Men’s Chorus is one of Canada’s premier male choral ensembles with a membership proudly drawn from Toronto’s diverse LGTBQ+ community. Created by its three founding members in 1997, Forte has evolved through a range of performance styles and repertoires to our latest programming which includes annual holiday and Pride-affiliated summer shows and an ongoing cabaret series at Buddies in Bad Times. We’ve also appeared at a variety of community milestone events including the Candlelight AIDS Vigil, Pride and Remembrance Run, Toronto Pride Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, Inspire Awards, the Imperial Court of Toronto Coronation and the Toronto Mr. Leatherman competition. (What can we say? We like to get around.) JEREMY ELDER marketing@fortechorus.ca www.fortechorus.ca Exultate Chamber Singers is an auditioned group of 26 to 30 skilled and passionate singers who enjoy performing a variety of chamber choir repertoire, both a cappella and accompanied, including much Canadian music. Artistic director Hilary Apfelstadt is also Professor of Choral Studies at the University of Toronto. Now in its 38th year, Exultate Chamber Singers continues its tradition of presenting four concerts per season. In addition, the group sponsors a competition for emerging composers, collaborates with other regional choral ensembles, supports aspiring young music professionals with singing and conducting opportunities, and engages in a number of community outreach initiatives. Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays from 5:45pm to 7:45pm at St. Thomas Anglican Church, 383 Huron Street. For audition information, please see our website. ELANA HARTE 416-971-9229 exultate@exultate.net www.exultate.net ●●Florivox Florivox is an all-women community choir for young adults that is part of the larger Vox Choirs organization. The organization holds relationship building, social responsibility and musical excellence as its core principles. No audition is required for membership but most choristers have previous choral experience or some musical proficiency. Our season runs September to June and rehearsals take place Mondays, 6:15pm to 8:30pm, 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 Dan Forrest to Vivaldi to Joni Mitchell. MARKETING COORDINATOR 647-866-8487 marketing@univoxchoirs.org www.univoxchoir.org ●●Georgetown Choral Society The Georgetown Choral Society, with some 95 amateur singers, has been delighting audiences with its choral performances since its formation in 1971. Our rehearsal and performance home is the Christian Reformed Church in Georgetown, Ontario. A. Dale Wood, a gifted composer and musician, has been our artistic director for over 40 years. The choir is a registered charity that performs a variety of musical genres, including classical, pop and folk, and from sacred to secular, at a level normally associated with professional groups. It has performed at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, the Ford Centre in North York and the Mississauga Living Arts Centre, and has also performed internationally in the Netherlands, England, Ireland and at New York City’s Lincoln Center. LAURENT THIBAULT 905-877-7795 lthibault@cogeco.ca www.georgetownchoral.ca theWholeNote 2017/18 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C7
