Views
4 years ago

Volume 24 Issue 8 - May 2019

  • Text
  • Theatre
  • Symphony
  • Concerts
  • Singers
  • Arts
  • Jazz
  • Choral
  • Musical
  • Toronto
  • Choir
What a range of stuff! A profile of Liz Upchurch, the COC ensemble studio's vocal mentor extraordinaire; a backgrounder on win-win faith/arts centre partnerships and ways of exploring the possibilities; an interview with St. Petersburg-based Eifman Ballet's Boris Eifman; Ana Sokolovic's violin concert Evta finally coming to town; a Love Letter to YouTube, and much more. Plus our 17th annual Canary Pages Choral directory if all you want to do is sing! sing! sing!

CANARY PAGES

CANARY PAGES theWholeNote 2019/20 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY ●●Canadian Bandurist Capella The Canadian Bandurist Capella is one of the premiere bandura ensembles in North America. The group showcases powerful male voices combined with the rich sound of the bandura - the national instrument of Ukraine. The Capella is committed to advancing and exploring new possibilities with choral-bandura music, while honouring the instrument’s deep history. Founded in 2001, the Canadian Bandurist Capella has grown to become a considerable force within the Ukrainian Community in Ontario. The group unites the talents of some 40 volunteer singers and instrumentalists who work together to further their common mission. As a not-for-profit group, the Capella depends on the support of the community and generous individuals to continue its work. IVAN DUSANOWSKYJ 647-888-8400 president@banduristy.com www.banduristy.com ●●Canadian Celtic Choir The Canadian Celtic Choir is a London-based SATB choir of more than 50 voices that has built a solid reputation as one of the most in-demand choirs in SW Ontario. Founded in 1996, we have been led by conductor William “Bill” Zadorsky and accompanied by Jean Willadsen on piano since 2010. Our vocal coach, alternate conductor and emcee is Paul Grambo. Our repertoire features songs primarily from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, and the Canadian Maritimes. In 2015, we won the Most Popular Classical Choir at the Forest City London Music Awards. Also, we have received the Mayor’s Award from the City of London for our cultural contributions to the city. Our two most recent CDs are: A Celtic Noel (2013), and Celtic Inspiration (2014) and are available for purchase from our website. The Choir is touring Ireland in July 2020. IAN DAVIES 519-319-5847 celticchoir@iandavies.com www.celticchoir.ca ●●Canadian Children’s Opera Company Now over 50 years old, the CCOC consists of six choruses for ages 3-19 and is the only permanent children’s opera company in Canada to regularly commission and produce operas for children. Opera is simply storytelling with music, and those are two things that kids and youth love! A unique experience, the CCOC offers members unparalleled performance opportunities and life skills through age-appropriate vocal and dramatic training. Members regularly perform with the Canadian Opera Company and other major professional arts organizations. Rehearsals are weekdays after school in the downtown area. Auditions are held April to June and occasionally during the year. A non-auditioned in- and after-school workshop program was launched in 2008 as part of the OPER- Ation KIDS outreach arm of the CCOC. KEN HALL 416-366-0467 info@canadianchildrensopera.com www.canadianchildrensopera.com ●●Canadian Men’s Chorus The Canadian Men’s Chorus under artistic director Greg Rainville is a premier men’s chamber ensemble in Toronto, performing works from the classical repertoire and many other genres. The CMC is noted for its exquisite blend, exciting and varied performances and the ability to take the audience on an emotional journey. Currently in its 9th season, the CMC is preparing for an exciting 10th anniversary season with three concerts in 2019/20. Over the past 9 seasons, the CMC has commissioned and premiered over 45 new Canadian works for men’s voices by noted composers such as Stephanie Martin, Mark Sirett, Laura Sgroi, Scott Christian, Matthew Emery and more. The CMC welcomes experienced male singers to join the camaraderie and fine singing by contacting Greg at grainville@canadianmenschorus.ca for an audition. GREG RAINVILLE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 416-573-5993 grainville@canadianmenschorus.ca www.canadianmenschorus.ca ●●Cantabile Chamber Singers Led by artistic director and founder Cheryll Chung since 2006, the Cantabile Chamber Singers (CCS) performs an eclectic mix of choral music that spans 6 centuries and premieres works of Canadian and international composers through a self-produced Toronto concert series, guest performances and special projects with local orchestras, festivals and choirs. CCS is known for its informed interpretation, audience engagement and innovative programming. Performing and commissioning new Canadian music is part of our mandate, with over 50 new works premiered since 2006. Contact us for an audition or to submit a newly written a cappella choral work. Check out our recordings on iTunes and YouTube, find us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter @CantabileTO. Auditions are held throughout the year, as needed - for tenors, basses and sopranos. CHERYLL CHUNG 416-509-8122 cantabilechambersingers@gmail.com www.cantabilechambersingers.com ●●Cantabile Choirs of Kingston Since 1996, the Cantabile Choirs of Kingston, under composer/conductor Mark Sirett, have become known for concerts featuring non-traditional staging and joyful repertoire sung with skill and enthusiasm by Cantabile’s 300 singers. In our 24th season: “Life To Everything”; “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” (Plato). November 2, “Life Has Loveliness: music on themes of water, nature, ecology.” December 20-21, “Wings of Angels: Christmas with Cantabile.” March 7, “Spirit & Soul” with Daniel Taylor as guest conductor along with the Theatre of Ancient Music. April 18, 2020, Imagination: our young singers present “Lion King KIDS!” May 23, 2020, “Sweet Music Here” Cantabile’s teens, men, women perform favourites from 24 years of music making. HOLLIE STEWART 613-549-0099 info@cantabilechoirs.net www.cantabilechoirs.ca ●The ● Cellar Singers The Cellar Singers is a 40-voice mixed choir based in Orillia. For over 50 years, the choir has delighted audiences in Simcoe and Muskoka with choral masterpieces grand and intimate. Under the direction of gifted choral specialist Mitchell Pady, the choir presents four main concerts each season. Rehearsals are open to all and are held Wednesday evenings, 7:15pm, at St. James’ Anglican Church, Orillia. Visit us at www.thecellarsingers.com; Facebook. com/TheCellarSingers or Twitter/@cschoir. For more information, contact us at info@thecellarsingers.com or at 905-515-3356 KATE WARD 905-515-3356 info@thecellarsingers.com www.thecellarsingers.com ●●Choralairs of North York The Choralairs are a non-profit, charitable 50-member, four-part adult choir who sing a variety of popular songs, Broadway, seasonal tunes and folk songs. We rehearse from September to June on Tuesday evenings at Edithvale Community Centre on Finch Ave West and have performed 8 concerts per season for seniors in the GTA for over 50 years. Directed by our talented team of Peter Ness as conductor and Asher Farber on keyboard, the choir requires no auditions - just a love of singing and the ability to carry a tune! All are welcome at our annual public concert on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 2-3pm at B’nai Torah Synagogue, 465 Patricia Ave. in Toronto. ELAINE ROSE 905-731-8416 elainemrose@yahoo.ca; choralairs@gmail.com www.choralairschoir.com ●●Choralis Camerata Choralis Camerata is one of Niagara’s premier choral groups, ambitious in its scope and creative in its productions. Now in its 13th season, the 50-person SATB chamber choir performs throughout the Niagara region, working with talented soloists and professional musicians to perform a wide variety of works, from perennial favourites like Handel’s Messiah and Vivaldi’s Gloria, to operatic works like Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury. Learn more about Choralis Camerata’s 2019/20 season at www.choraliscamerata.com JOANNE GEORGE 905-646-9225; 905-934-2415 choraliscamerata@gmail.com www.choraliscamerata.com C4

●●Chorus Hamilton Chorus Hamilton is a registered charitable arts organization and is one of Hamilton’s finest choral ensembles. Founded in 1968 to participate in the opening of Mohawk College, Fennell Campus, the choir is now a 70-member choral society. The ensemble performs a large variety of music, from chamber music to the greatest large-scale works in the choral repertoire, with orchestral accompaniment and the best Canadian soloists. Auditions are held in September and January and the choir gathers Tuesday evenings at Mohawk College to rehearse. Chorus Hamilton invites interested singers from all sections to come and join us under the leadership of artistic director David Holler and accompanist Erika Reiman. Please visit our website for concert listings and more information. JOAN STICKWOOD 905-318-9381 chorushamilton@yahoo.ca www.chorushamilton.ca CANADIAN BANDURIST CAPELLA ●●Chorus Niagara ●●Christ Church Deer Park andrew.timothy.adair@gmail.com www.stmarymagdalene.ca Chorus Niagara, the Power of 100, is a passionate group of singers of diverse ages and walks of life. As the Niagara region’s premier auditioned symphonic chorus for the past 57 years, Chorus Niagara performs classic choral masterpieces, innovative new modern, and seldom-heard works, providing a showcase for emerging Canadian talent. Chorus Niagara attracts singers of all ages through its Chorus Niagara Children’s Choir (CNCC), Side-by-Side High School Chorale (SXS) and Robert Cooper Choral Scholars program (RCCS). Concerts are performed in the beautiful Partridge Hall in the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in downtown St.Catharines. View our flash mob with over 52 million views on YouTube. ROBERT COOPER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DIANA MCADOREY, MANAGING DIRECTOR 905-934-5575 cnadmin@becon.org www.chorusniagara.org ●●Chorus York Chorus York is an amateur performance community choir based in Richmond Hill. We perform three to four concerts per year and sing a variety of choral music, from Bach to Broadway. We are diverse in age and culture, but we all share a love of fine choral music. Recent concerts include “Top Hats & Tunes,” “Encore,” a program of Broadway hits, “Romantic Melodies,” a program of love songs for Valentine’s Day, and to come in May, “Classics in the Spring,” a program of classical choral music, and “True North Strong & Free,” with the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra in June. New members are always welcome. Please send inquiries to info@chorusyork.ca STEPHANE POTVIN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR BRUCE MORROW, CHOIR PRESIDENT 905-884-7922 info@chorusyork.ca www.chorusyork.ca Continuing its long tradition of musical excellence, Christ Church Deer Park boasts an innovative music program. Our choir, consisting of professional members and skilled volunteers, performs a rich treasury of sacred choral music and hymnody at the 10am Sunday liturgy. The choir also performs at other special events, feast days, Evensongs and concerts throughout the year. Rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings from 6:45pm to 8:45pm and offer an opportunity to develop musicianship through vocal instruction, while being part of an open and welcoming community. In addition, we present “Jazz Vespers”, a popular, informal service held bi-monthly from September to June and featuring some of the city’s finest jazz musicians. For more information contact Matthew Otto, director of music. MATTHEW OTTO 4169205211 motto@christchurchdeerpark.org www.thereslifehere.org ●●Church of St. Mary Magdalene Steeped in musical heritage and assisted by a generous acoustic, the Church of 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 9:00am 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 ●●Church of St. Peter and St. Simon-the-Apostle, Anglican Music is central to worship at St. Peter and St. Simon and is rooted in the rich liturgical tradition of the Anglican Church. The Adult Choir enjoys a repertoire from medieval chant to 21st-century anthems, motets and spirituals. With approximately 25 voices including a professional core, many of its members have had extensive choral training or as instrumentalists and solo singers. The choir provides musical leadership at the Sunday 10:30am weekly worship service including full mass settings and seasonal evensong services. Carol Services are presented for Advent and Christmas. Annual concerts feature major works, with soloists and instrumental ensemble accompaniment. The choir will be travelling to the UK to sing for one week residencies at Gloucester and Chichester Cathedrals in August of 2019. ROBIN DAVIS 905-409-6121 robin.davis@rogers.com www.stpeterstsimon.ca/worship/music ●●City Choir Launched in 2010, City Choir is an exciting nonauditioned SATB choir. Our five well-known directors have worked with us since then – Waleed Abdulhamid, John Millard, Patricia O’Callaghan, Greg Oh, and Suba Sankaran. Open to all who love to sing, we perform music of many styles, as well as original compositions. Based on pay-what-you-can, we meet at 188 Carlton St. on Tuesday nights from September to June. Vocal techniques are taught. There are two main concerts and two cabaret nights, as well as other events. Solo performances welcome. We have sung at the Tranzac Club, the Drake Underground, the Aga Khan Museum, the Luminato Festival, and in the SING! a Cappella theWholeNote 2019/20 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C5

Volumes 26-29 (2020- )

Volumes 21-25 (2015-2020)

Volumes 16-20 (2010-2015)

Volumes 11-15 (2004-2010)

Volumes 6 - 10 (2000 - 2006)

Volumes 1-5 (1994-2000)