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Volume 26 Issue 1 - September 2020

  • Text
  • Ensemble
  • Classical
  • Concerts
  • Singers
  • Choral
  • Jazz
  • Toronto
  • Musical
  • September
  • Choir
Choral Scene: Uncharted territory: three choirs finding paths forward; Music Theatre: Loose Tea on the boil with Alaina Viau’s Dead Reckoning; In with the New: what happens to soundart when climate change meets COVID-19; Call to action: diversity, accountability, and reform in post-secondary jazz studies; 9th Annual TIFF Tips: a filmfest like no other; Remembering: Leon Fleisher; DISCoveries: a NY state of mind; 25th anniversary stroll-through; and more. Online in flip through here, and on stands commencing Tues SEP 1.

CANARY PAGES

CANARY PAGES theWholeNote 2020/21 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY Saturday workshops. KRIS RUMIAN 905-848-1885 novisingerstoronto@gmail.com www.novisingerstoronto.ca ●●Oakville Choir for Children & Youth For 26 years, Oakville Choir has provided exceptional music education and leadership training to young people. We believe providing a fun, safe and educational space for youth to express themselves encourages them to find their voice and use it for good in this world. Currently, we offer a collaborative and comprehensive choral music education program to nearly 300 young people, exploring a wide range of repertoire, diverse musical programming, and high standards of performance. We are proud of the choral collaborations that we have created with other arts and community organizations, both locally and internationally through our touring program. We continue to focus on empowering all youth to use their voice to lead, connect, learn, and build confidence in our community, developing leaders one voice at a time! KATHERINE HAMILTON 905-337-7104 info@oakvillechildrenschoir.org www.oakvillechoir.org ●●Oasis Vocal Jazz Oasis Vocal Jazz, Toronto’s longest-running close harmony ensemble, has been making a unique contribution to the city’s artistic life since 1985. Influenced by pioneers Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and inspired by modern-day masters of the genre such as New York Voices, Take 6 and Toronto’s own Cadence, we enjoy sharing our love of vocal jazz with a wide range of audiences. Whether performing in community or corporate events and charitable fundraisers, or putting on our own concerts backed by some of the city’s top jazz instrumentalists, we have always valued both the pursuit of musical excellence and the joy of making music with each other. We are always looking for new voices to add to our blend. For more information, contact us. Why not become a fan of our Facebook page? ALAN GOTLIB 416-500-7040 info@oasisvocaljazz.com www.oasisvocaljazz.com ●●Oriana Women’s Choir Oriana Women’s Choir is an auditioned ensemble of 30 - 40 amateur upper-voice singers who perform at a high artistic standard. With artistic director Mitchell Pady, Oriana explores the possibilities in choral music for the female voice, collaborating with diverse artists to push the boundaries of typical expectations for upper-voice ensembles. We foster the creation of Canadian choral music, regularly commissioning works from Canadian composers for upper voices. In rehearsal we are focused but friendly, and maintain an inclusive, respectful and supportive environment. Oriana meets on Tuesday evenings - we are starting our season virtually, working together on musical skills and repertoire in preparation for resuming in-person rehearsals and performances once possible. We welcome potential new singers at any time. CHOIR ADMINISTRATOR 416-346-7918 info@orianachoir.com www.orianachoir.com ●●Orpheus Choir of Toronto Orpheus seeks to celebrate the transformational power of choral music as an agent of social change and a passionate medium of artistic expression. The 65-voice choir, under artistic director Robert Cooper, champions the new and unusual in choral performance, commissioning and introducing new works and performing overlooked masterpieces. Working frequently with living composers and singing a wide range of repertoire styles in concerts with high production values, Orpheus has introduced audiences to many accessible works from leading contemporary composers. Orpheus supports young emerging vocal talent through its highly respected Sidgwick Scholars Program and Vocal Apprentice Program for high school singers. We welcome enthusiastic singers for an “expect something different” experience. HELEN COXON 416-530-4428 info@orpheuschoirtoronto.com www.orpheuschoirtoronto.com ●●Pax Christi Chorale Pax Christi Chorale delivers stirring performances with great polish and total conviction. Under the leadership of artistic director David Bowser, the award-winning choir aspires to build on its strengths and accomplishments to achieve new levels of performance and audience engagement. Collaborations with outstanding guest artists and partners give audiences and performers a deep appreciation for choral masterworks and new Canadian music.The Pax Christi Chamber Choir placed first in its category in Choral Canada’s 2017 national competition for amateur choirs. Pax Christi Chorale has moved its activities online for the 2020/21 season. We warmly welcome audience members and choristers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Visit our website for more information on audition and concert information. CYNTHIA HAWKINS, INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR executivedirector@paxchristichorale.org www.paxchristichorale.org ●●Peterborough Singers The Peterborough Singers was founded in 1993 under the energetic and creative leadership of director Sydney Birrell. We are an auditioned 100-voice choir of adults and youth which attracts members and audience from Peterborough, the Kawarthas, and around the Lakeshore. We are committed to featuring new talent and each season introduce one or more emerging soloists. We perform four concerts each year: a Yuletide concert, Handel’s Messiah, an oratorio, and one concert dedicated to music outside the box of regular classical programming. This season we will be performing the songs of Paul Simon, and we are fortunate to have a director, choir members, and friends who are adept at musical arrangement. Rehearsals are held Wednesday evenings from September to May in Peterborough. Auditions take place in May and September. PEG MCCRACKEN 705-745-1820 singers@peterboroughsingers.com www.peterboroughsingers.com ●●Resonance Founded in 2016, Resonance is the newest member to the Mississauga Festival Choir family directed by award-winning conductor, Bob Anderson. Resonance is a non-auditioned choir for youth and young adults ages 15 to 28. Each season they have performed their own concert, as well as collaborating in concerts with several choirs and ensembles around the Greater Toronto Area. Their most recent performances were with the Toronto Symphony, the Mississauga Symphony, A Few Good Men, and the Elmer Iseler Singers. For information visit their website. JENNY JOHNSTON 416-986-5537 choiradmin@mfchoir.com resonance.mfchoir.com ●●Schola Magdalena Schola Magdalena is a six-voice ensemble singing medieval polyphony, chant, and new music for women’s voices. Ensemble-in-residence at the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Toronto, we have recorded two CDs (available on iTunes) and have toured from Chicago to Chicoutimi, from Waterloo to Waupoos. Our past season centred around touring and holding workshops with amateur singers interested in learning about Gregorian chant and the music of Hildegard von Bingen. In the coming year, we look forward to a return to Prince Edward County. For details, please visit our website, our Facebook page, or check out our Bravo Video on YouTube. STEPHANIE MARTIN 416-256-9421 stmartin@yorku.ca www.scholamagdalena.ca ●●Serenata Singers Serenata Singers is a 60-voice, four-part community seniors’ choir who rehearse during the day. This fall we begin our 45th year, under the guidance of our accomplished Choral Director, Leanne Piller. Serenata’s repertoire covers a wide C8

ange of music, including classical, show tunes, pop, and folk. Traditionally, rehearsals are held on Wednesday mornings from September to May at Wilmar Heights Centre, 963 Pharmacy Ave., Scarborough. Currently, due to COVID-19, our plan is for rehearsals to continue in the fall in a virtual format. When it is safe to do so, we will return to choral singing in person. Anyone interested in joining the choir is encouraged to visit our website for further information. CHARLOTTE charlotte.judd55@gmail.com www.serenatasingers.ca ●●Shevchenko Choir The Shevchenko Choir, with the Toronto Mandolin Orchestra, constitutes the Shevchenko Musical Ensemble. Although its roots lie in the Ukrainian community, through its 70-year history, the choir has evolved into a multicultural choir with a repertoire of folk songs and classical works reflecting the diversity of our society. The choir presents an annual choral concert, participates in ‘Singing Together’ with other community choirs and appears with the Toronto Mandolin Orchestra as part of the full ensemble. A non-audition choir, it rehearses Sunday mornings (10am to 12pm) at Borochov Centre, 272 Codsell Ave. Both choir and orchestra are under the artistic direction of Alexander Veprinskiy, graduate of the Lviv Conservatory of Ukraine. ALEXANDER VEPRINSKIY 905-763-7516 veprinskiy9@hotmail.com www.shevchenkomusic.com ●●Society of Singers The Society of Singers is a non-auditioned SATB choir that rehearses Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm at Blythwood Road Church (80 Blythwood Rd). Under the direction of pianist/composer Peter Ness, we sing a wide repertoire of music ranging from classical hymns to traditional ballads to show tunes to swing numbers. We perform one or two afternoon concerts per month at Toronto seniors’ residences, where we are always much appreciated. If you love to sing and are looking for a happy, relaxed choir that is still serious about music, you are warmly invited to drop in to any Wednesday rehearsal or to contact us (by email, preferably) for more information. SOCIETY OF SINGERS 647-202-1800 societysingers@gmail.com www.societyofsingers.ca ●●SoundCrowd SoundCrowd (www.soundcrowd.ca), Toronto’s first large-scale a cappella ensemble, is the brainchild of artistic director Scott Pietrangelo. The group made its concert debut in 2016 alongside former Barenaked Ladies front-man Steven Page at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall. Since then, it has been featured guests on a national TV show (The Social), created viral music videos, appeared together with other notable Toronto-based a cappella groups (Cadence, Countermeasure, Retrocity), sang backup for Jonathan Antoine (Britain’s Got Talent), opened for Disney’s a cappella sensation DCappella, and performed at Carnegie Hall with choirs from around the world under the direction of Deke Sharon (Pitch Perfect, The Sing Off). SoundCrowd is releasing its debut album, All Voice No Limits on June 13, 2020. SCOTT PIETRANGELO 647-970-1397 info@soundcrowd.ca www.soundcrowd.ca ●●St. JamesTown Children’s Choir We’re online! St. James Town Children’s Choir (SJTCC) welcomes kids in grades 1 and up, from St. James Town and surrounding area. Additionally, we offer instruction in piano, violin, ukulele and singing. Choir and Ukulele choir is free. Private lessons fees scaled to income. ROTM artistic staff are all professional musicians, and have extensive experience working with children’s choirs and instrumental instruction. Over the years, the SJTCC has enjoyed many opportunities to perform in our community and throughout the city. SJTCC has sung with professional choirs, at sports events, in senior’s facilities, in schools and community events, and, recently, collaborated with The Canadian Opera Company in its Hansel & Gretel opera. The repertoire is secular, diverse, inclusive, fun and musically enriching. VIRGINIA EVOY 416-421-8518 ed.rotm@gmail.com www.reachingoutthroughmusic.org ●●St. Michael’s Choir School Since 1937, St. Michael’s Choir School has served the Archdiocese of Toronto by educating and training the boys’ choirs that sing every weekend at St. Michael’s Cathedral. Founded by Monsignor J.E. Ronan, St. Michael’s Choir School is unique in offering both an enriched academic program, including extended French instruction, integrated with a lively ministry of sacred music. Choirs from St. Michael’s Choir School perform annually on tour and at many local concerts and events. During the school year, they sing three weekly Masses at St. Michael’s Cathedral. School alumni are active in Toronto and beyond, performing in choral groups, operas and more. St. Michael’s Choir School accepts boys Grades 3 to 12. For audition information please visit www.smcs.on.ca/auditions or contact Wanda Thorne at admissions@smcs.on.ca. WANDA THORNE 647-232-5598 thorne@smcs.on.ca www.smcs.on.ca ●●Tempus Choral Society Tempus Choral Society is a very welcoming, 100-voice SATB un-auditioned community choir based in Oakville, led by director Brian Turnbull. Our repertoire encompasses contemporary, Broadway, Great American Songbook, gospel, classical and jazz. Last year, we celebrated our 20th anniversary. We love to travel and to reach out to our community. Tempus has sung Handel’s Messiah at Lincoln Center, performed Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem at Carnegie Hall, part of an international choir of auditioned singers. In 2015, Tempus4Us (our 60-voice children’s choir) and Tempus Jazz Choir were formed, with help from an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant. After a successful 2018 European singing tour, we look forward to another adventure soon. New members are heartily welcomed in September and January; please visit our website. ST. JAMES TOWN CHILDREN’S CHOIR theWholeNote 2020/21 CANARY PAGES DIRECTORY C9

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)