Volume 30 Issue 5 | April & May 2025

One of VIVA's seven

One of VIVA's seven choirs, at Trinty-St. Paul'sFertile soilVIVA SINGERS TORONTOAT TRINITY-ST. PAUL’SThe time: Jun 1 2:30: VIVA Singers Toronto. Metamorphosis.Featuring all 7 VIVA Singers Toronto choirs, plus a special alumnichoir, and guest artists Amiel Ang, percussion, and Tatsuki Shimoda,recorder.The place: Trinity St. Paul’s United Church. Jeanne Lamon Hall.Twenty-five years ago, Carol Woodward Ratzlaff, a Toronto-basedconductor, music educator and professional choral singer, was acutelyaware of the widespread impact of dramatic government cuts topublic school arts programs in downtown Toronto. VIVA’s beginningwas a grassroots response to these cuts – two choirs: the PreparatoryChorus for singers ages 4-6 and the Main Chorus for those 7-10; and ahandful of volunteers. “In the early days, it was our own kids and a lotof our friends,’” she recalls.Over time VIVA has evolved to fill a gap in choral music educationpractice as the steady decline of music education continues. Today,under one organizational umbrella, VIVA encompasses seven choirsin service of singers across the lifespan, with a staff team of more than30 and a continued emphasis on youth music education, inclusivepractices - particularly with respect to singers with disabilities - andproviding next-generation artists with opportunities for experienceand growth through the Choral Mentoring and Leadership program.Here, Ratzlaff reflects on Trinity St. Paul’s Centre (TSP) as fertilesoil for VIVA’s growth.CWR: TSP has been a good rehearsal, administrative, and performancehome for VIVA. It is a stimulating environment with great andsupportive tenant colleagues. TSP Church has been particularlysupportive, and a constant musical collaborator over our 25 years. Weenjoyed a number of joint performances with the Toronto Consortunder David Fallis, with our youth choir on their shows and theirplayers on ours. We are grateful for the fabulous renovation of JeanneLamon Hall, spearheaded by Tafelmusik. VIVA draws many part timestaff members from students at University of Toronto due to its proximityand our Choral Mentoring and Leadership Program.In 2000, I chose TSP initially because the cuts to arts and musiceducation were most severe in the downtown core. VIVA’s beginningswere an activist response to a lack of understanding by educationalpolicy-makers of what choral music education can bring to all childrenand youth, and we remain steadfast in that vision. TSP as anactivist and accessible space has nurtured and empowered that vision.Ironically, although TSP is at the heart of the Annex, we draw mostof our 140 singers (now both youth and adult) from outside the Annexarea, and are working to make connections with Annex area schoolsover the next three years – to share our work locally and to celebrateour Indigenous partners. Our choral work remains responsive to ourchoristers, but with broad impact as we share our work with others inthe choral community at national and international conferences. Part ofthat impact is due to our rich and supportive home base of TSP Centre.PassiontideDEVOTIONPALM SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 4:30 pmA choral expression of faith forHoly Week and Easter.Featuring the Yorkminster Park Choir, led byWilliam Maddox, Organist and Director of Music,and Sharon L. Beckstead, Associate Musician.Arise, Jerusalem (Tenebrae) – Healey WillanThe Reproaches – Plainsong | O vos omnes – Pablo CasalsCrucifixus (in 8) – Antonio LottiNolo mortem peccatoribus – Thomas MorleyOrgan works – W. S. Lloyd-Webber and Josef RheinbergerYORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH1585 Yonge Street | yorkminsterpark.com22 | April & May 2025 thewholenote.com

Giving voice to the voiceSING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festivalreturns this year from May 24 to June 2 with concertsand workshops galore – with all things a cappella!Dylan BellDeke SharonThis year the festival launches The SING! Canadian A CappellaChampionships, giving Canadians the opportunity to shine in a localcompetition. The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella(ICCA) competition is in the USA, this kind of travel is a barrier formany Canadian groups. The SING! prizes are significant, and can helpgroups create recordings, pay for arrangements, go on tour, hire expertconductors, pay for costumes, or other expenses. There are cash prizesin each of 3 ensemble categories, plus performance and recordingopportunities.Two judges have been announced to date. One is Deke Sharon,considered the “godfather of contemporary a cappella,” the forcebehind the “Pitch Perfect” movies and the “Sing Off” TV series. Theother is Dylan Bell, an internationally-renowned a cappella performerand former co-artistic Director of SING! Bell is also co- author of two acappella arranging books with Deke Sharon,The competition will take place at the Royal Ontario Museum, inthe Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre on May 30th, and there will be 10ensembles competing. It’s sure to be a fine event.Some festival concerts are ticketed and some are free, with eventshappening in outdoor and indoor spaces. There’s an entire afternoonof free concerts at the Alex Christie Bandstand in Kew Garden.Estonian Voices (Estonia) and Countermeasure (Toronto) will give aconcert, in partnership with Estonian Music Week. You can hear BlackUnfolosi, an award winning a cappella singing and traditional danceensemble from Zimbabwe, and Beatsync – pop, alternative, and acappella music fusion. There’s a night of music and comedy withthe Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet, The Kinsey Sicks, and openingfor them will be On That Note, a competitive a cappella group fromToronto Metropolitan University.And on May 31 at the Isabel Bader Theatre, you can hearSoundcrowd – Toronto’s own large-scale a cappella ensemble, withDeke Sharon. This concert will feature the winner of the SING!Canadian A Cappella Championships!JUST ASK! The WholeNote’s April & May listings alreadyinclude 76 choral concerts!This is the best time of year to go listen to some choirs - especiallyif you’re thinking of joining one. Or just for the pure pleasure of it.thewholenote.com/justaskthewholenote.com April & May 2025 | 23