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8 years ago

Volume 9 Issue 8 - May 2004

  • Text
  • Choir
  • Toronto
  • Choral
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  • Choirs

Ivars Taurins

Ivars Taurins Trifelmusik Chamber Choir continued from page 31 form of expression, can stir real emotions within us. Its meanderings through time and space can, to quote Nicholas Brady, so "court the ear, strike the heart, and captivate the mind" as to be overwhelmingly palpable. When music is given a text it becomes doubly potent. We cannot underestimate the importance and value of music and, in particular, singing in the development of children. Musical training disciplines, strengthens and enriches the mind and body in ways that reach far beyond the obvious. It pains me to hear music education described as a "frill". 2) Coming up: Mozart's C minor Mass and the lyrical St. Nicholas Mass of Haydn are on my plate right now. Next season Tafelmusik will celebrate the glorious choral music of Charpentier and Handel's little known but monumental oratorio "Deborah". We will also be collaborating with Opera Atelier in a production of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas" and Charpentier's "Acteon". I will also continue to work with young singers, this time as guest conductor of the 2004 Alberta University & College Choir, sponsored by the Alberta Choral Federation. 3 & 4) Challenge and satisfaction: I have always been fascinated by the fusing of words and music, and how these two elements, in' the hands of a great composer or artist, can be moulded, melded and burnished to a wonderful lustre. For the past 23 years, I have had the privilege and pleasure to explore and share this passion of mine together with that group of dedicated and talented singers known as the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir. I have also worked with numerous university & youth choirs, and have been challenged, humbled and enriched by their vigour, their sense of community and sharing, their talent, and by their unbridled love of singing and music and life. The challenge and joy for me as a conductor is to try, together with the singers I'm working with, to unleash the power of those specks of black ink on white paper so that singers and listeners alike can be moved, challenged and enriched. Mark Bell (Conductor, Riverdale Youth Singers) 1) Value: First my thoughts as a chorister: Sheer joy .. . choral singing lifts my spirit. I have gone to rehearsals feeling tired and down and the experience of making choral music - working with a conductor and accompanist and working together with the members of the bass/baritone section and with the choristers in the other sections Mark Bell to create something beautiful is for me an experience of sheer joy. Choral singing requires a focussed individual effort in a group setting. Unlike practising the piano for a recital, rehearsing as a choir is an experience of the best of the communal human experience .... a group of individual voices blending into one, unified sound. This kind of work takes personal perseverance and dedication to the outcome of the group .... sometimes this requires individual practice at home so that the group experience comes together with greater intensity, style and beauty. The choral experience also requires a huge commitment to and trust in the conductor and in the group of singers to bring the music to life ... to create beauty and to create an experience for the audience that is awesome and transforming .... Secondly as a conductor (mainly of children/youth choirs): I have seen the transformation of the child that can occur through the choral experience. I have seen self esteem soar in a shy, unassuming chorister; unity of purpose and gentleness in the aggressive and seemi'ngly uninterested chorister; pride and sense of goodness in the community in the discouraged and unsupported chorister. 2) Coming up: The Riverdale Youth Singers together with the Young Singers (Durham County - Anna Lynn Murphy, conductor) will be performing a~ the Ontario Legislature on April 28th at 12:00 noon for the launch of the Ontario Sings! concerts which will be taking place throughout Ontario in various commwiities on Saturday May 1st at 7:30 p.m. The Ontario Sings concert in Toronto will be presented by the Riverdale Youth Singers with our special guests, the Peterborough Children's Chorus (PCC) on Saturday AUDITIONS for the Bach Children's Chorus and Bach Chamber Youth Choir Linda Beaupre, Conductor We are seeking young people, aged 6 through university age, who love to sing! Winner of the BEST CHOIR award at the Toronto Kiwanis Festival, 2002-2004 And finalist in the 2004 CBC National Choral Competition This Scarborough-based organization includes four choirs of differing levels of ability. Performances are held in the George Weston Recital Hall. To bo.ok an audition or for more information, call 416-431-0790 or visit the website at www.bachorus.org MAY 1 - JUN E 7 2004

May 1, 2004 at 7 :30 p.m. at St. John's Presbyterian Church, 415 Broadview A venue, Toronto. The Peterborough Children's Chorus (Maureen Harris-Lowe, director) are visiting us as part of a choral exchange between the RYS and the PCC. Next season, we will mount our annual Holiday Concert in December 2004 and our annual Spring Concert in June 2005. Many other opportunities within the Riverdale community and around the GT A will certainly present themselves for the months between our annual concerts. 3) Satisfaction: Watching and hearing the transformation that talces place in the sound of the choir from the first rehearsal of a piece (especially a particularly challenging piece) to the dress rehearsal and final performance of a piece. This is communal joy and accomplishment. This is the best of the human spirit at work in creating beauty .. .. 4) Challenge: Finding the right repertoire for a particular choir. Finding the pieces that will uplift, challenge, engage and motivate. Finding music that has a combination of text and music that will transform both the choir and the audience that will hear the choir. In finding the right music, finding that place within myself to listen to and encourage the sounds created by the choir into a communal creation of beauty. Sue Crowe Connolly (conductor, Davenport-Perth Community Choir) 1) Value: So much comes to mind, from many different angles; the joy of singing itself for so many people, a chance to express their love of music and its importance in their lives; being with other people who share that love .... it builds community; and a chance for those who really love and want to sing and may be shy about singing solo! Sue. Crowe Connolly 2) Coming up: The Davenport Perth Community Choir will be performing in the production "Once a Shoreline" at Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, 1900 Davenport Road, Toronto on the last two weekends of May. This is a collaboration of the Centre's Arts for All project, comrrrunity residents and professional artists & musicians. Next season the choir will likely perform again at the annual Black History Month celebration, and other such community events. 3) Satisfaction: It has been very satisfying to see the choir members really enjoying themselves, to CONTINUES NEXT PAGE ba~azf Seeks Bass/Baritones Prerequisites: a good ear and an open mind For Info E-mail: baniquest@sympatico.ca YS~ J~

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