News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxjgNi4yCgw

Co-directed by Neil Weisensel and Rachel Landrecht, this choir is a new and unique vocal ensemble that will sing the best of Gospel and World Music, plus dynamic arrangements of contemporary artists such as Peter Gabriel, U2, and Stevie Wonder. The Choir's mission is to sing Gospel and other uplifting music from different cultures around the world, to foster a safe and inclusive atmosphere for making music, and to try to make the world a better place through the medium of music. Performances will be accompanied by a three piece professional ensemble - bass, drums, and piano. Choir members can audition as soloists, for which they will receive coaching.

Directors Neil & Rachel bring energy, innovation and passion to this new ensemble. Neil is a disciple of West coast gospel guru Brian Tate, and Rachel and Neil have collaborated with gospel/world music powerhouse Tony Backhouse of Australia. Neil has been working in Vancouver's music scene for the past 16 years, where he collaborated with artists such as Michael Bublé and blues/gospel singer Jim Byrnes. Together Neil & Rachel performed at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and have also performed their original music for Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Eckhardt Tolle, and Justin Trudeau. Rachel & Neil look forward to bringing their unique repertoire of gospel and world music into a fun, supportive and challenging new group atmosphere. The choir is open to all ages and abilities - kids 8 and up are welcome!

Admission will be determined by a phone interview/audition. The ability to read music is NOT a prerequisite.

Rehearsals will be held monthly, with practice tracks of parts made available.

The cost of participating will be $80 for each term - the summer term is May-August, fall term is September-December, and the winter term is January-April. Rehearsals will be once a month, at Augustine United Church, 444 River Ave., in Osborne Village. To register for a phone interview and audition, please contact worldvillagegospelchoir@gmail.com.

The Association of Canadian Choral Communities is pleased to present the National Youth Choir of Canada/Choeur national des jeunes du Canada Conducting Apprenticeship Program.

Initiated in 1998, the NYC/CNJ Conducting Apprenticeship Program offers a young conductor the opportunity to work with Canada's finest youth choir. The successful applicant will spend two weeks with the NYC/CNJ during rehearsals, performances and touring. The apprentice will have opportunities to study with one of Canada’s finest choral conductors, to observe rehearsals, to discuss choral techniques and to have some conducting opportunities in performance with the NYC/CNJ. Please note that NYC/CNJ rehearsals will be conducted in English only.

The 2014 National Youth Choir/Choir national des jeunes will meet in Nova Scotia, and a week-long performance tour of the Maritime Provinces will culminate with a performance at Podium 2014 – Canada’s biennial national choral conference – in Halifax, NS. NYC/CNJ 2014 will be conducted by Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt.

The successful applicant must be a Canadian citizen (or landed immigrant), must not be older than 35 years as of the concluding date of the program (May 18, 2014), and must be a member of ACCC. He or she will demonstrate a keen desire to learn more about choral conducting at an advanced level. An independent selection committee will choose the successful applicant. Candidates must submit*: He or she will demonstrate a keen desire to learn more about choral conducting at an advanced level. An independent selection committee will choose the successful applicant. Candidates must submit a letter of application, a detailed résumé outlining choral conducting education and experience, a list of the repertoire conducted over the past 2-3 years, video footage showing the candidate in rehearsal and in performance, and two letters of recommendation. Please visit http://choralcanada.org/ACCC_en/apprentice.html for full program details and instructions for the submission of application materials. The deadline for applications is October 1, 2013.

Thanks to the generous support of The Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation, there is no tuition for this program. The successful applicant will be responsible for transportation to and from NYC/CNJ (Halifax, NS) but local transportation, accommodation, and meals will be provided for the duration of the program.

For more information, please visit www.choralcanada.org, or contact the ACCC: Phone: 416.519.1165 Email: accc@choralcanada.org

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Manitoba may never be the same…

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Camerata Nova and friends will fill Crescent Fort Rouge United Church with percussive and other-worldly sounds such as rattles and rainsticks, harmonicas and harmonies, shells, strings and resonating wineglasses, as they present Troubadours & Tricksters on Thursday and Friday, May 23 and 24, 2013. Andrew Balfour is teaming up with renowned Winnipeg singer-songwriters Christine Fellows and John K. Samson, along with their associates of the Correction Line Ensemble, to create a concert about the culture, landscape, history and humour of Manitoba.

Andrew and the Correction Line Ensemble, which also includes cellist Leanne Zacharias, violinist Cristina Zacharias, percussionist Ed Reifel and composer/pianist Robert Honstein, are collaborating on innovative new works and arrangements. The possibilities of combining voices with these instruments, and others, are endless—especially when harmonicist and electro-acoustic artist Gérald Laroche is added to the mix.

Conducted by Mel Braun, the concert Troubadours & Tricksters will be presented in Crescent Fort Rouge United Church (corner of Nassau and Wardlaw) on Thursday and Friday, May 23 and 24, 2013 at 8:00 pm. There will be a 30-minute pre-concert talk at 7:15 pm on both evenings with participating artists.

Tickets to Troubadours & Tricksters (adults $28, seniors $23, students $12) are available through our website (www.cameratanova.com), at McNally Robinson Booksellers and at the door, as well as by phone (204.918.4547). High school students (grades 9 to 12) can also get tickets through the eyeGo to the Arts program for $5.

A preview of the concert is available on our website as well as on the Camerata Nova YouTube channel. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ED2a3-Xn4w.

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For questions or interviews, please call Janet Charron at 204.918.4547 
or write to info@cameratanova.com.

In other news…

 - Camerata Nova’s website has been entirely redone and now includes a blog. Look for Andrew Balfour’s first entry about the upcoming concert. www.cameratanova.com

- Camerata Nova’s 2013-2014 season will be unveiled at the concert. Clear your calendars – the new season brochures and 13/14 subscriptions will be available at the concert!

About the Correction Line Ensemble…

The Correction Line Ensemble is a chamber ensemble involving six highly creative musicians from diverse backgrounds, weaving together an engaging and seamless conversation between classical and modern music: Cristina Zacharias, a Toronto-based violinist who specializes in early music; Leanne Zacharias, a Brandon-based cellist specializing in contemporary music and pedagogy; Ed Reifel, a Toronto-based percussionist of classical and modern music; Robert Honstein, a Brooklyn-based composer from the classical music tradition; and Christine Fellows and John K. Samson, two Winnipeg-based narrative songwriters. Together, these six musicians create and perform arrangements of original repertoire by Honstein, Fellows and Samson, alongside classical repertoire arranged for cello, violin, marimba/percussion, piano, electric guitar and six voices, bridging the gap between musical genres and disciplines. To experience this kind of interaction and movement between genres in one concert is unique.

About Gérald Laroche…

Master of the harmonica and storyteller, Gérald Laroche creates truly astonishing sounds with his myriad harmonicas, penny whistle, Indian mouthbow, fiddle bow, jaw harp and other percussive toys. Reflecting his French Canadian and Manitoba voyageur roots as well as music of the world, his multi-genre compositions express his past and present, the people he has met and the places he has been.

About Camerata Nova…

“You never know what you’re going to get…” Camerata Nova is a vocal group without fear, performing medieval, Renaissance, Aboriginal and contemporary music. Often singing a cappella, the group also enjoys accompaniment from didgeridoos, crystal bowls, strings, all kinds of percussion, and/or early instruments. Since 1996, they continue to push the envelope, offering authentic early music performances, premières of Manitoba compositions and an eclectic array in between. Camerata Nova has issued three CDs: Camerata Nova, Mystica and Nova Noël, and a DVD entitled Wa Wa Tey Wak (Northern Lights). Camerata Nova is led by a trio of extraordinary individuals: Artistic Director and Resident Composer Andrew Balfour, Early Music Curator and Conductor Ross Brownlee, and Co-Curator and Conductor Mel Braun.

Sally Sweatman, AFP

Camerata Nova 
cameratanova96@gmail.com

Dr. Elizabeth Grant, will be leading the Brandon Community Choir to participate in the World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia.   Dr. Grant is the founding director of the Brandon Conservatory Chorale and is recognized for the many choirs she has led for the past 40 years. 

The 8th World Choir Games will bring the international flair of the Choir Games to one of the most traditional singing regions in the world in the summer of 2014.  The ten day tour will provide a truly unique experience with custom tours and awe-inspiring venues along with warm audiences, renowned composers, educators, conductors and musicians.

Choristers interested in participating in this event or for more information please contact: elizabethgrant2@gmail.com  Choristers from all regions welcome.

Come sing and celebrate in Riga, Latvia!

A preview of The Full Monte is now on our YouTube channel, as well as on our website.

NEW ITEMS have been added to Camerata Nova's online auction, including a personalized tour of the WA, tickets for the WSO, Canzona, the Manitoba Children's Museum, and much more. Check it out here!

Several activities are happening around The Full Monte concerts. See our website for details on an early music workshop on Saturday April 6th from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. Also, there will be pre-concert talks on Saturday April 6th at 7:15 pm and on Sunday April 7th at 2:15 pm.

Under the direction of Artistic Director, Maestro Yuri Klaz, both concerts will feature some of the Phil’s most popular selections from its wide-ranging repertoire, including classic works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Faure and Brahms, along with more modern fare by Andrew Lloyd Webber and traditional folk songs.

In announcing these two additional dates, board President Barry McArton reflected on the Phil’s commitment to community, both in Winnipeg and beyond. “The opportunity to travel beyond the perimeter to perform in Morris will be a highlight of an already exciting 90th Anniversary season. And, we are also very pleased and honoured to support Winnipeg Harvest by performing on the Bardal Concert Series.”

If you missed out attending the Phil’s sold-out performances of Holiday Memories and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, you won’t want to miss another wonderful afternoon with the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir filled with beautiful melodies, stunning harmonies and pure love.

Concert Details

Morris, MB at the Southern Manitoba Convention Centre

Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 3pm (doors open at 1pm)

Tickets:  Advance – Adult $25, Senior/Student $20

Avalable at t the Door - Adult $30, Senior/Student $25.

Call Charlene 204-746-2832 or 1-866-746-2832

www.sm-cc.com

 

Winnipeg at the Neil Bardal Funeral Centre, 3030 Notre Dame Ave

Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 2:30pm

Tickets:  $20 All proceeds to Winnipeg Harvest. A non-perishable food item would also be welcome with your ticket purchase.

Call 204-949-2200

www.nbardal.mb.ca

Winnipeg, MB -- Canzona will close its 24th season on Sunday, March 24, in Westminster United Church, performing J.S. Bach's dramatic oratorio St. John Passion.

During the first winter that Bach was responsible for church music at the St. Thomas & St. Nicholas churches in Leipzig, he composed the St. John Passion for the Good Friday Vespers services of 1724.

"The St. John Passion is one of J.S. Bach's leading masterpieces,"says Henry Engbrecht, Artistic Director and Conductor. "It is highly dramatic because of the many emotional 'crowd' choruses. There are beautiful solo arias for all voices, and stirring chorales (the people's hymns) that provide a frequent change of pace." The audience will have the opportunity to sing along in two of these hymns.

Joining the Choir as soloist, is Winnipeg baritone Mel Braun. Well known as a performer in the musical community, Mr. Braun also heads up the vocal program at the University of Manitoba Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music. Several of Canzona's 'rising stars' have trained under Mr. Braun and welcome the opportunity to sing with him in this production. Canzona's soloists in this production include Jan van derHooft, Kris Kornelson, Stephen Haiko, Marni Enns, Sarah Kirsch, Kirsten Schellenberg, Aaron Hutton and Victor Engbrecht. Local baroque orchestra MusikBarock will once again accompany the Choir in the splendid acoustics of Westminster United Church.

Canzona remains committed to providing opportunities for young singers to perform together in a high-art ensemble together with seasoned artists and a professional orchestral accompaniment.

Canzona: 'St. John Passion' BWV 245 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Henry Engbrecht, Artistic Director & Conductor

7:00 p.m., Sunday, 24 March 2013 Westminster United Church, 745Westminster at Maryland

Tickets: adults $25; seniors $22; students$12; available at McNally Robinson Booksellers, by calling Canzona at(204)942-1917, and at the door.Visit canzonachoir.com or email info@canzonachoir.comMedia inquiries: Elise Anderson at (204) 284-9926

Contest submissions must fall into one of the following categories: a) An arrangement of a folksong or set of folksongs from one of the Atlantic Provinces (Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Prince Edward Island); b) An original choral composition based on a text with an obvious direct connection to Canada's East Coast.  This may include a text by an East Coast writer or a text with Atlantic Canadian subject matter.  If in doubt concerning the suitability of a proposed text, please contact director@atlanticvoices.ca for clarification.

All styles of composition will be considered, but one of the judging criteria is the suitability of the work for performance by Atlantic Voices, so entrants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with our choir and particularly with some of our recent concert programmes. In addition, although all submissions will be accepted and adjudicated equally, entrants are strongly encouraged to avoid submitting new arrangements of songs which have already been repeatedly arranged for choral performance or songs which Atlantic Voices has previously performed on multiple occasions.  For a list of choral arrangements that Atlantic Voices has performed please visit our website: www.atlanticvoices.ca.

Specifications:

The arrangement being submitted must not have been previously published for any choral combination (SSA, SSAB, SAB, SATB, etc.).

The composition or song cycle should be no more than 6 minutes in length.

Works for any of the following voicings will be considered: SATB, SAB, SSAA, SA. The composition may be unaccompanied or have piano accompaniment.  Instrumental obligato may be included; however, please avoid extensive solo voice parts.

The work should be of no more than moderate difficulty -- it should be within the capabilities of our volunteer community choir.

If the text and music are not in the public domain, it is up to the entrant to ensure that he or she has the right to use the text and/or music in his or her work and be prepared to show supporting documentation.

The entrant must acknowledge anyone who has aided substantially in the creation of the work, such as a co-arranger or a teacher who has provided a substantial creative contribution and could conceivably claim rights to the work.  (Please note that multiple composers will not be awarded multiple prizes.  In such a case, a single cash prize would be awarded, and it would be up to the parties to determine equitable distribution of the funds.)

Entries will be judged blindly on quality of musical ideas, competency of choral writing, and appropriateness for performance by Atlantic Voices. In order to maintain anonymity in the judging process, the composer/entrant's name should not appear on the score, but only on a detachable cover page.  The detachable cover page should clearly indicate the name of the submission, the name of the composer/arranger, and the number of pages in the score.  The submission should include only the name of the piece, on each page, and the page number should be clearly indicated.   Please avoid submitting entries under a pseudonym.

The choir reserves the right to ask for modifications to a prospective winning entry before awarding either of the prizes.  Entries will be reviewed initially by a two-person panel consisting of Atlantic Voices' Director and one other qualifying choral director/adjudicator, chosen by Atlantic Voices.  The panel will provide the executive of Atlantic Voices with a shortlist of entries.  The executive, together with Atlantic Voices' Director, will determine the awarding of the two prizes.  Should no submitted work be deemed deserving of an award, or should only one work be judged deserving, Atlantic Voices reserves the right not to award one or both of the cash prizes.

Atlantic Voices may choose, at a later date, to program a non-winning entry into a scheduled concert.  In this circumstance, Atlantic Voices will contact the entrant to arrange for permission and/or modifications to the score and to make arrangements for financial remunerations.

The choir is interested in developing long-term connections with promising new choral composers and arrangers, and so we encourage entrants to send the organizers a brief c.v. and/or bio.  However, you need not send any supporting documents, and the prior experience or musical reputation of the contest entrant will not be taken into account in the judging.

Please submit your work in musical score, preferably produced through music notation software.  Entries in the form of sound recordings will not be accepted (no CDs, please).

Please provide your mailing address, phone number, and an e-mail address for contest correspondence.  Atlantic Voices shall not be held responsible for late, lost, damaged, misdirected, postage due, stolen, or misappropriated entries.

Copyright for all entries will remain with the composer; however submitted scores become the physical property of Atlantic Voices, and will not be returned to entrants.  The choir will have the exclusive right to perform the winning compositions for 2 years.  By submitting an entry to the contest, the entrant agrees to be bound by Atlantic Voices' Choral Composition Contest entry rules and regulations established herein.  Entry into this contest constitutes permission to use winner's name for future advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

Contest entries must be received electronically or postmarked no later than October 31st, 2013.  Late submissions will not be accepted.  Changes or modifications to any submitted score will be accepted until midnight on the closing day of the contest, October 31, 2013.

If mailing your work, please send one copy of each entry to: Atlantic Voices Choral Composition Contest 2013 82 Prince Albert Street Ottawa, ON K1K 2A1

Submissions in .pdf format are also welcome.  Please e-mail to: director@atlanticvoices.ca and cc president@atlanticvoices.ca.

The Association of Canadian Choral Communities presents the 2013 edition of the celebrated National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, in collaboration with the Canada Council for the Arts, CBC Music and Festival 500: Sharing the Voices. Complete Press Release attached.

L’Association des communautés chorales canadiennes présente l’édition 2013 du célèbre Concours national pour chœurs amateurs canadiens, en collaboration avec le Conseil des Arts du Canada, CBC Music et Festival 500 Sharing the Voices.

Carolyn Nielsen, VP Communications
Association of Canadian Choral Communities
Association des communautés chorales canadiennes

www.choralcanada.org

With the creation of a CBC Music artist page, you can:

• Create an artist profile that includes a bio, photos, links to your website(s) and social media accounts.
• Upload (unlimited amounts of) your music and videos to be seen and heard by the public. Listeners can create custom playists with artist-uploaded tracks.
• Promote your upcoming events on the CBC Music concert calendar. This calendar is searchable by date, location and genre, and is one of the most comprehensive concert listings in Canada.
• Maintain a personal blog where you can provide up-to-date news about your activities.
• Gain fans who can “like” your page. You then gain an automatic fan feed that emails your fans whenever you add new music, announce an event, or make any other significant changes to your page.

In addition, CBC Music periodically features various artist pages, so there’s a chance you could receive added exposure.

How do I create a CBC Music artist page?

It’s easy! But you need a CBC Music member profile first. You can create one by clicking the red “JOIN” button on the CBC Music homepage and following the steps. Once you’re finished, you’ll be given the option to create an artist page within your member profile. You can create and host as many artist pages as you’d like on a single member profile. That way, if you are in several groups, or manage a roster of artists, you can manage a separate artist page for each of them.

Last month alone, CBCMusic.ca received over 3 million page views. Exposure of this magnitude is invaluable for any choir!

To get started, please go to http://music.cbc.ca/artistsignup/

For more information, please read our FAQ: http://music.cbc.ca/faq/faq.aspx

Contact Ben Duinker at benjamin.duinker@radio-canada.ca for further inquiries.

Long & McQuade’s Music Education Celebration Contest
$100,000 in prizes to be awarded.

2 Ways for the School to Enter

1. Submit a photo of your music group displaying Long & McQuade’s logo, or
2. send us an audio clip of your musical group playing or singing a piece of your choosing (one entry per school.)

Prizes

• First 250 pictures will receive a free $100 L&M gift card.
• First 300 audio submissions will receive a free $200 gift card.
• We will randomly draw
  • 2 bonus $1500 L&M gift cards from the list of authorized photo submissions and
  • 4 bonus $3000 L&M gift cards from the list of authorized audio submissions.

Qualifications

• In order to qualify for the bonus gift card draw, Long & McQuade must be granted permission to use the picture or audio submission for promotional purposes.

Get your local school involved. Help Long & McQuade support music education in Canada.

To register, please click here:

• http://www.long-mcquade.com/promos/web/Contest2012/register.php

Contest runs until February 28, 2013.