St. George’s Round Church is launching a new Song School

Saturday, June 22nd , 2024 between 4:00 and 6:00pm

2222 Brunswick St, Halifax.

St. George’s Song School with Director, Garth MacPhee, is opening its new Song School space and music program on June 22nd between 4pm and 6pm. Everyone is welcome.

This soft launch will include a short choral concert at 4pm in St. George’s Round Church featuring both the Parish Choir and Young Choristers in works by Byrd, Britten and Fauré. Following the concert, you will be offered a preview of the new Song School music room, short introductions by Garth MacPhee, refreshments, and student performances!

The official opening of St. George’s Song School will be in early September 2024. This innovative program will be open to students between the ages of 6 and 18 years old of all cultures and abilities. Registration for classes will be accepted during this event, continuing into the fall!

The St George’s Song School wishes to promote creativity and a spirit of musical exploration, grounded in the principles of a classical choral and vocal training for young people. Through voice training, choral singing, keyboard skills, and music literacy the Song School seeks to nurture the unique gifts and abilities of each student, opening to them the rewards of self-disciplined study, the joy of making music with others and a sense of wonder that comes with exploring their own potential, not just in music but in their whole being.

The school will offer one hour weekly choral rehearsals, private piano, organ, and singing lessons, theory and aural skills classes. Through bursary and scholarship programs St. George’s Song School is committed to leaving no prospective student behind.

St. George’s Song School is the brainchild of Nova Scotian Garth MacPhee. Garth is a graduate of the Schulich School of Music at McGill University (M.Mus), where he studied organ with John Grew and Dr William Porter. Garth has a long association with the Round Church, having served as Director of Music from 1997- 2000 and again from 2011 to the present. Under Garth’s direction the choir sings a rich repertoire of masses and motets, especially polyphonic music of the 16th and 17th centuries. In addition to the Parish Choir, Garth leads a Junior Choir which sings a wide range of repertoire, from Baroque to Jazz. Each spring, they serve up a delightful choreographed cantata. Garth is the Resident Musician for the Anglican Formation Class at the Atlantic School of Theology and also conducts Seton Conservatory Choir, at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.

We look forward to seeing you at The St. George’s Song School launch at 4pm on June 22nd , 2024