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National Survey for Choirs – Canada Council for the Arts

Choir/Choruses/Singing Groups/Composers Survey

Strengths, Challenges and New Opportunities

This survey is part of a project designed to determine the major challenges choirs, choruses, singing groups and composers are currently facing, as well as to help identify what gaps there are in choir programming and governance. This survey will also provide some preliminary insight into what new opportunities are available and what toolkits are needed to help meet these challenges.

Choirs at all levels and composers across the country are seeing new opportunities in exploring the creation and use of new and shared digital content and resources. (This does NOT include unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material.)This survey and project will help inform decision making and provide strategic guidance to allow for a quick and successful transition to our “new normal”. 

National and provincial choral organizations, artists, composers, schools, and various arts organizations across Canada will be invited to complete this survey which asks questions about “Digital Offerings”, in particular during COVID.  Questions on topics such as: What digital tactics have been used? How have they been monetized, if at all?  How and with whom have these been shared? Have they resulted in changes in audience connections? What financial and human resource barriers have you encountered?

There are new resources needed to increase the digital literacy of choral organizations.  This could take the form of “toolkits” or a national database to help organize access to current and future content. The hope is that these resources will help leverage digital technologies to inform innovative programming, new ways of marketing and funding, and a transformation of audience engagement as they return to live performances. Your collaboration through the completion of this survey will greatly assist in helping the choral and other arts sectors towards understanding these goals.

Some questions are designed for singing organizations to answer and some are more generic and can be answered by both choirs and independent composers. Composers associated with singing organizations can of course answer all questions. Independent composers not associated with a specific organization will be directed to certain parts of the survey.

The survey will take approximately 15 minutes of your time. As a token of appreciation for your time, after completing the survey you can enter into a draw to win one of the prizes: 

– A gift certificate for $100 from Cypress Music Publishers 

– A $50 gift certificate from Long and McQuade

Deadline: Wed. November 9, 2022 

Complete the survey today!  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8MH7MYJ

If you have any questions, or if you experience any technical issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly at: Victoria Glizer at info@cpamo.org or charles c. smith at executive@cpamo.org.

This project is supported with funding from the Canada Council for the Arts. 

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National Youth Choir of Canada 2024 Guest Conductor Search

Are you interested in leading the National Youth Choir of Canada in 2024 and supporting the next generation of artistic voices in Canada?

NYCC choristers are challenged with exciting repertoire, form lifelong friendships and professional networks, travel, learn, and make a lasting impact on the communities in which they perform and to which they return.

The NYCC Guest Conductor plays a vital role in the success of this program and the growth of the singers.

Apply yourself OR to recommend a peer! Do you know someone who would be a great fit? Send them the link and encourage them to apply Here!

Deadline: November 30, 2022.

Thank you Jean-Sebastien Vallee for your inspiring work and dedication to NCYC 2022

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East Coast Caroler’s 2022 Holiday Schedule

ECC SCHEDULE 2022

FRI NOV 18 5:45-6:45pm Amherst, NS Holiday Light Up, meeting at the offices, at 98 Victoria Street E
SAT NOV 19 4:45-6:15pm Halifax, NS Downtown Halifax Business Commission
SAT NOV 19 5:00-6:30pm Halifax, NS The Lord Nelson Hotel
SUN NOV 20 noon-2pm-ish Ardoise, NS Meander River Brewery Holiday Market
THU NOV 24 5:30-7:30pm Halifax, NS Bishop’s Landing
FRI NOV 25 4:00-8:00pm Halifax, NS Spring Garden Road (Shopping Under the Stars)
FRI NOV 25 5:00-7:30pm Halifax, NS Killam Brewery Market
FRI NOV 25 5:30-7:30pm Halifax, NS The Maple on Hollis
SAT NOV 26 11:00am-1:00pm Halifax, NS Evergreen Festival – strolling carolers
SAT NOV 26 2:00-4:00pm Halifax, NS North End Business Association, kicking off their event. Meet in CycleSmith Prk lot, 2553 Agricola
SUN NOV 27 4:45-5:45pm Cole Harbour, NSCHABA Tree-Lighting (with Santa’s visit) next to the fire hall on Cole Harbour Rd.
THU DEC 1 5:00-8:00pm Saint John, NB Irving Christmas “in the Quad” (outside, starting at 5:30pm) *Dale is b/u for female voice.
THU DEC 1 5:30-7:30pm Halifax, NS South Park St, between the YMCA and the residential buildings beside it.
FRI DEC 2 3:00-8:00pm Halifax, NS Spring Garden Road (Shopping Under the Stars)
FRI DEC 2 4:30-6:30pm Saint John, NB CraftNB Christmas Festival at Marco Polo Terminal
FRI DEC 2 5:45-8:45pm Saint John, NB Uptown Sparkles
SAT DEC 3 11:00am-1:00pm Bedford, NS Sunnyside Mall
SAT DEC 3 11:00am-1:00pm Halifax, NS Evergreen Festival – strolling carolers
SAT DEC 3 11:00am-2pm Dartmouth, NS Downtown Dartmouth
SAT DEC 3 12:00-3:00pm Saint John, NB CraftNB Christmas Festival at Marco Polo Terminal
SAT DEC 3 4:30-6:30pm Dartmouth, NS Downtown Dartmouth

SUN DEC 4 12:15-2:15pm Saint John, NB CraftNB Christmas Festival at Marco Polo Terminal
SUN DEC 4 2:00-2:40pm Halifax, NS Evergreen Festival Mainstage
SUN DEC 4 7:00-8:30-ish Saint John, NB St. Mary & St. Bartholomew Anglican Church
FRI DEC 9 10:00-11:00am Dartmouth, NS Alderney Gate Public Library
SAT DEC 10 11:00am-1:00pm Halifax, NS Evergreen Festival – strolling carolers
SAT DEC 10 11:00am-2:00pm Dartmouth, NS Downtown Dartmouth
SAT DEC 10 3:00-4:00pm Dartmouth, NS Cole Harbour Public Library, on the branch floor, not the event room…
SAT DEC 10 3:00-4:30pm Hubbards, NS St. Luke’s Anglican Church fundraising concert
SUN DEC 11 2:00-2:40pm Halifax, NS Evergreen Festival Mainstage
FRI DEC 16 11:45am-12:45pm Dartmouth, NS Dartmouth North Public Library, during a special teen/youth luncheon
FRI DEC 16 7:00-8:30pm Sackville, NS Knox United Church, with the Bedford Leisure Club Orchestra, in CONCERT! SEASONAL SELECTIONS FROM THE SILVER SCREEN
567 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville, NS Admission by donation.

SAT DEC 17 11:00am-2:00pm Dartmouth, NS Downtown Dartmouth
SAT DEC 17 7:00-8:30pm East Dover, NS Village Green Community Centre IN CONCERT!
SUN DEC 18 2:00-2:40pm Halifax, NS Evergreen Festival Mainstage
FRI DEC 23 11:00am-1:00pm Bedford, NS Sunnyside Mall

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Treasurer Needed for

The Board of Directors would like to announce an exciting opportunity to volunteer for this special organization. 

As many of you know the AVHC holds a special place in many people’s hearts and the community as a whole. The AVHC, as many organizations do, depends on our amazing volunteers to help the choir run smoothly and deliver the best possible experience to our talented choristers.
We currently have an amazing cast of volunteers and staff who all work together (it takes a village) to keep our program running smoothly. One area we do need some help with is filling our currently vacant Treasurer position. This position works closely with our Board of Directors, and our Bookkeeper and plays a vital role in our financial stability and sustainability. 

We are excited to welcome our new slate of Board members, managers, and volunteers and we are extremely excited about the 2022/2023 season. We are gearing up for our magical winter concert, and preparations are well underway for the New York trip coming up right around the corner. The fundraising committee is extremely busy and is doing such a great job, which will keep our finance team hopping!
If any of you are interested or know someone else that may be interested, please reach out to any of our board members or our lovely coordinator Kim Fortune at coordinator@avhc.ca for more information.
Here are our Terms of Reference, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
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Voice Male Workshop – February 25, 2023

CALLING ALL MEN! Presented by Nova Voce in cooperation with the Nova Scotia Choral Federation, Voice Male is a workshop for changed male voices.  It is an opportunity to learn, have fun and sing with a larger male chorus!  The workshop will be followed by a concert featuring Nova Voce, guest choirs, and a massed choir sing. Join us for a day of music for men!

Guest Conductor:  Dr. Mark Sirett 

To register visit: https://forms.gle/WwoLNCVVBo24mcsG6

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NSCF Welcomes Anne MacDonald as Program Coordinator

Anne MacDonald

Anne MacDonald is a graduate of Acadia University with a Bachelor of Arts and Mount Saint Vincent
University with a Certificate in Marketing. Originally from Cape Breton, music has always been a
significant influence in Anne’s life. Having played piano since the age of 8, she was an active member of
her community at a young age providing accompaniment in her community church choir and playing at
school. She has completed Grade 8 Royal Conservatory in Piano and continues to share this love of
music as a piano teacher in Tantallon, NS.

Anne has worked in several organizations since making the Halifax area her home. She has been
involved in Sales and Marketing in the hotel industry, spent several years working in recruitment and
retention as well as running a home based childcare and tutoring business for several years. Music has
always been her passion, however, and she has consistently found herself drawn to organizations that
work with the Arts.

Anne has seen firsthand the benefits of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation as all three of her children are
involved in music. Her oldest child was part of All City choirs over many years. She has seen the value of
the choral experience, choir camps and the life lessons these opportunities provide. She feels fortunate
to be part of an organization that can continue to promote and share these musical experiences for
others in years to come.

Anne has been a volunteer within her community in planning large fundraisers, leading community
groups and providing day to day support for field trips / in the classroom at the local schools. As her
children get older, she spends lots of time driving them to their activities and supporting their interests.
Her family enjoys camping, spending time at their family cottage in Cape Breton and the beach. Anne is
also an avid baker and enjoys any opportunity to sit with a good book. As a former runner (she
completed a marathon in 2014) she also loves the outdoors, hiking and biking.

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Congratulations Ryan Henwood!

Choirs for Change is thrilled to announce that Ryan Henwood has been appointed to the new role of Artistic Director!

Ryan has been involved with Choirs for Change since its inception in 2017, first as a singer and later as principal director of Polaris and Spíra choirs. In that time, he has led both choirs through countless rehearsals and concerts, and taught hundreds of arrangements—including original songs like “Pulse” and “Celandine.”

Last year, Ryan completed his Bachelor of Music Education from Memorial University and started work in Halifax as a music teacher.

“In my role as Artistic Director,” Ryan says, “I hope to be able to work with and support my conducting colleagues to provide our audiences with high-level and thought-provoking artistic programming…[and] I want to empower our choristers to feel that our art making is a form of a social change.”

Choirs for Change’s mandate is to have its three choirs—Polaris, Spíra, and Eastern Horizon—support social change movements with innovative choral events. With this in mind, Ryan has previously led the choirs to appear at Nocturne: Art at Night Festival, Mayworks Halifax, and multiple rallies for different causes. Going forward, Ryan plans to promote causes close to home.

“I hope to ground our social change focus on local issues. This may take form through events that focus on issues happening on a municipal or provincial level, but may also look like partnering with other organizations that are already doing amazing work in our community.”

And Ryan’s event planning doesn’t stop with choral music—he plans to collaborate with artists across a variety of mediums. “Choral music is already such a powerful vehicle for storytelling,” he says. Choristers and audiences alike will appreciate the shared talents of “musicians, dancers, and spoken word artists.”

Catch Ryan leading Polaris in concert at the end of November—watch for the concert announcement at choirsforchange.ca.