News: Front Page

We are exploring the experience of community choir singing among youth (defined as between 16-29 years of age) who have faced various challenges in their lives, including mental health struggles, addictions, homelessness, exclusion, and discrimination. It’s the beginning of a program of research to gather the evidence regarding the degree to which community choir singing might be a protective factor in youth resilience and wellness.

Marion Brown, PhD, Associate Professor
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
School of Social Work, Dalhousie University
3201-1459 LeMarchant Street
PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2

 Marion.Brown@dal.ca

Join us for more Sing Summer Opportunities for conductors and singers lead by Guest Conductor John William Trotter

Sing Summer Improvisation Workshop
Sing summer Conducting Workshop
Sing Summer Conducting Apprenticeship

Registrations are now open!

 The ECMA-nominated Halifax Camerata Singers (HCS) with special guests, Rhapsody Quintet and actor Jeremy Webb are taking Halifax 1917: From Dreams to Despair to the first Edmonton International Choral Festival, June 1-4, as invited guests of Pro Coro Canada. This original production commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion was first performed before sell-out audience at Halifax Central Library two months ago. Utilizing “letters” imagining correspondence between a young soldier overseas, and his family and friends back in Halifax, the concert portrays a bustling wartime Halifax with marching suffragettes, vaudeville houses and concerts in the Public Gardens. Poignant compositions, including commissioned works by Paul Halley and Chris Palmer, give a contemporary take on some events of the era. Some comments from audience members at the March premiere: “what incredible work and a privilege to attend,” “best concert I’ve ever been to,” “brilliant concept and a magnificent production,” “beautiful music, singing, narrative, projections – bravo to all!,” “I was truly moved.”

Camerata’s performance is on Friday, June 2 at 8:00 p.m. at All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Edmonton. Other performers throughout the Festival are the host choir, Pro Coro Canada, and Sweden’s Voces Nordicae as well as a massed gala choir. Artistic Director Jeff Joudrey commented “We wanted to tell a Nova Scotian story in Edmonton, and were delighted when the Artistic Director of Pro Coro Canada, Michael Zaugg, accepted our suggestion of taking the Explosion show to a Western audience. We are also so excited to perform with Pro Coro and Sweden’s Voces Nordicae and to work with master choral conductor, Robert Sund.”

The concert concludes with a work commissioned for the choir and Quintet by Halifax composer Christopher Palmer, utilizing a text by former Alexander MacKay School principal, DM Matheson. Palmer discovered the poem in the rare books section of the Halifax Public Library, and is travelling to Edmonton for the Festival.

Halifax 1917: from Dreams to Despair has been updated to include Camerata’s newest commissioned work, I Lost My Talk, with text by the late Mi’kmaq poet, Rita Joe, commissioned from Canadian choral composer, Jeff Enns.

Also travelling to Edmonton are Halifax’s award-winning Rhapsody Quintet (Jennifer Jones, violin; Shimon Walt, cello; David Langstroth, bass; Eileen Walsh, clarinet and Diana Torbert, piano) and Halifax’s favorite actor/director/producer Jeremy Webb. For more information on Rhapsody Quintet, please visit www.rhapsodyquintet.com and on Jeremy Webb: www.easternfronttheatre.com.

Congratulations to the Gorsebook Junior High Choir for winning gold at Kiwanis Music Festival!

The Gorsebrook Junior High Choir is conducted by Zoe Leger and is made possible through the Perform NS Program.

Performance on Wednesday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Sydney Mines.
With guests Coro Cantabile.
Tickets are $20 at the door.

Performance on Friday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m. at Cathedral Church of All Saints in Halifax.
Free will offering at door.

Congratulations to singers selected for the World Youth Choir, National Youth Choir and Nova Scotia Youth Choir!

World Youth Choir 2017

Elyse Delaney, Halifax

National Youth Choir 2017 – Canada 150

Laycie Sutherland, Plymouth
Shanice Skinner, New Glasgow
Rhian Merritt, Halifax
Thomas Burton, Wolfville
Gavin Fraser, Antigonish

Nova Scotia Youth Choir 2017

Alto
Katherine Anderson, Halifax
Charlotte Burke, Hammonds plains
Catherine Campbell, Dartmouth
Sarah Dika, Canning
Georgia Edwards, Windsor Junction
Madelaine Hanley, Halifax
Rhian Merritt, Fox Hollow
Casey-Anne Power, Truro
Davina Anusha  Sureswaran, Wolfville
Areta Boone, Westville
Tara Cashen, Truro
Alex Hutchings, Halifax
Morgandy Levy, Wolfville
Clare Maguire, Bible Hill
Avery Opalka, Halifax
Sarah Tarves, Hammonds Plains
Cecelia White, Valley

Bass
Bruno Callahan-Cross, Halifax
Cian MacCarron , Truro
Gregory Jackson, Truro
Tynan Moore, Coldbrook
Robert Pecknold, Halifax
Luke MacIsaac   New Glasgow
Luke MacLean, Halifax

Soprano
Antoinette O’Keefe, Halifax
Meagan Adams, Halifax
Caitie Ahern, Dartmouth
Molly Anderson, Tantallon
Genevieve Cunningham, Stillwater Lake
Meg Currie, Halifax
Rachael Gay, Halifax
Taylor Oake, Dartmouth
Emily Pratt, Halifax
Laura Scaravelli, Halifax
Anisa Sobhani, Dartmouth
Kaitlyn Comeau, Halifax
Jessie Cullum, Bedford
Lauryn MacDonald, Middle Sackville
Maiti Mcgrath, Bedford
Holly Scott-Black, Halifax
Laycie Sutherland , Plymouth
Sarah Workman, Halifax

Tenor
Brendan Kay, Halifax
Brandon Zuniga, Halifax
Jeremy Foot, Halifax
Jesse Hemmings, Merigomish
Spencer Sweet, Port Williams