By NSCFMGR e-notes • Front Page • Job Postings • Member Blog • Uncategorised 0 Comments

Sing Summer: Gophers, Chaperones and Counsellors Roles Available

The Nova Scotia Choral Federation is gearing up for their Sing Summer Camps and still seeking candidates for the following positions:

  • Youth Choir Camp Chaperones
  • Junior Choir Camp Counsellors
  • Gophers (age 15 and up) for JCC/YCC/ACC

Working at camp is a great opportunity to connect with the choral community and build your resume!

Junior Choir Camp and Youth Choir Camp run concurrently from August 11th-17th and Adult Choir Camp runs the following week from August 19th-24th.

If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact the Program Coordinator, Ryan Henwood, at programs@nscf.ca.

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*UPDATE* A Big Congrats to Eastern Horizon Chamber Choir

Congratulations to Nova Scotia’s own Eastern Horizon Chamber Choir, who have been named a WINNER in the Choral Canada’s National Competition for Amateur Choirs. Listen to the finalist works, written by Ryan Henwood (our very talented Programs Assistant!) and by C. Shaw below:

You can read about the Competition and the other finalists on the Choral Canada Website:

http://www.choralcanada.org/national-competition-for-canadian-amateur-choirs.html?fbclid=IwAR1woP5VS-Rz5-8ftUbmkBCREckrVIlbS8Pr1U2S0hOiscyHDew1o5h7bDY

By NSCFMGR Front Page • Job Postings • Member Blog 0 Comments

CMWC Halifax seeks Musical Director

The Canadian Military Wives Choirs (CMWC) is a three-part women’s choir and
all members are closely associated with the military, either by marriage or by
occupation. We come together weekly to sing, make new friends, and have fun.
No musical experience is necessary. The choirs are all about support — both
vocal and personal.

The CMWC Halifax is looking for an experienced keyboard musician and vocal
conductor to fill the role of our Musical Director, including choir leadership,
keyboard accompaniment, and creating practice tracks. The Musical Director will
work closely with the President and the executive members of the choir.

Primary Responsibilities:
• Organize regular rehearsals (Monday evenings) for members to improve
performance skills, and establish repertoire for use in upcoming events.
• Conduct the choir when we perform, possibly monthly depending on demand.
The season runs from beginning of September to end of June. March break and
holidays are observed from practice and most events.
• Foster an atmosphere of productive yet relaxed, cheerful learning and creativity,
sensitive to the needs of each individual while being supportive to the military
lifestyle.
• Provide additional pre-event rehearsal when required.
• Regular use of email, Facebook and Dropbox is required for communication of
choir business. 
• Ability to be dedicated to a regular practice schedule and periodic event
performances.
• Weekend and evening availability are essential.
Required Qualifications:
• Experienced keyboard musician (organ and/or piano) preferably with music or
similar training.
• Familiarity with SOCAN licenses, copyright and performance law, Dropbox and
recording rehearsal tracks.

We thank all candidates for their interest in this position; however, only those
selected for an interview will be contacted. Both male and female applicants will
be considered. If you have a passion for directing musical talent in our military
community and possess the qualifications listed above, please forward your
resume, along with salary expectations to  canadianmwc.halifax@gmail.com .

By scotianaires e-notes • Front Page • Member Blog 0 Comments

Halifax based chorus ScotianAires and quartet Tonic! retain Atlantic championship!

The ScotianAires, an a cappella chorus made up of women from across the Halifax region, and Tonic!, a quartet made up of four members of the ScotianAires, have retained top honours at Atlantic Canada’s most prestigious competition for women barbershop singers. Both were repeat champions at the Harmony Inc. 2019 Area 1 Convention and Contests (AC&C) held at the end of May in Sackville, NB.

Among the 57 women on stage for the chorus were six first-time participants. Newcomer Lynda Vaughan describes the experience of singing with the ScotianAires. “It has been an amazing experience singing on the stage with these champions, something I never dreamed of, even one year ago. I only started attending rehearsals this January so it’s been a bit of a leap for me but I have been richly rewarded.”

Choruses sing two selections in the competition and receive marks for singing, music and performance. Director Sue Kember was particularly pleased with the singing scores because singing had been an area of focus for the group leading up to the competition. “It was an incredible feeling to know that all our hard work was rewarded”, Kember remarked. “It is so wonderful to work with these amazing women who keep the music alive with their desire to improve and who also maintain and enjoy the special camaraderie that is the ScotianAires!”

Tonic! took home the first-place Wona Wright Memorial Award and also the Karen Gordon Memorial Award, presented to the quartet with the highest performance score. ScotianAires’ quartet enJOY! was right behind them in second place and the newest competing quartet from the chorus, Arpeggio, earned a fourth place ribbon.

The weekend also included education sessions and coaching and a “Fun Night” of singing planned around this year’s theme…”A Night on the Red Carpet”. The ScotianAires dressed up as the high school students from “Grease” and sang an a cappella arrangement of “We Go Together”.

The ScotianAires, Tonic! and enJOY! all qualified to compete against choruses and quartets from across North America at the International Convention and Contests (IC&C) to be held in Sandusky, Ohio in November, 2019.

For more information contact the ScotianAires at info@scotianaires.ca , visit us at scotianaires.ca or find us on Facebook and Twitter!

By NSCFMGR e-notes • Member Blog 0 Comments

 Halifax National Organ Festival 2019 – “Changing Tides 2019” 

Royal Canadian College of Organists’ upcoming Halifax National Organ Festival 2019, Changing Tides 2019
is being hosted by the Halifax Centre of the RCCO on July 7th – 11th.
Information regarding the event can be found on the Festival website 
We will be featuring organists from across Canada in a program of workshops, recitals, concerts and a Hymn Festival.
An exhibit by music companies, receptions, luncheon and Festival lobster banguet will complete our offerings.
We hope that you will find something of interest and that you will consider joining us for this 4-day event.
For further information, you can contact me, Ray Grant – Festival Chair, at:  raygrant@eastlink.ca

By NSCFMGR e-notes • Front Page • Member Blog 0 Comments

THE GREAT CANADIAN GIVING CHALLENGE

 

This June, the Nova Scotia Choral Federation invites you to join the Great Canadian Giving Challenge!
Every dollar donated in June is a chance to WIN $10,000 for NSCF!

Donate to NSCF this June and automatically enter the organization to WIN $10,000 during the Great Canadian Giving Challenge. Every $1 donated IN JUNE is an automatic entry for NSCF to win (minimum $3 donation required).

Your donation will support the programming during the 2019 -2020 season, including Nova Scotia Youth Choir, Sing Summer, Juvenata, Children’s Chorus of Nova Scotia and other programming and services.
Plus, if you win the $10,000 prize for NSCF, you can make an even bigger difference! $10,000 could provide funding to support all our programs and services for singers and choirs across the province.

Imagine the difference $10,000 could make tomorrow.

Start your summer right. Help us win $10,000.

Please Help our Charity Win $10,000

Every $1 you donate to our charity in June via GivingChallenge.ca counts as a ballot to help us win $10,000 from the GIV3 Foundation. Please donate today – we really appreciate your help!

Donate to help us win

 

For full contest rules and regulations, please read the Official Contest Rules


By NSCFMGR Front Page • Member Blog • Singers Wanted 0 Comments

Aeolians Singers Auditions

(Halifax, NS) Aeolian Singers – Audition now!

Looking for choral music opportunities with a fabulous community of women?  Do you love to sing great music, love a challenge, and love to laugh? The Aeolian Singers is holding auditions for committed choristers with previous singing experience for their 2019-20 season, which begins in September.

The choir recently completed its 43rd season, the second one under the artistic direction of Nova Scotian choral conductor Heather Fraser. The Aeolians perform five to six times per year, and are accompanied by pianist Diana Torbert. 

You can learn more about the choir at  www.aeoliansingers.ca (go to How to join the choir). Auditions will take place on June 10, 17 and 24 (Monday evenings) in Halifax.

For more information, or to schedule an audition, please contact the choir’s Assistant Conductor, Joanne Slack, at mjslack@eastlink.ca, or call (902) 473-1869 and leave a message to schedule your audition.
Information:  Peggy Walt, peggy@culturalaffairs.ca
(902) 422-5403 (office), (902) 476-1096 (cell)

By NSCFMGR Member Blog • Professional Development 0 Comments

Registration for Nova Scotia Youth Choir Apprentice Collaborative Pianist Open!

The Nova Scotia Choral Federation is proud to announce that registration for the Nova Scotia Youth Choir Apprentice Collaborative Pianist is now open. This is a wonderful opportunity for a student pianist looking to improve upon their collaborative piano skills, learn more about the voice and choral art form, and gain experience working with an excellent ensemble, established conductors and a fantastic collaborative pianist as coach. The student pianist would function as an apprentice collaborative pianist, playing for rehearsals for the Nova Scotia Youth Choir under resident conductors Gary Ewer and Pamela Burton, as well as working alongside and receiving coaching from NSYC’s current collaborative pianist, Mary Castello.

For more information on the apprenticeship, click here.

For more information on the Nova Scotia Youth Choir, click here.

Application Requirements:

  • Cover Letter describing your intent, musical strengths, and your goals.
  • Music Resume outlining achievements, choral/accompanying experience (if any)
  • Letter of reference from a music teacher (piano teacher preferably)

 Application Deadline: May 30th, 2019

Please submit applications electronically to Ryan Henwood, Program Coordinator at the NSCF, and contact him with any questions:  Email:  programs@nscf.ca.       

By Alison Knott e-notes • Member Blog 0 Comments

Annapolis Valley Honour Choir Family Launches New Choir!

The Annapolis Valley Honour Choir (AVHC) is celebrating its 30th anniversary season with the launch of a new treble choir for children in Grades 3-6, starting in September.

The focus of this young ensemble is having fun, building friendships, and introducing singers to all that choral music can be. This new choir, which will rehearse afterschool once a week on Wednesdays, will incorporate singing games, movement, listening and will lay strong foundations for healthy singing. Continuing with the AVHC mission to provide a complete musical education, the music literacy program (theory and sight singing) will be incorporated as well.

The current junior choir will become an intermediate level ensemble for Grades 6 to 9, and the senior choir will be for singers mainly in Grades 9-12.

“This has long been a dream of mine”, says artistic director, Heather Fraser, “to build AVHC into a fully fledged choral organization. After the introduction of the junior choir five years ago, I’m so glad we can continue to grow in this direction. AVHC is so much more than just a choir to our singers. It’s a welcoming community full of artistry, learning, leadership, and heart that honestly changes people lives. I just want to be able to extend this wonderful experience to as many young people as possible!”

Lise Rand, a parent volunteer with the current choir, is ecstatic with this news. “I am beyond thrilled that more young people will be able to access this incredible experience! In our first year, the AVHC has become an amazing part of our lives. I can’t speak more highly of this organization. Not only does AVHC provide an all-encompassing music education, they have created a safe, caring environment that allows the choristers to develop high-level skills, self-discipline, and grow their passion for music. I would highly recommend the AVHC and welcome all families throughout the Annapolis Valley to come sing with us! From camp weekend and weekly rehearsals, to professional concert performances – Your children will LOVE this wonderful experience and the confidence that it brings.”

Recognized nationally, the AVHC is a leader in music education programming in the valley and Nova Scotia. The choirs aim to build skill and artistry in its young singers, while also fostering caring, engaged and community-minded citizens who will share in a life-time love of singing. There are currently 110 singers in the existing two choirs.

Auditions will be taking place for singers in all three choirs from May 27 to June 8 across the Valley. Any students who will be in Grades 3-12 in September 2019 are welcome to attend. Detailed information and registration can be found on the choir’s website www.avhc.ca.

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