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Pre-registration for Youth Podium now open!

Pre-register your choir or singing group
Pre-registration is now open for choirs and singing groups wishing to take part in Youth PODIUM with QW4RTZ! All choristers aged between 7 and 14 from youth groups (school or community) in Québec are invited to participate. This bilingual event will be an exceptional opportunity for young people to sing with a few hundred choristers and to enjoy the experience of live performance!

The event takes place Monday, May 20, 2024 at Salle Pierre-Mercure in Montréal. One preliminary rehearsal with a member of QW4RTZ is planned for April 2024. Rehearsal dates and locations will be announced shortly.
 Read more about QW4RTZ and learn more about Youth PODIUM:
YOUTH PODIUM
Please note: Registration for individual singers (as well as choristers who are part of a pre-registered choir or singing group) will open in January 2024.
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The Robbie Songs Project – A Legacy Choral Tribute to Robbie Smith

Following the success of the Let’s Have Some Music concerts on April 29, 2023 in Truro and April 30, 2023 in Halifax, we are excited to announce the that the recordings will soon be available. Pre-save now on your favourite streaming service! 17 beautiful pieces by Nova Scotian songwriter @Robbie Smith , Naming the Twins , performed by Cantabile Society of Truro , Choirs for Change, Dartmouth Choral Society, Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus, Nova Voce, The Aeolian Singers, Middleton Choral Society, Halifax Newcomer Choir, Coastal Voices Men’s Choir, EnChor East, Kathleen Glauser

#RobbieSongsProject#LeafMusic#ECMA2024#choirmusic#choralmusic#Canadiancomposer#canadianchoral

https://leaf-music.lnk.to/drr-005

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Aeolian Singers Annual Wreath Fundraiser

The Aeolian Singers annual wreath fundraiser is underway! 

The perfect addition to any front door to celebrate the season 💚 don’t miss out on these stunning, locally made, 20″ wreaths.

Order yours before October 31st for delivery in early December, cost is $25/ea. Reach out to a local choir member or email fundraising@aeoliansingers.ca

Your support brings Choral music to the community! It helps to keep choir membership affordable, hire amazing musicians and composers, purchase beautiful music, cover venue fees, and more.

Thank you for your continued support!

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Membership Renewal Time

All NSCF Memberships expired on August 31, 2023. Have you renewed your individual or group membership? Do you need an invoice for your membership? We are launching a new management system which will allow members to renew their membership and review membership information online. Dues will still be able to be paid online, by phone, email money transfer or by cheque. Information will be sent out to members very soon . If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to Anne at anne@nscf.ca or call 902-423-4688.

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2024 National Youth Choir of Canada Auditions and CCSC Executive Committee

Auditions are currently underway for the 2024 National Youth Choir of Canada, led by Guest Conductor Roseline Blain. Are you or do you know a choral singer aged 19-26 who would like to participate in this one-of-a-kind professional development opportunity? Video auditions will be accepted until October 15, 2023. Information for singers, application details and audition guidelines are all available here: nycc.ca/auditions.

Choral Canada is also seeking Expressions of Interest for six (6) positions on the Choral Canada Student Chapter (CCSC) Executive Committee. These individuals are representative of the richly diverse group singing communities in which we participate and will help provide the CCSC committee with a multitude of perspectives and lived experiences. Deadline: October 20, 2023. For more information on the Student Chapter and how to submit your Expression of Interest: bit.ly/46sqf7K

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HarbourVOICES! International Festival of Collective Singing Traditions – 2024

Call for Applications – HarbourVOICES! International Festival of Collective Singing Traditions

Join us on June 29 – July 4, 2024 in St. John’s, NL for an exciting roster of international, Canadian, and Newfoundland & Labrador singing groups/choirs on this ancient and beautiful land, at the most easterly edge of North America.

We strongly encourage participation from diverse voices, especially groups that have not been included historically in traditional choral settings/festivals. We welcome groups that are interested in collaboration and the reciprocal sharing of collective singing traditions.

There is only 3 spots for Invited Participating Guests remaining. Interested? Email info@harbourvoices.ca or visit www.harbourvoices.ca/apply for more information.”

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Graphic and Website Designer, Annapolis Valley Honour Choir

Amazing Opportunity!

Request for Proposal (RFP): Graphic and Website Designer to Assist with the Rebranding of the Annapolis Valley Honour Choir

AnticipatedTime Period – 5 months

Background: The Annapolis Valley Honour Choir is a charitable, not for profit choral organization based in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. The Annapolis Valley Honour Choir (AVHC) is a nationally recognized community organization known for its excellence in music education and capacity for community building. It has been a mainstay in the Valley’s cultural fabric for over 30 years. Artistic Director Heather Fraser, former alumni, curates a program for each of our choirs that not only teaches them the fundamentals of music but stretches their minds and fills their hearts at the same time. Currently there are 170 choristers ranging from Grades 3-12 in three choirs, representing communities from the Kempt Shore to Granville Ferry in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.

The AVHC’s goal is to provide an accessible, comprehensive, professional quality musical education for youth while providing a unique and powerful means for young people to express themselves both musically and individually. We are focused on nurturing healthy voices, strong musicianship and engaged community volunteers and leaders. The AVHC program offers the chance for choristers to work with professionally trained faculty in weekly rehearsals and workshop settings. It includes a full music literacy (theory/sight-singing) program, chorister apprenticeship leadership program, performances, community engagement, and cultural exchange travel opportunities.

Citizenship, strong community values, volunteerism and a global education are also a large part of the organization’s goals. As a truly inclusive, supportive family, the choir provides a safe space for young people to find their inner voice – to take risks, build confidence and be their true selves. Choir members learn the value and true meaning of teamwork – to feel a collective sense of responsibility, to learn what it means to be committed to something larger than individual accomplishments, and to share in a common vision and work ethic.To build on our success and begin to move the organization into the future, we are currently seeking an experienced Graphic and Website Designer to assist in creating a new, more modern brand that better represents the AVHC of today.

The Position: 

The successful candidate will follow a timeline of approximately 5 months. Primary responsibilities for this position will include: 

Working with the Project Manager, Artistic Director, and Board President, develop a more representative name and logo to be used on all communication materials, choir clothing, websites, etc.

Redesign the AVHC website to make it more modern and intuitive, user-friendly Assist in the development of a suite of marketing materials

The successful respondent (or respondent team) will be selected by the Board of Directors of the Annapolis Valley Honour Choir based on the process detailed in this document.

The Board of Directors of the Annapolis Valley Honour Choir will make the final selection of the successful respondent (or respondent team) to perform the proposed services.

The Board of Directors of the Annapolis Valley Honour Choir reserves the right to cancel any and all solicitations and to accept, or reject, in whole or in part, any and all proposals when it is in the best interest of organization as determined by the organization in its sole discretion.

Proposed Project Timeline:

RFP Submission Deadline – 11:59 pm on Thursday, October 5, 2023
Clarifying Questions to be submitted to the Project Manager via email at coordinator@avhc.ca by noon on Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Anticipated Start Date – October 23, 2023

Within the proposal the respondent (or respondent team) must describe: 
● Past experience working with similar non-profit organizations
● Overall Experience
● Links to portfolio, including samples of similar work done for other non-profit or arts organizations, if possible
● A summary of your knowledge of the AVHC and a brief description of your vision for our design and marketing strategy
● References – provide contact information for three references – one of which must be a former client.

Submission Detail: Applicant Proposals should be submitted by 11:59 pm, Thursday, October 5, 2023 to coordinator@avhc.ca as a single pdf with no more than 10 pages
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Ancient River Festival Pop Up Choir – Thank You!

Huge thanks to everyone who made our Ancient River Pop Up Choir event such a heartwarming success. We had 35 choristers participate in the workshop, led by Cantabile Singers of Truro’s artistic director Chris Bowman. Cantabile performed a full set of Robbie Songs at the festival, which was named after one of Robbie’s songs. The finale was a group effort between the workshop participants and Cantabile for a lovely 70 person chorus singing “The Last Song” arranged by Donna Rhodenizer who was part of the chorus.

Stay tuned for more exciting news from the Robbie Songs Project as we prepare to release a full length digital recording of the best tracks from our Apr 29 and 30th concerts through Leaf Music Distribution.

Kathleen – Robbie Songs Project

Photo Credits: Heather Ingram Kaiser and Mimi Champagne.

The Robbie Songs Project
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Performance Fees: Entandem & SOCAN

September is here and we wish you the very best for an exciting start to the choral season.  May it be enriching and rewarding for you, your choristers and audiences. 

Approximately three years ago, SOCAN handed over the collection of concert performance licenses to ENTANDEM. It has been found that the process is seriously flawed. One would assume that nothing more is required after payment through the on-line portal at Entandem.  However, the final step should be the submission of a digital copy of the concert program, otherwise it is impossible for SOCAN to disburse the funds appropriately to publishers, composers, and authors. The programs should be sent to:  concertsetlist@entandemlicensing.com and concertsubmit@socan.com 

Early in July, SOCAN and Entandem assured those affected that there would be improvements/clarifications to both websites. In the interim, it would be appreciated if you or your administrator would submit any programmes from the last three years and all future programmes to one of the above email addresses.  

Wishing you the very best for the upcoming season.

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ECMA Awards 2024 Information

Submissions for the 2024 East Coast Music Awards are just around the corner beginning September 1st and lasting until October 3rd. If you are interested in being submitted as a nominee for the awards, or you or your group would like to participate, all information on what is needed to submit for ECMA Awards or Showcasing opportunities can be found on their website as well as access to the submissions platform. 

Please follow this link for all submissions information:

https://www.ecma.com/ecma-2024/2024-submissions/

They are also actively looking for folks interested in being a part of the jury. This group of music professionals review the submissions for the various awards and/or showcase opportunities. Anyone interested in joining our jury can do so by following this link to the ECMA website:

https://www.ecma.com/jury/

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact at membership@ecma.com