See below a LIST OF ALL THE EVENTS happening at Camp in August! (listed by date) These performances and workshops are open for the public to attend! Plan a trip to the valley and catch some of these great events. All events take place at the United Church Campgrounds,115 Commercial St., Berwick.
CHOIR CAMPS – OPEN DAY FOR EDUCATORS & CONDUCTORS! WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13th | 9:00 – 12:30 FREE ENTRY
Join us for the morning to observe our Junior/Youth camp rehearsals, vocal health/musicianship activities, dance and art activities all led by the incredible Canadian Chamber Choir and Sherryl Sewepagaham! Email anne@nscf.ca to let us know you’re coming! (If you can’t come that day but still want to drop in another day send us a note!)
JUNIOR AND YOUTH CAMP CONCERTS! SATURDAY, AUGUST 16th | Free Will Offering 1:30pm – Junior Choir Camp Concert – Conductors: Chris Bowman, Julia Brotto 3:00pm – Youth Choir Camp Concert – Conductors: Julia Davids, Darryl Christie With the Canadian Chamber Choir and Sherryl Sewepagaham!
Come on out to support these youth and all their efforts over the week, and hear what they’ve learned together!
CONDUCTORS WORKSHOP WEEKEND – Auditor Spots Still Open! AUGUST 16 – 18 Clinician: Dr. Joel Tranquilla, with Halifax Camerata Singers as the lab choir!
Wonderful opportunity to improve your skills and soak up a weekend in beautiful Berwick Camp in a supportive, casual atmosphere for learning. Come as a conductor OR a singer/auditor! Click here for Info and Registration!
WORKSHOP WITH SHERRYL SEWEPAGAHAM MONDAY, AUGUST 18th – 9:30 – 11:30am
Join Cree-Dene singer, composer and music educator Sherryl Sewepagaham for a wonderful workshop on indigineous music, and decolonization practices for choirs and in the music classroom!
PERFORMANCE by Halifax Camerata Singers MONDAY, AUGUST 18th – 8:00 pm | Free Will Offering
Hear the Halifax Camerata Singers in the valley! 🙂 Bring along your friends!
IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. MARK RAMSAY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20th – 7:30pm | FREE WILL OFFERING
Join us for a lovely conversation led by ACC guest conductor Dr. Mark Ramsay. Topic TBA! 🙂
ADULT CHOIR CAMP CONCERTS! SATURDAY, AUGUST 23rd – 1:30pm | Free Will Offering Guest Conductor: Dr. Mark Ramsay
Come out to support these 120+ singers and all their efforts over the week learning a program of beautiful, diverse music together.
Please join us for the final performances of our Nova Scotia Youth Choir, under the direction of guest conductor Scott Leithead! 55 of the most talented young singers from across the province will raise their voices together in performances on Saturday, September 20 in New Glasgow, and Sunday, September 21 in Truro and Halifax.
This wonderfully thoughtful and heartfelt program was inspired by a song by NS singer-songwriter Robbie Smith. Sparkling with poignant, diverse music that harnesses youthful energy alongside meaningful reflection, the program journeys between groundedness, like that of Haitian music by Sydney Guillaume and Cree composer Sherryl Sewepagaham, to contemplative renaissance music by de Lasso, to stunning pop and folk arrangements by Canadian Jennifer MacMillan.
Scott Leithead, Artistic Director of Korora Choirs in Edmonton, is supported by a faculty of fine local musicians dedicated to education in vocal performance and musicianship – Amelia McMahon and Andrew Cranston as resident conductors, with Adam Johnson on piano. Dr. Frances Farrell, Jason Hayes-Davis and Jodie Miller joined the team this season as guest vocal coaches and clinicians.
Concerts take place Saturday, September 20th at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity United Church, New Glasgow, and Sunday, September 21st at 2:00pm at First United Church in Truro, and 7:30pm at The Joseph Strug Hall, Fountain School of the Performing Arts, Halifax. Tickets are $25/$10 (students) available to purchase with buttons below or at the door where available.
About the Nova Scotia Youth Choir: A nationally celebrated program of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation, the NSYC is an auditioned choir for ages 16-25. It is the pinnacle of choral training for many of our most promising young musicians and continues to be a resounding success. Since its inception in 1991, it has been an opportunity for singers, conductors and accompanists to work intensively towards artistic excellence, develop musicianship, and perform together under the leadership of some of the most accomplished and recognized instructors and conductors in Canada. Alumni of the choir can be found in leadership roles here in Nova Scotia, across Canada and beyond.
The 2026-27 season is a big year and it will be here before you know it! We’re starting to put together ideas of special projects and events that we’d like to take on in celebration of the 50th Anniversary. WE WOULD LOVE YOUR INPUT!
Dream Big! If you could have anything as part of this season what would it be? Think events, music, composers, initiatives, schools, special projects or programs, workshops, guest groups, concerts… things that touch everyone over the course of the year! How can we come together to connect us all, raise our voices together across the province, to celebrate our art form, advocate and raise awareness, and grow our community?
Our Artistic Steering committee will be meeting soon to brainstorm, discuss all the ideas and narrow it down into a season that is manageable for the office to take on… with the help of our incredible volunteers!
Click below to fill out the form to share your ideas – please complete by JULY 1!
Join the Nova Scotia Choral Federation’s first everRafflebox 50/50 fundraiser! Here’s your chance to hit the high notes for singing and choirs across the province while potentially winning big. With half the pot going to one lucky winner and the other half fueling the future of choral singing, it’s a win-win that will have you singing with joy!
This is a soundinvestment in our artistic communities! Whether you’re a seasoned chorister or a community supporter, your contribution will help fund programs that empower singers of all ages, nurture vocal talents, build confidence, and create unforgettable musical experiences. You can choose to support the NSCF or any singing organization on the dropdown list, or have your contribution divided equally amongst all.
Together, we can ensure that the magic of choral music continues to resonate throughout Nova Scotia. Don’t miss your chance to be part of something truly note-worthy! Purchase your raffle tickets today and help us strike a chord for music education and community choirs. Join the chorus of supporters and let’s make beautiful music together – because when we all come together, our voices are stronger and our communities shine brighter!
So, raise your voice and your chances to win! Let’s help keep the spirit of song alive in every corner of the province! Thank you for your support!
The winner will be contacted to claim their prize.
Thinking of posting your choir’s performance online? Not sure what the latest required steps are?
Choral Canada’s Student Chapter Committee has put together a webinar with presenters from SOCAN and the Canadian League of Composers to provide practical and helpful information to demystify the rules around synchronization (sync) licenses. This webinar will cover the licensing process, special considerations for choirs and singing groups, how to work with composers and publishers, and what to avoid.
Bring your questions and leave with clarity and confidence!
Advanced registration is required. This webinar is available to members of Choral Canada only*.
* While membership fees are an important part of our operating budget, we strongly believe they should never be a barrier to accessing our programs and services. That’s why we offer a pay-what-you-can membership option for anyone who needs it. For those who might be in a position to pay more for their membership, please consider selecting the full-price “Individual” or “Student” membership and adding a donation during the payment process. Your support helps us keep the pay-what-you-can option available for others.
Summer Study July 21 – August 1, 2025 Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia
KSNS is thrilled to announce the return of summer study to Nova Scotia/Mi’kma’ki! Join Maureen Dunn & Dr László Norbert Nemes who will be instructors for *Kodály Level I and II being held in Kjipuktuk/Halifax.
This two week intensive program is designed to strengthen personal musicianship and pedagogical skills, as well as deepen understandings of Zoltán Kodály’s philosophy & how it lives in the 21st Century. Participants will explore child-centered, culturally affirming activities in singing, moving, reading, writing, listening, and creating that will foster student love for music making and inform personal teaching practice, all within a supportive learning environment. Classes run Monday-Friday, 8am-4:15pm.
To register or for more information, please contact presidentksns@gmail.com
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Yesterday, composer Paul Aitken’s piece, Missa Pro Terra, A Mass for the Earth had its Carnegie Hall debut! Cantabile Choirs (Truro) premiered it back in March with Paul conducting (Paul now lives in Parrsboro!) and some Cantabile singers made the trek to New York this past week to share on the big stage! Congratulations to all involved!
“Missa Pro Terra is not just a musical composition; it’s a powerful statement about our planet and the urgent need to address environmental issues. Aitken’s work serves as a call to action, drawing attention to the environmental challenges we face and the importance of protecting the earth for future generations. As we share these snippets leading up to the Carnegie Hall performance, we invite you to reflect on both the beauty of the music and teh message it carries about the environment’s future.”
Missa Pro Terra, A Mass for the Earth, is available for purchase at JW Pepper.
By now, many of you will have heard of the passing of the incredible and incomparable Riet Vink – musician and educator extraordinaire. I first met Riet at YCC 25 years ago. I, a young accompanist in university, new to the NSCF, and she a retired teacher with more spunk than I’d ever witnessed – working as a chaperone, and donning the most incredible outfit for dress up dinner! I think I heard her laugh first. I immediately wanted to be her when I grew up. Her impact in this province was profound, and her loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew her, loved her, learned from her, shared in music making with her – or ever heard her tell one of her incredible stories. The NSCF would like to extend our sincere condolences to all of you.
Please see below some wonderful tributes to Riet from Tim Cross, our former ED who worked with Riet many times over the years, and Malcolm Bradley, choral conductor, Kodaly specialist music educator, and former head of Halifax All City program.
The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at Calvin Presbyterian Church, located at 3311 Ashburn Avenue, Halifax, NS at 1:00pm. Early visitation with the family will begin at 12:00pm. For streaming options, please refer to Calvin Presbyterian Church on Facebook, closer to the date.
Charitable donations can be made to Calvin Presbyterian Church Mission and Outreach Fund, NS Kodály Society, NS Choral Federation or the charity of your choice.
I first met Riet in 1982 when she was on the NSCF Nominations Committee. I immediately recognized her passion for music and music education and her zest for life. Over the years Riet continued to be an active member of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation, serving on the board, and on committees and in recognition of her work and dedication to both NSCF and the choral art she was welcomed as an Honorary Life Member. One of my favourite memories of Riet is of her arriving at Junior Choir Camp in Berwick to volunteer as a camp counsellor. On her way to camp she had been excited by all the wildflowers along the highway and had stopped to pick enormous bouquets of brown-eyed Susan, daisies, chicory, and wild grasses to put in large buckets at her cabin door to welcome her campers!
For many years I’d see Riet at almost every choral concert and music event I attended. She always made sure to interact with young singers and went out of her way to encourage and congratulate them on their performances. She touched the lives of countless musicians and educators and is fondly remembered for her wonderful stories.
MEMORIES OF RIET: MALCOLM BRADLEY
In the winter of 1979, I was privileged to attend an elementary school music workshop in Moncton with the famous Kodaly inspired teacher, Riet Vink, as the day long presenter. It was hard to imagine that we would meet again in the fall of 1980 and become great friends for 45 years.
Riet was an alto in the Halifax Chamber Choir and that is where we met in1980. At that point, the John W. MacLeod school choir was the envy on many music teachers in the area. That choir was conducted by Riet. They participated in the performance of the St. Matthew Passion with the Chamber Choir and were selected to perform the world debut of a five-movement song cycle for treble voices by Alex Tilley, including In Flanders Field. Soon after, that setting of this famous poem was being performed by treble choirs across the country. With her passion for the Kodaly approach, Riet’s classroom singing was also a model to look up to. I felt that I had reached the pinnacle of my elementary music career when the Caldwell Road grade six classes achieved a higher mark in the music festival than the LeMarchant-St. Thomas classes, where Riet was then teaching.
It was always a joy to hear Riet discuss the wonderful concerts with the Atlantic Symphony and the Atlantic Symphony Choir. It meant so much to her to be able to sing the larger choral works with the orchestra and she remained a lifelong friend of Klaro Mizerit and his family. The Dalhousie Chorale became an important part of Riet’s choral life and again, that joy of singing the larger choral works that she loved so much. In the later years, Riet’s alto voice was found in the Dalhousie Collegium Cantorum. Riet also joined the Dartmouth Choral Society for a season and when founder Kaye Pottie went on sabbatical, Riet conducted the Chebucto Community Singers for one year. It was always a pleasure for Riet to help on special occasions with the choir at Calvin Presbyterian Church.
So many long telephone conversations about repertoire and rehearsal approaches and things that either of us might do differently. So many long telephone and in person conversations about what went right and what went wrong with performances or rehearsals. These conversations with this dear friend so immersed in the choral art meant so much. As another colleague recently mentioned, even if a performance didn’t reach Riet’s exacting level, Riet would always find something positive and encouraging to say. In recent years, I have to chuckle at my reminding Riet not to make a face when tuning wasn’t quite up to standard, or a particular voice part went off on a tangent. That frown could express a thousand words. In the last year and a half, it was always a joy to sit with Riet at Calvin Church and even with advancing age and breathing issues, that wonderful clear voice would ring out on the hymns. Music and choral singing can add so much to our lives and help build friendships and community that can last for so many years. Thank you, Riet, for that wonderful model and being so much a part of my journey.
The upcoming federal election is vital and we need to ensure that arts are front and center. The Coalition for the Arts in Canada has been working behind the scenes for a few months now, meeting with politicians and party leadership to push for Arts and Culture to be explicitly outlined as part of the their party platforms.
We have asked at a minimum for that to include a commitment to a 1% allocation of the federal budget (not GDP) to Arts and culture through increases to both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
ArtsVote is non partisan, but it must be LOUD!
We have 850,000 cultural workers across Canada and we need all parties to recognize that we need to be at the table. We want to hear from all of you, plus all the people who have kids in dance classes, who attend the theatre, who sing in a group, who love listening to music at a festival, or reading a Canadian novel.
The Coalition for the Arts in Canada is working hard on behalf of our membership and sector at large to be ready for the earliest possible election call. This includes three streams of advocacy at the same time:
Political – to engage with all the parties on your behalf and with the guidance of PAA Advisory and ensure we are reminding them of the sector’s vital importance needs; Sectoral – to give organisations, cultural workers and artists specific tools – both advocacy kits and social media strategies – to make certain that voters are informed and actively engaged in the voting process; Public – to be part of the larger public conversation and reach the general public to to remind them of the role arts play in their communities.
WHAT DO WE NEED FROM YOU?
Your knowledge, passion, experience (and your networks)! Once the campaign launches, we need you to share the assets ArtsVote generates as widely as possible! We need everyone’s capacity to give us a hand so that we can run the most effective ArtsVote campaign possible.
If you are a member of the Coalition, sign up HERE to be part of the ArtsVote working group and contribute your skills to the campaign; If you aren’t a member, use THIS SIGN-UP FORM to join a ArtsVote Volunteer Corps.
