Mount Allison Audition Preparation Days

Mount Allison University is excited to share information regarding its upcoming Audition Preparation Days, to take place at Mount Allison University,  January 31 – February 1, 2020. The Audition Preparation Weekend is a two-day event designed for grade eleven and twelve students who are considering pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. Students learn essential auditioning skills, receive a private lesson, and participate in discussions about career opportunities, stage deportment, and practice skills.

The cost of this event is $60 (plus HST = $69 total) and includes accommodation on campus, meals, and access to all instructional opportunities. A day participant fee of $45 is available for those who do not require accommodation.

Please visit the Music Department website to learn more about this event: Audition Preparation Days.

To register, visit the Registration Page.

Please be in touch with administrative assistant Margaret Craig, mcraig@mta.ca, or me, vstpierre@mta.ca, with any questions.

Survey on the Halifax Arts Community

From Strategic Arts Management: 

Hello,

You are invited to take part in a research study being conducted by Dalhousie graduate students working on a project to help Strategic Arts Management (SAM) better provide management and career resources to the arts community of Halifax.

As a participant, you will be asked to anonymously answer 15 questions in a survey. Your participation in this research is entirely voluntary. At any time, you reserve the right to skip questions, or to stop the survey entirely. The information you provide will be anonymous and will be kept private at all times. When we share our project findings in the resulting reports, we will speak in terms of overall perceptions so that it is impossible for an individual to be identified. By submitting the survey, you consent to the anonymous use of your answers and quotes for the purpose of research by the Dalhousie Graduate-Student Research Team.

This study is being conducted according to the ethical standards of Dalhousie University.

The survey can be found here: https://surveys.dal.ca/opinio/s?s=53021&fbclid=IwAR0e_0QLgc-oeAfyG87nHIBuztHcY5iBe5wKPhE6ym442SE5-t8Xx2BsDoY

If you have any questions about the survey, SAM, or the Dalhousie research team, please contact us! We are happy to receive all questions at jl883690@dal.ca

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

The Strategic Arts Management: Dalhousie Research Team

(Trevor, Julietta, Jason, Erin, Hala)

Aeolians Singers are seeking a Choir Part-time Communications/Business Manager (Contract Position)

The Aeolian Singers is a community-based, auditioned women’s choir in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We are celebrating our 44th season with our mission to present high quality, interesting choral programs, partnering with other artists and arts organizations in the region.
We are seeking a dynamic, enthusiastic individual to serve as our communications/business manager who will report to the President of the choir executive and work very closely with the Artistic Director to help bring about the Choir’s vision. This is a permanent part-time contract with a three-month probationary period.
The major responsibilities of the role listed here Aeolians Business Manager Job Posting. For a full job description please contact the Choir President, Lara Dempster, at ldempster48@gmail.com

 

Announcing NSYC Guest Conductor 2020 – Christina Murray!

We are so pleased to announce the Guest Conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Choir’s 2020 season: local talent Christina Murray.

You may know Christina as the artistic director of Xara Choral Theatre Ensemble and head of choral studies at Dalhousie University. She approaches her conducting practice through the voice and is known for her innovative programming and her visionary commitment to decolonizing the choral art form.

Christina holds an honours undergraduate degree in music (voice/conducting) and philosophy from Mount Allison University, has done graduate work in feminist liturgical practices, and has subsequently studied conducting with Diane Loomer, Jon Washburn, Michael Zaugg, and Elise Bradley. Also an active and accomplished choral singer, she has frequently sung with the Canadian Chamber Choir since  2007.

As both a former NSYC and National Youth Choir Singer herself, as well as a two-time Resident Conductor of NSYC, Christina is delighted to to be helming NSYC for it’s 30th Anniversary season.

Sing Summer Recap

What an extraordinary summer we’ve had! Sing Summer entered its 42nd year in 2019, with its typical flair for cameraderie and love of song.

From August 11-24, the Berwick United Church camp grounds was home to over 70 Adult Choir Camp and over 50 Youth and Junior Choir Camp participants.

Junior Choir Campers at “Backwards Clothing” Dinner

The Junior unison choir, made up of 8-12 year olds,  was led this year by local conductor Krista Vincent, with assistant Conductor Nelle Callanan. Krista, herself a former camper, founded the Vivace Children’s Choir, conducted the Halifax Youth Honour Choir, and now conducts the adult choir EnChor East Singers. Like always, the campers were given a challenging and rewarding musical experience, taking part in daily rehearsals and musical activities. In addition to singing, campers also took part in arts and theatre activities, as well as a variety of fun camp activities. The choir performed a range of music, from the moving Can You Hear Me?, which campers learned to sign, to the uplifting good vibes of Good People by Great Big Sea for an audience of family and friends at the end of the week.

YCC-ers pose with John Wiebe

That same week, mixed voice Youth Choir Camp, ages 13-18,  was off to great start under the wing of guest conductor, John Wiebe, who visited us from Edmonton, Alberta. John brought an eclectic repertoire with him, introducing the young choristers to madrigals, norwegian folk tunes, and contemporary choral selections, among others. Throughout the week, the beautiful notes of Eric Whitacre’s The Seal Lullaby or the haunting melody of Ned I Vester Soli Glader, soared across camp, lighting up the passerby with music.

The next week, Adult Choir Camp took to the spotlight once again. Swiss-born Conductor Michael Zaugg joined us from Edmonton, where he conducts the Pro Coro Chamber choir, to conduct the choir. What followed was another succesful year at ACC, with rigorous musical education and spirited performance. As always, our annual Talent Show, Hollywood Night, was a major success, with performances that ranged from the hilarious and absurd  to the supportive and moving. The Final Concert was equally successful with    the Choir performing works by Brahms, Dillworth and Faure. In addition, the concert also featured the performance of 4 contemporary works by female contemporary composers: Laura Hawley, Christine Donkin, Marie-Claire Saindon, and Laura Sgroi.

The Cast of ACC 2019

It’s that time of year! Membership Renewal

It’s Membership Renewal time!

You may have already received an email from us letting you know that your NSCF membership is set to expire August 31, 2019. Your NSCF Membership gives you access to our newsletter, member blog, and extensive choral library, and is a vital part of ensuring our programs and activities can continue to thrive and grow.

Please renew in one of the following ways:

Online via Paypal: https://nscf.ca/membership/join-the-nscf/

Phoning the office: 902-423-4688 and paying via VISA Mastercard (*Please note out office closure: August 12-16, CLOSED for choir camp, August 18-23, limited hours).

Stopping by the Office at 1113 Marginal Road  (*Please note out office closure: August 12-16, CLOSED for choir camp, August 18-23, limited hours. Call ahead to ensure we are home!).

Stopping by the Office at 1113 Marginal Road

Mailing a cheque to 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS, B3H 4P7

Important: If your contact information has changed in the last year (such as: You have a new choir director), please be sure to fill out our Membership Form: https://nscf.ca/membership/join-the-nscf/

This ensures that all of our information for you is up to date.

We’re in Berwick! *OFFICE CLOSURE NOTICE*

Greetings from beautiful Berwick United Church campgrounds! 

Sing Summer camps are now officially underway.

As a result, our office will be closed and/or open for limited hours for the next two weeks.

August 12-16, 2019: Office Closed

August 18-23, 2019: Limited Hours, closed Monday, August 18, Open Tues-Weds Aug 19-23, from 9-12pm, and Friday August 23, 1-4pm.

We will be checking email periodically from camp. Please contact Ryan Henwood at programs@nscf.ca for any urgent camp questions, or Katharine (Administrator) at katharine@nscf.ca for camp cancellations and payments-related inquiries.

 

 

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.

Carrie Tennant to Conduct Juvenata 2020!

The Nova Scotia Choral Federation is excited to announce that Carrie Tennant of the Vancouver Youth Choir will be conducting Juvenata 2020! Carrie Tennant is the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Youth Choir. For the past 15 years, she has worked primarily with youth, developing leadership and artistry with young singers. In addition to VYC, Carrie has held conducting positions with Chor Leoni, EnChor, the Coastal Sound Youth Choir, and the Sarah McLachlan Youth Choir. Carrie’s choirs have been featured at Chorus America and Podium (Choral Canada) conventions, and have twice been awarded first place in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs. During her time with Coastal Sound, their popular Indiekör shows were recognized with Choral Canada’s National Award for Innovation. In 2019, the Vancouver Youth Choir was featured at the National Convention for the American Choral Directors Association.

Check out the Vancouver Youth Choir Youtube page to see Carrie in action.

For more details on Juvenata, visit the NSCF webpage here.

Call for YCC – Bass Section Lead

Dear NSCF Members,

We still seek a motivated Bass Section Lead for Youth Choir Camp! Could this be you?

Please apply with a resume containing emphasis on musical experience, teaching experience, and performance experience. Please submit a cover letter along with your resume indicating the position for which you are applying (Bass Section Lead).

Please submit all documents as a PDF to programs@nscf.ca