Vancouver Chamber Choir Auditions Saturday, September 21, 2013

The Vancouver Chamber Choir is holding auditions for professional-level singers. All voices (SATB) are invited.

The Vancouver Chamber Choir is a fully professional choir of 20 experienced, well-trained singers. The key activities of the Choir include a subscription series that is unique in Vancouver, extensive touring in Canada and abroad, broadcasting live concerts, recording, commissioning and premiering new choral compositions, and presenting four to five educational programs throughout each season. The Choir demands a major commitment of time and needs to be the singers' top priority.

The Vancouver Chamber Choir usually rehearses on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. A list of substitute singers is maintained; these people may also be used to augment the Choir if a larger group is needed.

An audition lasts approximately one half hour and singers will be required to sing three or four pieces in different styles and languages. There will also be an interview with Jon Washburn. A formal résumé is required. Singers are expected to provide their own accompanist for the audition. 

Contact Catherine for an appointment at catherinelaub@hotmail.com

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, September 1, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

Peter Togni passes on the torch

This week on Choral Concert Peter Togni will say goodbye to Choral Concert. Peter is moving on to devote himself full time to musical composition and performance.

On this show Peter will be spinning some of his favourite discs from years past as well as looking forward. You will hear some of his all time favourites along with some wonderful new releases appearing this fall. 

Peter will also introduce you to the new host of Choral Concert, a man who has a deep knowledge and love of choral music as well being a bright, young and talented conductor – Nick Halley.

You will hear the Lady Cove Women’s Choir from St John’s, the great British quartet, the Hilliard ensemble, and a brilliant performance of a Charpentier mass performed by the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montreal.

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, August 25, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

Music from the USA

This week on Choral Concert Peter Togni will bring us music from the USA.

With the international prevalence of composers like Eric Whitacre, Philip Glass and Samuel Barber, the distinct beauty of American music has touched the world. It’s a sound that could be described as settled, but somehow not content. There is an edge in that glorious beauty that somehow reflects a nation still defining its artistic voice to the rest of the world.

In this encore edition of the program, you will hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the Choir of New College Oxford, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and the Los Angeles Master Choral and Orchestra.

The Atlantic Voices Choral Composition Contest 2013

Atlantic Voices: The Newfoundland and Labrador Choir of Ottawa is a mixed-voice (SATB) community choir that sings music from and about Atlantic Canada.  This is our third Choral Composition Contest, and the choir is looking for quality choral music with an East Coast flavour.  We are offering two prizes, a 1st prize of $500 and a 2nd prize of $200, for original choral works by Canadian composers.  The winning works will be programmed on Atlantic Voices’ Spring 2014 concert.  This competition is open to all residents of Canada, of all backgrounds and all ages.  Note: the winning entrant need not have a particular connection to the Atlantic region.


The deadline for submissions is midnight, October 31, 2013.  Get your entries in!

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, August 18, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

Deep, rich and glowing: The Music of Russia on Choral Concert

This week on Choral Concert Peter Togni will lead us into the depth of the Russian choral tradition. Some of the deepest and most beautiful choral music comes from Russia, it’s a rich and glowing tradition that sets an incredibly high standard for the rest of the world to follow.

One piece that stands out as the cornerstone of Russian choral repertoire is the Rachmaninoff  Vespers, or the All Night Vigil. Written by the man well known for his virtuosic and flamboyant piano concertos, this is a piece that is in direct contrast, it’s a deeply reflective work that evokes the power of the Russian orthodox service. Rachmaninoff wrote the entire work in old Slavonic, using melodic material taken directly from ancient Russian chants.

In this encore edition of the program, you will hear the great St Petersburg Chamber Choir doing selections from the Rachmaninoff, but you will also hear more Russian and Russian influenced music from the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Lege Artis Choir and the Exultate Chamber Singers.

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, August 11, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

Music from northern lands for hot summer days

This week on Choral Concert Peter Togni will take us to the cool, spacious world of the north.

There is a wonderful and mysterious quality in the music that comes from cultures that live with the cold and dark for many months of the year, and then with bright and intense light for the brief, beautiful summer.

Northern countries, including Canada, all have very strong choral traditions. Perhaps it is because singing together brings warmth, light and hope.

In this encore edition of Choral Concert you will hear music to cool off the heat of the summer from Finland, Norway, Estonia, Russia and of course – Canada. Choirs will include the Helsinki University Chorus, the Elora Festival Singers, the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble, the Swedish Chamber Choir, and the Chorovaya Akademia.

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, August 4, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

German Romantics

This week on Choral Concert Peter Togni will lead us into the deep waters of the 19th century German romantics, where we will wallow in the creative tension between passion and intellect. This is the period of the great German masters, where the ideal was to create a new synthesis of art, philosophy and science.

In this encore edition of the program, you will hear Brahms, Schubert, Reinberger, and Mendelssohn performed by some of the best choirs from across Canada and around the world – including the Vancouver Cantata Singers, the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir, the Corydon Singers and the Monteverdi Choir.

2014 Competition for Choral Writing

The Association of Canadian Choral Communities encourages and supports the composition of new choral works by emerging Canadian composers. To that end, ACCC invites submissions to the 2014 ACCC Competition for Choral Writing, co-sponsored by Cypress Music.

The winner of the 2014 competition will receive:

• the Diane Loomer Award of $1500
• a publishing opportunity through Cypress Music
• a premiere performance by the 2014 National Youth Choir/Chœur National des Jeunes, conducted by Hilary Apfelstadt, at PODIUM 2014, Choralscapes – Paysages chorals in Halifax, NS

The winner of the 2012 Competition was Elise Letourneau for her composition Peace Prayer, which was premiered by the 2012 National Youth Choir/Chœur National des Jeunes at PODIUM 2012, Choral Celebration Chorale, in Ottawa.

The entry deadline is November 1, 2013. Please see Competition Regulations and Application Guidelines here.

Concours de composition Chorale de 2014

L’Association des communautés chorales canadiennes encourage et appuie la composition d’œuvres chorales par de nouveaux compositeurs canadiens. C’est pourquoi l’ACCC, en collaboration avec Cypress Music, invite les intéressés à participer au Concours de composition chorale de 2014.
 
Le lauréat du concours de 2014 se verra décerner les prix suivants :

• le  prix Diane Loomer de 1 500 $;
• une possibilité de publication grâce à Cypress Music;
• une interprétation en première par le National Youth Choir/Chœur National des Jeunes de 2014, dirigé par Hilary Apfelstadt, à PODIUM 2014, Choralscapes – Paysages chorals à Halifax, en Nouvelle-Écosse.

La lauréate du concours de 2012 était Élise Letourneau, pour sa composition Peace Prayer, qui a été chantée en première par le National Youth Choir/Chœur National des Jeunes de 2012  à PODIUM 2012, Choral Celebration/Célébration Chorale, à Ottawa.

La date limite de participation est le 1er novembre 2013. Voir Le Règlement sur le concours et les Lignes directrices sur les demandes de participation ici.

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, July 28, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

A focus on men’s voices

On July 28th  Choral Concert is bringing the rich, thick and lyrical sound of men’s voices to centre stage.

It wasn’t long ago that male choirs seemed to be fading into history. With many choirs abandoning the practice of using boys as trebles, the trend was towards blended choirs – allowing for a full mature sound right across the range of voices.

However, it seems that lately there is a return to same sex choirs, and especially all-male choirs. Their sound is rich, thick and warm - kind of like an orchestra of cellos.

In this encore edition of Choral Concert choirs like Chor Leoni, Chanticleer, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the Mungano National Choir from Kenya will be heard.

CHORAL CONCERT, with host Peter Togni Sunday, July 22, 2013 9:00 - 11:00 am, (9:30 - 11:30 NT) on CBC Radio 2

Beautiful music for your summer listening

This week on Choral Concert you’ll hear the Elektra Women’s Choir from their brand new CD Pure Elektra, some incredible samples from the US choir the Voices of Ascension, the Collegium Stuttgard doing JS Bach, and the Capella Pratensis doing a 15th century masse by Joseph Obrecht.

Capella Pratensis are an all male choir, from the basses right up to the sopranos. They take authentic practice very seriously. They even go so far as to read their music all from one giant book, rather than from individual parts, as was custom in the 1400’s. Many people say this gives the choir a blended, unified sound, and requires deeper listening from each chorister.

Don’t forget that CBCMUSIC.CA has lots to offer for classical music lovers, you can check out the Choral Concert blog plus extensive videos and concerts in all genres.

World Youth Choir - new President / Announcement of Session 2014

The Foundation World Youth Choir is happy to announce that Mr. Håkan Wickström (IFCM) was elected new President of the Foundation World Youth Choir. Wickström is succeeding as President Mr. Blasko Smilevski (JMI). The election was held in the frame of a meeting held in Croatia due to the preparations for the 2014 summer session organized by Jeunesses Musicales Croatia and the World Youth Choir foundation, in cooperation with several partner organizations in South - Eastern Europe and in the frame of the 25th Anniversary celebration of the World Youth Choir. The session will be followed by a tour with concerts in Croatia, and further countries in the region (the exact dates in July 2014 and further details will be confirmed at the end of 2013). See you in Croatia 2014!

Further details can be found in the full Press release here.
Tentative information about the session 2014 can be found in the full Press release here.