is not enough to lurethem back to the choir.Ensembles with a concertdeadline approaching haveno choice but to retrievetheir low-voiced singersby force. This is doneby setting special traps torecapture and bring themback to civilization. Powertools tend to be the standardbait.A complex acclimatizationprocess follows, asaltos and basses are graduallyreintroduced to suchthings as choir folders,concert dress, hot coffeeduring break, spoons, napkinsand indoor showers.Time to join a choir?This process is usually verysuccessful; by October or November, altos and basses learn to happilyaccept standard choir pencils, and stop asking for the picks and axesnecessary to mine graphite deposits and chop trees to make their own.Sopranos, the highest of the four standard choir voices, are subjectto a mysterious ailment little known outside choral circles. It isa documented scientific phenomenon that if a soprano goes withouta weekly choir rehearsal for a period of time, she will forget that thethree lower voices actually exist. In extreme cases, sopranos have beenknown to forget entire symphony orchestras between the afternoondress rehearsal and the evening performance.This presents choirs with an enormous problem as the season getsunderway; how to reintroduce the rest of the choir without terminallyalarming the sopranos. Often conductors integrate the other sec-tions gradually throughoutthe autumn, telling thesopranos they are guestaudience members whohave been granted specialdispensation to attenda rehearsal.Eventually the sopranosnotice that theseapparent guests are makinga noise that resemblessinging, and will innocentlyenquire as to whatis taking place. This is theconductor’s opportunityto tell the sopranoswonderful stories abouthelpful, magical beingsnamed “Tenor,” “Alto” and“Bass,” who only live tohelp and serve sopranos asthey do their important work. Sopranos always respond with gratitudeand interest to these exotic but unobtrusive creatures, and their fascinationoften lasts for several rehearsals.Leaving choirs to their autumn challenges, let us investigate whichconcerts are taking place this month.Lydia Adams, mentioned above, recently won the prestigious RoyThomson Hall Award of Recognition. Adams writes, “I was amazedand humbled. I also was overwhelmed as I was acutely aware of havingworked with many of the other musicians who had won theAward: Lois Marshall, Maureen Forrester, Robert Aitken and, of course,Elmer Iseler were all musicians who held special meaning for me andwho influenced my career in a major way. I am happy for the recognitionfor my choirs and also for the choral community in Toronto.”ISTOCKPHOTOExpect Something Different!PeaceRobert Cooper’s10th Season asArtistic DirectorSpiritJoyImagination416 530 4428www.orpheuschoirtoronto.comA SeASon of CelebrAtion 2012/13reQUieM for PeACe • october 27, 2012 • 7:30 p.m.Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. East“A message of hope for the world” – Canadian composer Larry Nickel’s powerful Requiem forPeace spans two thousand years, twelve languages and diverse faiths in a universal plea forforgiveness and reconciliation. Compelling visuals contrast the sorrow and futility of war withthe promise of peace. Guest Artists: University of Toronto MacMillan Singers.A CAnADiAn CHriStMAS CArol • December 18, 2012 • 7:30 p.m.Eglinton St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd.Celebrating our northern traditions – A sparkling seasonal array of Canadian poetry, prose,carols and images bring to life the anticipation and nostalgia of Christmas in the land of snow,sleds and sleighs. A perfect start to the Christmas week. Narrated by Albert SchultzeVerY PUrPoSe UnDer tHe HeAVen • March 22, 2013 • 7:30 p.m.St. Anne’s Anglican Church, 270 Gladstone Ave.Experience the Canadian premiere of Howard Goodall’s newest oratorio Every Purpose Underthe Heaven, celebrating the sublime poetry and spirituality of the King James Bible in its 400thanniversary year, along with Ēriks Ešenvalds’ profoundly moving Passion and Resurrection.tHe PASSion of JoAn of ArC • May 8, 2013 • 8:00 p.m.St. Clement’s Anglican Church, 70 St. Clement’s Ave.Orpheus and organist extraordinaire Edward Moroney take you to the silver screen, creatinga live choral soundtrack to underscore the riveting and dramatic story of the 15th centuryFrench heroine in this 1928 silent movie classic. Edward Moroney, piano/organ.32 thewholenote.com September 1 – October 7, 2012
Look forward later in the fall to Adams’ Elmer Iseler Singers presentinga concert, October 21, celebrating the diamond jubilee ofQueen Elizabeth II, featuring works by many great composers fromHandel and Purcell, to the Modernists Tippet and Britten who rescuedBritish music in the 20th century. And on October 27 the AmadeusChoir will present Rachmaninoff’s beautiful and imposing Vespers.Blyden-Taylor’s ensemble performs three distinct and interestingprograms at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche between September 29 and 30,including works by Canadian composers Sid Rabinovitch and PeterTogni. They are also performing a benefit concert in Orangeville onSeptember 22 for the One-world Schoolhouse, to raise money forschools in St. Lucia. See their website for details.Finally, England’s renowned Tallis Scholars visit the city onSeptember 12, bringing their signature sound to a program of renaissanceand early baroque music.Ben Stein is a Toronto tenor and theorbist.He can be contacted at choralscene@thewholenote.com.Visit his website at benjaminstein.ca.PETER MAHONSales Representative416-322-8000pmahon@trebnet.comwww.petermahon.comSeptember 1 – October 7, 2012 thewholenote.com 33
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