Volume 17 Issue 8 - May 2012

Canary PagestheWholeNote CHOIR LISTINGS | 2012-2013416-410-3509info@torontochoralsociety.orgwww.torontochoralsociety.org●●Toronto ChoristersThe Toronto Choristers is a non-auditionedmixed choir celebrating its 20th anniversary.Our repertoire is varied, from the classical tomodern, including contemporary music, spirituals,folksongs and Broadway. Rehearsals areThursday afternoons, mid-September throughMay. Our members are mostly retired teachersfrom Toronto, although some travel into thecity for rehearsals. Our membership numbers100 and women wishing to join may be waitlisted.Applicants from the general communityare welcome, with a few vacancies for malevoices. Join us at this year’s 20th AnniversarySpring Concert, May 23, 7:30pm at Sir John A.MacDonald Collegiate, 2300 Pharmacy Ave. (betweenSheppard and Finch). Our director isRalph Peters.Bill Smyke416-596-8286bill.smyke@sympatico.ca●●Toronto Classical SingersUnder the direction of Jurgen Petrenko, theToronto Classical Singers produce three performanceseach year, enthralling audienceswith their versatility and tenacity, tackling theworks of composers who have earned a place inmusic history for both their notorious lives andtheir wonderful music. Mark your calendars forDecember 2, March 3 and May 5 as we celebrateour 2012/13 season with concerts held at 4pm atChrist Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. Auditionsare held in September. Season tickets are $80(adults) or $65 (seniors/students), with singletickets for $30 (adult) or $25 (seniors/students).416-443-1490info@torontoclassicalsingers.cawww.torontoclassicalsingers.ca●●Toronto Jewish Folk ChoirThe Toronto Jewish Folk Choir is conducted byAlexander Veprinsky and accompanied by LinaZemelman. Founded in 1925 by immigrant needle-tradeworkers, this SATB choir sings folksongs,classics and original works in Yiddishand other languages. Our 86th annual SpringConcert, June 3, 3pm at Temple Sinai, 210 WilsonAve., commemorates our late longtime leaderBen Shek and composer Milton Barnes’s 80thanniversary, with Barnes’ choral/klezmer suiteDos Naye Lid (The New Song) and other songs inYiddish, Hebrew, Ladino, Russian and English.New members are welcome to sing Dos NayeLid with us at this summer’s Ashkenaz Festival.Luba905-669-5906folkchoir@hotmail.comwww.winchevskycentre.org/institutions/choir.html●●Toronto Mendelssohn ChoirGrand symphonic sound has been the TorontoMendelssohn Choir’s trademark for over 100years. Performing sacred and secular repertoire,the TMC offers audiences authentic interpretationof some of the greatest musicever composed. The 150-voice choir includes aprofessional core, auditioned volunteers andapprentices aged 17–22. The TMC performs over20 concerts annually, including Messiah withthe TSO, “Festival of Carols” at YorkminsterPark Baptist Church, “Sacred Music for a SacredSpace” on Good Friday at St. Paul’s Basilica andtwo concerts of major choral works with orchestraat Koerner Hall. Rehearsals are held Mondaysat Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, with auditionsin spring and September.Noel Edison, artistic directorKimber Jonah 416-598-0422 x24admin@tmchoir.orgwww.tmchoir.org●●Toronto Swedish SingersThe Toronto Swedish Singers perform in Swedishand English under director Brigitte Bogar. Thechoir presents annual spring and Christmasconcerts and performs at local Swedish culturalevents and in the Swedish Lutheran Churchin Toronto at major church celebrations. Shorttours are also arranged periodically. Familiaritywith the Swedish language, interest in Swedishculture and ability to read music are desirable,but everyone is welcome. We have weekly rehearsalsand members also have the opportunityto learn/perform Swedish folk dances.Solveig Lalla416-483-3921solan_46@hotmail.comwww.tsfs.ca●●Toronto Welsh Male Voice ChoirThe Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir enters anotherrobust performance season under artisticdirector William Woloschuk and accompanistJulia Sankey. Founded in 1995 by Gwyn Roberts,TWMVC shares songs that lift the human spirit.TWMVC repertoire supports choral traditionsthat have enriched the human experiencethrough the ages. The vibrant blend of traditionalmusic from the “Land of Song” and contemporaryworks from around the globe is exhibitedin unique, Welsh, four-part harmony. Notableperformances include the CD launch titled“Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir with ShannonMercer, Live at the Glenn Gould Studio.” TWMVCwelcomes new members. “Welshness” is optional!Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 7:30pm–10pm, 33Melrose Ave., Toronto.416-410-22541-877-410-2254 (905/705 only)info@twmvc.comwww.twmvc.com●●Toronto World Unity ChoirLed by director Tim FitzGerald and formed in1997, we are a small, friendly SATB choir whosemandate is to promote unity through our loveof music. Based in Toronto, we perform spirituallybased music at community events withinthe GTA and southern Ontario. We sing musicinspired by the writings of the Baha’i faith andother spiritual traditions, with new and originalworks performed in multiple styles andlanguages. Rehearsals take place Sundays 10am–12:30pm at the Toronto Baha’i Centre, 288 BloorSt. W. at Huron St. New members (aged 15–100)welcome. Ability to read music and sight-singdesirable but not essential.Nancy Dinnigan416-289-4146torontoworldunitychoir@gmail.com●●University of Toronto,Scarborough, Concert ChoirThe University of Toronto, Scarborough, ConcertChoir is an auditioned mixed choir open to thegeneral public in addition to students, staff andfaculty of the U of T Scarborough campus. LenardWhiting, conductor, auditions singers the firstweek of classes in both fall (September) and winter(January) semesters. Performances includeuniversity special events and concerts within thearts and events programming division, includingthe end of term concert. The choir rehearsesMonday evenings 5pm–8pm in the Arts andAdministration Building (Room AA303), locatedat 1265 Military Trail. Collaborative programmingwith Opera By Request, TrypTych and theCathedral Bluffs Symphony are scheduled forthe 2012/13 season.Lenard Whiting, conductor416-287-7179lwhiting@utsc.utoronto.cawww.utsc.utoronto.ca●●Univox Choir TorontoUnivox is a mixed-voice community choir foryoung adults, with singers in their twentiesand thirties. The organization holds relationshipbuilding, social responsibility and musicalexcellence as its core principles. Most newchoristers have previous choral experience orhave some musical proficiency. Regular attendanceand ticket selling are expected. Selectedrepertoire spans five centuries, including choralclassics, contemporary works and popularmusic, ranging from Gabriel Fauré to Daft Punk.Potential choristers are invited to observe a rehearsalafter initial contact. Rehearsals takeplace Tuesdays 5:45pm–8pm at New Horizons/Dovercourt Baptist, 1140 Bloor St. W. Our seasonruns September to June.Dallas Bergen, artistic director416-697-9561membership@univoxchoir.orgwww.univoxchoir.org●●Upper Canada ChoristersThe Upper Canada Choristers is a non-auditionedmixed-voice choir with a history of musical excellenceand community service. The programfeatures collaborations with internationalchoirs, local children’s choirs and professionalguest artists. Cantemos is the auditioned Latinensemble under the umbrella of UCC. Underthe artistic direction of Laurie Evan Fraser, thechoirs perform two diverse choral programs annually.Weekly rehearsals for the larger choir areMonday evenings from 7:30pm–9:30pm at GraceChurch on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd. Cantemosrehearses on Thursday evenings from 7pm–9pmat 2 Romar Cres. The choir sings up to 20 concertsannually in a variety of community venues.Laurie Evan Fraser, conductor/artistic director416-256-0510www.uppercanadachoristers.org● ● Uxbridge Chamber ChoirThe Uxbridge Chamber Choir was formed in 1983to bring quality performances of sacred and