Volume 12 - Issue 9 - June 2007

fascinating show.Stephane Potvin '.s new Oakville Chamber Choir areOn June 10, Annand Errol return giving their inaugural concert on June 2to the High Park Choirs of Toronto- which they founded - forthe choir's 20th anniversary concert,featuring alumni, past andpresent conductors and accompanistSheldon Rose.Two monster works are on offerJune 9 in performances by Torontochoirs. The Jubilate Singers,under David Bowser' s direction,perform Haydn's Creation atGrace Church on-the-hill, and RonCheung's Voices perform Brahms'Deutsches Requiem at St, Thomas'Church. The latter concert featuresyoung Canadian baritone AlexHajek, whom I heard a number ofyears ago in the Ontario YouthChoir. A great musician with abright future.The Elora Festival Singers givea special concert in the SharonTemple on June 10 as part of thenewly-revived Sharon Festival ofmusic. This brings back memoriesof the remarkable programs thatLawrence Cherney presented in the1980s every summer at the Temple.If you've never been to a concertthere, you must go! It's richwith history, gorgeous naturalacoustics and special ambience.Tafelmusik gives their annualhuge final concert of their SummerInstitute at Grace Church on-thehillon June 14. Enormous orchestra,big choir. .... sensational music.Tickets are free, but need to beBOSLEYREAL ESTATEBOSLE Y ~ E A L EST..\ TE LTD., REALT (JP.PETER MAHONSales Representative416-322-8000pmahon@trebnet.comwww.petermahon.comreserved by calling 416-964-6337.Singing OUT! is in concert atthe Glenn Gould Studio on June16, Broadway with a Twist . Theconcert features lots of excerptsfrom some of the best-knownAmerican music theatre works ofthe past half-century.Guest conductor BramwellTovey pleases the crowd with theMendelssohn Choir's annual LastNight of the Proms starting June19. If anyone can get them laughingand crying at the same time,it's Bramwell. Bring your UnionJack ... or buy one at the concert!On June 22, the legendary MormonTabernacle Choir visits RoyThomson Hall. A visit to thechoir's website at www.mormontabernaclechoir.org is arevelation. This group is still goingvery strong! Conductor CraigJessop has just come off a brilliantstring of Elijah performances withBryn Terfel and the choir, withmore than 300 members, is apparentlysinging better than ever.So, it is a busy month of singing.Looking ahead to July, thefestival circuit is rich with choralactivity, including Noel Edisonconducting Elgar's Dream ofGerontius in Elora July 13, andthe Elmer lseler Singers singingHoward Cable in Parry Sound onJuly 20 .It has been a distinct and specialpleasure for me to write this columnin WholeNote for the past tenyears, but all good things mustcome to an end! This is a remarkablemagazine, published, edited,written and laid out by a staggeringlydedicated and passionategroup. Over the years, I have beenprivileged to work with them andto come into contact with choristers,conductors, composers, audiencemembers and choral "fans "from across the country. It' s anamazing community: strong, variedand committed. As the artisticand cultural landscape continues tochange, I urge those who love themiraculous sound of voices raisedtogether to keep supporting the art,keep doing what you're doing,keep it honest, keep it real!18 WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COMBAND Standby Jack MacQuarrieThe Encore BandSalutes Johnny CowellPictured here in peif ormance with the Hannaford StreetSilver Band, legendary trumpeter, composer, arrangerJohnny CowellHow does a kid from a small On- was hooked; the trumpet was totario town, with little formal musi- become his life. With his father acal training, get to play with the member of the town band and hiscountry's top symphony orches- uncle a trumpet player, there wastra before his eighteenth birthday? encouragement at home. Within aA fascination with the trumpet and year he had performed his firstdetermination are what propelled public solo in the Tillsonburg townyoung Johnny Cowell from the council chambers. He was soon theTillsonburg Town Band to Toron- soloist with the town band.to's Massey Hall in such a short Largely self taught, by age fifspan.At age five Johnny picked teen he was playing in the Toronupan old discarded trumpet be- to Symphony Band, but his prolongingto his uncle and found that fessional aspirations were damphecould get a sound from it . He ened a bit because of his age. He