Volume 26 Issue 1 - September 2020

CHORAL SCENE
Achill Choral Society, in happier days.
Just a bit different
as choirs forge ahead
BRIAN CHANG
The Canary Pages choral directory in this issue has
been a fixture of the May WholeNote for the past
17 years. Until this year, that is, when the magazine
decided to hold it back to September, given the climate
of uncertainty that has gripped the choral community
since March.
Better late than never: the directory remains welcome a reminder
that hundreds of choral organizations across Ontario sustain and
uphold communities that celebrate art and beauty from the largest
cities to the smallest communities throughout Ontario.
March feels a long time ago now. Seasons shuttered, theatres closed,
rehearsals stopped, and as the shutdown continued, choirs started
thinking towards the fall and onwards. If you look at the language
amongst the Canary profiles, there’s new terminology that has
become standard – postponed, indefinite hiatus, online rehearsals,
Zoom, suspended, TBD. The good thing is, the choirs and the people
who make music are still around.
In my last column, I investigated some of the opinions and information
being shared by organizations like Chorus America, Choral
Canada and Choirs Ontario, speculating on what the future might hold
for choral life. Months later, as the start of the 2020/2021 season looms,
much of the uncertainty remains, across our artistic communities. But
our resilient communities are forging ahead, adapting as they go.
This month I got in touch with three: Upper Canada Choristers,
Reaching Out Through Music, and Achill Choral Society.
Laurie Evan Fraser. “We have been in regular contact with Public Health
to ensure we are taking appropriate steps to keep everyone safe, and
our board has developed protocols for rehearsals and performances in
accordance with Public Health directives.” Importantly, Evan Fraser
notes, “The fact is, singing with a mask is not a problem.”
Upper Canada Choristers are revisiting the programming they
initially planned for performance in the spring, revisiting the same
repertoire they initially planned for, with some adjustments. “The
concert we originally had planned for last May was a departure from
our usual format,” says Evan Fraser. “It would be performed without
intermission, would have narration and unusual visual elements, and
would depict a slice of Latin American culture from pre-Hispanic
times to the present. We were excited by the possibilities, but then we
had to cancel the concert because of the pandemic.”
So, the Choristers had to adjust to something different, as manifested
in their upcoming October 2 performance with sister choir Cantemos.
Kathleen Allan, Artistic Director & Conductor
Laurie Evan Fraser,
Upper Canada Choristers
Continuing in different ways
While many choirs stopped making
music together, some continued in different
ways. The Upper Canada Choristers have
continued to sing with regular Zoom
rehearsals including sectionals and fun
digital socials. The choir has “recently started
singing together outside in small groups,
socially distanced and wearing masks. I have
personally tried out a variety of masks to see
what works best,” shares artistic director
2020/2021 Season
amadeuschoir.com
Choral creation in a new age
thewholenote.com September 2020 | 21