Canary Pages 2017

Experience the magic of music and release your child’s musical artistry through choral music! A unique musical education is offered to youth in the Durham Region in a supportive and challenging environment. Four distinct choirs include two non-auditioned ensembles for ages 6 to 14, an auditioned treble choir for ages 10 to 15, and an auditioned SATB choir for ages 14 and older. Our repertoire develops musical skills and vocal technique, embraces all styles and genres, and often includes choreography. In addition to annual winter and spring concerts and regular community appearances, these proud choral ambassadors have enjoyed recent tours to Ireland and China. They are currently celebrating their 25th anniversary season! Interested in joining Young Singers? Visit our website.

Anna Lynn Murphy
905-686-9821
administrator@youngsingers.ca
www.youngsingers.ca

The Yorkminstrels Show Choir is an SATB choir, founded in 1974 as an arm of the Yorkminstrels musical theatre company. We sing mostly Broadway music, with oldies, contemporary and seasonal songs added to the mix. With our repertoire, costumes and movement, the show choir has evolved into a unique group. We take entertainment into the community, doing occasional concerts throughout the season at seniors’ residences, and for condo/church/synagogue groups and fundraisers. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings at Cummer Lodge in North York, from September through June. A simple audition is required; note-reading is not essential. We are a warm, fun-loving and welcoming group, so if you enjoy singing, learning harmony and performing, we invite you to join us!

Sandi Horwitz
416-229-9313
horwitz@rogers.com
www.yorkminstrels.com

Established in 1990, Yip's Children's Choir (Canada) consists of Choir, Musical Theatre and Overseas Concert Group - Chorus Canadiana. The choir is dedicated to the promotion of formal music and fine arts education for children and youth. Repertoire includes classical (Renaissance to contemporary) music, religious works, art music, folk music, musical theatre, Broadway musicals and operettas.
The choir has made appearances in Toronto’s performing arts scene as well as national and international concert tours. In 2014/15, Chorus Canadiana completed successful tours to Europe, as part of the Rhapsody! International Music Festival, and to the Golden Gate International Children's and Youth Choral Festival in San Francisco, under the direction of music director Ron Ka Ming Cheung and accompanist Dorothy Yu.
Weekly rehearsals are Saturday afternoons at Markham area. The choir sings up to 4-6 concerts/events annually in a variety of community venues. Interested children are welcome to observe a choir rehearsal.

Katherine Kwok, administrator
905-948-9477 x2100
info@yips.com
www.yips.com

Windsor Classic Chorale believes in honouring choral music by singing it well, contributing to its growth and promoting it in our community. We are teachers, librarians, administrators, lawyers and accountants with a variety of backgrounds and interests. What brings us together is our love for choral music and the belief that it expresses the deepest parts of our humanity. Under the direction of Bruce Kotowich, the Chorale celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017. Season highlights include our annual Remembrance Day Concert, several Christmas appearances throughout the area, and a February concert on themes of love. As hosts of the annual Windsor Choral Festival, we will bring together diverse choirs from Windsor-Essex to sing, learn, and celebrate unity through song.

Jennifer Swanson
519-956-8234
jswanson0526@gmail.com
www.windsorclassicchorale.org

Beautiful melodies, rocking sax solos, edgy new jazz arrangements of Handel’s Messiah– if any of this appeals to you, read on. The Waterloo-based Wayne Gilpin Singers is an auditioned (a singer-friendly audition, we promise!) chamber choir that sings a wide variety of music, including contemporary Christian, gospel, show tunes, spirituals and more. Resident composer/accompanist Andrew Gilpin pens unique arrangements for an ever-expanding Jazz Messiah, an annual event that twins Handel’s beautiful melodies with modern rhythms and musical styles. Also featured in concert are talented guest artists on bass, drums and saxophone, providing an unforgettable musical experience for both audience and choir.

Wayne Gilpin
800-867-3281
wayne@gilpin.ca

As the choir enters its 22nd season, Voices Chamber Choir has firmly established itself as one of the finest amateur choirs in Toronto. Our repertoire spans from the early Renaissance to brand new works by Canadian composers, from standard repertoire performed with orchestra to an all unaccompanied program. Our music challenges the singers to be their best and beyond with exhilarating results. If you would like to sing in a choir that will give you more than just a night out to socialize, a choir that will engage your musical senses, come and join us.

Ron Cheung
416-519-0528
rkmcheung@yahoo.ca
www.voiceschoir.com

The VOCA Chorus of Toronto is a dynamic, auditioned ensemble that performs eclectic repertoire (including premieres of arrangements by our artistic director) in collaboration with some of Canada’s finest artists. Each season consists of two major concerts, two retreats (one locally with guest clinician; one out of town), a cabaret, and community performances. Rehearsals are Monday evenings at Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Ave., Toronto. On Saturday, May 27, 7:30pm at Eastminster, we will present Carmina Burana, featuring the two piano/percussion version of Orff's monumental masterpiece, along with selections by Gjeilo (including an instrumental world premiere), Letourneau (an Ontario premiere) and Tate.  Director: Jenny Crober. Accompanist: Elizabeth Acker. Guests: TorQ Percussion Quartet, Shawn Grenke, Elizabeth Polese, Michael Nyby, Christopher Mayell.

Jenny Crober
416-463-8225
crober.best@gmail.com
www.vocachorus.ca

VIVA! Youth Singers of Toronto, now in its 17th season, is a vibrant, inclusive choral organization with excellent musical opportunities for all singers from the age of 4 to adults. VIVA!’s Inclusion Program offers support for differently-abled singers. Diverse programming features age-appropriate choral training through instruction in vocal technique, private vocal instruction and music theory. Singers from the Junior Choir and up may choose to perform with VIVA! in the National Ballet of Canada’s Nutcracker. VIVA!’s fine musicians and mentors deliver authentic music-making in a supportive, singer-centred community. During the 2017/18 season, singers will explore music/arts that are inspired by First Nations and Indigenous cultures. For the older choirs, the season will culminate in a cultural/musical exchange to Canada’s north.

Susan Suchard, general manager
416-788-8482
info@vivayouthsingers.com
www.vivayouthsingers.com

Village Voices, a diverse, mixed-voice community choir of about 70 voices based in Markham, will enter its 29th season in September. The choir presents two major concerts annually and sings at seniors’ residences and special community events. Directed by Oksana Vignan, the choir performs a wide variety of choral repertoire, from the great standard classics to contemporary music. Village Voices has collaborated and performed with other choirs in Ontario and as guest artists of instrumental organizations such as the Markham Concert Band and the Kindred Spirits Orchestra. The choir’s musical skills are honed regularly through special workshops with outstanding choral musicians. On May 12 and 13, 2017, Village Voices is proud to celebrate Canada150, with the concert "Here's to Song," a mix of traditional and folk songs as well as Missa Pax, a contemporary score by Canadian Tim Corlis.

Ellen Dowswell
905-763-4172
info@villagevoiceschoir.com
www.villagevoices.ca

A past winner of the Canada Council Healey Willan Grand Prize in the the CBC Radio National Competition for Amateur Choirs and one of Canada’s finest male choral ensembles, the Victoria Scholars Men's Choral Ensemble treats audiences to a wide range of music, from Medieval plainchant and works from the Baroque, Renaissance and Romantic eras through to contemporary and newly commissioned works from some of Canada’s best-known composers. Along with an annual three-concert series in Toronto, the Victoria Scholars have released five widely acclaimed recordings, including the most recent release in January 2016, Songs of Love, toured nationally and internationally, and perform regularly with international vocal soloists and arts organizations. If you are an experienced musician with excellent sight reading abilities and would like to join the Victoria Scholars for the upcoming season, please contact us today.

Jerzy Cichocki
416-761-7776
info@victoriascholars.ca
www.victoriascholars.ca