Features

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is no stranger to prominent people and occasions: over its ten-year history, the Toronto-based choir has sung at events honouring Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Mohammed Ali. But last month’s engagements in Washington DC were in many ways unprecedented, thrusting the group onto the world stage.

“We were pleased and flattered by the invitations,” said the choir’s director, Brainerd Blyden-Taylor (with understated delight), shortly before his choir sang at the festivities surrounding Barack

Obama’s inauguration. “We not only represent Afrocentric music, but also a kind of diversity that’s responsive to Obama’s ideas about community and coming together.”

The only Canadian musical group to take part in the inauguration events, the choir performed on January 19 (Martin Luther King Day) at the Smithsonian Institution’s

Museum of the American Indian. On January 20 – the day of Obama’s inauguration – the choir sang a concert at the Canadian Embassy.

Major Web reno under way

“…to serve you better” as the airports say

Welcome to thewholenote.com and a word of caution as you proceed. As you’ll see, we’re in the process of renovation – going from an old html-driven clunker of a website – served us well for eleven years! – to something better suited to today’s realities and tomorrow’s hopes.

The pace of renovation is going to be uneven.

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Under NEWS ROOM you’ll find feature stories, interviews, and regular columns about upcoming events, and people or issues affecting the live classical and post-classical music scene.

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All this, and more, even before the dust settles!.

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