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Welcome to VOCA Chorus of Toronto

Welcome to our home on the web! Here you will find information about upcoming concerts and events, as well as details about our artistic staff, guest artists, and past concerts. If you haven’t already done so, please join our mailing list so you’ll be the first to know when we have something new to share.

VOCA’s First Virtual Choir Recording!

Like so many choirs across the globe, VOCA has had a challenging year. We deeply miss singing together in-person. But we’ve been very fortunate to hold weekly sessions on Zoom all season, keep our choral community strong, learn new musical skills, do a ‘deep dive’ into some of our repertoire, enjoy a myriad mix of invaluable warm-ups provided by our 6 wonderful leads … and more.

At our recent Spring Cabaret, we presented a wide array of roots, jazz, classical, pop & musical theatre selections to an audience of almost 300 people.

We also featured a very special finale that night – our choir’s first ever virtual choir recording: Morten Lauridsen’s “Sure On This Shining Night”, his stunning setting of James Agee’s exquisite poetry. We spent many weeks working on this ‘choral adventure’, and are very proud of the results. Huge thanks to 60 choristers, all of VOCA’s professional staff (artistic director Jenny Crober, accompanist Elizabeth Acker and our 6 section leads), and Jamie Drake (Opus 32 Design) for his superb technical production work.

We hope you enjoy our choir’s first virtual choir recording!

What people are saying about us…

“What a thrill that concert was – ALL of it!… I was in seventh heaven during the performance of Magnificat for Turning… a SUPERB performance… brought tears to my eyes.”

 

— Donald Patriquin (2011)

 

“I listened to Winter Solstice with pleasure… stellar work with those opening chords… the quality that delighted me most was the sense of narrative… I think it is one of the most ‘loving’ premieres I have ever had…

 

— Stephen Hatfield (2012)

 

“That was a very special concert tonight … a completely inclusive, unpretentious, deeply moving experience.”

 

— Larry Beckwith (2014)

Vision & Collaboration: Cree Composer Andrew Balfour

Jenny Crober, Artistic Director/Conductor, the VOCA Chorus of Toronto

– As submitted to the CAMMAC Toronto Region Newsletter: Dec. 2020 – Jan. 2021: Vision & Collaboration – Cree Composer Andrew Balfour (Jenny Crober) – CAMMAC Tor. Reg. Newsletter (Dec. 2020 – Jan. 2021)

COVID-19 UPDATE

Due to public health mandates related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to postpone our “STAR SONGS” concert at Roy Thomson Hall on April 9th, 2020.  This landmark event will be reschedulled at a later date. – TBA. 

We also had to postpone our “STAR SONGS” Spring concert at Eastminster United on May 9th, and will be announcing the new date when public health protocols permit. 

We wish to express our sincere thanks for your support and understanding under these unprecedented and uncertain circumstances, and very much look forward to seeing you at our upcoming performances.  

ROY THOMSON HALL!

Postponed: New Date TBD 

More exciting news for the VOCA Chorus of Toronto for Spring 2020!  We’re thrilled and honoured to have been invited to perform a concert as part of ROY THOMSON HALL’s 23rd Annual Choir & Organ Concert Series on Thursday, April 9, 2020, 12:00 pm at Roy Thomson Hall!  (https://www.roythomsonhall.com/tickets/voca-chorus-of-toronto/)

VOCA will be performing “STAR SONGS”, a choral and instrumental celebration of stars and the night sky, featuring works by Paul Halley, Kurt Weill, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Eleanor Daley and others.  

We’re also thrilled to be featuring a world premiere, “Anang (The Star)”, written in Obijway and English by the renowned Cree composer, Andrew Balfour.  (http://cameratanova.com/16/about-us/artistic-director/)

VOCA will be joined by 3 fabulous guest artists, all of whom have previously performed with our ensemble: Shawn Grenke, organ, Colleen Allen, sax and Jamie Drake, percussion.  

We hope to see you at this free concert, our Roy Thomson Hall debut!

 STAR SONGS

Postponed: New Date TBD

On Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 7:30 pm, the VOCA Chorus of Toronto will present “STAR SONGS”, our annual Spring concert at Eastminster United Church (310 Danforth Ave. at Jackman/Chester Station).

VOCA will be presenting a choral and instrumental celebration of stars and the night sky, featuring an array of reflective, lively and inspiring selections by Paul Halley, Eleanor Daley, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Kurt Weill and others.

We’re thrilled that our concert will also feature a newly commissioned work, “Anang (The Star)” by the renowned Cree composer, Andrew Balfour.  (http://cameratanova.com/16/about-us/artistic-director/)

Our fabulous guest artists, all of whom have previously shared the stage with VOCA, will be Shawn Grenke, organ, Colleen Allen, sax and Jamie Drake, percussion.