WINTER NORTH & SOUTH, Sat., Dec. 6, 2014
On Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 7:30 PM, the VOCA Chorus of Toronto presented ‘WINTER NORTH & SOUTH’. Our performance featured an eclectic array of musical selections by Northern composers and songwriters, including Canadian folk legend Stan Rogers’s iconic “Northwest Passage”, Ottawa native Elise Letourneau’s jazz-inspired “A Mid-Winter Night’s Dream”, Ola Gjeilo’s stunning “Northern Lights”, and Morten Lauridsen’s deeply moving masterpiece, “O Magnum Mysterium”.
In contrast, we featured the festive and often tender “Carols & Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest” by Conrad Susa (with gorgeous harp, guitar & marimba accompaniment), as well as other seasonal celebrations from the South.
Our choir was joined by some of Canada’s finest musicians. Along with our resident pianist, Elizabeth Acker, we were accompanied by Lori Gemmell, harp, William Beauvais, guitar, Les Allt, flute, tin whistle, and pan pipes, and Michelle Colton and Ray Dillard, percussion.
FROM THE HEART, Sat., May 31, 2014
On Saturday, May 31, 2014 at 7:30 PM, the VOCA Chorus of Toronto presented ‘FROM THE HEART’ – a look at love through song & spoken word. This concert featured guest artists Deborah Drakeford (narration), Martin van de Ven (clarinet), Ray Dillard (percussion), and Rob Clutton (bass).
Some of the eclectic selections featured that evening, interspersed with poetry and prose on the fascinating and complex topic of love included the madrigal “My Bonnie Lass, She Smileth”, the evocative “Your Fragrance” by B.C. composer Ed Henderson, Jonathan Quick’s tenor/bass arrangement of “Loch Lomond”, Steve Zegree’s arrangement of “Moon River”, the Kenyan folk song “Ning Wendete”, Nick Page’s soprano/alto arrangement of “Niska Banja” (with Marten van de Ven on clarinet and Ray Dillard on percussion), Healey Willan’s iconic “Rise Up, My Love”, Billy Joel’s “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” and Morten Lauridsen’s stunning “Sure on this Shining Night”.
*We were very grateful to Toronto’s Stephen Best for the use of his flower image for our promotional material for this concert.
Our Fourth Annual Cabaret
On Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 7:30 PM, the VOCA Chorus of Toronto presented our fourth annual CABARET. It was an evening of fun, food and fundraising, featuring multi-talented members of the VOCA Chorus of Toronto, savoury & sweet appetizers, a cash bar, and a silent auction.