Wednesday, October 27, 2010

New President of Tonus Vivus

ROBERT J. ROSEN AT THE HELM OF TONUS VIVUS! (Edmonton, AB) Tonus Vivus – Society for New Music is very pleased to welcome the internationally recognised composer, Robert J. Rosen, as its new President.

At the Annual General Meeting held on 24 October, 2010, Tonus Vivus – Society for New Music, elected Robert J. Rosen as its new President. A household name in Canadian and international New Music circles, Rosen brings to the Society decades worth of artistic and administrative success. He has been active on the contemporary music scene for over thirty years and his concert works, trans-disciplinary works, as well as scores for dance and film have been performed and broadcast on five continents in countries ranging from Canada to Sweden to Uruguay to India, to mention just a few. Among a veritable host of great Canadian and foreign artists who have commissioned and presented Rosen's music are Robert Aitken, Jean-Pierre Drouet, Mather-Lepage Duo, Barbara Pritchard, Parmela Attariwala, the Penderecki String Quartet, Trio Phoenix, and many others.

Rosen worked for The Banff Centre for the Arts for fifteen years ending his tenure as the Associate Director of Music and Sound. He was then on faculty at Mount Royal College in Calgary teaching in the Diploma and Conservatory Academy programmes. He has also taught composition at the University of Calgary. Currently, Rosen is on faculty at the Alberta College Conservatory (Grant MacEwan University) in Edmonton, AB.

Rosen will be working closely with the newly elected Board of Directors, which includes composer and educator Linda Purves as Vice President and Treasurer, saxophone virtuosa Allison Balcetis as Secretary, as well as the following Members at Large: George Andrix, Daniel Brophy, Ian Crutchley, Ruth Guechtal, and Colin Labadie.

Says Piotr Grella-Mozejko, the Society's Artistic Director: "The election of Robert Rosen and the new Board marks a breakthrough moment in the Tonus Vivus twenty-five-year-long history. This incredible group of people, which includes the representatives of literally all active generations of Canadian musicians, from the distinguished composers George Andrix and Ian Crutchley to the youngest and extremely talented members such as Allison Balcetis, Ruth Guechtal, Colin Labadie and Dan Brophy, will undoubtedly make their mark and take the Society where it really belongs, to the upper echelons on Canadian and international New Music presenters".

For more information: Tonus Vivus
pgm@tonusvivus.com
allison.balcetis@gmail.com
(780) 432-1618





Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Auditions - Sing Along Messiah with VoiceScapes 2010

AUDITIONS - Jump start your singing career!
VOCAL SOLOISTS needed for VoiceScapesSING ALONG MESSIAH
DECEMBER 19, 2010 at 2.30pm Knox United Church, Calgary

VoiceScapes, Calgary’s professional music collective, is holding auditions for Soprano Mezzo-soprano; Contralto; or Countertenor Tenor Baritone; or Bass-baritone to form the DEBUT QUARTET of singers for our Sing Along Messiah.

Qualifications: Singers may either be completing music studies or embarking on a professional vocal career.

Auditions: November 7th, 2010 from 1-5pm in Calgary
To apply and for further information, please contact:
Christina Jahn, Phone: 403-208-6094 info@voicescapes.ca
Application deadline: November 3, 2010

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to sing one or more arias at VoiceScapes’ Sing Along Messiah with VoiceScapes and a chamber orchestra of professional instrumentalists. In addition to an honorarium, Debut Quartet members will receive complimentary coachings on baroque style and interpretation prior to orchestral rehearsals.

AUDITION INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

1. SING ALONG MESSIAH – OVERVIEW

VoiceScapes will produce their ninth annual Sing Along presentation of G.F. Handel’s Messiah in Calgary. We will present Messiah in a stylish, historically-informed performance.

A Sing Along Messiah is a performance where the audience is invited to sing along in the choruses. Other selections from the piece are performed in usual concert fashion, without audience participation. It is customary to do only a portion of Messiah for practical reasons, since Messiah in its entirety is typically around 3 hours in length. We will do the Christmas portion of Messiah (“Part the first”) and then highlights of the best choruses and arias from the remainder of the work, for a total of about two hours.

For our production, we have decided that the solo recitatives and arias will be done by 8-10 different soloists, comprising of VoiceScapes members, other professional guest soloists, and a “Debut Quartet” (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) of talented young singers who are currently studying or early in their singing careers.

It is our intent to make the VoiceScapes’ Sing Along Messiah a forum for talented young singers to perform alongside professionals. It is an opportunity for many of these young artists to perform Messiah for the first time in a historically-informed manner and in front of a large audience. Each singer would sing one to two arias (also with recitative, if applicable). Each soloist would be given rehearsal and coaching prior to the performance by the conductor and/or members of VoiceScapes, to help refine his/her performance and to learn more about baroque style, phrasing and ornamentation.

The 2010 VoiceScapes’ Sing Along Messiah will be under the direction of Timothy Shantz, conductor, with the participation of the VoiceScapes chamber orchestra (strings, 2 trumpets, organ). The Sing Along Messiah will take place in downtown Calgary, at Knox United Church, on Dec 19, 2010 at 2.30pm.

2. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE “DEBUT QUARTET”

Any Alberta singer, who is currently studying or early in their professional singing career is eligible to audition for the Debut Quartet.

3. APPLICATION TO AUDITION

If you wish to audition to be a member of the Debut Quartet, please forward the following information to VoiceScapes:
a. your name, voice part, contact information (phone, address, email)
b. your singing resume
c. a brief statement (a paragraph) as to why you want to participate as a soloist in VoiceScapes’ Sing Along Messiah
d. indication of time preference for your audition (choose from the times listed below)
e. indication of whether you will need an accompanist (we provide one) or whether you will bring your own
f. (optional) your photo and / or letters of reference

DEADLINE: Your information must be received by: November 3, 2010.

Send the application information to:
VoiceScapes’ Sing Along Messiah Auditions - Info@voicescapes.ca or
2820 18th Street NW Calgary, AB T2M 3V1 phone: 403-208-6094

Questions can be directed to Christina Jahn at (403) 208-6094 or at the above email address. Emailed information must be formatted in Word or pasted into the body of the email message.

4. AUDITION FORMAT (AND WHAT TO BRING)

Auditions will be conducted by members of VoiceScapes (www.voicescapes.ca – biographies page). An accompanist will be provided; you may also elect to bring your own accompanist.

Prepare one or two arias (with appropriate recitatives, if applicable) from Messiah. They do not need to be memorized.

Criteria used to choose the Debut Quartet:
a. Voice and vocal technique
b. Tuning
c. Artistry / presence
d. Communication

5. LOCATION AND TIME

Auditions will be held at Calgary - St. Peter’s Anglican Church, corner of 75th Ave. and Elbow Dr. SW, Calgary Sunday, November 7th, 2010; from 1pm to 5pm.

Audition timeslots are 15 -20 minutes. Efforts will be made to accommodate time slot requests. Please contact us if you are interested in auditioning, but will not be able to attend the November 7th auditions. Your audition time will be confirmed latest by November 5, 2010. Please arrive 10 minutes before your audition time, so that you have time to check in.

6. NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS

VoiceScapes will notify all applicants with the results of the auditions by November 12, 2010. Should you be chosen, dates for rehearsals and concert are as follows:

Friday, Dec 17th 6.30pm – 10pm – soloists rehearsal with orchestra
Saturday, Dec 18th 1.30 – 4.30pm – dress rehearsal
Sunday, Dec 19th 2.30pm Sing Along Messiah!

You are required to be in attendance for all of the above times. The Friday rehearsal is scheduled in such a way as to minimize any unnecessary sitting around for both soloists and instrumentalists.

In addition, selected vocalists have to complete their coaching at least a week prior to the above rehearsals starting.

7. REMUNERATION AND OTHER BENEFITS

Participants chosen for the Debut Quartet in the Sing Along Messiah will receive a minimum of one free coaching (possibly more depending on mutual availability) with VoiceScapes members, a chance to sing with an orchestra, and an honorarium of $75.00 for the performance. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your talent to a large audience in Calgary. You will also receive 4 complimentary tickets to the December 19th performance. This is a value of over $200, but the real value comes from the experience and being able to build your performance resume!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Edzimkulu - Changing Lives 2010 with Kokopelli Choirs

Edzimkulu Changing Lives 2010 is thrilled to present Edmonton’s own Kokopelli Choir for a concert at the Royal Alberta Museum on Sunday, October 24. Join us for the concert and an amazing silent auction and help Edzimkulu to continue our fight against HIV/AIDS in South Africa.  With your help we continue to Change Lives. Tickets are $35 plus service charge and are available at Tix on the Square: 6 p.m. - Doors open, silent auction, 7 p.m. - Kokopelli Concert begins.

Edzimkulu is a Canadian charity dedicated to providing support to children and adults impacted by HIV/AIDS in Ndawana and other communities in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It was established in May 2003. The name Edzimkulu is a combination of Edmonton - the home city of the organization’s founders Chris and Jim Newton - and Umzimkhulu, a major South African River. The name is meant to signify the connection between the people of Edmonton and those of the communities where we work.

Ndawana is a community where the reality of HIV/AIDS is accepted and dealt with in an open, compassionate and non-stigmatic way, with healthy children and adults, an economic base enhanced by accessibility to government programs, a strong system of education, and with many partners including government agencies. The people of greater Edmonton have connection with, and understanding of, the people of Ndawana.



Edzimkulu's mission is to nurture, care for and educate the generation of children affected by HIV/AIDS in Ndawana, South Africa, with the goal of producing healthy members of a cohesive community with an economic base enhanced by education and accessibility to government programs. The people of greater Edmonton, through donations, volunteerism, and exchange of culture, will play an important role in demystifying Africa and the HIV/AIDS pandemic and in empowering the people of Ndawana.

Soloists needed for The Messiah with the Richard Eaton Singers

Attention Soloists!  The Richard Eaton Singers, Leonard Ratzlaff music director, will be performing Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, December 18, evening, at the Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove, AB.  We are holding auditions for solo assignments for interested singers from the Edmonton area. Assignments will be made on an aria-by-aria basis.  Please prepare the aria or arias you would like to be considered for (recit and aria list provided below). An accompanist is provided if necessary for your audition. A small honorarium will be offered to each singer.

Auditions: Wednesday, Nov. 17, 7-9 PM
Convocation Hall, U of A Campus
To sign up for an audition time, please contact Jochen Eggert at info@richardeatonsingers.com
or call the Richard Eaton Singers office at 780-428-3737.

List of Recitatives and Arias (Watkins Shaw edition Nrs.)

Part I:
Tenor Recit and Aria (2-3): Comfort ye – Every valley
Bass Recit (5): Thus saith the Lord
Alto (or Bass) Aria (6): But who may abide
Alto Recit and Aria (8-9): Behold a virgin shall conceive – O thou
Bass Recit and Aria (10-11): For behold, darkness – The people
Soprano Recits (14-16): There were shepherds, etc.
Soprano Aria (18): Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
Alto-Soprano Aria (20: Version II): He shall feed his flock

Part II:
Alto Aria (23): He was despised (shortened version – no da capo)
Tenor Recit (27): All they that see him laugh him to scorn
Tenor Recits (29-30): Thy rebuke – Behold, and see
Tenor or Soprano Recits (31-32): He was cut off – But thou
Soprano Aria (38): How beautiful are the feet
Bass Aria (40): Why do the nations
Tenor Aria (43): Thou shalt break them

Part III:
Soprano Aria (45): I know that my redeemer liveth
Bass Recit and Aria (47-48): Behold, I tell you – The trumpet shall sound

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Edmonton Municipal Election - Arts Focus

On Monday October 18, 2010, consider the arts in Edmonton when you make your choices for your municipal representatives.  Here is some information from the Edmonton Arts Council and the Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton for you to consider before you make your vote.

PACE: Vote for the Arts Campaign 2010 - PACE strives to:

Coalesce the professional arts community of Edmonton towards positive lobbying and advocacy initiatives.
Provide information and support to professional artists and arts and cultural groups in the greater Edmonton region.
Increase the profile of the arts in the city of Edmonton and in the province.

The Art of Living - The Art of Living is an exciting step towards fostering a sustainable and progressive cultural environment in the City of Edmonton – an environment that integrates culture into everyday life and one that strives to retain and attract cultural practitioners.

Whatever you choose, get out there and vote!  For more information on voting in the 2010 Edmonton municipal election, click here.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

We're on Facebook!

Check out Classical Music in Edmonton's Facebook page - just search "Classical Music in Edmonton" and you will see the beautiful picture of the Winspear Centre - click on "Like!"

All of the blog entries will be posted on the Facebook page, but the concert calendar will only be on this site ...

FREE Concert - Tonus Vivus 25th Anniversary

Tonus Vivus 25th Anniversary Concert

FREE Noon Concerts at McDougall United Church

The McDougall Concert Association is presenting its' 32nd season of Music Wednesdays at Noon - a series of FREE noon hour concerts in the banquet hall of McDougall United Church (12:10 to 12:50).  Bring your friends and a bag lunch!  Coffee and tea are also available (use the Macdonald Drive entrance facing the river).  Call 780-468-4964 for more information.

These concerts are funded by contributions from individual donors and the recording industry performance trust fund through the Edmonton Musicians' Association.
  • October 6 David Grainger Brown and Hiromi Takahashi, Guitar and Oboe
  • October 13 Andrew Glover, Solo Piano
  • October 20 Josephine van Lier and Judith Loewen, Baroque Cello and Harpsichord
  • October 27 Leanne Regehr and Janna Olson, Piano Four Hands
  • November 3 Greg Zawaski, Solo Piano
  • November 11 Guillaume Tardif and Alison Minkun, Violin and Piano
  • November 17 Suzanne Langor, Hiromi Takahashi and Jeremy Spurgeon -Horn, Oboe and Piano
  • November 24 Café Musique, Flute, Cello and Piano

Calling all music teachers! Music Conference Alberta 2010

Music Conference Alberta is a proud collaboration between the Alberta Choral Federation, the Alberta Band Association, the Alberta Music Education Foundation, the Alberta Kodály Association and the Alberta Guild of English Handbell Ringers.

MCA is an opportunity for conductors, choristers, studio teachers, music teachers, and other music enthusiasts to attend sessions and workshops on a wide variety of topics related to music and music education. In addition, conference delegates can attend concerts, master classes and social events designed to renew and inspire.

The Alberta Music Education Foundation is proud to sponsor sessions for Studio Teachers of Piano and Voice.  Our feature clinician for Piano will be the renowned ANGELA CHENG. She will perform on Red Deer College main stage on Thursday evening, November 4, 2010 and then present sessions and a master class on Friday, November 5, 2010.  Our feature clinician for Vocal is the respected TORIN CHILES from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.

SUPPORT MUSIC EDUCATION IN ALBERTA!  BECOME A MEMBER OR DONATE TO THE ALBERTA MUSIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION.  The study and performance of music is an integral and necessary part of a well-rounded life and vibrant communities. The AMEF provides funding, ideas, and resources to Alberta's community music students and teachers.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Volunteers Needed! Artists on the Wards Program

The Friends Arts in Healthcare Program is seeking volunteer visual, literary and musical artists for our Artists On The Wards Program. Working with adult acute-care patients at the University of Alberta Hospital, volunteers will engage adult patients in bedside creative activities to alleviate boredom, loneliness, and discomfort.

Volunteers must be:
· a minimum of 18 years of age
· be able to commit to a minimum of 6 consecutive months
· one 2-3 hour shift a week. Days, evenings and weekends are available – shifts allow for some flexibility.
· Waiting Room Musical artists must commit to a minimum of one shift per month.
· English language is essential
· communication and interpersonal skills – comfortable in approaching and interacting with people

Requirements:

Visual artists must have formal training and/or demonstrated experience in visual art in various mediums such as watercolour, acrylics, collage, clay, oil pastel.

Literary artists must have demonstrated experience or facilitating creative writing, poetry, and storytelling. Volunteers must be comfortable reading or storytelling in public or one-on-one.

Bedside Musical artists (individuals) must have a repertoire of a minimum of 10 to 15 songs playing an instrument that can be played quietly at the patient’s beside. e.g. guitar, piano, harp. Please, no brass instruments for bedside artists.

Waiting Room Musical artists (individual to quartet) must have a repertoire of a minimum of 10 to 15 songs to create a relaxing, ambient environment in designated waiting areas. Format will be performance-based and musicians will have access to a piano and/or portable keyboard.

All musical volunteers must be comfortable and confident playing in front of an audience or one-on-one, and must be able to read music or read a chord chart or improvise.

For More Information Contact:
Diana Young Kennedy, MSc Gallery and Collection Administrator, McMullen Gallery 780.407.7152 diana.youngkennedy@albertahealthservices.ca

New Measure Orchestra - "A Night in Disguise" - Time update

An update to our previous post on the New Measure Orchestra's Masquerade Ball and Auction - here are the times you need to know!  Hope to see you there!

When:  October 22nd, 2010

6:00 pm Cocktails

6:30 - 8:00 pm Dinner & Entertainment

8:00 - 9:00 pm Dance lesson (Waltz)

6:00 - 9:30 pm Silent Auction

9:30 pm Dance