[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the choir]   There is a lot of trust involved in being a singer in a choir.     Trust that you will eventually learn the song; trust that, even if you&r...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the choir]   You can tell winter is on its way because it’s dark and cold when I set off for choir each week.   photo by Todd Shaffer   It w...

Coral Reyes Bartlet David Martel, piano José Híjar Polo, director Iglesia de la Peña de Francia 20 de marzo de 2015 Imagen y sonido @mediawink

The Grande Prairie Boys’ choir is celebrating its seventeenth season, providing audiences at home and away with the gift of song from the hearts of 135 boys between the ages of 7 and 20. Along side intensive voice training, drama instruction, theory and ...  moreThe Grande Prairie Boys’ choir is celebrating its seventeenth season, providing audiences at home and away with the gift of song from the hearts of 135 boys between the ages of 7 and 20. Along side intensive voice training, drama instruction, theory and sight reading in several smaller ensembles for several age categories, the choir produces 6 sold out concerts per year. Their most recent ambitions include producing a Symphony and Singing in the City concert with professional orchestral musicians mentoring local professional and semiprofessional performers from Grande Prairie. The Senior and Men of Note choirs hAve trAvelled Nationally to BC, and ON and internationally to Phoenix, Arizona. In 2014, they entered and won second place in the Canadian National Music Festival and in 2016 were chosen out of 45 choirs to perform at the National Choral Conference in Edmonton where they premiered a choral piece Magnificat Anima Mea to huge acceptance. They won first place in Provincials in 2017 and trAveled to Irelan...    less

Colloque Sentimental English version by S N Solomons after the poem by Paul Verlaine music for three altos a cappella, composed and performed by David W Solomons Colloque Sentimental - (translation by S N Solomons after Paul Verlaine) In the age-...  moreColloque Sentimental English version by S N Solomons after the poem by Paul Verlaine music for three altos a cappella, composed and performed by David W Solomons Colloque Sentimental - (translation by S N Solomons after Paul Verlaine) In the age-old park, treading the icy grass Two lone forms ere a while went past. Their eyes are dead, their lips are soft and moist, Almost inaudible their voice. In the cold lonely park, pacing the grass, Twin lonely spectres hAve evoked the past. "Dost thou recall our ecstasy of old?" "Why would you think I should recall?" "And at my name does thy heart pulse and grow? And in thy dreams seest thou my soul?" "No!" "Those lovely days of unheard bliss and free ... We fused our lips as one!" "Ah, that might be." "How blue the heAvens and our hope how high!" "Hope has fled vanquished to the sombre sky." And so they wandered in the unkempt grass, And night alone heard all the words that passed.  less

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the choir]   It is always difficult to find suitable venues for choir performances.   photo by Ben Dodson   Churches are usually very welcoming (and oft...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the choir]   Joining a new choir is a bit like going to big school: it’s exciting, but a bit scary and it will take a while to learn the ropes.   p...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the choir] When you think you’re not singing well, you’ll often blame yourself. But what if it’s something else, something outside yourself that you ca...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the choir]   We are lucky that singing is a very social activity. Whether we are a choir leader or singer, we are amongst friends each week.     I'm diffe...

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the choir] This post is part of a series of occasional Questions and Answers. Just contact me if you want to submit a question that I will answer in a future blog post. &n...