Swindon Male Voice Choir are going traveling again, taking our music to Canada!
.
The
Choir will leave Swindon before the sun rises on Thursday 24th May,
travel to Gatwick and take flights to Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
This is the beginning of a 10 day concert tour that will take the Choir
singing all the way from Calgary through the Canadian Rockies and arrive for a
grand finale at Vancouver, British Columbia.
Arriving
in Calgary after a long flight, and adjusting to several time zone changes, the
initial concert is staged at the First Baptist Church, Calgary on Friday
evening. A most delightful venue to
present the Choir’s first choral offering.
The
Choir then move on into The Rockies, to the area of Lake Louise.
This area so famed for it’s startling views of snow covered mountains
dropping to clear blue lakes are the dream of every member to see first hand.
Of course while the Choir is in Lake Louise there will be an informal but
highly prestigious choral performance in the Lake Louise Fairmont Chateau.
On
Monday (28th) we move on to Kimberley and the following day to Nelson
ready for a formal concert in the United Church in Nelson – a beautiful modern
design church just back on the hillside from the Kootenay River.
Wednesday
brings another early start for the Choir as the tour moves to Kelowna.
The Choir are taking a deserved rest with a formal dinner during the
evening. No doubt some will still
want to sing!
Thursday
evening the Choir takes a short journey to the First United Church in Kelowna,
to present a concert for the Okanagan Choral Society.
Seeing the listing of performers presented by the Choral Society Swindon
Male Voice Choir are proud to be performing for them.
A
very early start on Friday (1st June), as the travellers make their
way to Vancouver. By 7.30pm that
evening the Choir will be well prepared for the final concert of the tour at the
White Rock Baptist Church, Surrey, Vancouver.
A very special finale as the Choir are the guests of the highly respected
Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir. Nothing excites a chorister
more than singing with and for another Choir, sharing the friendship, excitement
and camaraderie that music brings.
The
music starts, breathe deeply, (from the abdomen not the chest, please) heads
poised, eyes firmly on the conductor and you’re off!
Singing like a bird within a choral of birds in the beauty of Canada, and
it feels, well, good. Nothing much
in the world has actually changed, but everything feels a little different, a
little more forgiving, a little more friendly.
Such is the world of Choirs!
And
so to Saturday to reflect on the Concert tour and take a few days to relax
before heading home to share the experiences that only music can bring.
There
will have been plenty of formal and informal singing, time to relax and enjoy
the delights of Canada, and maybe even the excitement of White Water Rafting for
some of the more adventurous!
The
Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir
is part of Vancouver, Canada's thriving community choir scene. Formed
in 1992 for men of all ages who enjoy singing, the choir focuses on popular
songs from many times and lands, including Broadway showtunes, spirituals, sea
shanties, and rousing male voice classics.
http://www.vancouverorpheus.org
The
Okanagan Choral Society (1995) is an organization that supports
choral and vocal music in the Okanagan. Its range of activities includes:
http://www.okanaganchoralsociety.com
Editor’s
Note:
This
tour has been organised entirely by members of Swindon Male Voice Choir and the
costs of the tour have been met by the participating members.
Several
fund raising events have been staged during the past 12 months to help offset
some of the essential expenses involved in such a tour.
A
wide and varied repertoire of music has been prepared including a special
arrangement of the Canadian National Anthem provided by the Choir’s Director
of Music, Max Brockman-More.
Gordie
Smith
Concert
Secretary
Swindon
Male Voice Choir
The Choir is presenting an Open Evening in the near future to invite potential new members. Contact information for more details is included on our ‘Join the Choir’ page.
Members of Swindon Male Voice Choir have been proud to
present two of their long serving members with awards to recognise their
commitment and dedication to the Choir.
Due to poor health, both Wilf Blackwell and Norman Barwood
have had to step down from active Choir participation, but remain firm
supporters of the Choir. It was
therefore most appropriate that at our Christ Church Carol Concert the Choir
Chairman presented them with Honorary Life Membership awards.
We extend our thanks to Wilf and Norman for their superb support of the
Choir over many years and wish them well in their ‘retirement’.
A very special concert on Saturday 17th March 2007 at the Old Mill Hall, Grove, (Wantage) will see Swindon Male Voice Choir taking the stage with Wantage Male Voice Choir. More details on our Concert Diary page.
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