The Elektric Blog

Elektra Marks 25th Anniversary with Pure Elektra

2012-01-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

Elektra Women’s Choir and Artistic Director Morna Edmundson are pleased to announce Pure Elektra, a concert on March 4 (3pm) at Ryerson United Church (Vancouver) that marks the ensemble’s silver anniversary.

The focal point of the concert is From Behind the Caravan: Songs of Hâfez by American composer, Abbie Betinis. This five movement work for women’s voices, cello, oud, and percussion, is sung in Farsi and is symbolic of Elektra’s commitment to the exploration of new works for women’s choirs. Betinis is one of the brightest of young American composers and this is the third work of hers that Elektra has performed in recent years.

Listen to the final movement here on YouTube!

Pure Elektra includes the world premiere of Kathleen Allan’s Joy (text by Sarah Teasdale), a work that is a robust musical exploration of the joys of being in love. Contrasting Joy is Stephen Chatman’s I am Not Yours (text also by Sarah Teasdale), a delicate a cappella work. The concert also includes seven more Canadian composers, including works by Allan Bevan, Sheldon Rose, Diane Loomer, Donald Patriquin, and Stephen Smith.

Morna Edmundson,
Artistic Director

“One of the things this concert celebrates is Elektra’s role over the past quarter century in developing excellent repertoire for women’s voices,” Morna explains. “So in addition to the world premiere of Joy, we have In the Gardens of Shushan by Ontario composer Sheldon Rose, which was submitted a few years ago to one of our reading sessions, and Tundra by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, commissioned by a consortium of North American women’s choirs that includes Elektra. Of course, Conductor Emerita Diane Loomer has ensured a strong commissioning future for us with the creation of the Diane Loomer Commissioning Fund for Elektra Women’s Choir, through which we have funded the new Allan piece.”

Loomer, the choir’s Conductor Emerita and Co-Founder, will conduct her own arrangement of Allister MacGillivray’s Away from the Roll of the Sea. Elektra will be joined for this piece and other selections (including the premiere of Kathleen Allan’s new work) by the young women of Mira, the choir’s mentoring program for high school-aged singers. “The forward-looking theme of the concert encompasses the fact that our 12 high school mentorship program singers will be premiering “Joy” with us. I’m so happy they’ll be meeting the composer and be truly part of the birth of a work that will likely go on to be performed by other choirs.”

Pure Elektra is a concert that celebrates Elektra’s leading role in the development of women’s choral music and showcases a choir that is renowned internationally and treasured locally. By turns serene, gripping, beautiful, and surprising, Pure Elektra will surround you with beauty in a program of works full of the radiant “Elektra sound” that has captivated audiences for 25 years.

Close your eyes, open your ears, and take a deep breath of Pure Elektra.

Pure Elektra

Sunday, March 4, 2012 • 3pm • Ryerson United Church,

2195 W45 Ave, Vancouver

$28 | $22 Brown Paper Tickets 1.800.838.3006

Also availabe through the choir office 604.739.1255 or through choir members

A New Choral Family

2011-11-20T15:27:00.001-08:00

This fall has been filled with a lot of newness in my life. My name is Sara, and I joined Elektra this fall after moving to Vancouver from Edmonton. On September 1st, I packed up my life into my little car and drove 12 hours to Vancouver to set up my new life here. New city, new apartment, new job and most importantly new choir.

Choir has been a huge aspect of my life since before I can remember. I sang in elementary school choirs, studied a bit of voice privately after school and then at the age of 11 auditioned into Cantilon Choirs, a community choral organization in the greater Edmonton area. It was in this program that I developed my voice, technique and, most importantly, my confidence.

What a lot of people who are not in choir do not realize is that it is a family, a comfort zone that allows even the shyest people to shine. I am naturally introverted but in choir, surrounded by people who actively support me and each other, my personality blossoms. Leaving my choral family and joining a new group was the most difficult and emotional change I had to make for this move.

Sara (left) and Cantilon choir sisters Andrea and Roxanne
on top of The Duomo in Florence,
Belle Canto Italy Tour July 2010.

I still do not know many names, but I have been welcomed with open arms into Elektra, and I really feel the warmth of this group of talented women every time we sing together.

On Saturday, November 26th I will be participating in my first Elektra concert, Chez Nous. As a self-defined Christmas addict, I love any and all things Christmas. Singing Christmas carols in my uncontested favourite Christmas activity. To feed this addiction we have been rehearsing Christmas music all fall to prepare for Chez Nous, and it is guaranteed to be a heartwarming kick-off to your Christmas season.

On a whim, two weeks ago I auditioned for a solo verse in one of our pieces, Quelle est cette odeur agréable?, a traditional French carol arranged by Paul Nash. To my astonishment, Morna asked me to sing this solo at the concert. Practicing it with Elektra has been nerve-wracking as I am still getting to know everyone. Hopefully my nerves will not overwhelm me, and I can sing the verse as beautifully for you as I can in my living room with only my two cats to judge.

First Elektra concert, first Elektra solo… See you Saturday!

Sara Laughton, soprano

Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra

with special guests

Borealis String Quartet

Surrey Children's Choir (Stephen Horning, Director)

Saturday November 26 • 2pm purchase tickets

Queens Avenue United Church

529 Queens Ave (at 6th St), New Westminster

Adults $28 • Seniors $22 •$10 Youth

(Youth price available only at matinee)

Saturday November 26 • 7:30pm purchase tickets

Ryerson United Church

2195 W45 Ave, Vancouver

Adults $28 • Seniors/Students $22

Brown Paper Tickets 1.800.838.3006

Tickets also available through the choir office 604.739.1255,

from Elektra members, or at the door.

Kindred Spirits: A Memorizing Journey

2011-04-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

The approach to Kindred Spirits, our final concert of this season, was carefully explained to us back in January (If you missed it, you can watch the cool video introduction here.)

As Elektra singers we were excited about the whole concept:

Work with Shelagh Rogers, a Canadian celebrity and dear friend of the choir? SURE!

Sing some of our favourite works that explore friendship and that oh so favoured question of our land, "Just what does it mean to be Canadian? CHECK!

Perform in front of mindblowingly gorgeous images of the Canadian landscape, taken by renowned photographer, Mike Grandmaison? AWESOME!

Incorporate movement and staging into the concert, so it's not just us standing in rows and singing. BRING IT ON!

Sing everything by memory. SAY WHAT?!?

You may be unaware that a great divide exists over this whole memorization issue in the choral world. On one side are those that can look at a score, sing it once or twice, have it committed to memory, never look at the score again, and sing it perfectly. They are amazing.

They are called keeners.

The rest of us rely on years of sightreading practice, copious notes scribbled in margins, and hours spent learning to engage an audience and watch a conductor - all with a choral folder clutched firmly in hand.

Kindred Spirits is a concert that will be sung completely from memory – a first for Elektra.

This has lead to angst, aural earworms that just won't shut down, frustration overcome by relief that your part is actually securely housed in your memory, and Elektra members grabbing any possible available moment of free time to study. We have photos to prove it, too!

Holly lay on a beach in Dubai - and studied Winter Sky. Now that's commitment!

Alessia went for brunch with friends - and took her music. (The friends were bemused.)

Elisabeth grabbed a few minutes in the departure lounge at YVR to give that score one more look.

And Ros even studied during her wedding!

(OK, we made that last one up, but it does provide an opportunity to wish Ros and Rob the happiest of times together in their married life!)

The bottom line is that Kindred Spirits is going to be a treat for ears and the eyes, and unlike any Elektra performance you've attended. This concert will move and delight you, and send you home with a renewed appreciation of friendship, life, and this beautiful land we live in. Come join us for this unique experience!

Tickets for Vancouver shows are available from choir members, the Elektra office (604.739.1255) or through Brown Paper Tickets brownpapertickets.ca 1.800.838.3006. Tickets for the Victoria performance are available through the Christ Church Cathedral office (250.383.2714), at the door, and through brownpapertickets.ca.

An Introduction to Kindred Spirits: Elektra & Shelagh Rogers

2011-03-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

When Canadian broadcasting icon, Shelagh Rogers, told Morna Edmundson that she'd do anything for Elektra, she was thinking along the lines of hosting a concert or emceeing a fundraising gala.

Seizing the opportunity, Morna suggested something bolder - a shared concert featuring Shelagh and Elektra in an exploration of friendship and life.
From that initial idea has grown Kindred Spirits: Elektra & Shelagh Rogers, and we're quite sure that it is not going to be your "average" choral concert.

Imagine stunning images of Canada being projected behind the choir for the entire concert. (The photography is by the internationally renowned artist, Mike Grandmaison, a personal friend of Shelagh's.)

Add in some of Elektra's most heartfelt songs, chosen to illuminate Shelagh's personal thoughts of what it means to be Canadian.

Now - add in some choreography! Yes - with the able assistance of choreographer, Kevin Fatkin, Elektra is going to incorporate movement into Kindred Spirits.

Have we got you curious? In these days of political campaigns telling everyone that they're more Canadian that "those other guys", Kindred Spirits: Elektra & Shelagh Rogers is going to offer a distinctly personal view of this land we call home and the ties that bind us together as a people.

The following video was shot in January during a day-long retreat that focused on Kindred Spirits. It's an insider's glimpse into the very formative stages of what will be a unique choral experience. Enjoy it, then order your tickets from Brown Paper Tickets. For Vancouver tickets click here. For Victoria tickets click here.

Spring: O Primavera - Savor Some Italian Early Music!

2011-02-24T17:07:00.000-08:00

Imagine music so entrancing people travelled across a continent to hear it.

Imagine young women virtuosi so accomplished that composers vied to write for them.

That is the repertoire you’ll experience at Spring: O Primavera, performed by the brilliant singers of Elektra and the fabulous musicians of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra. You’ll hear orchestral works by Antonio Vivaldi (including the beautiful Primavera from The Four Seasons), and Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Elektra joins the orchestra for Nicola Porpora’s Magnificat and closes the concert with Vivaldi’s familiar and gorgeous Gloria. While Vivaldi is certainly a known name to most of us, Legrenzi and Porpora are not - but never fear, their music is as ravishingly moving as that of the "Red Priest’s." (Note: He was called that because of his red hair.)

The second half of the concert opens with a work for solo voice by Sigisimondo d'India (how can you not love his name!?) This beautiful work will put the spotlight on a soloist drawn from the talented ranks of Elektra. Who will it be? Auditions are this coming week, so you'll have to be in the audience to hear who gets this plum vocal assignment - but to wet your appetite, here's a performance on YouTube to enjoy.

We're proud to say that all of the vocal soloists featured in Spring: O Primavera will be Elektra members.

Spring: O Primavera is your invitation to a concert evocative of the glories and mystery of Venice, the warmth of Italy, and an exciting collaboration between two local ensembles. Order your tickets now from Brown Paper Tickets now!

Spring: O Primavera
a co-production of Pacific Baroque Orchestra and Elektra Women's Choir

Saturday, March 26 • 8 pm purchase tickets
Ryerson United Church, 2195 W45 Ave, Vancouver

Sunday, March 27 • 2:30 pm purchase tickets
West Vancouver United Church, 2062 Esquimalt Ave, West Vancouver

Adults $30 • Seniors $25 • Students (20 yrs & over) $10 • Youth (under 19 yrs) FREE
Brown Paper Tickets 1.800.838.3006

Programme:

Antonio Vivaldi Concerto in D for trumpet and oboe, strings and bc, RV 781
Jean Baptiste Lully Phaeton: "Suite des 4 Saisons"
Giovanni Legrenzi Ave Regina Coelorum for choir and bc
Johann Rosenmüller Sonata IX in D, from XII Sonatas 1682
Nicolo Porpora Magnificat for choir, strings and bc
Antonio Vivaldi Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, op.8/2 "La Primavera"
Sigismondo d'India "O Primavera, Gioventù dell'Anno" solo voice and bc
Antonio Vivaldi "Gloria" (RV589) for choir, trumpet, oboe, strings and bc

Reading Session of New Compositions For Women's Choir

2011-02-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

The call for submissions went out months ago: Are you a local composer with a new work for women's choir, or interested in writing for women's choir? Then submit your work for consideration for this month's Reading Session of New Compositions! From the works submitted, Morna has chosen four to be highlighted and workshopped on February 21st. The evening is FREE and open to the public, so we encourage you to attend!

The works being presented are:

A Cruel Circumstance by Chris Sivak
ame potsu potsu by Rita Ueda
Growth by Eireann O’Dea
Where Everything is Music by Norma Luccock

Morna Explains the Selection Process

"In choosing the four pieces to be read, I was looking for a variety of textures and musical ideas," explains Morna. "The evening is meant to give the composers insights not only into how their own works unfold in the rehearsal process and ultimately sound, but also to see and hear what other people are writing for the same ensemble. Stephen Smith and I will have an informal dinner and pre-rehearsal chat with the four composers, and then we spend the rest of the evening with the choir singing through the pieces. That part of the evening is recorded and each composer gets a copy. The composers will have a chance to explain to the choir what they had in mind, to stop and try variations if something is not sounding like they imagined it would, and to invite comments from the singers. These biennial evenings always help Elektra connect with the local community of composers, and also equip the composers with stronger choral writing skills."

The public is warmly welcome to the session from 7:00pm -9:30pm on Monday, February 21st at Ryerson United Church, 2195 West 45th Avenue in Vancouver. Admission is free.

Tapestry International 2012 Announced

2011-01-26T14:01:00.000-08:00

Tapestry International is the name of a special, international choral festival that will be one of the highlights of Elektra Women’s Choir’s 25th Anniversary Season. Taking place in May 2012 in Vancouver, the project will see up to four outstanding women’s choirs from North America and beyond joining with Elektra for four days of rehearsal, collaboration, and public performance. Artistic excellence is at the heart of the project, with a goal of including a diverse mix of interesting musical cultures and repertoire.

Key elements of “Tapestry International” 2012

Up to four guest choirs participating plus Elektra Women’s Choir.
Two public concerts will be presented in Vancouver: at Ryerson United Church and St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church.
Each choir will perform on its own and together as a massed choir.
The five conductors will each conduct the massed choir in a piece that represents their choral culture.
As well as singing with all 150 voices, the four guest choirs will be paired to collaborate and share repertoire with one other guest choir in a smaller, more intimate context.
Festival schedule is designed to facilitate musical sharing and cross-cultural socialization.
The two public concerts will be a major element of Elektra’s 25th Anniversary season.

Cherry blossom snow. Photo, Bruce Hoffman

Full details can be found here, and our spiffy Online Registration form is found here. If you have any questions, please email our office or call 1.604.739.1255.

Late April and early May in Vancouver are lovely. The cherry trees will have been in bloom (there's all kinds of ornamental cherry trees planted throughout the city), and often there are drifts of petals all over the sidewalks and roads. It's a beautiful time to visit Vancouver, and we hope you'll join us!

Attention Choral Conductors: Check Out Our New Repertoire Resources for Women's Choirs!

2011-01-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

The conversation usually goes like this: "Morna, I'm in the middle of planning my repertoire for next season and I need one more folk song that features my altos. What has Elektra done that you would recommend?" Or "We just started working with a fabulous new accompanist and I want to feature her in our next concert" or "Our Christmas concert is shared with a children's choir. Any suggestions for repertoire?"

Then, whether it's in Calgary or Caracas, Smithers or San Francisco, every choral conductor within earshot is gathered around to share their recent discoveries. These are some of the most enjoyable moments of being part of the choral world.

The internet has made it possible for Elektra to launch a brand new resource - think of it as 24/7 access to some of those conversations. Everything Elektra has sung for 24 seasons is there including, in some cases, notes on what the piece is like to teach and conduct, notes from composers, links to composers and publishers, texts and English translations, durations, and more.

The resource is "live" now and growing all the time, as more details are added on the music such as score samples and recorded excerpts. Visit elektra.ca, choose "Repertoire Resources" and click on "Collections" to see a list "Suitable for Young Voices" or "All Canadian Works" or "Christmas Music." Happy browsing!

Exquisite Board Dinner for Gala Auction Winners

2010-12-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

Enjoying a fabulous dinner!

Recently eight friends gathered at Elisabeth's house for a spectacular five-course dinner prepared and served graciously by Alessia, Bruce, Elisabeth, and Holly. Like Elektra itself, the evening was a perfect balance of elegance and warmth. Among the menu items were ceviche of tuna, hand-made gnocchi di patate, bouef en croute, Qualicum Bay scallops, and for dessert, lemon souffle in hand-made chocolate cups. After dinner, Holly played piano and we all sang a little and chatted in a swoon of great food, wine, and company. The evening was sponsored by David and Halina Mitton, who bid successfully on the Elektra Board Dinner at Simply Elektra last spring, thereby donating generously to Elektra and giving their friends a fabulous evening. Huge thanks to Holly, Bruce, Alessia, and especially Elisabeth.

Arlene Higgs (who was at the table)

Carefully prepared courses being assembled in the kitchen.

This was my first year participating in the Board Dinner, an item that is auctioned off every year at our Gala, and I can gaurantee it won't be my last. I can't think of a better way to spend an evening than preparing (and sampling) delicious food, meeting new people, listenning to (and getting to play) great music, and sitting around the fire until the wee hours of the morning enjoying good wine and great conversation. We had 8 wonderful guests for dinner and it was such an honour to say thank you to our supporters by serving them and giving them an enjoyable evening.

Holly Kennedy (who was in the kitchen)

The kitchen crew: Elisabeth, Alessia, Bruce, Holly.

And in case you're wondering how to make handmade chocolate cups, here's the recipe!

The Auditions

2010-11-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

All summer long I dreamt and longed to return to Elektra to continue singing with my friends, and now my family. The longing was made worse by the continued weekly emails that popped up and seem to say, “Yes, you do have about 4.5 more weeks left till you can sing together again…”

This year something else caught my eye in the weekly email. “All singers who wish to audition for B. Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, and Vivaldi in the spring, need to come prepared to sing their selected works at the second rehearsal in September.”

Astonished, I recalled saying to myself, “Holy Smokes, we’ve gotta step it up this year.”

In New York every year the famed and wonderful Met Auditions take place on stage at Lincoln Center. The best and brightest opera stars from across North America gather for a strenuous and difficult audition process, which will name the newest Opera Sensations in less than a week. Men and Women of all shapes and sizes perform their Arias under great stress, competition, and pressure.

In 2008 the Metropolitan produced a documentary following the contestants through their day-to-day preparation and performances leading up and during the competition in New York. It was thrilling to follow each singer as they discovered their stage anxiety’s coming forward, and their gulping of water as they calmed their nerves. Truly like the Olympics on the Opera Stage.

Elektra’s auditions this year, though not quite as stressful as singing before millions on screen, were a challenge not seen in any years previous. Alex Weimann, the director of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, was flying in from Montreal mid-October, and our Vivaldi solos needed to be prepared by then. (For a concert in the spring!)

Two rounds of auditions happened for Vivaldi’s Gloria, first for Moran, and then for Alex. It seemed so very similar to the auditions that take place in New York. The thrill was huge, and the pressure was high to impress both Morna, and then Mr. Weimann. I am proud to say that every singer who made it through the second round of auditions to sing for Alex presented Elektra at it’s finest and delivered their solo parts with true musicality.

At this year’s Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra, we perform B. Britten’s famed choral work A Ceremony of Carols, and in it are some of the most beautiful and melodic solo lines. Each soloist has worked extremely hard this year to present themselves as a worthy contender, just as each singer in the Metropolitan Opera House has done. No matter how large the stage is, or how small the audience is, we sing equally with just as much passion!

Memories of our secret special Christmas sound: A Ceremony of Carols

2010-11-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

I’ve been in Elektra in two phases of my life – between my number #2 and #3 children and since my #3 got old enough to be in her own choirs.

There were many highlights of singing with Elektra before I had three kids; singing in the Sydney Opera house, singing Oh Canada in harmony for our Canadian waitress in a Sydney restaurant and watching her weep with happiness and homesickness, performing the world premiere of Ramona Leungen’s Stabat Mater with Judith Forst, and performing Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols with Harpist Rita Costanzi in 1997.

I was particularly thrilled to sing A Ceremony of Carols because as a child we had exactly two Christmas albums in our house, one was traditional religious carols and the other was A Ceremony of Carols which I totally loved and none of my friends has ever heard of. So it was like our family’s own secret special Christmas sound. Our church choir or school choir never considered it as achievable repertoire so it lived in my mind as magical faery music sung by angels.

When the Christmas repertoire was handed out in September all those years ago, there was a buzz of excitement and suddenly I realized there was a whole community of people who shared my love of this work. Each week was a thrill to work on the pieces and to actually sing those lines that I had hummed along to as a child. Then when Rita joined us with the harp, I was in heaven! The performance was amazing.

There may have been the odd technical flaw, I can’t remember, but I remember feeling completely high after the performance because we had nailed the excitement and energy of the piece. It was like being in a time outside of time that happens when you are completely in the moment and are participating in creating bliss. I have since had conversations with people who still remember Elektra’s first performance of A Ceremony of Carols as a great choral moment. It certainly was for me.
_______________________

Elektra performs A Ceremony of Carols as the centrepiece of Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra, November 27 this year. 2 pm in New Westminster at Queens Avenue United Church and 7:30 pm at Ryerson United Church in Vancouver. Tickets through Brown Paper Tickets 1.800.838.3006, choir members, the choir office, or at the door.

Carmen Rosen is an artist who loves singing,

creating community celebrations,

doesn’t dance on stilts all that often any more,

but still loves creating giant lanterns and outrageous costumes.

New Faces in Elektra

2010-11-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

Elektra has a bunch of new singers this season, and you'll see them all on stage at Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra. Here's a bit about each new member, and a picture to help pick them out of the crowd!

Jennifer Cicchine

Jennifer Cicchine
Here are 2 lines (whoops almost 3!) about me:
I have recently moved to Vancouver with my husband & 3 children, from St. Catharines, Ontario where we lived at a boarding school as houseparents for 50 boys! I once sang with the Arnold Schoenberg Chor in Vienna for one of their concerts!

Joyce Mah

Joyce Mah Sop 1
I'm a pianist, yoga teacher, mother, and animal lover. Favorite quote: "There are two ways to live life: one is as if nothing is a miracle, the other is as if everything is a miracle" - (A. Einstein)

Stella Tung

Stella Tung Alto 1
Stella is currently studying at UBC for a B.A. in International Relations. She is passionate about music and aside from singing, she loves to play the piano and the flute. Her current favourite TV show is Grey’s Anatomy.

Carol Westdal Sop 2
A returning member of Elektra, I'm back with the choir after a long hiatus, and am I ever loving it! Morna is a dream of a conductor, and the talent and depth of the choir are amazing. I'm the mother of an almost-twenty year old who enjoys the outdoors, cycling, running, swimming, and traveling by bicycle. My work focuses on providing support to students with communication difficulties and their families.

Erica Olson

Erika Olson Sop1
I've got two degrees from UBC, one in music, one in sociology. I have 9 nephews and nieces. I run half- marathons. I play bass guitar. I am a fraternal twin!

Katy Hedalen

Katy Hedalen Sop 2
I moved back to Vancouver 4 years ago. I am half Norwegian and half Scottish. I co-produce a recital series call "Koncert Kontinuum" I am a terrible Hip-Hop Dancer but I still do it anyway.

Fiona Blackburn

Fiona Blackburn – Alto 1
Next to being a mum to Melissa (31 year old makeup artist and burlesque show producer) and Amy (who’s 27 and teaches ballet), singing has been Fiona’s passion and career. Hubby Tim Laithwaite has been Fiona’s greatest support for well over three decades as she sang for many years with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and Vancouver Opera, as a cruise ship entertainer, Celtic music recording artist and, currently, as director of the British Columbia Girls Choir.

Sylvia Karwowksa

Sylwia Karwowska Sop 1
My name is Sylwia Karwowska. I originally come from Poland. I’ve been living in Canada for 12 years with my husband and two kids (ages 9 &14). I play/teach piano and cello. I sing in Pacifica Singers and now I’m happy to be joining Elektra.

Rebecca Whitmore

Rebecca Whitmore Sop 2
-S.F.U. student, working on a degree in Geography and Political Science.

- Interests include archaeology, trail-running with friends and craft-beer tasting!

Come to Chez Nous - and buy the CD!

2010-11-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

Our gorgeous new CD cover!

Elektra is very excited about the upcoming release of our new Christmas CD, entitled Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra.

As Morna so eloquently states in the CD booklet's intro:

"Each year, on the night before the first Sunday in Advent, music lovers gather in Vancouver, Canada, for Elektra Women’s Choir’s anticipation of the Christmas season. This heartwarming concert touches on familiar melodies, new compositions and arrangements, audience participation, the voices of children, and the artistry of some of Vancouver’s finest instrumentalists and composers. Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra [pronounced: shay noo] is French for “at our house”, a phrase that Canadians understand well to mean hospitality and friendship.

This CD celebrates musical highlights of several years of Chez Nous, and reflects the mix of familiar touchstones and exciting new compositions that are the hallmark of the live concerts. In addition to no fewer than six exciting new Canadian works and some of our favorite guest artists, we are pleased to re-release our 1992 recording with Rita Costanzi of Benjamin Britten’s timeless A Ceremony of Carols, a work Elektra continues to perform and delight in."

[For an interesting article about A Ceremony of Carols, click here.]

Included on our new CD are recent crowd-pleasers such as Ed Henderson's amazing setting of Star Song, Robert Buckley's very cool evocation of Vancouver in his December, and works by our own wizard of the keyboard, Dr. Stephen Smith. We're sure this new disc will become part of your household's Holiday Season soundtrack for years to come!

Look for it at our upcoming Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra concerts, November 27 in New Westminster and Vancouver.

Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra

with

Lorna McGhee, flute Heidi Krutzen, harp

Stephen Smith, piano & organ

Vancouver Bach Children’s Chorus, Marisa Gaetanne, Conductor

Saturday, November 27, 2010 • 2 pm purchase tickets

Queens Avenue United Church

529 Queens Ave (at 6th St), New Westminster click address for map

Saturday, November 27, 2010 • 7:30 pm purchase tickets

Ryerson United Church

2195 W45 Ave, Vancouver click address for map

Adults $28 • Students/Seniors $23

Brown Paper Tickets 1.800.838.3006 www.brownpapertickets.ca

Info through the Elektra office: 604.739.1255

Morna's Day at the Polyfollia Festival in Normandy, France

2010-10-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

Morna Edmundson

I’m here at the biennial choral showcase in Normandy called “Polyfollia”.

We’ve had an amazing couple of days so far – I’m here as a guest of the festival to get to know the 12 choirs they invited this year, and to help spread the word of them in my circles.

They range from amazing mixed choirs from Armenia, Latvia, Argentina, Korea, and more to some very entertaining small ensembles. It’s been fun to see and hear The Idea of North again, who were just at MusicFest Vancouver.

Tonight I was very proud to be from BC as the barbershop quartet Realtime did a fabulous show – probably busted open a few sterotypes for the very enthusiastic, mostly European audience.

Check out performances by Realtime on YouTube here.

Morna's Welcome to Elektra's 24th Season

2010-10-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Elektra’s 24th season is underway! The singers greeted each other like long lost friends on September 13th – truthfully only a month since our appearance at MusicFest Vancouver – but there’s always a sense of new energy after the summer break. We welcomed new and returning singers as we dove right into Christmas music. We have performances just a dozen rehearsals into the year, and only our Monday nights in which to learn lots of new repertoire, so we don’t waste a minute.

Besides, this year we also had three final tracks to record for our new CD, Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra. The recording team of Don Harder and Liz Hamel once again set up shop in Ryerson Church and we recorded three charming, traditional carols: Sussex Carol, Yorkshire Wassail, and Joys Seven to round out the disc. The CD will be out in time for our November 27th concerts in New Westminster and Vancouver.

Speaking of New West, we’ve chosen the beautiful acoustics of Queens Avenue United Church this year for the afternoon performance of our annual, family-friendly Christmas concert. If you know anyone in the Burnaby, New West, Tri-Cities or Fraser Valley areas who would rather not drive to the west side to hear Elektra, this would be the performance for them.

I’m so looking forward to collaborating with the Krutzen/McGhee duo (harp and flute) and the Vancouver Bach Children’s Chorus on some special repertoire, including a delightful new arrangement by Rupert Lang of Away in a Manger for our combined forces. Back to rehearsing… Cheers!

Morna

Morna conducting Elektra on stage at the Chan.
Stefanie Pielahn, redlemonphotography. Used with permission

Elektra's Fall Retreat 2010

2010-10-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

After a nice long summer break, Elektra returned to Sing in September!

As much as the thought of another long winter did not excite me, I terribly missed my Monday nights with Elektra. As we do every year, we kicked off our season with our Retreat Day. On October 2nd Elektra gathered to have fun, bond, do things out of the ordinary and some singing too! This year’s musical guest was Lorraine Reinhardt, a former Elektra singer.

Lorraine currently sings with Vancouver Chamber Choir and is an incredible voice teacher. She explained how we should always use our whole bodies to sing and gave us many tips to achieve effortless and beautiful sound. Most of us heard all these things before, yet it was good to hear them again to reflect on those thoughts some more.

The highlight of the day for me was the Baroque Dance Class. Our fellow singer Catherine Lee spent some time teaching us the basics of Baroque Dance. It was nothing like I had expected it, and I quickly realized that under those big dresses there was a great deal of footwork to be learned. Let’s be honest, I always knew dancing wasn’t my forte, but now it’s official, I better stick to singing! It was so much fun to see how everybody approached the dance floor with an open mind and we discovered many talents amongst the Elektra ladies… Considering our well diverse group, everybody got a 10 for effort!

If nothing else, Catherine was able to help us visualize the setting of Baroque Music, by describing the royal dynamics and the role of music and dance in the court life. I now have this beautiful image in my mind that I will be playing over and over during the preparation of our Spring: O Primavera concert that's coming up in March, 2011.

Maybe I’m not the only one, and we will all be singing to our imaginary King in the Spring!

Alessia Todde

Elektra doing Baroque Dance. That's Alessia in the circle!

Elektra Proudly Announces Our 24th Season

2010-08-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Vancouver’s renowned Elektra Women’s Choir and Artistic Director, Morna Edmundson, are pleased to announce their 24th season, which includes a reading session of new works for women’s choirs, a choral singing workshop for women, benefit concerts, and their main series, with performances in Vancouver, Victoria, West Vancouver, and New Westminster.

The Krutzen/McGhee harp and flute duo and the Vancouver Bach Children’s Choir are guest artists for Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra. This annual event, traditionally scheduled earlier in the season, offers an opportunity to enjoy some favourite music before the hectic schedule of December takes your breath away.

Elektra’s co-presentation with Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Spring: O Primavera, offers a musical trip back in time to the Venice of the Doges, with music by Vivaldi and more. The orchestra will present Vivaldi’s Spring from his beloved Four Seasons, and Elektra will join the orchestra in a performance of his exciting Gloria. Solo sets by each ensemble will round out the programme of musical richness.

The choir’s final concert of the season brings together a dear friend and Elektra to share music and insightful Canadian readings around the themes of friendship, love, and life. Kindred Spirits: Elektra & Shelagh Rogers will include a visual component as well, with a slide show curated by Shelagh.

Elektra’s 2010/11 season offers a musical feast featuring the award-winning choir’s lustrous sound. Click here to download the Season Tickets Order Form, or call the Elektra office at 604.739.1255 to place your order.

When you become a subscriber you:

pay NO taxes or service charges
SAVE $4 off your total order
receive 1 additional 1/2 price ticket to either Chez Nous or Kindred Spirits (so you can bring along a friend)
are assured of having your tickets in hand well before the performance!

Elektra is also pleased to announce that we have moved to a new ticket vendor, Brown Paper Tickets, for individual ticket sales. This Seattle-based company handles event marketing in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, and is known for its low service charges and 24/7 customer service. For those who prefer a more a la carte option, individual tickets for all of Elektra's concerts are available now. Just click the Brown Paper Tickets logo to be taken to their website, or give their 1.800 number a call.

www.brownpapertickets.ca

24/7 Ticket Hotline: 1.800.838.3006 (toll free)

Be part of Elektra’s 24th season and get “Elektra-fied!”

Morna's Thoughts on Romance

2010-05-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

The idea for the June 6 Elektra concert, Romance, has been in my mind for the last few years – a voyage of discovery into the musical world of the nineteenth century. Focused around choral and solo vocal works by Schumann, Brahms, and Fauré, Elektra and our guest artists will touch down on some of the most beautiful marriages of words and music ever, with instrumental works adding depth to the shared experience. Here’s a concert where the poetry can be tasted as fully as the notes. (Bring your reading glasses – I don’t want you to miss a word of the translations!)

The concert opens with a breezy, springtime village scene by Robert Schumann written in 1840, the year the 30-year-old composer’s literary upbringing and piano compositional skills came together in an explosion of artsong composition. Skip ahead nine years to a miniature Triolett (“When the night subdues the delicate wing, the zither sounds a whispering chord. Lips are content to be lost for words”.) A Romantic fascination with supernatural stories is represented by Der Wassermann, in which a young girl is lured underwater by a stranger. (Grimm’s collections of ancient fairy tales also come from this part of the world and this era, with their pointed warnings about strangers.) The choral set closes with Schumann’s simple choral canon to Rückert’s lines “O look, when the world makes a turmoil of your mind, up to the eternal heavens, where the stars never lose their way.” At this point in the program, our guest soprano Martha Guth and our own pianist Stephen Smith will present two solo songs from the same period, both with references to spring and rural life (Des Sennen abschied and Er Ist’s). I have to say how excited I am about our guest artists on this concert. Martha’s career and fixation are around artsong, and you can find out much more about her at www.marthaguth.com.

Our Brahms tribute opens with pianist Stephen Smith performing the Capriccio in C Major, opus 76 no 8 for piano solo. Following that, Martha and Stephen perform Unbewegte laue Luft and the thrilling Von ewige Liebe. The first half of the program closes with the focal work of the concert, Brahms’ Vier Gesänge, opus 17 for women’s choir, two horns, and harp. The “romantic” sound of these instruments combines with Elektra and our Mira high school mentorship singers to fill Ryerson with songs of love and longing. The young and dashing Johannes Brahms conducted his own women’s choir in Hamburg at the time, for whom he wrote this absolutely beautiful work. The fourth movement reminds me of the heroes in The Lord of the Rings. A big welcome to three outstanding Vancouver musicians for this work: harpist Heidi Krutzen and horn players Oliver De Clercq and Ben Kinsman.

Think of the Madeline books and the rows of school girls in Paris when you listen to the second half of the Romance concert. Public schools in France in the early 20th Century were divided by gender, so repertoire needed to be created for treble voices. In the hands of masters such as Fauré and Franck, you can imagine these works made full use of excellent pianists and strong poetry. Again blurring the lines between solo artsong and choral duets, we will be welcoming Martha Guth as soloist on some of the pieces. But opening this half, we are delighted to hear french horn player Ben Kinsman and Stephen Smith with Saint-Saëns Romance pour Cor en Mi, followed by harpist Heidi Krutzen performing a quintessential Fauré work for harp solo, Un chatelaine en sa tour.

Preparing for this concert has been a treat for me. I wanted the Elektra and Mira singers to have the physical and musical experience of singing Romantic repertoire – quite different from some of the textures and demands of 21st century choral music. I also wanted them to meet artsong in its own context and to have them share the stage with a vocal soloist who lives and breathes the repertoire. Rena Sharon, Artistic Director of the Vancouver International Song Institute, visited our rehearsal a couple of weeks ago and gave us an overview of artsong that really captured our imaginations. A huge thanks to Rena for that. I also want to acknowledge the talents and hard work of our accompanist, Dr. Stephen Smith, without whose skills this concert would not be possible.

If you live near us and are thinking about coming on June 6th to Ryerson United Church to spend part of your afternoon with us, I hope you will. See you then!

Morna

p.s. This performance is part of VISI's SONGFIRE Festival of Song, a new collaboration with a constellation of Vancouver arts organizations that highlights song in all of its forms.

Elektra Women’s Choir Wins Choral Competition

2010-05-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

ARTS NEWS: For Immediate Release May 25, 2010

Elektra Women’s Choir Wins Choral Competition

Jury impressed by All-Canadian programming

Vancouver’s Elektra Women’s Choir, directed by Morna Edmundson, have won the the “Equal Voices - Women” category of the Association of Canadian Choral Communities’ National Competition for Amateur Choirs. The win was announced this past Saturday at the closing banquet of the biennial PODIUM conference, held in Saskatoon, SK. Elektra was in Saskatoon to sing for PODIUM’s Spotlight Concert series, and when the award was announced there was a flurry of texting and cheers from the Elektra table.

Morna Edmundson

“It is a thrill and an honour to be awarded first prize among women’s choirs in this national competition,” said Edmundson. “Apparently our category had more entrants than any other, so the victory is very sweet indeed.”

Elektra next performs in Vancouver on June 6 (3 pm, Ryerson United Church, ticketmaster) in Romance, an afternoon of works by Schumann, Brahms and Fauré. The choir is joined by a roster of guest artists including Martha Guth, soprano and VISI faculty member, Heidi Krutzen, harp, and Ben Kinsman and Oliver de Clercq on French horn, and pianist, Stephen Smith. All will be performing solo works which will highlight the afternoon’s program.

Romance is followed by Simply Elektra, the choir’s fundraising dinner, being held the evening of June 6 at the Terminal City Club. (Tickets and information through the choir office, 604.739.1255.)

Thoughts from the winner's table

2010-05-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

May 23, Saskatoon Podium (Association of Canadian Choral Conductors) Conference

Hooray, we won our category of the ACCC National Choral Competition! (This was announced at the conference banquet last night.)

Why did this matter? Well, Alessia said that it was a great way to have begun her career with us. The ACCC board representatives played Trinque l’amourette to represent our competition submission; the three soloists were exemplary of Elektra in their “joie de vivre” and in, hmmm... their identities in the choir – one founding member (Denise O’Brien), and two members new to the choir this year (Eireann Day and Caitlin Robinson). And it was a great way for the Universe to say that Morna is doing a fabulous job conducting the choir – though we already knew that.

In that moment, when we won our category, it was like the past and the future melding into the present.

Morna Edmundson conducting Elektra

It confirmed something I’d been feeling increasingly all year long – we have melded again into a community of singers. So many of us “find” ourselves in this choir (on s’y retrouve), and this is what I felt as they announced the competition results.

To those who were not with us physically, we missed you, and judging by the furious texting going on all around our table, you can know you were with us as far as we were concerned. To Holly, who is off to Africa for a year, we love you!

To Morna, Bernice, Carol, and the Board, thank you. To Stephen especially, thanks for being with us through your music, even when we had to do without you for this tour:

   What i want is to be blessed
   What i want is a cloak of air
   The light entering my lungs
   My love entering my body...

We are indeed blessed.

Ros Clark, Alto I – Pub Social Convener

Good Romance: The Opposite of that GaGa Song

2010-05-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

The man himself!

I am sooo excited about our Romance concert... The name Romance in itself excites me! And I'm not talking about a Lady Gaga "bad romance," I'm talking of a "really good romance" – by Brahms. Brahms is in fact one of my favourite composers for choral music, and although German is not one of my strongest assets (keep in mind my first language is Italian), his melodies never fail to move me. By Romantic Music, we don't mean music about love - although the love theme often occurs! - we define romanticism as the expansion of formal structures within a composition, which made pieces more passionate and expressive than ever.

It's not a surprise that Brahms was unarguably a musical leader during the Romantic Era, when he wrote music for piano, orchestra, voice and chorus. Unfortunately, he was such a perfectionist that he destroyed many of his works and some were never published.

Alongside other pieces by Schumann and Fauré, on June 6th, Elektra will be performing Brahm’s Four Songs for Women’s Chorus. The set will be the centrepiece of our concert and promises to wow all ears... this is one concert I would not want to miss! "

p.s. Have a listen to the first movement from the Brahms. Isn't it fabulous?!

Alessia

Simply superb, simply sublime, simply sumptuous, Simply Elektra!

2010-05-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like any choral singer I know, the first thing you want, post-concert, is a glass of your favourite beverage, terrific food, and good friends to talk about what you've just heard. Simply Elektra is a perfect opportunity to combine all three and support your fave choir at the same time.

The event is being held at the elegant Terminal City Club, where a tempting dinner awaits. How tempting? Think wild mushroom risotto, miso maple glazed sablefish, and a dessert involving sinful amounts of white chocolate and raspberry mouse in delightful combination.

That's only the start to an evening of great banter, music, and enjoyment! Maestro Bramwell Tovey and Lana Penner-Tovey, will be our gracious Masters of Ceremonies, and, while we don't want to give away too many secrets, you may look forward to special performances by the choir, as well as a sprinkling of solo appearances from select Elektra members.

In addition to raising much-needed funds for the choir's future projects, the main purpose of this evening is to simply show our gratitude to you for your support and to allow you to spend an enjoyable evening simply in the company of Elektra. While our focus for Simply Elektra is on thanking you for your support and spending time with you, there will be a silent and live auction of a few select items including manuscripts of music commissioned for Elektra, and beautiful paintings from local artists. Our show-stopping wine raffle is always a favourite, and this year, we will have over 40 wines selected by connoisseur, Tim Higgs. (As the winner of last year's wine raffle, I can personally attest to the sheer FABULOUSNESS of this prize!)

Tickets for Simply Elektra are $125, for which a donation receipt for $50 will be issued. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Elektra office: 604-739-1255 or emailing manager@elektra.ca. It's always more fun when you're with friends, so consider making up a group to come and enjoy a very special evening. We hope that you will join us!

Bruce Hoffman

Marketing Director, Elektra

(and no, last year's wine raffle was not rigged)

Just a Couple Terrific Photos from Our Seattle Trip

2010-05-03T15:08:00.000-07:00

Photographer and Elektra singer, Ainsley MacCallum-Reid, snapped a couple of great shots during our recent trip to Seattle. Enjoy!

Artistic Director, Morna Edmundson, framed by two glowing Elektra singers.

pre-concert camaraderie

post-concert fun!

Billeting vs. Hotel: The Ever-Present Tour Question

2010-04-30T00:13:00.000-07:00

One is always a little apprehensive about staying with complete strangers – choir people or not, there are rumours of host families who have been a little too interesting.

Upon entering the Hyatt Olive8 Hotel on Thursday afternoon, a small voice in the back of my head said ‘it might have been nice to stay at this beautiful hotel with everyone instead of billeting’. The thought did not linger for me, although many facets of billeting might be caveats for others who choose to stay in a hotel. The drive to our host’s house was approximately 45 minutes from the hotel, which not only meant getting home later, but getting up earlier as well. I am not a morning person and don’t know too many who are. There was also the fact of visiting with my host family. I may not come across as shy, but most conversation past “what do you do” and “this is what I do” with new people can feel stretched. Needless to say, I was hoping for the best, but the hotel did look very nice.

On this particular choir excursion, I was comforted knowing that I was not the only one billeting, and I was even staying in the same house as my dear choir friend, Allison. It was also a comfort to know that I was helping my budget by not staying in the hotel (as I mentioned, it was VERY nice).

The car ride home after a long day of driving to Seattle and rehearsing was pleasant. We carpooled with two other women from Con Brio, our host choir in Seattle. A fly on the dashboard might have thought that we had been saving up our vocal chords for the ride home, as we chatted most of the way.

Why would we want to leave!?

Once Allison and I arrived at our host’s house, our plan would have probably been to visit for a little while and then to say goodnight. In this case, we were notified of a hot tub overlooking a personal lake behind our host’s beautiful home. We promptly got into suit and headed into the steaming tub and got to know our host family for about an hour and a half. Delightful! I slept like a baby who sleeps through the night.

It was very interesting getting to know our host family and I loved getting to see a different area of Seattle. They lived in Woodinville, which is such a different atmosphere with its lush greenery and enchanted forest-like charm. Just as our host family expressed disappointment that they could not give us a better tour of their area, I wished we could have had more time to explore with them and to see the places in their stories. Still, I cannot complain about waking up to a plethora of birds all with their unique calls and small fishing boats coasting across the lake out back. I am blessed to have seen what I saw.

Clearly, hotels have their place, especially because they can mean spending quality time with other members of Elektra. That being said, it is a treat to get to know and spend time with people from different choirs and places. Every time I billet, I remember, ‘it is so nice to stay in a beautiful home instead of ‘hotelling’’. Hopefully this thought will linger as I look forward to meeting all sorts of people from all sorts of places.

Laura Jeanne

Good times around the table.

Pre-tour thoughts

2010-04-19T23:16:00.000-07:00

Last rehearsal before the Seattle tour tonight and I wish I was going with the choir. There's something special that happens on tour that can't be replicated by weekly rehearsals.

I was thinking about what singing in a choir means to me and it always seems that words are inadequate. At least my words seem inadequate, but I've just finished reading a passage that made me stop...and reread...several times.

"Everyday life vanishes into song, you are suddenly overcome with a feeling of brotherhood [that would be sisterhood for Elektra!], of deep solidarity, even love, and it diffuses the ugliness of everyday life into a spirit of perfect communion."

Now, I wouldn't say that life is 'ugly' but I do understand the peace and sense of 'being in the moment' that singing can bring to both the singers and the audience.

The author* continues:

"I'm no longer myself, I am just one part of sublime whole, to which the others also belong... In the end, I wonder if the true movement of the world might not be a voice raised in song."

Now...there's a beautiful thought!

(*quote from the novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.)

This post's author, Maureen, says of herself,

“I was at the initial Elektra meeting when the choir was born!

Give or take a few seasons, I've sung with Elektra since its inception.

I sing 2nd Alto and am new to blogging.”

Elektra-fying Seattle for Women in Song: Seattle 2010

2010-04-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

It's always a treat to travel with a choir, and invitations to perform here, there, and everywhere, are always arriving in the choir's 'in' box. If only it was as easy to say YES to each one!

It comes down to organization. Think of it this way: You and your Significant Other plan a weekend away - but really it needs to be a 4 day weekend to make it special - so that entails arranging time off work, booking hotels and perhaps a flight, and arranging childcare or pet-sitting services because this is a 'special time away' for you. It's complicated. Now multiply that by 40 and you have a good idea as to why choirs don't get to travel as often as they'd like.

There are times when the invitation is so compelling that you just can't refuse, and such is the case with Women in Song - Seattle 2010, happening April 22 - April 25, next door in Washington state. Billed as a festival that would bring together choirs from Alaska, Seattle, and Arizona as well as Elektra, and all of it under the leadership of our own Artistic Director, Morna Edmundson, Women in Song was just too good an invitation to turn down!

We're hoping that we'll get to meet a lot of our Washington state friends and fans at the performances listed below (including that mysterious programmer from King FM that LOVES our latest CD!), so please come up and say hello after the concert. We'd love to chat with you! Admission to both concerts is by free-will offering, with proceeds going to a very worthy cause, the Susan G Komen for the Cure, so please help us spread the word. See you in Seattle!

Women in Song - Seattle 2010
featuring
Elektra Women's Choir (Vancouver, BC)
Cantora Arctica (Alaska)
Southern Arizona Women's Chorus (Tuscon, Az)
Con Brio Women's Choir (Seattle, Wa)

Showcase Concert
Friday, April 23 ~ 8:00pm

featuring performances by each choir
Plymouth Congregational Church
1217 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA
click here for a map to Plymouth Congregational Church
Admission by donation

Festival Choir Concert
Saturday, April 24 ~ 8:00pm

including a performance by Elektra Women's Choir
Town Hall
1119 Eighth Avenue
Seattle, WA
click here for a map to Town Hall
Admission by donation

Women in Song - Seattle 2010 is presented by acfea tour consultants.

For more information, please call (425) 776-3273.

"Sailing the Seattle skies", photo by .Bala on flickr. Used under Creative Commons.

Elektrons & Lions: A Canadian Voices Redux

2010-04-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Wow.... what a show Canadian Voices has been!! Just when we thought it could not get any better than Saturday night, Sunday came along, bringing a sold out show and a standing ovation. I truly feel that the passion and musical skills that Elektra and Chor Leoni share has brought this event to another level. It's hard to imagine so much talent on one stage!

We truly are each other's best fans, and this mutual admiration fuelled out time together. I was so mesmerized by the Lion's performance that I left with yet another one of their CDs. From rehearsal, to the photo shoot, and to the small breaks in between, the guys made us laugh constantly and reminded us not to take ourselves too seriously:)

I look forward to many more performances together! These photos were taken by Ainsley and Emily and show just some of the fun we had together. Enjoy.

Alessia

<--Emily admires the Chor Leoni trailer.

Doug and Emily --->

Alessia and Ainsley

We Rise Again

2010-04-09T01:01:00.000-07:00

With the Olympics all in our recent memories, and the joys of seeing snow on the mountains well into April, another spectacular evening of music is right around the corner!

Elektra and Chor Leoni will be joining forces for an evening of strictly, and I mean STRICT, Canadian music. From Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now to Leonard Cohen’s hallelujah, Canadian Voices is bound to keep your tears in your sockets, and your feet glued to the floor. Or something along those lines…

The evening promises to introduce the keen listening ears of the audience to some brand spanking new choral works, that herald from across Canada, and also will remind the hearts of many of the classic Rankin Family Tune: We Rise Again.

The piece, We Rise Again, is a song that has always been close to my heart. In fact, I think it is my all time favorite Canadian piece. As a small child I was introduced to the music of the Rankin Family, as my mother played their upbeat Celtic fusion pieces with hearty gusto, and contemplated the mellow and moving ballads. When I was about 9, I travelled with my Grandmother, Mother and the Vancouver Gaelic Choir to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The choir, which was under the direction of Stephen Smith at the time, visited Mabou, Nova Scotia, where the Rankin’s herald, and the song We rise again became even closer to my heart.

When my mother passed away of Cancer when I was 16, like anyone, I was devastated. It was not until months later that we were sorting through old tape decks, albums and CDs that I came across the Rankin’s album, and listened to the Canadian classic piece. Listening to the lyrics gave me such a great understanding of how life and death works. Through toil and struggle, we prevail: we rise again. It is human nature. Now at 19, I cherish every memory my mother gave me, and the song only affirms my deep connection to music in every way, and has taught me how to be strong, but have emotion, and above all hope.

My hope for this weekend is that Elektra and Chor Leoni can provide our audiences with a moving and sincere performance, that shows Canadian spirit and music at it’s very best!

Ainsley

(ps: Don't forget to wear your red and white!)

Preview of Canadian Voices programme

2010-04-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

Elektra's Facebook postings about Canadian Voices have generated comments from as far away as Alberta, Sweden, and Florida! (Our favourite so far was a succinct "You guys will rock!") It's encouraging to know that so many people are interested in new Canadian choral music and wish they could attend the concerts this weekend. Partly for their benefit and partly because we think this is such a cool programme, we thought we'd post it in advance. There are still some tickets available, so either call Ticketmaster (604.280.3311) or the Elektra office (604.793.1255), or take purchase at the door. This is going to be an amazing concert - and don't forget to wear your red and white!

* * *

Canadian Voices

featuring Elektra Women's Choir & Chor Leoni Men's Choir

April 10 & 11, 2010

Elektra Women’s Choir
Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director
Stephen Smith, Accompanist

Da Pacem music by Jeffrey Enns
The warm, chantlike opening to this 2009 composition by Ontario composer Jeff Enns provides a serene and inviting opening to our celebration of Canadian choral music. The biblical text, “Da pacem, Domine, in diebus nostris”, translates as “Give peace, Lord, in our time.” Jeff Enns is a native of Waterloo Ontario where he grew up surrounded by music. He studied organ, viola and composition at Wilfrid Laurier University. He has won a number of composition competitions and had his music performed across North America, as well as in Ireland, the U.K and Japan.

In the Gardens of Shushan * music by Sheldon Rose; poem by Marjorie L.C. Pickthall
Of this piece, Toronto composer Rose writes “It is written in the Book of Esther, that King Ahasuerus presided over a great feast at the palace of Shushan. It was on the 7th day, after much revelry and wine it is assumed, that he called upon the chamberlains to fetch his Queen, Vashti, from the royal gardens to appear before him and his guests to “display her beauty” (often translated and interpreted to mean “appear without clothing”). Vashti refused. Fearful that her actions would around the disobedience of other women toward their husbands (and upon suffering his own royal embarrassment) the King had Vashti exiled or possible even executed. Today, her name stands for many as a symbol of resistance to gender tyranny and exploitation.

what i want music by Stephen Smith; poem by Pat Lowther
Vancouver composer and Elektra accompanist Stephen Smith wrote this original composition for A Vancouver Women’s Chorus in 1997. Vancouver-born Pat Lowther’s stature as a poet reached its peak in the 60s and 70s, when she was co-chair of the League of Canadian Poets and taught creative writing at UBC. Her personal life, however, was complicated, and weighed down by poverty, unhappiness, and a destructive marriage. In September 1975, at the age of 40, Lowther was murdered by her husband. “what i want”, a simple plea for light and blessing, was one of the poems in a manuscript she was working on at the time of her death.

Changed Forever * words and music by Shari Ulrich, arr. Kate Polsky
BC singer/songwriter Shari Ulrich has a long list of recordings and performances as a solo artist and as a member of groups such as Pied Pumpkin and Ulrich Henderson Forbes. Shari says of this song “My father-in-law inspired this piece the evening his wife of 40 years passed away. He shared stories about his life with me that he’d never shared with anyone. I felt very privileged. Telling his story expanded into the theme of how birth, death, love, war, and the myriad of life events forever change the lives of those they touch – in an instant.” Elektra is delighted to premiere this arrangement by Kate Polsky, one of our own singers.

Let * music by Jocelyn Morlock; poem by Alan Ashton
We are crystal fragments. / We are trivial specks / drifting blind out of a sky / parched and white. / Let us settle / on the dry crust of the frozen earth. / Let us rest / on the promise of soil. / In time / and with the patience of the sun, / let us slake the thirst / of imminent seedlings. / Let the dream of shade and comfort / find its roots. / Let shade and comfort grow here.

Lu-Li-Lo-La from Three Songs from The Enchanted Forest R. Murray Schafer
“The Enchanted Forest” is the ninth part of iconic Canadian composer Shafer’s cycle of music dramas under the general title of “Patria”. Literally performed in a forest at sunset, this 1996 work includes characters Earth Mother, Marsh Hawk, and Flower Spirits. The magic-laden story unfolds in the darkening woods, and “Lu-Li-Lo-La”, sung by the children, accompanies the audience as they return with their lanterns through the forest at the conclusion of the work.

Chor Leoni Men’s Choir
Diane Loomer, C.M., Artistic Director
Ken Cormier, Accompanist

The Holy Ground * Mark Sirett
Chor Leoni is delighted to begin their portion of the program with the traditional and gentle Irish folksong, 'Holy Ground'. It was arranged by Kingston composer, Mark Sirett, while visiting Ireland last spring. Mark dedicated it to Diane Loomer in appreciation for her gracious appearance as guest conductor with the Cantabile Choirs while he was on sabbatical. The song refers to a neighbourhood in the town of Cobh (pronounced Cove), County Cork. During the 19th century Cobh, a significant seaport then known as Queenstown, was the principal departure point for Irish immigrants destined for North America. Later it became a final port of call for many steam liners before crossing the Atlantic, including the ill-fated Titanic.

Absalon, fili mi * Jocelyn Morlock
Absalon fili mi (translation: “Absalon, my son, Would God that I had died for thee!”) takes as its text 2 Samuel 18:33, where King David mourns his child’s death. The music starts very quietly, hushed and reminiscent of early music, and gradually builds to fortissimo, where it expresses the universal feeling of someone who grieves, wishing they could have died in the other person’s place. The conclusion is lulling but restless, as if trying to forget a little, to reach some feeling of resolution, but never being able to do so. To know more about the legendary King David and Absalon head for CL’s website www.chorleoni.org where Paul Birch, CL bass, has contributed an informative essay.

This Innocent Soul music by Marcus Goddard; poem by Jumah al-Dossari
Trumpet: Chris Mitchell
Marcus Goddard, associate principal trumpet for the VSO, was commissioned by Chor Leoni to write a piece for trumpet and men’s choir for our 2009 Remembrance Day concerts. Goddard chose the poetry of Jumah al-Dossari, originally from Bahrain, who was seized by Pakistani security forces in late 2001 and turned over to the United States. He was brought to the Guantánamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, where, he claims, he was beaten, his life was threatened, and he was in isolation for months at a time. Dossari, who denies any connection to Al Qaeda or terrorism, and has never been charged with any such crime, has repeatedly attempted to commit suicide while imprisoned.

Eternal Harmony * music by Stephen Smith; poem by Lord Byron
To honour our choir president, Pete Chamberlain, for so many generous years of service to the choir, Chor Leoni commissioned in 2009 “Eternal Harmony”, a gift to thank Pete for his remarkable leadership. Pete suggested the poetry, stanzas 89 and 90 from Canto III of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage by Lord Byron. The choir unanimously chose the composer, Stephen Smith, one of our most favourite musicians and composers. Luckily for all of us, the planets and stars aligned, the poetry and the composer together found a voice to express this powerful text “…it is a tone, the soul and source of music which makes known Eternal harmony”.

John Tod * Bruce Coughlan, arr. Ron Smail
Soloists: Rod Locke, Byron Hanson, Bruce Hoffman, Greg Martin
A Scottish fur trader and one of BC’s founding citizens, John Tod worked his way through the ranks of the Hudson's Bay Company. Also known as “Scotch Boy John Tod”, he was a fascinating and eccentric historical personality. Fortunately for historians, Tod was a prolific writer, producing a volume of letters and memoirs which documented events around him. Our thanks to the band, Tiller’s Folly, and composer, Ron Smail, for bringing this great local character and BC folksong to life.

Hallelujah * Leonard Cohen, arr. Les Nerling
Despite it’s memorable tune and mystifying lyrics, “Hallelujah” achieved little initial success when it was released in 1984. However, since then, countless versions have been performed by a broad range of artists in recordings and in concert. (Who was not swept away by k.d. lang’s rendition of this song at the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics 2010?) ”Hallelujah” has now well-surpassed Cohen’s 1960 popular hit, "Suzanne". Cohen's lyrical view that "many different hallelujahs exist in life" encourages ongoing debates over the poetry’s very different intents or tones of speech. This allows the song to be "melancholic, fragile, uplifting [or] joyous" depending on the performer. We’re thankful to Les Nerling for arranging this piece for Chor Leoni’s voices.

Jig from Pastorale and Jig Op. 108 (2006) Derek Healey
Ken Cormier and Stephen Smith, piano duet
A morning at the Canadian Music Centre on Davie Street in downtown Vancouver perusing scores turned up a wealth of interesting piano pieces for 4 hands by Canadian composers. At Stephen and Ken's final audition of the most appropriate candidates, this Jig, the finale of Derek Healey's two-movement Pastorale and Jig (2006) was the clear favourite, being both of some substance as well as just fun to play!

Orpheus * words and music by Kristopher Fulton
Orpheus is the latest in a series of pieces that will form a suite for choir entitled HEROES. Each piece focuses on a small portion of the character's epic story and stretches it out. In the case of this particular piece, we learn about what's going through the hero's mind the very moment after his great love, Eurydice, dies and that he decides to descend into Hades and do something about it...

Songs of Canada

Four Strong Winds words and music by Ian Tyson, arr. Larry Nickel
The San Diego Troubador newsletter published in 2009 that “Ian Tyson is the real deal. What others have imagined, Ian has lived. From a rodeo-riding youth to a broken-hearted gentleman and a prairie poet. Tyson's songs are strewn with story, lore, and legends. In some ways he personifies the quietly disappearing prairie wind-song.“

Early Spring traditional Newfoundland folk song, arr. Kathleen Allan
With its shifting perspectives of time, this beautiful a cappella arrangement by Kathleen Allan evokes first the happiness of a young bride and then her confusion and despair when her husband is lost at sea. The arranger, originally from Newfoundland and its fine singing traditions, now lives in Vancouver.

Trinque l’amourette traditional Quebec folk song, arr. Guy Isabelle
Elektra takes a trip to Quebec with this lively song made famous by the folk group, La Bottine Souriante. The story goes that our narrator was going down the road when he met three beautiful women. Friendly banter ensued, laden with innuendo. Our soloists are Denise O’Brien, Eireann O’Day, and Caitlin Robinson, and Sheila Little handles the spoons.

Both Sides Now * words and music by Joni Mitchell, arr. Ken Cormier
Written in March 1967, Joni Mitchell's first recording of "Both Sides Now" was included on her 1969 album Clouds. She recorded it again in 2000, a version which features a rich orchestral accompaniment created by Vince Mendoza. This rendition is the one which has been adapted for Chor Leoni and Elektra, prior to Vanoc scooping us by using this same Mitchell/Mendoza arrangement as the underscoring for the magical prairie scene at February's 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies! "Both Sides Now" is a masterpiece by a Canadian artist who was just 23 at the time of the song's writing.

Frobisher Bay James Gordon, arr. Diane Loomer
“Cold is the Arctic Sea, far are your arms from me, cold will this winter be frozen in Frobisher Bay…” James Gorden captures perfectly both in his tune and in his lyrics the feelings of desperation and hopelessness that whalers must have felt when they were stuck for the winter, frozen in the ice in Frobisher Bay. All they could do was try to stay alive and wait for the ice to break.

Bamfield’s John Vanden * Chris Frye, arr. Ron Smail
Written and recorded by The Bills and arranged for Chor Leoni by Ron Smail, we feel this is the West Coast’s answer to the East Coast’s ‘Barrett’s Privateers’. “I come from the mud and the wind and the wet, from as far to the west as a man can get…..And you might slip and stumble on the rocks at the shore and exult in the blast of the mighty wake's roar, but when you stand humbled by the ocean's door, then you'll understand just who I am, Bamfield's Johnnie Vanden.” Our own Johnnie Skrimshire is soloist.

We Rise Again Leon Dubinsky, arr. Stephen Smith
Nova Scotia’s Rankin Family’s inspiring song of legacy is sung by choirs from coast to coast. Today we sing an arrangement by our own Stephen Smith, which was performed by 500 singers at the Opening Ceremonies of the Paralympics on March 12.

The Hour Has Come, poem #6 from The Hour Has Come music by Srul Irving Glick; poem by Carol Leckner

Srul Irving Glick was a well known Canadian composer, radio producer, conductor, and beloved teacher. He wrote A Choral Symphony in 1987 for the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, poetry by Carol Leckner. The Hour Has Come is the sixth and last movement of this remarkable work – one appropriate to all ages and all times. “The hour has come for mankind to embrace for the sun blazes upon the conscience of the earth and time is growing short…”

* world premieres

Canadian Voices: An Invitation from Morna & Diane

2010-04-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

Oh, Canada! What a pleasure it is to prepare this country’s outstanding contemporary choral music for you, our audiences. Both Elektra and Chor Leoni have made it part of their mandate and regular fare to explore and celebrate the work of Canadian composers and arrangers.

In Canadian Voices we’ll wave the flag more ardently than ever in a co-production we’ve been anticipating for more than two years – even before our city went Furlong into its fabulous frenzy of national pride. As this program took shape, an astonishing 11 world premieres landed on the repertoire list.

These pieces came to us in the mail or through reading sessions or as the result of formal commissions. Their creators and those whose works have been performed before will be with us on stage as part of the choirs (welcome Ken Cormier, Diane Loomer, Les Nerling, Kate Polsky, and Stephen Smith), or they may be sitting next to you in the audience (welcome Kathleen Allan, Kristopher Fulton, Marcus Goddard, Jocelyn Morlock, Larry Nickel, Ron Smail, and Shari Ulrich).

A surprising fact about this group – every one of them is still alive and creating music wherever they live (thank you Leonard Cohen, Bruce Coughlan, Leon Dubinsky, Jeff Enns, Chris Frye, Derek Healey, Guy Isabelle, Joni Mitchell, Sheldon Rose, Murray Schafer, Mark Sirett, and Ian Tyson).

So many reasons to celebrate… so little time… thank you to each and every one of you who support our choirs and composers financially… we couldn’t do this without our whole community. Come and enjoy as Chor Leoni and Elektra sing the musical richness of our land!

Morna and Diane

p.s. Click here to purchase tickets at Ticketmaster, or call the Elektra office at 604.739.1255 - and don't forget to wear your red and white!

Canadian Voices

Elektra & Chor Leoni sing the musical richness of Canada

April 10 @ 7:30 pm

April 11 @ 3 pm

Ryerson United Church

2195 W 45th Ave, Vancouver

$28 | $23 Ticketmaster 604.280.3311

Also available through the Elektra office 604.739.1255 & at the door

Elektra & Chor Leoni: ready to sing for you!

You sing in Elektra?!? (People's reactions to me being in a choir)

2010-03-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, a stranger, upon noticing my Elektra Women's Choir emblazoned messenger bag, will exclaim "You sing in ELEKTRA?!?!" as if they had just encountered a celebrity. These moments, though relatively infrequent, make me question whether we can really call Elektra 'just a choir.'

Other times, I'll mention to a peer or new acquaintance that I sing in a choir. Looking for an interesting reaction, I'll nonchalantly add "Yes, we just did two performances with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra," or, "Yes, our first CD was nominated for a JUNO," and watch as their eyes widen and their jaws drop. This has become my favourite pastime.

We're not celebrities, but it is pretty incredible how many people know of and appreciate Elektra, and it's also pretty incredible knowing I'm part of such an established ensemble. What people often don't grasp, though, is that for us Elektra members, it's far more than a choir. We perform with symphonies and tour internationally, but the real conversation piece (besides the emblazoned bag) is the support we show each other. A friend of mine inquired as to where I got certain flowers, and my response, "The choir director gave them to me when I was in the hospital," merited an incredulous "That celebrity gave YOU flowers?!" look.

It's a neat realization, that we are humans, too, even if we are famous.

Eireann Day is bi-sectional.

Follow Me: Thoughts on Conductors

2010-03-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

When I was about eleven years old, I read a cartoon in a big coffee-table book of cartoons that someone had given my father. The artist showed, close up from behind, a maestro furiously conducting an orchestra, and you could see the score he was following. But the score had no notes; rather a series of little stick figures showing what position his arms, head, and torso should be in.

I didn’t find this particularly funny, but it did make me wonder for the first time how conductors know what to do. That was decades ago, and although I’ve sung in choirs for most of the intervening years, I still find the whole conducting thing pretty mysterious.

This week, I got to be part of a training session for two young conductors who were participating in Elektra’s conductor mentorship program, in which Morna Edmundson, our artistic director, works with aspiring young conductors to help them strengthen and enhance their skills.

When you conduct, it’s not a good idea to get singers to follow you by yelling faster! Louder! MORE LOVINGLY! You’ve got to communicate silently—use a little sign language, a little mime, a little dance. And practise until your hands start forty singers at precisely the same microsecond; your forefinger points to bring the altos in; your back flexes to show that THIS bar is important; your eyes make contact with every chorister so she sings from her heart.

That’s a lot to do; and it tends to make novice conductor nervous. We could sense the timidity when they first tried to get us to follow them: “Shall we….? Do you want to….?” The singers’ response was: “Don’t be so timid: you’re in control of us!” And that’s when the magic happened and forty singers became first Michelle’s choir, then Natalie’s choir. They’d come to learn from us, but we learned so much from them.

After the rehearsal, I went home thinking that conducting a choir is a very beautiful, very mysterious thing.

Arlene Higgs is an Alto 1 who has sung in Elektra for ten years and has never blogged before. “For heaven sake, I'm not even on Facebook,” she says. “But I see this as the start of a new career. Once I get the hang of it, I'm confident that book and movie rights offers will follow. I will hold out for the role of myself being played by Meryl Streep.

Elektra is what we do for each other

2010-03-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

“Elektra is what we do for each other.”

- Rosalyn Clark, Alto II

Recently, I had a concert with my acoustic trio as part of the Olympic Games. This has little to do with Elektra, besides the fact that I was more excited to meet with members of Elektra after my show than I was about my first shot at international exposure. This is nothing against my acoustic trio, of course, but it says a lot of Elektra.

After rehearsal each week, there are always familiar faces at the pub around the corner - The Cheshire Cheese Inn, or “The Cheese,” where everybody knows your name. Some go almost every week, some have only been once or twice. No one is left out, and there are always nachos to go around. This is just one example of the remarkable camaraderie shared by Elektra members. There's a running joke that the pub is where all the real decisions are made.

Singing together every week brings a special bond. I've been in several choirs in my life, and it's a spectacular feeling, the way voices feel when they unite. However, Elektra transcends even the weekly rehearsals and pub friendships. We perform together, we tour together, and many of us have friendships outside of choir. There's always someone to share your good days and your less-good days with, someone to give you a massage when your shoulders are tense or share that perfect recipe with you.

What I came to realize very early after joining Elektra Women's Choir is that it's so much more than just a group of people that sing together. There is a remarkable bond between members – the new, the long-standing, and everyone in between. I've gone through my own trials, as we all have, and I've never experienced such compassion and understanding as I have from these people, my people.

I've heard different members call Elektra different things. “My clan,” or “My Monday night refuge,” among others. I've often referred to the group as my “Elektra Family.” That pretty much sums it up, if you ask me. Everyone is so quick to lend a hand, an ear, a heart, whatever is necessary, whenever they can. We function as parts of a whole, greater body, and this seems to be a tacit understanding among each of us.

We don't do Elektra, we share Elektra.

We are Elektra.

Eireann Day is a soprano... I mean an alto...

From Italy to Elektra

2010-02-18T09:19:00.000-08:00

It was October 2008 when my husband and I relocated from Italy to Vancouver. The excitement of our new life was soon offset b

y the absence of music in m

y life. Indeed, I had no choir practice t

o look forward to, no concert to prepare for…

Nearing Christmas I knew it was time to look for that special choir for me. I started to look up some Christmas programs online and quickly realized Vancouver was home to many choirs and artistic associations. So much to choose from… and I thought to myself “I can’t put my husband thru 10 Christmas concerts, I need to pick 2 or 3.” Elektra’s Chez Nous was one of them.

I remember entering a full venue at Ryerson …. the dim lights and the beautiful décor perfectly setting the stage for a night to remember. It was love at first sight, with Elektra’s rich and warming sound filling the church and my heart.

My audition was set for early January, so I had about 3 weeks to get ready. I had selected Deh Vieni Non Tardar from Le nozze di Figaro, but my recently hired teacher pointed out that singing an Italian operatic aria could hurt me in the end. “You should do something in English so they hear you are comfortable with our language,” she suggested.

I thought “Maybe she is right, the expectations of an Italian soprano singing opera are probably more than I can deliver.” I knew I was not in as good shape as I was back in 2003, when I received my minor in music, so I agreed to go with a safer choice, an English ballad.

Inevitably, learning a new piece two weeks before the audition was stressful, I had no

emotional connection to the piece, and my nerves contributed to a poor performance.

What saved me was probably a decent warm up, my ability to read in different languages and to sight read... or maybe not… I’m not sure what they saw in me! I just know that Morna and Diane looked beyond my performance and decided to give me a chance.

It was the best opportunity I've had in years, not only for the chance to sing at such a level

of excellence, but also to be able to connect to such wonderful women. I remember sitting at my first rehearsal and observing everybody: Elektra represented all the different stages of a woman’s life. I saw daughters, mothers, grandmothers, the conservative and the free spirit, the introverted and the entertainer. I heard all kinds of accents, and I didn’t feel “different”, I felt at home.

Alessia Todde sings in the first soprano section -

when she remembers to move to her proper standing order...

With Glowing Hearts

2010-02-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

Pride, Hope, Community.

Those three words summarize the feeling that many in Vancouver will experience during the 2010 Winter Olympic games. For myself, I think it is something I will feel for my country, and for my people. I have great pride in the fact that I am Canadian, and live in a free country with so many benefits.

I also have great hope, because although I am blessed, so many are not, for example the recent tragedy in Haiti, and the ongoing AIDS crisis throughout the world. I have hope that someday soon things such as peace will occur in the Middle East, and starving children will be fed.

Thirdly, there is that word “community”. The word that summarizes all things Canadian, “Community” is a word that many will use throughout their lives to describe the feeling of home away from home in Canada. Community can even describe the way that Arts, Culture and Sports have been united through these upcoming games. The name “Canada” even describes community, with its translation to “village”. My definition of community is simple: Community is the act of sharing, giving, loving, honouring, and caring for those around you. To Give and be given to in return.

But how is this at all Elektra related?

Last night it seemed the whole of the Vancouver community, and the world for that matter, entered into St. Andrew’s-Wesley in Downtown Vancouver to enjoy Welcome the World: A Choral Gala. This beautiful concert featured what are considered Vancouver’s premiere choirs, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Chor Leoni Men’s Choir, musica intima vocal ensemble, and of course Elektra Women’s Choir. Together, each choir shared music with the audience from around the world, bringing an international community within one sold out church. From Zulu to Inuktitut, each choir gave unconditionally their voices, and in return the audience gave of their love. (You can read David Gordon Duke's review which ran in the Vancouver Sun here.)

A love for music, a love for peace, a love of general happiness for all. It seemed a whole plethora of emotions were displayed within a few hours. From giggles in Chor Leoni’s “Trinque l'ammourette”, to tears of pride in the finale of “Oh Canada”, everyone seemed to have felt the true meaning of what being a Canadian is.

As I left the building last night, not only was I extremely proud of what each choir had contributed, I felt that each person had given a gift to each member of the audience. The gift of music comes from the deepest heartstrings of the human soul. A musician cannot give more of themselves than their music; it simply is the most open expression of soul. As we embrace the coming events of the games we simply have to remember that the act of skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, and so many other sports are just as much a display of human courage and faith that each singer also values.

We cannot forget that each Olympic phrase, from “ With Glowing Hearts” to “Do you believe?” also applies to the community of musicians within the Lower Mainland. Whether it’s from the guitar busker at Waterfront station, or from each member of Elektra Women’s Choir, everyone displays the biggest pride in their nationality. Whether Canadian, Italian, Icelandic, or Korean each holds their country highest in their hearts as we witness and experience the 2010 Winter Olympic Games here in Vancouver.

The concert last night is only just a small moment in the bigger picture of community within Vancouver. A community was born on the first few notes of “Welcome Here”, flourished brightly at the climax of each song, and retired to complete rest and contentment with the resounding words of “Our Home and Native Land!” Community is a word that all people should strive for in the coming weeks. To share a moment of pride, honor, happiness and community with someone from across the planet is unforgettable. I encourage each to do their part and glow your hearts so bright the entire world can see Canadian Spirit at its best.

Ainsley Reid, soprano

Here's an excerpt from our sound check for Welcome the World. It's one of the most recognizable of Elektra's tunes, and we love it: David MacIntyre's radiant Ave Maria.

Meet Our Team of Elektra Writers!

2010-02-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

Elektra is proud to introduce our team of volunteer bloggers. They are drawn from veterans and new-comers to the choir, and range from writers who are familiar with “this whole blogging thing” to people who just like to write and are looking forward to this being the start of a new career, a la Julie and Julia. Our aim is to have something new posted each Thursday, with topics broadly Elektra-centric, but ranging further afield into areas like co-productions, the choral experience in Vancouver, and - well, we’ll just have to see!

Without further ado, meet our writing team:

Alessia Todde is a first soprano who joined Elektra in January, 2009. She claims that “auditions” would be a great topic to cover, and says hers was a disaster - but she’s still singing with Elektra so we’re sure she’s exaggerating. A news junkie and avid reader, Alessia does a lot of writing at work and is involved in social media. She has some experience with writing for blogs but says she’s not a pro “yet.” Her first language is Italian.

Arlene Higgs is an Alto 1 who has sung in Elektra for ten years and have never blogged before. “For heaven sake, I'm not even on Facebook,” she says. “But I see this as the start of a new career. Once I get the hang of it, I'm confident that book and movie rights offers will follow. I will hold out for the role of myself being played by Meryl Streep.

Maureen Ciarniello was at the initial Elektra meeting when the choir was born! Give or take a few seasons, she’s sung with Elektra since its inception. Maureen sings 2nd Alto, and is new to blogging.

Ainsley MacCallum-Reid has sung in Elektra for one full season, as a soprano, starting in January of 2009. At 19 years old, she is the youngest singer in Elektra! “I am not new to the whole networking scene, such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and other such shenanigans,” she says, “But definitely new to the blogging scene. I am currently attending Capilano University in the Diploma of Music Program, but plan to transfer to UBC for Opera studies in the coming year. I also sing in Capilano Singers and the Vancouver Peace Choir, alongside the fabulous Elektra!”

Eireann Day is a first alto who says “I used to sing soprano, and I am recovering now!” She’s been with Elektra for just over a year. She has quite a bit of experience writing blog posts for her acoustic trio as well as for her own solo music stuff.

We hope you'll make the Elektra blog one of your weekly stops on the net. See you soon!

Bruce Hoffman
Director of Marketing, Elektra

A Winter Song: R. Murray Schafer's Snowforms

2009-12-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Listen to Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra on CBC this Christmas!

2009-12-13T23:22:00.000-08:00

CBC Radio recorded our recent Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra and will broadcast it:

on CBC Radio 2 Thursday December 24 (8:05 pm)
on CBC Radio One Thursday December 24 (11:05 pm)
on Sirius 137 Friday, December 25 at 4 pm Pacific Time, 5 pm Mountain Time, 6 pm Central Time, 7 pm Eastern Time, 8 pm Atlantic Time and 8:30 Newfoundland Time
on Concerts on Demand by mid-December

This is a great opportunity to share our recent sold out concerts with your friends across the country! Our thanks to recording engineers Grant Rowledge and Liz Hamel, assistant Bastiaan Vernier, and to CBC for making this possible.

Elektra wishes all of you the Happiest of Holidays,
Merriest of Christmases, and the Brightest of New Years!

Elektra Women’s Choir Conductor Mentorship Program 2010

2009-12-11T00:25:00.000-08:00

Elektra Women’s Choir and Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director, are pleased to announce the choir’s Conductor Mentorship Program, which runs through January and February, 2010. Topics covered will include choral warm-ups, vocal ranges, conducting technique, rehearsal technique, repertoire selection, and score preparation. In creating the mentorship program within the context of Elektra, it is hoped that the participating conductors will become more familiar with both the repertoire and sound of a women’s choir and be inspired to work in this genre.

Two “Level A” applicants will be chosen to work closely with Edmundson, receiving personal feedback on rehearsal and conducting techniques with their own choirs. The same conductors will work with Elektra at an open rehearsal on March 1. Full details and application information are available on here the Elektra website.

Choral Conducting Workshop – All Welcome
Saturday, January 16, 2010 10 am - 1 pm
Fireside Room, Ryerson United Church Hall, 2195 W 45th Ave, Vancouver BC
$30 plus GST Payment may be made through PayPal on the Elektra website:
More info on the Elektra website.

In addition to the Level A intensive program, Morna Edmundson will lead a 3-hour workshop for conductors of any skill level and type of choir. The workshop will include discussion of warm-ups and vocal technique, conducting technique, and repertoire selection. If possible, please pre-register by contacting manager@elektra.ca by January 13. If pre-registration is not possible, on-site registration before 9:45 am will be available. Payment may be made by Visa/Mastercard or cheque. Please bring a bag lunch.

Open Rehearsal with Elektra
Monday, March 1, 2010 7 pm
Ryerson United Church, 2195 W45th Ave, Vancouver BC
Free Admission

Come and observe as the Level A conductors work with Elektra Women’s Choir in an open rehearsal and mini-performance. Meant as an informal opportunity to observe the participants of Elektra’s Conductor Mentorship Program working with Elektra, this evening will feature some wonderful music and offer insights into Elektra’s music.

For full details about Elektra’s Conductor Mentorship Program, please visit the Elektra website at http://elektra.ca/index.php?article=mentor

Welcome from Morna Edmundson, Artistic Director

2009-11-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Over the Edge: Elektra in the far east (of Canada, that is)

2009-11-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

By Grace Fatkin, soprano

In 2007 Elektra was invited to St. John's, Newfoundland (rhymes with "understand") as guests of Festival 500. Grace Fatkin, one of our sopranos, penned this memoir. You'll find photos from the trip in our flickr gallery.

Colourful houses sporting quirky names; garrulous cabbies with raucous insider tips on handling seasickness; Signal Hill standing sentinel over a harbour into which icebergs routinely meander: Welcome to Newfoundland. On the Canada Day long weekend, members of Elektra converged upon The Rock, some of us taking the scenic (and very extended) route via foggy Halifax, but most arriving just after midnight the next morning (NF time). As we touched down in St. John’s airport, we bid a fond farewell to our old standby joke about how we’ve travelled as far as Australia, but have never gotten past Edmonton in our own True North Strong and Free.

As one of the groups invited to St. John’s 6th biennial Festival 500, a truly international event which gathers singers, conductors, clinicians, and panellists from around the globe, Elektra was thrilled to be part of this highly-reputed “Sharing the Voices”. We were prepped and pumped for a week of challenging, inspiring, and soul-satisfying choral music. Our reputation had preceded us, we were gratified to realize within the first day, as we watched faces brighten, voices quicken, and eyes widen at the mention of our name – and that was before we even sang a note; it was also obvious that our beloved conductors, Diane and Morna, were well known and highly respected by all. Quick out of the starting gate, our first, albeit brief, appearance at the Opening Night concert “elektrified” the SRO audience and kicked us off to a fabulous start.

Touring is always an experience fraught with more perils that those faced by Penelope Pureheart. But thanks to our own indomitable Sandra Phillips, we sailed through with style and panache: Safe journey; all luggage present and accounted for; first class accommodations. It was all good. The Festival was a model of organization, with clear, colourful (and large) signage everywhere we turned to herd us to our various destinations. A veritable army of red-shirted volunteers, fondly dubbed “sherpas”, were unflappable and ever gracious in the face of lost, panicked, detoured, sometimes crabby choristers, who didn’t always converse in—or understand—English, let alone cadenced with that infectious Newfoundland lilt. Everywhere we went, we were greeted with spontaneous smiles, salutations, compliments, and just plain kindness by the good people of St. John’s. Cars stopped for dithering tourists, their drivers waving cheerily; natives queried on directions stopped to chat and give recommendations for everything from pubs to parks: No question about it but that Newfoundlanders are the friendliest people one could ever hope to meet.

Electrolytes soon discovered the gourmet deli in town; some intriguing (albeit inadvertent) bus detours; soothing day spas; the best tours on land and water; the towering glassine architecture of the Rooms; the stained glass tranquillity of the Basilica; and many, many more gems of this gentle city. We saw icebergs and puffins, researched ancestors and distant relations, and, of course, snapped thousands of Kodak Moments.

And how did we get around to all these amazing places? No worries with great free transit and an abundance of taxis, not to mention we hardy west coast women sculpted our calves by tromping our way up and down (mostly up, it seemed) vertigo-inducing gradients, toting our shopping bags, music bags, and other paraphernalia. Most assuredly, we left St. John’s in better shape than when we arrived.

As for being part of Festival 500’s Sharing the Voices, we worked with several world-renowned conductors, including our friend from Basque, Javier Busto, who greeted us like cherished “amigas” with hugs and kisses. Under the awe-inspiring direction of Maestro Celso Antunes (whose precision and passion were more than matched by his showmanship and joie de vivre), 800 voices thundered jubilantly through Dvorak’s majestic Te Deum; truly, it was an experience not soon to be forgotten. We learned, among other things, that singers are more often than not prone to Horro Vacua (fear of pauses, for those scratching their heads). And warming up with pants, pats, plinks, and plucks—not to mention a lot of hip swinging, finger snapping, and nose tapping—makes singing at 9 a.m. much more do-able. (Morning people were already in the mood for fun!) Within the cavernous Mile 1 Stadium, a scaled down GM Place, we practiced moving 1400 people from section to section and squinted to find our fellow Elektrolytes in the madding crowd. You have not lived, indeed, until you have heard over 7000 people enthusiastically and nasally droning while Buddy Whasisname and the Other Fellas cheerfully murder Mull of Kintyre in their irreverent version, Canadian Tire. On the sublime end of the scale, 600 children enraptured all of us with their performance of Peace on Earth. The soaring purity of the sopranos bore us to the heavenly realms. Their standing ovation was a given and richly deserved.

Speaking of audiences, the good folk of St. John’s are the epitome of musicality and appreciation, lovers of music of all kinds and apt to break into spontaneous song at the drop of a dram. Due to a choir canceling at the last minute, Elektra was asked to do an extra evening concert, bringing our total performances to a whopping 7 in 9 days, including a brief appearance in the opening concert and a nooner downtown. Our beloved conductors proved yet again their expertise at programming in our eclectic mix of classical, contemporary, and folk, by a wide range of international and Canadian composers. People sang along with Away From the Roll of the Sea, caught their breath at Magnificat, delighted in the frolicking Log Driver’s Waltz, revelled in the haunting strains of Cape St. Mary, and wept at the wrenching cries of Miserere.

To say that audiences were blown away by the Elektra sound and by our versatile repertoire would be understating it. But we were only one of many amazingly gifted choirs from around the world who basked in the outpouring of love and friendship at packed venues like Gower Street United, St. Andrew’s Kirk, and the concert hall of Memorial University. We were privileged to hear groups like Anuna, the Saskatoon Children’s Choir, Gondwana, the New Zealand Youth Choir, Lady Cove, and Mornington. We were privileged to hear groups like Anuna, the Saskatoon Children's Choir, Gondwana, the TOWER New Zealand Youth Choir, Lady Cove Women's Choir, and Mornington. We were delighted to be part of an impromptu party hosted by the gentlemen of Newman Sound Men's Choir, with whom we shared an evening concert, and to be royally feted at a lobsterfest thrown by Lady Cove - complete with infectious reels to help us work off the 2.5 lbs. of lobster we each consumed, and a singalong of Newfoundland folk songs to round off the night.

All too soon we bade farewell to St. John’s in order to hop a short flight to Halifax, from where we took a winding, roundabout route to the venue of our last concert, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. We stopped off at ruggedly picturesque Peggy’s Cove and unabashedly quaint Mahone Bay to—what else?— take more pictures and do our best to support the Tourism Industry. Our final concert was at the historic St. John’s Anglican Church, where we sang to a full house of locals and many who drove from as far as Halifax to hear us. Maybe it was because it was our final concert; maybe it was because we were in Stephen Smith’s home province, singing for his beaming family; maybe it was because of all the gentle, smiling faces in the pew: Whatever...the consensus was that our final concert in historic, beautiful Lunenburg was unmatched and a fitting end to a memorable 10 days in Atlantic Canada.

So now we can say that we’ve been to the other coast. In a jam-packed week, we experienced it all. Screeched? Been there; done that. Hiked up Signal Hill? Check. Imitated frantic fiddles in the midst of 1400 voices singing multiple melodies? With gusto. Been embraced by the most warm and giving people it has been our pleasure to meet and get to know? Absolutely. Would we go back? In a Newfoundland second. Just pick up that phone—or fire up that e-mail—and we’ll be digging out our lobster bibs, practicing the refrain of Sarah, and stretching those calf muscles.

Artless - a poignant 30 seconds

2009-11-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

Everyone in BC is by now aware of the pending cuts to arts funding and the toll it is taking (and will take) on arts groups throughout the province. This brilliant little movie by Kryshan Randal highlights the effects of the cuts in a very poignant way.

Artless by Kryshan Randal