Halifax Camerata Singers Celebrates its 30th Season

The award-winning Halifax Camerata Singers (HCS) celebrates its 30^thanniversary year with a great season of concerts reflecting the choir’s connection with the larger artistic community in Nova Scotia and beyond.  Founded by Artistic Director Jeff Joudrey in 1986, Halifax Camerata Singers has become one of Canada’s leading chamber choirs, winning the Healy Willan Grand Prize for Canadian choirs in 2010.  Last season the choir released its fifth recording, A Time for All Things, recently nominated for Best Classical Recording by Music Nova Scotia. New this year is a three-concert subscription package now on sale through Ticket Halifax, offering concertgoers a 30% discount.
 
Artistic Director Jeff Joudrey said “I’m very excited about our 30^th anniversary season.  We’re presenting really appealing repertoire that will move and excite you.  I’m especially looking forward to our concert in Paul O’Regan Hall commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion next March, and working with Jeremy Webb and Rhapsody Quintet in what will be a unique look at a year in the life of our city leading up to the Explosion through music and narration. And going to Edmonton as guests of the first Edmonton International Choral Festival is a real feather in the cap of the choir.  These concerts will appeal to everyone who loves great music – come hear us!”


 
Camerata is well known for its focus on Canadian composers, and this year is no exception, including two new commissions by composers Christopher Palmer and Jeff Enns, as well as music by Peter Togni, Srul Irving Glick, Gary Ewer, Paul Halley, Healey Willan, Larry Nickel, Ruth Watson Henderson, Timothy Corlis, Marie-Claire Saindon, and more. Lynette Wahlstrom accompanies the choir, and Assistant Director is Michael van der Gaag.
 
The season begins with a return to Camerata’s popular remembrance-themed concerts with I Remember on Saturday, November 5 at Saint Benedict Parish (45 Radcliffe Drive) at 7:30 p.m.  This concert also features the Symphony Nova Scotia Chorus and guest saxophonist, Tristan de Borba.  Joudrey commented “we wanted to once again present a concert on the theme of consolation, offering strength through our remembering, leading ultimately to the goal of peace in our world.  The choirs will perform music by Jeff Enns, Mendelssohn, the late Srul Irving Glick and Timothy Corlis’s moving In Paradisum. The soaring acoustics of St. Benedict’s will be a glorious venue for this beautiful music.”
 
The choir will perform as guest on soprano Nicole Jordan’s Solstice concert on Saturday, December 3 at First Baptist Church at 7:30 p.m. 


 
The season concludes with a trip to Edmonton June 1-4, 2017 as guests of the first Edmonton International Choral Festival, where the choir will perform on its own and collaborate with Pro Coro Canada, work with Swedish choir, Voces Nordicae (Lone Larsen, Conductor) and perform under international guest conductor, Robert Sund.  Camerata’s travel is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. 
 
The Halifax Camerata Singers includes performers from many parts of Nova Scotia and one from PEI, and is Atlantic Canada’s leading chamber choir. Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, the Province of Nova Scotia/Arts Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality and individual donors and corporate supporters, the choir was founded in 1986 and has distinguished itself by performing exciting choral repertoire from many periods and styles, with special attention to Canadian music. Winners of the Healy Willan Grand Prize in the 2010 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, the choir often collaborates with chamber ensembles, Symphony Nova Scotia and other musicians.  Camerata’s five recordings are for sale at the Symphony Nova Scotia Boutique, Taz Records, online and through iTunes, and will shortly be distributed through Naxos of America, Inc. through Halifax’s Leaf Music catalogue.


 
Tickets
Tickets for I Remember, Halifax, 1917 and Let Our Spirits Soar are on sale now through Ticket Halifax, and are $25 regular, $20 seniors and $10 for students/under-waged.  As well, in celebration of the 30^th anniversary, patrons can purchase tickets to all three concerts with a 30% discount ($52.50 regular, $42, seniors, $21 students).  Please go to www.tickethalifax.com to purchase. 
 
Tickets for Messiah performances are available through the Dalhousie Arts Centre Cohn Box Office, http://www.dal.ca/dept/arts-centre.html. 
 
Information:  contact1986@halifaxcamerata.org, find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or www.halifaxcamerata.org.