Category: Music

The Purpose Of Choir Workshops

For every major concert that we have, we also have a choir workshop. These choir workshops occur on the Saturday two weeks before the concert. They are an essential aspect of our choir year.

Here are several reasons why choir workshops are important:

#1. To work the music:
This is the number one reason why we have choir workshops. Our usual rehearsals only allow us a certain amount of time with our music, so a three hour workshop gives us a lot more time to get down to the detailed aspects of our music. It also allows us to rehearse with other musicians or musical guests we may be performing with at our concert.

#2. To learn new things:
Often times our workshops include guest conductors, clinicians, musicians or other choirs who will be joining us in our concert. Working with them gives our choristers a new perspective, or new information about music. As well, it gives us a chance to work with, and learn from professional musicians from the local Calgary music scene.

#3. To talk about the music:
A comprehensive understanding of each piece of music is essential to performance, and to a well-rounded musical education. It is never enough to just know the words, notes, and rhythms. We spend time during rehearsals, and at our workshops discussing how the text informs the music we’re singing. It gives us a larger sense of the choral music, and it makes us better musicians!

#4. To spend time with fellow choristers:
Part of being in a choir is the great pleasure of singing as part of a group. We are so lucky at the Calgary Children’s Choir to have very inclusive, and engaging choristers! The reason why our choristers enjoy spending time together, is because we encourage them to get to know one another at choir camp, rehearsals, and of course – at choir workshops. At workshops, choristers have time during sectionals, and at breaks to spend time with one another, and find out more about the people they’re singing with!

What is your favourite part of a choir workshop? Tell us in the comments below!

November 24, 2014
Organization In Choir – Concert Readiness

Concerts are some of the most important events for our choir during the year. Here are several tips to make sure you are organized and ready for a concert!

#1. Make sure your uniform is ready:
Our uniforms are an important aspect of our presentation as a choir, so you need to ensure that your uniform is concert ready. When you get your uniform at the beginning of the year, the first thing you should do, is check that it fits properly. And since children grow at an astounding rate, you need to check that your uniform fits, at least one week before the first concert! You also need to make sure that the uniform is clean, and is worn properly. We have a uniform guideline with photos in our Members Portal.

#2. Make sure you have your music learned:
Learning your music is an essential aspect of concert readiness. Performing is not just about singing the words and the notes that we’ve learned. It is about responding to the conductor, and the voices around you, as well as the energy from the audience, and delivering a ‘musical moment’. Each performance of a piece is different, because of these nuanced factors. Having your music learned before the concert, ensures that you can respond to each of these subtle aspects, and deliver something spectacular!

#3. Make sure you are punctual:
Arriving for a concert on time is essential. We always have an earlier call time than our performance, but this doesn’t mean you should be late. The call time is important for the choristers to have time before a performance, together, to make sure that everything feels settled, and calm before the concert. At our Christmas concert, we also take our class photos, and if you’re late, you won’t be in the photo!

How do you organize yourself so you’ll be ready for a concert? Tell us in the comments below!

November 17, 2014
Organization In Choir – Perfecting the Music

Preparing music is not just about learning words, and notes, and rhythms, it is about how all of those elements come together to make a piece of music. Here are three things to think about when it is time to fine-tune our music:

#1. How the sound blends together:
Choral singing is not just about singing your part, and hoping it sounds good with the other voices around you. Choristers need to make a conscious effort to listen to the other voices around them, and ensure that their voice blends into the rest of the sound. This can be a difficult skill to learn, but it ensures that good choral sound is uniform. When there is one blended sound, the nuance of the musical piece can be communicated more effectively.

#2. How the accompaniment adds to the piece:
Often, choral music is accompanied; by piano, or other instruments. This additional instrumentation is another important element of the music, and choristers need to be sure that they are considering what the accompanying instrumentation adds to the piece. There are many functions that accompaniment performs; setting the mood of the piece, adding layers to the meaning of the piece, and assisting with intonation, to name just a few.

#3. How the text informs the music:
Vocal music is unique, in that it has an added layer of texture in the music – text. Choristers should be thinking about the text, and how it contributes to the piece. This is especially important if the piece is in another language. Here is a post with some additional information on the importance of analysing text.

What is your favourite part of fine-tuning music? Tell us in the comments below!

November 10, 2014
Organization In Choir – Learning Music

Sometimes learning all that music can feel overwhelming! Here are several tips to help organize learning your music:

#1. Attend rehearsals:
This is the single best thing a chorister can do to learn their music. Attending rehearsals reinforces the music regularly, and ensures that choristers can learn their music, and feel successful performing. Paying attention during rehearsals, and listening to other choristers is another effective way to learn music quickly.

#2. Listen to recordings:
This has become a very viable option for singers with the advent of technology. There are many recordings available on itunes, or through Youtube, which allow us to listen to other choirs interpretations’ of the music we’re learning. These recordings can be valuable because the give you another example of how to perform a piece. It’s a great way to get inspiration and to learn how other choirs are interpreting the music!

#3. Take time with your music:
Ensure that you don’t feel rushed or overwhelmed with any of your music. For the most part, we can learn our music in rehearsals, but if you’re feeling like you don’t know all the words, or are finding a passage, particularly tricky, make sure you take the time to go over it by yourself. Here are several helpful resources for choristers.

What organizational techniques do you use to learn your music? Tell us in the comments below!

November 3, 2014
Welcome!

Welcome back to another year of choir! We’re thrilled to see you all again!

This year we have a number of exciting changes:

First, we’re very happy to introduce a new program to the CCC family! The Music Makers program is for 3 and 4 year olds and is intended to introduce young children to the basics of music, by singing, moving and playing musical games. We are very excited to have a CCC alumnus back to teach the Music Makers. Kathryn Berko sang with the CCC for many years before going on to earn her Bachelor’s of Music, and a Bachelor’s of Education from the University of Calgary.

We are looking forward to a great first year with the new Music Makers program!

Second, the Calgary Junior Choir has a brand new conductor!

Shandril Hubley will be taking over the Junior Choir, and we are so excited to have her! Shandril sang with the Calgary Youth Choir for seven years, and recently completed her level 1 Kodaly training! Shandril is incredibly artistic. She dances, sings, conducts, and works part-time painting portraits. We are so lucky to have her teach the Junior Choir!

The Calgary Children’s Choir has an exciting concert season ahead! We have three main concerts, including our Christmas concert, folk concert, and final spring concert, and in the summer of 2015 we will be going on tour! Check back next week for more information on our 2015 summer tour!

So, what are you most excited for in our 2014-2015 singing season? Tell us in the comments below!

September 8, 2014
Spring Concert Roundup! Songs of the Cinema

On Saturday May 10th, 2014 we had our final concert of the year – our annual spring concert at the Rozsa Centre. This year, our theme was Songs of the Cinema, and we paid musical tribute to all of our favourite music from movies! Featuring music from The Lord Of The Rings, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Les Miserables, and Frozen, we had so much fun singing music from our favourite films!

We were very fortunate to have Jonathan Love as the Master of Ceremonies for our concert, as well as a myriad of amazing musicians, including David Thaiw as our fantastic drummer! Our voices were joined by those of the St. Giles choir, and the Crescent Heights High School choir. We hope you enjoyed the evening as much as we did!

Photography by Brieannah Mollison-Read

Thank-you to everyone for a wonderful year of music and fun! Hope to see you at our end of year banquet on May 25th!

May 12, 2014
Songs Of The Cinema: How Film Orchestras Work

In preparation for our upcoming concert, Songs of the Cinema on May 10th 2014, we are starting a blog series of the same name, which will focus on a different aspect of ‘movie music’ each week!

A film orchestra is a very specialized type of ensemble musical group. For the most part, orchestras that have been assembled to record the score for a film do not perform in public. For the most part, the specialty of a film orchestra is to record in studio the music that has been composed for a film.

During these recording sessions, the studio is filled with sound recording equipment, in order to capture the best sound, and minute details. In most cases, the film is projected onto a large screen in the recording studio. This adds greatly to the performance from the musicians. Film orchestras require a level of precision and technicality that greatly enhances the performances from the actors on the screen.

Here is a great video demonstrating the scoring, and recording of the music from Canadian composer Howard Shore for the movie The Hobbit:

Here is a similar video from Star Wars composer, John Williams:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ezvZo2AWc

An interesting area in which orchestral recordings is developing is in the music for video games. Here is a video looking at the music, and orchestral recording for the Harry Potter video game:

For those interested, this is a very informative blog that takes a look at scoring for film. It has some fascinating insights into sound recording, and orchestral film recordings.

What do you think of film orchestras? Tell us in the comments below!

May 5, 2014
Songs Of The Cinema: The Role of Music in Movies

In preparation for our upcoming concert, Songs of the Cinema on May 10th 2014, we are starting a blog series of the same name, which will focus on a different aspect of ‘movie music’ each week!

Music plays an important, and often essential role in creating the appropriate atmosphere in a movie. The score of a film can help to convey subtle emotions, and enhances the performance of the actors greatly. For instance, if you watch a horror movie on mute, the film is nowhere near as frightening. The music adds, suspense, anticipation, and often foreshadows story elements.

Another, important use of music in film and theatre, is the use of musical themes. Often, important characters in scored films will have a theme associated with their character, as in the case of the massively popular series, Star Wars. Here is the theme music written for Princess Leia:

This music is heard throughout the film, associated with Princess Leia, and it helps the audience to familiarize themselves with her character. The most popular theme from the Star Wars films, is the infamous Imperial March. This music conveys power, and control. It is precise, and militaristic, and perfectly encapsulates the character of Darth Vader.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPK3IJBiTDs

One of the most subtle, and nuanced aspects of a scored film, such as Star Wars, is the use of leitmotifs. This is a musical device used most notably by Richard Wagner in his operas. A leitmotif is a musical phrase associated with a person, place, or idea. A leitmotif occurs often within a work, in different incarnations, and there can be multiple leitmotifs, depicting many people, places or ideas.. The rhythm, and structure of the leitmotif can change slightly, but it remains the same musical phrase at its core.

The purpose of the leitmotif is to enhance the characterization and narrative of a story, by adding another layer of information through music. Leitmotifs can help foreshadow, they can serve as reminders, and character associations. Here is a brilliant example of one of the leitmotifs used by John Williams in his Star Wars score. Note how the leitmotif changes slightly in each scene, but is still musically recognizable as the same musical idea.

What’s your favourite film score? Tell us in the comments below!

April 28, 2014
Songs Of The Cinema: Famous Film Composers

In preparation for our upcoming concert, Songs of the Cinema on May 10th 2014, we are starting a blog series of the same name, which will focus on a different aspect of ‘movie music’ each week!

With the advent of sound in cinema, composers became of paramount importance in establishing the mood of the movie. Their work contributes greatly to the subtlety and nuance of the performances seen on screen! Here are several notable film composers:

Bernard Herrmann: (June 1911 – December 1975)

Herrmann was an American composer, who was best known for his collaborations with the movie director, Alfred Hitchcock. His music was heard in the films Psycho, and Vertigo. As well, he composed music for Citizen Kane, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and the television program, The Twilight Zone.

Leonard Bernstein: (August 1918 – October 1990)

Bernstein was an American composer, and is one of the most well known film composers. He is considered to be the first of the truly successful cinematic composers, and his work was truly prolific. His music is heard in such productions as Peter Pan, On The Town, and most famously, West Side Story.

Elmer Bernstein: (April 1922 – August 2004)

Bernstein was another American composer, and is no relation to Leonard Bernstein. His music has been heard in such movie classics as, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Black Cauldron, and most famously, Ghostbusters.

John Williams: (February 1932 – present)

John Williams is one of the most famous film composers of all time, due in large part to his work on blockbuster movies. His film credits include, Jaws, E.T., Home Alone, and the first three Harry Potter films. But he is most famous for his work with George Lucas on the Indiana Jones films, and the Star Wars series.

Howard Shore: (October 1946 – present)

Howard Shore is a Canadian composer, who has contributed to over eighty films. His film credits include, The Silence of the Lambs, Gangs Of New York, and Panic Room. Howard Shore is most famous for his film score in The Lord Of The Rings movies.

Hans Zimmer: (September 1957 – present)

Hans Zimmer is a German composer, who has composed the music for over 100 films. His film credits include, The Lion King, The Thin Red Line, Sherlock Holmes, and Inception.

Lisa Gerrard: (April 1961 – present)

Gerrard is not as famous as the other composers on the list, which is due in large part to her collaborations with Hans Zimmer, whose name is often the first associated with their collaborations. Lisa became more well known after she worked with Zimmer on the film Gladiator, but she has a myriad of titles to her name, including, Whalerider, King Arthur, the trailer music for Man Of Steel, and most recently, I, Frankenstein.

Are you familiar with these film composers? What is your favourite film score? Tell us in the comments below!

April 21, 2014
Songs Of The Cinema: Movie Musicals

In preparation for our upcoming concert, Songs of the Cinema on May 10th 2014, we are starting a blog series of the same name, which will focus on a different aspect of ‘movie music’ each week!

Movie musicals are a genre of film, and were a natural extension of theatrical musicals, when audio technology advanced to a point where musicals could be successful on screen.

Although there were a few short films that included music in the movie, but without an audio track. The first feature length film including both music and an audio track with dialogue (although admittedly the dialogue was sparse), was The Jazz Singer, released by Warner Brothers in 1927. This marked the golden age of movie musicals, spanning nearly three decades.

As movie musicals grew in popularity, it made household names of several actors, including Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, and Mickey Rooney. This era saw films like, 42nd Street, Shall We Dance, Easter Parade, and Singin’ In The Rain gain great popularity.

After the 1960’s, although there were some fantastic musicals produced, including The Sound of Music, Funny Girl, The Wizard of Oz, and West Side Story, there were also a few musical movies that did not do as well, and the studios began to produce fewer of them through the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

Fortunately, there has been a resurgence recently in the popularity of musical movies, spurred on by Disney’s inclusion of music in their movies, seen in such films as Anastasia, the Prince of Egypt, and most recently, the movie Frozen.

Western film is not the only film that includes music in movies. Spanish operettas, called Zarzuelas, are very popular, and Indian cinema has an incredibly popular movie musical scene called Bollywood, that have begun to inspire Western cinema. This influence has been seen most notably in films like Moulin Rouge, and Slumdog Millionaire.

So, are you a fan of movie musicals? Tell us which one is your favourite in the comments below!

April 14, 2014
Songs Of The Cinema: A History of Sound In Film

In preparation for our upcoming concert, Songs of the Cinema on May 10th 2014, we are starting a blog series of the same name, which will focus on a different aspect of ‘movie music’ each week!

Motion pictures have been around for over a century, but sound was first introduced to motion pictures in 1923. Before that, movies were silent, or had an audio track that was played on a phonograph synchronized to the action on screen. The idea of filming a motion picture with sound had been around since 1887, but it took several decades and many different approaches to sound recording until progress began to be made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uu4SIlPxh0

The first film with sound recorded as part of the film, premiered in New York in 1923, and from there a new industry was born! Audio in film became every bit as important as the film itself. New industries sprung up to meet the new demands of audio. Sound boxes had to be created to encase the noisy cameras, so the sounds didn’t translate into the audio, hand cranks had to be silenced, and even the actors performing their roles had to accommodate the new realities of sound in film.

Most importantly, from the perspective of music, the ability to accomodate sound in films marked the advent of music in films as well. Background music, sound effects, and eventually entire musical productions done entirely as motion pictures!

Did you know about the history of sound in motion pictures? Tell us in the comments below!

April 7, 2014
The Benefits of Learning Music Aurally

Often, when we’re learning music in choir, we receive sheet music, and learn the piece by reading the essential information contained in that sheet music. While learning to read music is a vital part of being a good musician, there are also several benefits from learning music aurally.

Learning music aurally is often referred to by other names; ear training, playing by ear, etc… It is an extremely important skill for any musician to develop, but it is particularly useful for singers.

Ear training allows singers to understand the note they are singing in relation to the other notes around them. Understanding the context of the music, allows singers to listen to music critically, and more thoroughly appreciate the relationship between intervals. This can be an especially important skill when singing atonal music.

Learning music aurally can also help singers to appreciate the nuances of sound. When a singer doesn’t have to focus on the written music, they are able to hear the small subtleties in intonation, timbre, and colour of the sound they are producing. This focus on the nuances of sound can greatly improve the overall choral sound, as well as individual singers’ voices.

When an entire choir is focused on the subtleties of the sound they’re creating, by learning the music aurally, they also become much more attuned to the sound the other people around them are creating. Listening critically is essential for any singer, and it greatly aids choirs in producing a blended sound; the ultimate goal of choral singing!

Do you like to learn music aurally? Tell us in the comments below!

March 31, 2014
Singing For The Joy Of It: A History Of Our Motto

Singing For the Joy Of It is the motto of the Calgary Children’s Choir, and has been for the past 27 years! We asked Rosemarie Sherban, the choir founder, how she came up with the choir’s powerful and meaningful motto, what the motto means to her, and if the choir is still living up to the motto:

The goal of the Calgary Youth Choir Organization (as the Calgary Children’s Choir was originally known) was to create a singing environment whereby a love of singing is embraced and developed. In the past, singing was a part of any family or cultural gathering. School music programs, where once singing was the core of the music program, have now become centred around band programs. So it is up to choral programs like the Calgary Children’s Choir to give each chorister a positive experience with singing that they will, as they mature into adulthood, seek out a place to sing. Some may want to pursue a career in singing but many will not. For those who do not, it is hoped that the positive experience of singing in the choir will have them, as adults, seek out a community choir to join.

Creating a joyful choral experience can come in many forms. Perhaps it is experiencing that perfectly pitched chord or singing a song with total abandonment. It could be learning a piece of music by a great composer or singing “fun” songs around a camp fire. But what is pure joy for one child may not at all be what gives joy to others. Engaging hearts and minds creates a true joy in singing!

Is the choir living up to the motto?
From what I have observed, most definitely, yes! The repertoire and activities of the choir are very broad, providing a diverse experience for the choristers. The pictures from the Halloween concert, the recent choir tour, etc… showed the choir full of exuberance, and joy! The Faure Requiem, with the adults joining in, gives the choristers a marvelous opportunity to see that singing can be a lifetime activity.

So, do you think the Calgary Children’s Choir motto reflects our values? Tell us in the comments below!

March 17, 2014
Folk Concert 2014 – Cantar! Concert Roundup

On Saturday evening, we had our annual Folk Music Concert. This year, in honour of our tour last summer to Spain, we featured Spanish folk songs! We were thrilled to have Anastassiia Moussatova perform some amazing flamenco dance for us, and we were also very excited to have Brent Van Dusen on percussion, Michael Boyle on flamenco guitar, and our very own CCC alum Jessica Lutzak as a guest soloist! The evening was emceed by our wonderful Creative Consultant, Kat Long.

We began our day with a 10:00 dress rehearsal at the Rozsa Centre.

We came back at 6:00 that evening for a dress rehearsal, and then it was time for the concert!

(photography by Brieannah Mollison-Read)

We had so much fun at our Folk Music Concert! Thank-you so much to every one who came out to see us!

Tell us, what was your favourite part of the concert?

March 10, 2014
Flamenco Guitar

Continuing our posts about Spanish music, and in particular the Flamenco style from the Andalusian region, in today’s post we will be looking at the flamenco guitar!

The Flamenco guitar is quite similar to a classical guitar, in its structure, and sound. There are subtle differences, however, including the use of lighter woods than classical guitar, so that the top portion of the guitar plays with a ‘brighter’ sound. This is especially important for the more percussive section of Flamenco, when the guitar player taps the top of the guitar in time with the dancing! Flamenco guitars often have a section on top of the guitar that allows the guitarist to make these percussive sounds.

In general, flamenco guitars are constructed using harder woods. As well, their strings are not meant to sustain notes as well as classical guitars. This is because of the speed of flamenco, and its rhythmic quality. A lighter, faster guitar means that the flamenco music sounds crisp and patterned!

Have you ever heard flamenco guitar? What did you think?

March 3, 2014
Flamenco!

As our Spanish folk concert approaches, we are getting very excited about many of the interesting elements of Spanish culture that our touring choir experienced on our recent trip to Spain. One of those elements was the Spanish tradition of Flamenco!

Many people associate Flamenco with a style of dance, but that’s just one aspect of it. Flamenco comes from the Andalusian region of Spain and it incorporates singing, dancing, guitar playing, and hand-clapping! It is a form of Spanish folk music, that is often associated with the Romani people of Spain.

Stylistic features of the dance aspect of Flamenco include, stamping of feet, hand-clapping, and great use of both the arms and feet. It is a very passionate and exciting form of dance!

The musical aspect of Flamenco is very interesting, because it is modal. Flamenco generally uses the Phrygian mode. The music is often structured as a set of verses, interspersed with guitar solos. In Flamenco recitals, these solos can also be accompanied by the Flamenco dance. Thus, there is a great deal of room for variety, and improvisation in Flamenco!

Have you ever seen Flamenco? What did you think?

February 24, 2014
The Olympics and Choral Music

The Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics are often a great occasion to demonstrate fun and unique choral music. In celebration of the Opening Ceremonies of the XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, here is a look at some of the great choral music from the Olympics!

Calgary Winter Olympics 1988 – Can You Feel It:

And check out this video from the CBC Digital Archives about the Calgary Winter Games!

Atlanta Summer Olympics 1996 – The Power of A Dream:

Sydney Summer Olympics 2000 – The Flame:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFy_s1-YrIE

Torino Winter Olympics 2006 – Nabucco Va Pensiero:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5OfG5DABRM

London Summer Olympics 2012 – Caliban’s Dream:

Sochi Winter Olympics 2014 – Daft Punk – Get Lucky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Np5rP5vBMI

So, what are your favourite choral moments from Olympic Opening Ceremonies? Tell us in the comments below!

February 10, 2014
A Brief History of Folk Music

Come and check out our annual Folk Concert on March 8th, 2014 at the Rozsa Centre, and hear some great examples of Spanish folk songs!

Folk music has a long history, and because of the nature of the music, it has no definitive historical date of origin. It is widely considered to be the ‘music of the common people’ . In the latter part of the 16th Century, only a small, elite portion of society was taught to read, and practice traditional music. The peasants, although almost all illiterate, still played, and enjoyed music. But because they could not read or write, they had to learn music using alternate methods, primarily through oral transmission.

Thus folk music is largely music that was not written down, but passed from person to person by listening and performing the songs many times. It is usually quite specific to the region and culture that it comes from. For example, many Canadian songs from the Maritimes discuss the fishing industry, because it was such an important aspect of Maritime culture.

Since there are no definitive dates for folk music, stylistic characteristics are the common determinant of music belonging to this genre.

– music acquired through oral transmission

– folk music is generally very regionally and culturally specific

– the composer for pieces of folk music is usually unknown

– there are many different versions of the same song

What are some of your favourite folk song? Tell us in the comments below!

February 3, 2014
The Value of Touring

Tour is just one of the many exciting benefits of joining a choir. The Calgary Children’s Choir tours every two years, and we carefully select touring destinations that enhance our music knowledge, and our cultural experiences. Here are three reasons why going on tour is such a valuable experience:

#1. Exposure to new cultures:

Travel is a wonderful way to be exposed to new cultures, ideas, languages, and most importantly on choir tours, new kinds of music. While on tour, choristers are immersed in all the tour destination has to offer; food, historical and cultural landmarks, language, and of course, music! This provides an invaluable experience to young minds, and fosters an interest in other cultures, and their music!

#2. Musical Memories:

Any kind of travel forms lasting memories, but a choir tour exposes choristers to a unique kind of experience; musical memories. Because the main goal of a choir tour is to educate choristers about new and different kinds of music, or performers, the memories made while on tour, are often associated with music. This is an exceptionally powerful kind of muscle memory, and it means that those recollections will be that much more potent. Memories made on tour last a lifetime!

#3. Choir cohesion:

Going on tour, is a much different experience than a weekly, or even twice weekly choir rehearsal. On tour, almost every moment is spent with the choir, or with a small group of the choir. This is a time when friendships between choristers, and their conductors flourishes, as everyone gets to know each other, and form meaningful connections from shared experiences. Eating, sleeping, singing, and visiting new places together forms a really wonderful bond between choristers who travel together. Amazingly, this tight bond is reflected in the quality of the touring choir’s performances! The choir that tours together, sings even more beautifully together!

Tell us, what do you love most about tour? Where do you hope the choir is touring on our 2015 tour?

January 27, 2014
Classical Era Music Versus Classical Music

The term “classical music” has become something of a misnomer, used to describe virtually any music that was not written within the last fifty years. This can be quite misleading, as the term “Classical Music” is actually used to describe a very specific time period in music history. Most importantly, the term refers to stylistic features that are unique to the Classical music era.

#1. Brief (very brief!) history:

The Classical era in music occurred between ~ 1730 and 1820. These dates are inexact, because composers created music that was stylistically classical both before and after these dates. In Europe at the time, art, architecture, dance, and music were all experiencing a fundamental change from the stylistic features of the Baroque period which preceded the Classical period. Many of these changes were inspired by changes in the social, and economic fabric of Western Europe at the time;

#2. Stylistic features:

Music composed in the classical period share many common stylistic traits. Stylistic trends of classical music include cleaner, simpler music, a stark contrast to the intricate ornamentation of the Baroque period, homophonic music (melody over accompanying chords), and increasing dynamic contrast and range. As well, orchestral instrumention became standardized, and instrumental music became increasingly important.

#3. Notable classical composers:

While there were numerous composers composing wonderful music in the classical period, there are several whose musical works were so notable that they defined the Classical music era.

Haydn: An Austrian composer who was an especially important composer in the areas of symphonic music, and the evolution of the string quartet. He was a very prolific composer, and played an important part in developing the sonata style which became a hallmark of Classical era music.

Mozart: One of the most infamous composers in history, Mozart had a very short life, dying at the age of 35. Despite his short life, Mozart composed over 600 works, and was most noted for his symphonic music, concertos, and his contributions to opera buffa.

Schubert:Schubert was another short lived composer; he died at the age of 32. He too was prolific, but unlike Mozart and Haydn, the bulk of Schubert’s compositions were vocal works. Of principal importance were his lieder (art songs). Schubert is also a transitional composer; many of his later works began to demonstrate stylistic features found most commonly in Romantic era music.

Beethoven:Probably one of the most famous composers in history, Beethoven is another transitional composer. His early works were heavily influenced by Mozart, but his later works moved towards stylistic trends found in Romantic era music. Most notable, despite losing his hearing beginning at age 26, Beethoven continued to compose, and perform, even when the hearing loss became profound.

Did you learn anything new about Classical era music? Who is your favourite Classical era composer? Tell us in the comments below!

January 20, 2014
Why Choose Choir?

There are so many wonderful extracurricular activities for kids to enjoy these days that it may be hard to decide between them all! Here are four reasons why choir is a fantastic experience for young people!

#1. Music is good for your health:

There are many studies (here, here, and here) that have shown how beneficial music can be in maintaining good health. In a very interesting study published in Frontiers of Neuroscience, researchers demonstrated that when people sing together in a choral setting, their heartbeats actually begin to sync together! The benefits of learning music are many!

#2. Choir is social:

Unlike other musical endeavours, choir is very a social activity. The main purpose of choral music is to make many voices sound like one voice! This requires teamwork, excellent listening skills, and above all a group mentality. In choir, you can make friendships that will last the rest of your life!

#3. Additional Skills:

The study of music imbues students with many skills other than the ability to read music. Performance skills, essential to any kind of presentation, confidence, focus, and self-discipline are all skills that result from time spent in choir.

#4. Travel:

One of the greatest adventures in choir is going on tour! The Calgary Children’s Choir tours both nationally and internationally every two years, and it is always a wonderful experience for choristers. Exposure to other cultures, languages, and music is such a valuable asset to young minds!

Why do you think choir is a great activity? Tell us in the comments below!

January 13, 2014
Welcome to 2014!

Welcome to 2014! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday! We are so excited to be starting another great season of singing. There are a number of exciting events planned for the coming months.

In March, we have our Folk Concert entitled Cantar! Spain, in Song. The concert will be held at 7:00 pm at the Rozsa Centre, on March 8th, 2014.

Our annual spring concert, entitled, Songs of the Cinema, will feature pieces made famous through movies, and television! We are very excited for this concert, which will also be held at 7:00 pm at the Rozsa Centre, on May 10th, 2014.

Check this blog every Monday for new posts. This year we will be featuring some interesting articles relating to our upcoming concerts, including a Songs of the Cinema series in April!

What are you most excited about in the upcoming 2014 Calgary Children’s Choir singing season? Tell us in the comments below!

January 6, 2014
Christmas Concert Roundup!

On Saturday, December 14th, 2013, we had our annual Christmas concert, A Child’s Carol, at the Rozsa Centre! We featured Benjamin Britten’s, A Ceremony of Carols, as well as some traditional holiday tunes!

Our day started at 9:30 in the morning with our dress rehearsal, on the Rozsa Centre stage. We are so fortunate to be able to perform in such a gorgeous auditorium!

We were also thrilled to have the amazingly talented Gianetta Baril playing the harp for us in Britten’s Ceremony of Carols!

That evening, we reconvened at the Rozsa Centre, to a fully decorated auditorium! The Christmas decorations were designed by our amazing Creative Consultant, Kat Long, and were made by our choristers!

We were so excited to present Benjamin Brittan’s A Ceremony of Carols, because it is one of our absolute favourite works! We were fortunate to have the wonderful Kat Long as our Master of Ceremonies for the evening!

We were thrilled to present the Chandler Zawalykut scholarship to this year’s recipient, Patrick Shield!

It was a wonderful concert, and a great way to celebrate the season!

(Photography by Brieannah Mollison-Read)

Check out our Facebook page on Wednesday for more photos from the concert, including a look backstage!

Tell us, what was your favourite part of the concert?

December 16, 2013
The Five Senses In Singing – Taste

Welcome to our series, The Five Senses In Singing! For the next five weeks, we will be examining how the five senses – sound, sight, smell, touch, and taste, are all related to singing!

Taste is a very important sense in singing. As singers, our instrument is an integral part of our bodies, which means that any food we put in our bodies can have a negative or a positive impact on how we sing.
One of the most important things singers need to consume is liquid; specifically, water. Although coffee, and soda might seem like hydrating fluids, they can contain caffeine, which, as a diuretic, is not helpful in hydrating your voice.
Sugary drinks like soda, and fruit juices are also not great for singers because they leave a sugary coating on the throat. Milk is definitely something singers should drink, if they can, but not right before a concert, as dairy products can also leave a coating on the throat.

In terms of food, the best kinds of food to eat are healthy ones! Anything with a high salt content will not be helpful before a performance, because the salt will dry out your throat. Leafy greens, and lean protein are the best things a singer can eat before a concert!

Why else might taste be an important sense in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

December 9, 2013
The Five Senses In Singing – Touch

Welcome to our series, The Five Senses In Singing! For the next five weeks, we will be examining how the five senses – sound, sight, smell, touch, and taste, are all related to singing!

Our sense of touch is an important sense in singing. Touch is what allows us to feel the muscles in our abdomen support our air flow. Touch allows us to feel the air move up through our vocal folds, and to feel that air turn into sound. Touch enables us to feel that sound move up into our mouths to be formed into vowels, and sung out into the world!

Touch is also important because it allows us to plant our feet firmly on the ground, to support our sound from the bottom. As well, touch allows us to relax our bodies, so that our sound can flow naturally; free of unnecessary tension.

The sense of touch can also tell us if something is wrong with our body. If our throat hurts, if our body is too tense, or our sinuses are blocked, our sense of touch tells us that our body is not at its best for singing.

How else is touch an important sense in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

December 2, 2013