Category: Travel

2019 Tour | Day 7 – Leipzig

We were lucky to have a bit of a later start today, leaving the hotel at 9:30 for a walking tour of Leipzig. On the tour, we saw quite a few prominent places including the university, the stock exchange, and some of the stunning buildings, along with some statues of Bach and Mendelssohn.

After our tour we headed to St. Thomas church; the last resting place of Bach. While there we were invited to sing in a short prayer service. We then sang a 20 minute concert for the people inside the church. Followed by a more intimate performance of the Bach Aria around the grave of Bach. Which was in the center of the sanctuary inside the church.

Outside the church, there was a string duo busking. (The same duo that some of the youth choir had met the night before.) They recognized the group and asked us to sing as a whole choir with them. We sang what we could remember of Ave Maria and were very we received by passers by.

Pearson then asked the violinist if he could play her violin, she agreed and was cheering him on the whole time.

After our performance with the string duo, we went back to the square in which our hotel was located. The group then had free time for the entire afternoon before dinner. We broke off into groups with our chaperones for lunch, and some additional sight seeing, although a few groups went on a walking tour of Leipzig with our tour guide Gabi and Ms. Strome.

After the free time, we went for a delicious steak and chicken dinner. We all made bets on whether it would be steak or chicken, and were pleasantly surprised to find both!
The chaperones took us on a detour on the way back to the hotel and stopped us in a green space where Josh led us in some tag games and campfire songs.
On the way back to the hotel there was a man who asked where we were from and got very excited when we said Canada. He said he has friends in Canada and that he spoke French. So we spoke with him in French then sang a song for him and he was so thrilled. He told us that he will remember this day forever, I think most of us will as well.
Today was a great day in Leipzig and we can’t wait to head out to Berlin!

Hannah, Kalika, and Gabriel.

July 11, 2019
2019 Tour | Day 6 – Leipzig

The choir started the day off bright and early to travel to Ohrdruf to visit the house Bach stayed in with his brother after his parents had died. It was a a little windy, but the cooler weather was very welcome! After a short time in the square we once again hit the road traveling now to Arnstadt!

Once we arrived, we took a short walk to the first church Bach had worked in, as the organist! In the year 1703 Bach traveled to Arnstadt to inspect the churches organ. The choristers can attest to how gorgeous the organ is, the photos just dont do it justice.

Next we were off to Weimer! After some free time in the towns main square, we started our guided tour, observing some of Weimers most famous buildings and houses; including the very famous Elephant hotel!

Our long day ended in Leipzig, with everyone checking into the beautiful hotel, and having some free time for dinner in the square! We can certainly verify that the bratwurst in Germany is like no other.

We are both joyed and sorrowed to say that baby Bach, our beloved mascot for the trip, fell back in love with his home town of Eisenach, and decided he would take a leave of absence from the group to catch up with some old friends, he will be missed, but we wish him all the best!

Gute Nacht!

July 4, 2019
2019 Tour | Day 5 – Eisenach

Baby Bach here! Hope you’re ready to find out all about our day today back in my hometown. We started off the day on the bus from Prague to Eisenach.

I stayed up to watch the rolling hills of my home country for a while, but eventually most of us decided to catch some z’s to pass the time.

After a few stops to grab some lunch and have a break, we arrived at my house! At least, what is used as the museum and was once thought to be my childhood home. At the Bachhaus, I was surprised to see how much artwork there was of me! I really liked this one:

We got some time to look around, and was happy to be able to see the beautiful, old garden.

After watching a presentation on the instruments that were used during my time (such as the harpsichord and chamber organ), we were back on the bus to head to Wartburg castle!

The architecture was absolutely lovely, and we got to enjoy a guided tour of the castle. We had time to wander the museum and were able to enjoy the exhibits and learn about the history of this city. After all of that, we headed to dinner to end the day.

We got to enjoy German food in a tavern-style restaurant. Everything was modeled after what seemed to be medieval-era décor and the people who worked there were dressed up in era appropriate garb as well. Overall, today was a blast and I’m sad to leave my hometown so soon, but on to the next town!

See ya,
Baby Bach (also Carly, Meghan, Rachael, and Sasha)

July 3, 2019
2019 Tour | Day 4 – Prague

Our morning began, as most fine mornings do, in the sweltering heat, on the Prague metro, in wool kilts, getting laughed at by crazy people.

We then made our way back to St. Vitus’ Cathedral to participate in Sunday mass with all other members of the festival. It was cool to see how the different eras affected the architecture.

On our way to the tram, we quickly stopped at St. Wenceslas’ Vineyard for some pretty pictures and souvenirs!

We took a quick trip on the tram to the Old Town Square for lots of free time to get yummy food, and spent the rest of our Czech Korunas before we leave for Germany tomorrow.

We made our way to the (thankfully cool) Church of St. Gallen to perform our shared concert with the Prague Lady Teachers’ Choir. It was a beautiful space to sing in, and both choirs did an excellent job!

Finally, the crown jewel of our evening; our dinner cruise on the Vltava River. With food, a view, and the most beautiful souls we’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering. We shared the night with the Spjevule and Strumochok choirs from Slovakia and the Ukraine respectively. Although we only parted mere hours ago, we miss them all dearly. We laughed, we cried, we left. We exchanged Instagram’s. It’s been an emotional night.

It’s now very late. We have to pack so we can say goodbye to Prague and continue with our shenanigans in Eisenach tomorrow. We hope the rest of the trip is as good as today was!

xoxo,

Baby Bach & the Gang
(Adriana, Grace, and Sarah)

July 2, 2019
2019 Tour | Day 3 – Prague
Today the choir group started their day with a delicious breakfast followed by a trip down to the hotel’s pool to dip their toes into the water. Next up they took the metro to meet other choirs at the St. Vitus cathedral.

St. Vitus is the cathedral which is connected to the famous castle just outside of the city center in Prague. The choir then got to listen to some of the other groups in the amazing space. After being treated to the performance the groups began rehearsing for mass. The choir then got to sample some delicious mozzarella pizza for lunch and enjoyed the rest of the sunny day!
July 1, 2019
2019 Tour | Day 2 – Prague

Friday morning we took the subway and the tram to the center of town and had a two-hour master class at the Music Conservatory. There, our conductor taught us some folk-songs in Czech! It was a great session. After lunch, there was a welcome ceremony at City Hall, where we were addressed by the Mayor of Prague and other dignitaries. This was followed by a tour of the city hall and a climb to the top of the clock tower. Once we reached the top we were treated to stunning city views.

In the late afternoon, all the choirs sang a brief program for each other. We enjoyed hearing the other choirs with their unique sound, style repertoire and uniforms! Everyone was fantastic and it was interesting to hear the differences between them all. We rounded off the day with a dinner of pork, a LOT of it, with potato dumplings, cabbage, and carrot cake for dessert! After a subway ride home at 11 pm, we were all ready to settle in for a good nights sleep. Thankfully, our day tomorrow is a later start and we can sleep in a bit.

June 28, 2019
2019 Tour | Day 1 – Prague

It has been a busy, exciting tour so far. After we arrived in Prague at 7:00 am and grabbed a quick airport breakfast. It was about midnight our time when we met our tour guide but the kids and chaperones held up extremely well and had a great time on the morning walking tour of parts of the old city. We went to the castle, saw St.Vitus’ church, (where we will sing on Sunday), walked across the famous Charles Bridge, and had lunch in the town square. The weather was hot and humid, and in spite of our lack of sleep, we were able to enjoy the morning. We even had an impromptu performance in an echoey archway at the castle, which was subject to numerous cell phone cameras!

After lunch we arrived at out hotel and many of us couldn’t wait to get our room key so we could catch a nap.

In order to get around we have become subway pro’s. Thursday night, when we caught our first subway to our restaurant for dinner and our mascot, “Baby Bach” enjoyed the ride, and the steep escalators!

We enjoyed meeting and sharing a song with the Young Men’s Ensemble from the LA Children’s Chorus, after a beautiful welcome dinner at Smetana Hall. This choir, along with choirs from Slovenia, Ukraine, Slovakia, and the surrounding area, are all participating in the choral festival.

June 28, 2019
Italy Tour – Padova

After a very tiring concert and party yesterday, the choir enjoyed sleeping in late and eating a late breakfast at 9:30. After packing our bags, we got onto the bus and enjoyed the scenery on the way Padova.

In Padova, we had two hours of free time. Padova was an especially nice town because it is significantly less focused on tourism. We were able to find some very nice clothing for very good prices.

After free time, we went to go see St. Antonio’s tomb, which was found in a very lovely church were we had to cover our shoulders and our knees.

After that, we left Padova and headed to our hotel near Venice for a little bit of relaxation and a lovely dinner, where we all got to show off our new clothes! It was a great day! We look forward to our last days in Italy!

Ciao!

-Patrick and Josh

July 10, 2017
Italy Tour – Pisa and Lucca

After our relaxing and radiant day yesterday, the choir was in good spirits and ready for more walking! We kicked off the day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, and made our way onto the tour bus. We arrived at Pisa, at the site of the famous leaning tower, and we were set free in our chaperone groups to roam the street market areas and the main area where the tower, cathedral, and baptism domes are located. We can assure you that many cheesy pictures with the tower were taken!

The next stop for the day was Lucca! We explored the town for an hour or so in areas including cathedral square and amphitheater square.

Then we made our way to the church to prepare for our concert with the local Italian choir, Arco Baleno. The church had very good acoustics but it was very humid and hot, sono calda!!! The concert was an experience none of us will forget. The Italian choir had a very powerful, strong, forward sound. Their repertoire was based off of humanitarian, and social topics such as friendship and love and inclusion. Most of their songs were accompanied by a recorded track of music. This style was quite different from our very pure choral sound with piano accompaniment. We were nervous at first, since our sound was so different, but after finishing our pieces, we received many smiles and loud clapping and our final piece, an Italian piece, was a total hit! The whole church was on their feet! The concert ended with a song both the choirs could sing together. It was an absolutely incredible experience!

The families of the choristers from Lucca cooked us all a huge amount of food set up in a hall in buffet form. Intriguing and slightly “lost-in-translation” conversation with the other choristers during our meal quickly turned into dancing. We taught them “Cadillac Ranch”, and they taught us dance after dance after dance. Most of them were in a sort of learn-as-you-go style, with leaders at the front and everyone else mirroring their movements as best we could! Everyone was hot and glowing, and had very dirty feet due to our dancing location; the dry dirt and grass field in the back of the dining hall. We danced for hours and hours having the time of our lives. We took turns sharing music with each other and dancing with each other. It was great to see the kind of parties the local youth have here. Italians reeeally know how to party!!

After many hugs and cheek-kisses and goodbyes, we made our way onto the bus again, everyone still buzzing with excitement but ready for bed! Until tomorrow, Ciao!

-Emilia and Elena

July 10, 2017
Italy Tour – Cinque Terre

The sixth day in Rome for the choir started bright and early as we all hopped on the bus at 7:20AM and headed to the docks where we would depart for our day in Cinque Terre!

Our tour of Italy’s coast was absolutely breathtaking! We had the opportunity to take lots of pictures as we floated between each cliff side town along Italy’s coast! It was around lunch time when we arrived in Cinque Terre for our day of beach fun and small town adventures! Cinque Terre is a series of five beautiful little towns along the coastline of Italy full of small shops and charming cafes! Cinque Terre is famous in Italy as the home of the inventor of pesto! Many of the choristers indulged in the towns’ famous sauce for lunch! After some time at the beach and exploring, the choir hopped on the train back to our hotel where we had some free time to swim in the pool and relax after a very vigorous few days in Italy!

The choristers were finally allowed to wear there casual cloths to dinner! Tonight we dined in the hotel and the staff were absolutely charming! As gratitude for all they had done the choir sang for all the waiters! We think they like it!

To end our night we gathered together to share our favourite experiences in Italy so far with one another! It was a fantastic time filled with laughter! Today was a resounding success and we all look forward to days we have left in Italy!

~ Buona notte (good night) Josh

July 9, 2017
Italy Tour – Florence!

The Calgary Children’s Choir had a bright and early start this Friday morning, having breakfast at 6:30am. After breakfast we packed up then hit the road. We embarked on the journey from Rome to Florence on our Luxurious coach.

After resting for 2 hours, our tour guide, Adrianna, gave us a brief overview of the Rnaissance culture in Italy. From the bus we walked around the streets of Florence and experienced the Famous Florence Market, which is known for it’s leathers. Many of us purchased fine quality bags and backpacks.

Next we headed to the academic gallery Museum, where we met our local tour guide for the day. We learned lots about different pieces of artwork, especially those created by Michelangelo.

The choristers went outside and continued sightseeing with the local tour guide. We saw the Florence Cathedral, the Centre Place Plaza and the spectacular Bridge Scenery. Thanks to Adrianna, the choristers got to shop for 2 more hours and eat on the beautiful streets of Florence. After our delicious meal, we the sea of green seaweed of the CCC went to a viewing point that over looked the city of Florence.

After, we hopped on the bus and went to Montecatini for the night.

~ Ella and Olivia ~

July 8, 2017
Italy – Rome Day 3!

We had another amazing (albeit very warm) day. The choir started the day off singing a concert at St. Agnes’s church, a beautiful space. Around the age of 12-13, St. Agnes became a martyr. She had made a vow of chastity, and when a prince of Rome tried to break that vow, he was smited by an angel. When she was accused of witchcraft, she prayed and brought the prince back to life. It is said that her skull is preserved in the chapel of heads.

After our concert we had two hours of free time and a delicious lunch in the Piazza Navona.

After lunch we had even more free time! We took a short walk to the Trevi fountain, which we had seen on day one (but trust us, it is worth seeing twice). We went on a little walking trip to Compo Dei Fiori, a little square near our restaurant. On our walk we visited a wonderful church. Look at the ceiling, do you think that’s real or painted?

After all that walking we were tired so we decided to do…… some more walking! We took a little trip to a famous neighbourhood called Travestere. The group saw some amazing things, including this amazing Middle Ages church!

After our delicious dinner, we headed back to the bus, where we had to bid farewell to our lovely driver, Federico. As we leave Rome, we will leave you with the best view Rome has to offer.

Farewell & goodnight, Grace and Adriana.

July 6, 2017
Italy Tour – Rome Day 2!

We had an early start today being on the bus at 7:45, which then took a scenic route to the renowned Vatican City. As you could imagine it is a very popular place, but with the help of our fantastic tour guide Adriana we took the fast track and promptly met up with our Vatican guide Rosanna.

She was astoundingly knowledgeable and helpful whenever we had questions about the art or how to turn on our guide head sets. We saw so many priceless sculptures and extravagant hallways within the museum, including a spinning sculpture, as demonstrated by Rosanna.

We were then led to the famous Sistine chapel. As soon as we entered both the choristers and the chaperones were in awe. We couldn’t help but take in the story of creation on the ceiling as well as the 100 plus body portrait on the front wall. Truly a masterpiece.

Reluctant to leave, we found our way out of St. Peter’s and were once again struck by the beauty, and the heat, of St. Peter’s square.

After a quick lunch and some well deserved gelato, we got into our concert attire and took a very sweaty hike up to the basilica. For the umpteenth time today we were taken aback. The intricacy and pure grandeur of the basilica was so incredible that we agreed no picture taken on an iPhone nor a Nikon could do it justice…. but we sure did try. Finally it was time to sing in the afternoon mass. Guided into the choir space by the music director David, we sang truly for the joy of it. It was a lovely mass in Italian and Latin that brought us to the end of our first concert in Italy and it sure did set the bar high.

Ciao until tomorrow!

-Heather

July 6, 2017
Italy Tour – Rome!

This morning was our first rehearsal of the tour! We found a cute little conference room on the upper level of the hotel, and practiced for about two hours. Following the rehearsal, the choir went to the small bars (little restaurants) just outside of the hotel for lunch.

The remainder of the afternoon consisted of a TON of walking and sight-seeing. On the way to the Colosseum, the choir stopped at the Altare della Patria, which turned out to be the very first place we were told to NOT sing! We thought the security guard assumed we were busking and stopped us mid-song. Despite the disappointment, the building was stunning nonetheless.

Next on the tour, the choir was able to go into the Colosseum! Luckily we didn’t have to wait in the long lines for the public, as Adriana (our magnificent tour guide) used her connections to get us in quickly. The views were breathtaking, and the architecture even more unbelievable. It’s astonishing that such a structure could still be (partially) standing 2000 years later. Our Colosseum tour guide was fantastic, too!

In our chaperone groups, the choir was let free to explore a few streets within the city centre. Within the two hours that we had, groups had the opportunity to buy souvenirs, enjoy gelato, and familiarize with the area. The streets were so charming, and the shop owners were lovely as well.

Following our excursions, the choir met up at a local restaurant for another fantastic three-course meal. We sang a thanks to the staff and owner and headed back to the hotel. Today has been very eventful, and I’m sure our sore feet will enjoy a rest before the even more eventful day tomorrow!

Goodnight from Roma

-Kyla and Hannah

July 4, 2017
Italy Tour – Travel and Rome!

Hello, it has been a very long day for all of us here in Italy!

First things first, at 9 AM on the 2^nd of July we met at the Calgary International Airport, bright eyed and exited to fly to Italy!
Except first we had to fly to Toronto and wait a bit, having some dinner while we did so. Then, at 8:00(ish) their time, we hopped on another flight! This one going direct to Rome!
Don’t we look awake!

Eight hours later we arrived, collected our things, and set out with Adrianna, our lovely guide. Please bear in mind, we had now been travelling, more or less constantly awake, for at least 15 hours. But it was only noon in Italy! So we headed to our lovely hotel, found some delicious lunch from local places, and settled in for an hour or so. I am told there are some who did not sleep during this time. I was not one of them.

At 3:30, 21 hours into our day, we met back in the lobby to go into central Rome and have a walking tour. It was nominally supposed to take us to a number of different fountains, including the famous Trevi fountain. I would give you play-by-play details, but it was just so phenomenal. Every corner you turned, every side street you took, led you to another breathtaking piece of artistry. We learned to drink from ancient roman fountains, and even managed to sneak quickly into the Pantheon since there were no lines! We even sang a little, just to enjoy the sound of our voices in the ancientness streets.

By about the time we were ready to drop, we arrived at a perfect place to! Dinner was lovely, even if most of us were too tired to properly enjoy it, and the gelato for dessert was phenomenal.

At long last, around 26 hours from when we first collected together, we made our way back to the coach to take us home to sleep for the night. And sleep we shall.

In fact, I’m off to do that right now.

Sweet dreams, and ci vediamo domani (see you tomorrow)!

Victoria GM

July 2, 2017
Remembering With Music

This past Sunday, Canada remembered the Battle of Vimy Ridge, on its 100th anniversary. In 1922, France gave to Canada the land for the memorial, and the surrounding area “forever and in perpetuity,” and the memorial was unveiled in 1936. The shining white marble standing stark against the skyline, remembers the 3598 soldiers who died during the assualt on Vimy Ridge in 1917, as well as the 11, 285 soldier who died in France during the war, and have no grave. Their names are etched into the marble base of the memorial, and the figure representing Canada looks out across the field of battle.

Music accompanies us during our celebrations, but it is also with us in our most solemn times. It helps us to express ourselves when words simply are not enough. It prefaces, and enhances the silence that follows, when we bow our heads together to remember.

During our tour to France and England in 2003 the Calgary Children’s Choir visited the Vimy Ridge War Memorial, very early one summer morning, when the mist was still hanging in the fields below, and the white marble shone against a crystalline blue sky. We were quiet and solemn; confronted by the sheer immensity of the marble figures against the vastness of the sky, and the silent fields below, feeling the weight of that moment. We gathered on the steps of the memorial to sing; offering up our voices together in song to pay our respects.

The Calgary Children’s Choir returned again to France, and to the Vimy Ridge War Memorial in 2013, a decade later, returning to those steps again, to sing, to be silent, and to remember.

Music not only serves as a testament of reverence and remembrance, but it can act as a portal through time, since music is so intrinsically tied to memory. Many of our choristers have remarked that they think of our visit to Vimy Ridge every time they sing or hear ‘Un Canadian Errant,’ one of the pieces we sang on the steps of the memorial. This speaks to the power of music; that it can transport us through time and space, aid us in remembering fine details of events that occurred decades past, and most importantly, keep in living memory the important deeds of those who have come and passed before us.

We welcome your thoughts, and remembrances in the comments below.

April 10, 2017
Singing In Sacred Spaces

We are very excited about many aspects of our upcoming summer tour to Italy, the food, the weather, the art; but we are perhaps most excited for the amazing performance opportunities afforded to us. During our travels we will be singing in a variety of sacred spaces, in Rome, Venice, Lucca, and others!

One of these amazing performance opportunities, will be the Calgary Children’s Choir participation in Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Perhaps one of the most iconic sacred spaces in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica was finished its second construction in 1626 and is considered one of the most beautiful architectural spaces in the Renaissance style. The Basilica, and the colonnade, and plaza outside were designed by several prominent artists: Michaelangeo, Bernini, Maderno, and Bramante.

Singing in sacred spaces is different than singing in a concert hall or theatre. Sacred spaces require a solemnity, and a respect for the purpose of the space, whether you personally subscribe to those beliefs or not.
Often in sacred spaces, a particular set of music is required; as will be the case during the CCC’s performance at St. Peter’s. We will be singing Mass, which includes music that has been set to a very specific set of liturgical texts. Our performance will also be acapella, a common requirement of singing in sacred spaces.

Most poignant of all, singing in a sacred space, especially one as old and as iconic as St. Peter’s Basilica, reminds us of all those who have used the space before us. Sacred spaces, such as churches, basilicas, and cathedrals are communal places, gathering spaces for the community to come together and share a common set of values and beliefs. In a sacred space as old and as iconic as St. Peter’s, it is remarkable to think of the many hundreds of thousands who visited, or gathered in worship at the Basilica. This will surely have a profound effect on our performance this summer.

Which performance are you most excited about for our July tour to Italy? Tell us in the comments below!

April 3, 2017
3 Ways In Which Choir Makes You More Adventurous!

Choir is an excellent place to test out uncertain waters. It is safe, and communal, and supportive, and it’s a great place to become more adventurous!

#1. Weird warmups:
Singing makes many demands of us, and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to strange warmups. We are often tasked with creating sounds rarely heard by human ears, making odd faces, windmilling our arms, wandering around whilst our eyes are closed, singing on various vowels, all of which can feel slightly disconcerting. All of these strange activities help make us better singers, but participating in something that makes us feel slightly uncomfortable, can also help us discover how to push through our own self-imposed limitations.

#2. Meeting new people:
Choir is an excellent way to meet new people, because it is, by definition, a group activity! It is also an activity in which new people are constantly being introduced. The CCC accepts new members all year, so there are often new friends to be made, and we regularly work with local musicians, composers, and sometimes other members of the Calgary arts community, like dancers, puppeteers, and actors! Constantly being introduced to new people is an adventure in and of itself, and a great way to become more adventurous!

#3. Travel:
We are very fortunate that we get to travel every few years as a choir (including a tour to Italy this summer!) Travel is almost always a rewarding experience, but traveling with the choir is a different kind of reward. It teaches us how to be independent, how to be problem-solvers, how to communicate in other languages and how to enjoy other different cultures. It opens our eyes, and our minds to different experiences, and ways of life.

How else can choir make you more adventurous? Tell us in the comments below!

January 23, 2017
Ottawa Tour 2015 – Day 5!

Today we started with the doors to the breakfast hall being locked, so after some confusion and some well placed phone calls by Heather Fradette we got our morning meal in lots of time.

We then walked through Ottawa to get to the national arts centre and got to see some of the prep work for Canada day! Once we arrived we warmed up and started our unisong concert! It was amazing being up on stage with all our new friends and truly singing for the joy of it!

After our 10 AM concert we had some time to go for lunch and walk around down town Ottawa to enjoy the festivities. After lunch we returned to the preforming arts centre and sang/accompanied the national arts centre orchestra. The concert when really well and the absolute highlight was when we were closing the concert with nothing other when ‘Oh Canada’! We were given little paper flags to wave wildly after wards and there was an amazing sense of pride, especially when the crowed cheered and waved their flags and various items with us; It was like nothing else.

After that we had a delicious dinner at a local restaurant and got to go up to parliament hill and see the stage and the street vendors. We then had our final concert. As soon as it was done we hurried back to the hotel to make it back to the centre in time for the fireworks. They were spectacular! We then all headed back to our rooms and headed so bed after an amazing Canada day in the capital.

-XOXO heather and Kyla

July 2, 2015
Ottawa Tour 2015 Day 3!

Today was a very full day, rehearsing en masse with the mind-bogglingly energetic and musically brilliant Dr Sirett. We were especially 8:30 in the morning when the rehearsal started, or six-thirty back home. We would love to learn his secrets. We were a bit bogged down this morning, too, with our formal uniforms for tonight’s choir-to-choir performance.

The school we’re rehearsing in! And some sleepy choristers!

The notations would have made it easy to find our bags… if they hadn’t moved us to a different room.

In three hours, we managed to get through virtually all of our music, and the men even had a sectional. They know French now! We’re so proud. Even after only a few hours of rehearsal, we are really starting to come together as a mass choir under Dr. Sirett’s marvellous management. (He truly is a splendid dictator…er I mean director.) Why don’t you have a listen and see (hear) for yourself! Do we sound cohesive yet? Let us know in the comments down below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhT9HflBei4

After our impressive and slightly (very!) draining three hour rehearsal, we grabbed our bag lunches and dashed to the bus, making our (frenzied) way to the War Museum.

Can you see the sleepiness or are we good actors?It’s always difficult to write about moving and painful topics like the one covered in the museum, but the choir handled it pretty gracefully. We did see lots and lots of interesting artefacts, including battlefield surgical kits from several historical wars, an honest-to-goodness Swastika flag captured by Canadian soldiers in the Second World War, and a piece of the Berlin Wall gifted to Canada by Germany after the end of the Cold War.

Oh, we also saw one of Hitler’s parade cars, which is a remarkably imposing vehicle before one considers who used it. Once that is taken into account, it becomes more than a little bit frightening. It was in incredibly good condition, with only one shattered window. Frankly, given who it belonged to, we’re surprised that such a vehicle survived.

Some of the most moving parts of the experience were the WWI and WWII exhibits, which were especially poignant because of the personal accounts and vivid scenery recreations.

Another sobering and thought-provoking aspect of the museum was Memorial Hall, a simple but beautifully designed tribute to fallen Canadians.

Memorial Hall is set up so the sun entering through the window hits the tombstone at 11/11/11, and the permanent ‘shadow’ on the ground runs all the way through the lobby and out the building.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in another rehearsal, much like the first, only sleepier and fortunately shorter.

After dinner, we got ready for the individual choir performances. It was lovely to hear our newfound friends singing on their own. Apparently we sounded great too!

Rehearsing…

Performing!

After the concert, we headed back to our dorms, and bed.

Our one-of-a-kind T-shirts have received a lot of positive attention. Thanks Kat!

– Victoria and Nicole

July 1, 2015
Ottawa Tour 2015 Day 4!

We started the day bright and early with an 8:30 rehearsal with Dr. Sirett, tired and groggy from “the grog”, the music woke us up.

After a lunch on the fly, the bus took us by 22 Sussex Drive, and the Governor General’s house, en route to the Royal Canadian Mint.

After a tour of the inner workings, and a strong man contest with a gold bar, we headed to the National Arts Centre for a rehearsal with the orchestra.

Following the rehearsal, we had some free time, where we walked past the War Memorial, as well as around the By Ward Market, enjoying Beaver Tails, Iced Cream, and Obama Cookies; and even singing a song in the square.

We then proceeded to head back to the NAC for dinner, before one more rehearsal with Dr. Sirett.

We’re ready. Three concerts tomorrow, where we will sing our hearts out, and wave our flags high and proud.

– Robbie, Josh, Matt, Paul, and Patrick

June 30, 2015
Ottawa Tour 2015 – Day 2!

Today was a very eventful day. We went to the Museum Of Canadian History, the mall and had our first mass rehearsal for Unisong!

We woke up quite early to grey skies and the smell of rain, making sure we were dressed in the right choir tee shirt for the day (it matched the sky). Crossing the river into Québec, we went to the Canadian Museum of History – a riveting and informative experience. We learned about the Confederation and Rebellions of 1867. Another exhibit was the Magna Carta, which was showing two of the six documenting the original Magna Carta. There were many other exhibits at the museum: one dedicated to Terry Fox and the other about the ancient Greeks.

The trip to the mall was an explosion of free time and choir children running loose. There was a surprisingly eco friendly serving system, using plastic trays and plates and metal cutlery. When done with the dishes, facility operators cleared and cleaned so they could be used once more.

photo by Paul Vanhoutteghem

photo by Paul Vanhoutteghem

photo by Paul Vanhoutteghem

photo by Paul Vanhoutteghem

photo by Paul Vanhoutteghem

The first mass rehearsal could be best described as busy, exciting and difficult. We met new people and learned new techniques for singing. The man conducting the mass choir is Mark G. Sirett and he focused attention to technique and detail. He was energetic and exuberant! I’m sure tomorrow will be filled with more fun and adventure along with singing!

– Sophie Collins

June 28, 2015
Ottawa 2015 Tour – Day 1

What a day! Starting off bright and early, we met at the Calgary airport at 8:10 am.

We took off right before noon. The flight was a little bumpy, but fun all the same! Granola bars and good company got us through the long flight.

Arriving in Ottawa, we saw it was cloudy and cool, which is honestly a bit of a relief from the hot weather back home. After singing together on the way to our dorms and eating some well deserved pizza, our first day on tour comes to a close.

-Kasia DeSorcy

June 27, 2015
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
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