Tag: singing

Three Reasons Why You Should Sing Every Day

For many of us, singing is already a big part of our lives; we have choir rehearsals, workshops and concerts. But singing on a daily basis, even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time has several impressive benefits:

#1. Stamina:
As with any muscle, the more you work out your voice, the better you will sound. The voice needs constant practice to gain better breath support, vocal range, and agility. The more you practice, the longer you can sing, the better your ear will pick up the nuances of difficult repertoire, and the more comfortable you’ll be with your instrument!

#2. Break Time:
Singing can be a great way to change up your day, particularly if it has been a long, stressful one! Singing requires a very intense focus, and is a particularly immersive endeavour, so it can be an excellent way to clear your mind, and to relieve any stress you may be experiencing. As well, using singing as a break from the stresses of your life, can ensure better focus when you do need to return to work.

#3. It’s so good for you:
There are so many emotional, psychological, and physiological benefits to singing. And the more you sing, the more you can reap the benefits! From increased lung capacity, to lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), a recent study has even shown that singing can assist in regulating blood pressure! Singing also released endorphins in your brain, which are the ‘feel good’ hormones!

Do you sing every day? What do you like most about singing? Tell us in the comments below!

March 9, 2015
Folk Concert 2015 – ‘Home’ Roundup!

On Sunday afternoon, March 1st 2015, the Calgary Children’s Choir performed at our annual Folk Music concert at the Rozsa Centre. The theme of this year’s Folk Concert, was ‘Home’, and our concert was emceed by our talented Creative Consultant, Kat Long-Jones. Our concert featured artwork made by the choristers at our recent Winter Retreat, and embody the choristers’ vision of ‘Home’. A big thanks to our Artist in Residence during our Winter Retreat, Lisa Hodgkinson who helped us with this beautiful project.

We sang a variety of different pieces that encapsulated our ideas of ‘Home’, and different perspective on that theme, including: Hey Ho, Nobody’s Home, Almost Home, 900 Miles, and Woodsmoke and Oranges.

It was a wonderful concert, and a great way to celebrate all the different perspectives on ‘Home’! Thank-you to everyone who came out to see our concert!

What was your favourite part of the concert? Tell us in the comments below!

March 2, 2015
5 Ways In Which Singing Makes You More Creative

#1. Awareness:
A singer’s instrument is different from other instruments, because it is contained within a singer’s body. This means that singers have to have an excellent awareness of their own body, and they need to visualize their voice in a way that other musicians don’t have to. The inability to see one’s instrument allows singers to think uniquely, and create their own picture of their voice, and the singing process in their mind’s eye.

#2. Characterization:
When singers perform a piece, they think about the meaning of the piece, and often the character embodied within that piece. Performing requires singers to adopt the persona of the music itself, and to think about the emotions, and events described by the piece. This ability gives singers a unique perspective, and insights into how others view the world; a valuable aspect of creativity.

#3. Teamwork:
Singers rarely sing alone. Whether they’re singing with others, or accompanied by other musicians, they need to be taking the other musicians into consideration. Performing live with other musicians requires incredible communication, usually through nuanced body language and cues, subtleties of performance, and consideration for the musical elements the other musicians bring to the performance.

#4. Expression:
All musicians express emotion through their music; it is part of what makes music so compelling to listen to. But singers have an added layer of emotive power because we sing text as well. This allows singers to make connections between the music itself and the text. Often, composers have written music to reflect the words in the text, and singers need to identify those moments, and respond to them musically, to best communicate the message of the music to the audience.

#5. Vulnerability:
To get up on a stage in front of other people and perform, requires an immense amount of courage. Any performer understands that every time they get up on that stage, they might fail, and fail in front of other people. This kind of courage comes from the ability to express your vulnerability, to expose your innermost thoughts and emotions, and then communicate them to an audience. and it is a powerful tool for any singer.

“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself, believe.” – Winston Churchill

Do you think singing can contribute to creativity? Tell us how in the comments!

February 23, 2015
Singing Spaces

The best kind of music is influenced by small, seemingly insignificant elements. Where the musicians stand or sit, how well they watch their conductor, the way in which they listen to the other performers. One of these subtle elements, is the space in which a musician performs.

A ‘live’ space, is one in which there are many hard surfaces. This allows the sound to bounce off of those hard surface. In live spaces it takes the reverberation from your sound longer to decay. It makes your sound linger, and it sounds very pleasant to the ear. This is why everyone sounds great singing in the shower!
Still, there are occasions when a space is too ‘live’, and the reverberation of sound can be disorienting.

Ex: When the choir toured to New York in 1999, we performed in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a beautiful venue that has exceptionally live acoustics.

Unfortunately, the organ, which we were using for our performance, was located at the opposite end of the cathedral to where we were performing. The cathedral was so massive, that the reverberations from the organ took a few beats to reach the choir, and the reverberating sound from the choir took a few beats to reach the organ. In that case it was very difficult to rely on the sound we were hearing as feedback, because the reverb of our singing in such a live space, was interfering with the reverb from the organ.

A ‘dead’ space, is one in which there are sound absorbing materials present in the room. These can include carpets, wall hangings, and certain materials that are specifically designed to absorb sound. Another example of a ‘dead’ space is the outdoors. There is simply too much space for the sound waves to escape, and so the reverb from singing decays almost instantaneously. A ‘dead’ space can be very difficult space in which to perform, or even in which to practice.

In which spaces do you prefer singing? Tell us in the comments below!

February 2, 2015
The Benefits of Singing With An Orchestra

The Calgary Children’s Choir has been very fortunate over the years to have performed with a variety of musicians both locally and internationally. It is of the utmost benefit to young minds to be as exposed to as many kinds of performances as possible. From our concerts with local musicians, to our yearly participation in Alberta Ballet’s Nutcracker, we have had several wonderful opportunities to perform with orchestras. Here are three benefits of singing with an orchestra:

#1. Everybody is necessary:
Although there can be many different people involved in a concert, every single member of an orchestra, or a choir, is essential to that performance. Understanding this kind of teamwork is important to one’s growth as a musician. Even if you are only one part of the entire performance, you are still an essential aspect. Performing with other musicians is a great joy, and it can be highly beneficial, both physically and mentally.

#2. Seemingly disparate parts make up a whole:
It is always amazing to hear how the radically different sounds of a trombone, and a violin can sound so wonderful together. Orchestras are composed of a myriad of different sounds, and it is an excellent skill to be able to determine by ear which instrument makes which sound. Performing with an orchestra enables singers to become adept at picking out different sounds, and focusing on them, at hearing subtle differences, and understanding how the disparate sounds work together. These abilities have numerous non-musical applications, like memory retention, problem-solving skills, and the ability to focus intently.

#3. Focus is key :
With so many elements involved in a performance, it can be easy to become distracted. This is why focus is an essential skill a singer must develop. By learning to focus on the subtle instructions a conductor gives, or the variations in sound being produced by all of the different musicians in an orchestra as well as the singers around you, a singer can truly hone this important skill. Focus is an incredibly valuable skill outside of performance, as our world becomes increasingly filled with distractions.

What are some other benefits of singing with an orchestra? Tell us in the comments below!

January 12, 2015
A Child’s Carol 2014 – Christmas Concert Roundup!

On Saturday December 13th, we were thrilled to present The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey in concert with VoiceScapes! The evening was a wonderful combination of storytelling and holiday music. The beautiful Rozsa Centre was decorated by our amazing Creative Consultant, Kat Long, who crocheted 385 stars for us by hand! We were also very excited to present the Chandler Zawalykut scholarship to longtime member, Chantel Witherly!
Check out these photos from the concert!

What was your favourite part of the Christmas concert? Tell us in the comments below!

The Calgary Children’s Choir wishes you all a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holiday! We’ll see you all in the New Year!

December 15, 2014
VoiceScapes!

We are very excited this year to be sharing our annual Christmas concert, A Child’s Carol, with the professional vocal group; VoiceScapes!

VoiceScapes is a four member vocal group that was formed in 2000. Their members have extensive experience in vocal music, and we have been very fortunate to feature two of its members, Christina Jahn and Paul Grindlay in concert with us before! Throughout their 15 year history, Voicescapes has performed across Alberta, collaborating with a variety of Canadian musicians, in diverse vocal performances, including: the Early Music Voices Concert series, and performance with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble, the Red Deer Symphony, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

You can check out recordings by Voicescapes here!

We are thrilled to be presenting The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey with Voicescapes, on Saturday December 13th, 2014, and we hope you’ll be able to join us!

For ticket information regarding our Christmas concert, contact our business manager, Linda White.

The Calgary Children’s Choir will also be joining VoiceScapes on Sunday, December 21st, for their 13th annual Sing Along Messiah! We would love to see you there! Ticket information is available here.

Are you looking forward to this year’s Christmas musical celebrations? Tell us in the comments below!

December 8, 2014
The Value Of Singing In Different Languages

Since the Calgary Children’s Choir is a Canadian choir, a large portion of the music we sing is in English. We have also sung in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, Japanese and several other languages! Singing in your native language is great, because you already understand the text. But there is a great deal of value in learning to sing in other languages:

#1. The Challenge
Singing music in another language provides another layer of difficulty to the learning process. There are so many aspects of language acquisition to consider, including cadence, pronunciation, and the many nuances of the language. As well, the text must be analyzed to ensure that choristers know what they’re singing about, and to communicate that effectively to the audience.

#2. Perspective
Singing in a language other than your native tongue, forces choristers to look at the piece from a new perspective. Context is essential when you don’t inherently understand the words you’re singing. Different languages have different ways of describing details, they come with historical nuances, and correct pronunciation is crucial to ensure that the words are communicated effectively. Learning music in another language demands that singers focus on new and challenging aspects of the piece, that they may not usually consider.

#3. New Learning Opportunities
Singing in other languages does not just provide learning opportunities in language. When we learn music in a different language, we encourage our choristers to explore a variety of aspects of the culture from which the language originate, including food, dance, religion, geography and other customs. This context is crucial in understanding the language in which we’re singing, but also understanding the historical significance of the music itself!

What do you love about learning to sing in other languages? Tell us in the comments below!

December 1, 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: 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
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
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
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
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
The Five Senses In Singing – Smell

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, taste, and touch, are all related to singing!

The human ability to smell is the hardest sense to relate to the area of singing, because olfactory perception is not actually directly linked to singing. The nasal cavity however, is an essential aspect of the singing process, and one that is often discounted.

Singers need to have a keen awareness of the physiological processes that are involved in singing, including the vocal folds, the tongue, and the palates, but an understanding of the nasal cavity, and its involvement in singing is fundamental to the production of good sound. This blog post is only intended to provide a brief, and simplified outline of one of the anatomical processes involved in singing, focusing specifically on the nasal cavity.

In classical singing, the nasal cavity is considered an important resonance chamber, along with the oral cavities, and sinus cavities. The nasal cavity allows sound to resonate in order to amplify the sound a singer produces. In order to achieve the greatest resonance with the nasal cavity, the soft palate must be lifted, and widened in order to facilitate resonance with the oral pharynx.

For those interested in further exploration of the anatomy of singing, researchers at the University of Toronto created a great resource called Anatomia, which can be used to explore the anatomy of the head and neck in great detail.

* There is a great deal of misinformation available about the anatomy of singing. Singers should be discerning when choosing resources about singing, and the anatomy of singing.

Can you think of other reasons why smell, or the nasal cavity might be important in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

November 25, 2013
The Five Senses In Singing – Sight

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, taste, and touch, are all related to singing!

Sight:

Sight is a vital sense to the art of singing for several different reasons. Sight allows singers to read the music on the page, and respond to other singers and musicians with whom we are performing. It also allows us to gauge the emotional connection of the audience to the music, as well as to watch the conductor for important musical signals.

An interesting aspect of sight that is not as obvious, is the evocation of imagery. Having text in a piece, adds another layer to the musical interpretation. The poetry often found in vocal music conjures an image in the mind’s eye that allows singers to connect to the music in another way. This kind of ‘sight’ is a wonderful facet of musical interpretation, and really helps singers to communicate musically.

Singers also have to use the sight of their mind’s eye when thinking about vocal technique. Imagining how the muscles of our abdomen regulate the air moving up through our throats and into our mouths; picturing the placement of the tongue, and the nasal passages to ensure great resonance also involves creating an image in our minds. This kind of ‘self sight’, allows singers to use their instruments as efficiently, and musically as possible.

What are some other reasons why sight is an important sense in singing? Tell us in the comments below!

November 18, 2013
The Five Senses In Singing – Hearing

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

Hearing:

Our ability to hear is one of the most obvious senses involved in singing. It’s also one of the most important senses! In order for singers to be proficient in music, they need to have excellent hearing. But not just any kind of hearing. Trained singers, and other musicians, listen to music in an entirely different way than most people. Music is made up of many layers of sound, and singers are trained to ‘sort’ through those layers and to highlight the most important aspect of music.

When singing in choirs, singers rely on the other choristers around them to enhance their sound, and so they must listen very carefully to the voices of the other singers surrounding them. This is especially true when the music has many different vocal parts.

Intonation, the ability to sing in tune, is essential for a singer, and it requires an intense focus when listening to the music, and modifying one’s own sound to match. A singer’s ability to be self-aware is essential when focusing on hearing. It is not enough for a singer to listen; they must be aware of how their own sound fits into the greater sound around them, and adjust themselves accordingly.

So, what do you think? What are other reasons why hearing is an essential sense in singing?

November 4, 2013
Halloween Concert Roundup!

Despite the 15 centimetres of snow, and blowing winds last night, our first concert of the year – the much anticipated Halloween concert – was a rousing success! The hall was decorated for Halloween by our amazing decorating committee, led by our Creative Consultant, Kat Long (who dressed up as an ice cream sundae!) It was so great to see all the choristers (and so many of the audience members) all dressed up in their costumes! Even our choir mascots, Piano and Forte, were dressed in Halloween costumes!

The music was a great juxtaposition of haunting melodies, and fantastic imagery, in pieces such as Legend of The Unfinished Crafts and Bartok’s, The Highway Man as well as fun holiday favourites, like Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, and The Time Warp! The concert was filled with fun and laughter, and included a surprise visit from the Ghostbusters, and a confessional song from our Artistic Director Marni Strome (who was dressed as a witch) that she ‘eats children’!

After the concert, we had a wonderful reception, with amazing Halloween treats!

Thanks to all of the choristers, parents, and audience members who braved the first snow storm of the year to see us perform!

(All photography courtesy of Brieannah Mollison-Read)

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

October 28, 2013
House Songs!

This year, at our choir camp in September, we had a Harry Potter theme. As part of that theme, the choir members were divided into three different houses: House Harmony, whose Head of House was our Creative Consultant Kat Long, House Rhythm, led by our Artistic Director Marni Strome, and House Melody, whose Head of House was the Junior Choir Director, Rachael Mollison-Read.

The Houses were tasked with creating a song that exemplified what our choristers love about choir. On the last day of camp we performed the songs for each other, and our parents! So here are the songs each House created:

House Harmony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK1SWLF8mpY&feature=c4-overview&list=UUil3fmUfboZVn9LteEljRLg

House Rhythm:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpsO_K2BUCc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUil3fmUfboZVn9LteEljRLg

House Melody:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yex_q5mJO9E&feature=c4-overview&list=UUil3fmUfboZVn9LteEljRLg

(All video courtesy of Christina Jahn)

Tell us, what do you think of the House Songs?

October 21, 2013
Choir Camp 2013!

This weekend, the Calgary Children’s Choir went out to Camp Horizon to enjoy a wonderful weekend of choir camp! Camp is a great opportunity for all of the choristers to get to know one another, and really get comfortable as an ensemble. We could not have asked for a more stunning location for our weekend away!

When the choristers arrived in the main lodge, our ‘Harry Potter’ theme was revealed! The main lodge had been decorated to look like elements from Harry Potter! The choristers were divided up into three different houses; House Melody, House Harmony, and House Rhythm.

After being ‘sorted’ we moved onto some singing games, which were fantastic with so many people there to play!

We ended the night with a quick snack, and a wonderful campfire filled with beautiful music!

Our next morning began with a great breakfast, and some rehearsal time, before the choristers headed off to the ‘Bank of Ideas’, supervised by the ‘Keeper of Coin.’ There, the choristers were asked to write down any ideas they had about music, and the choir. Their efforts were rewarded with the best kind of currency – chocolate!

Then it was time for lunch, but no sooner had we sat down to eat, than a nefarious villain named Malcoeur arrived, denouncing our love of music, and challenging us with musical questions. Despite our best efforts, Malcoeur kidnapped our choir mascots, Piano and Forte, and escaped with them!

Despite our heartache over the plight of our mascots, we soldiered on through the rest of rehearsals, and some time in our Houses to prepare a piece that embodied what we love about choir, and then it was free time! We had time to play games, make crafts, work on our skits for the evening’s performance, or just hang out with friends.

After dinner, it was skit night! Anyone who was so inclined, could make up a skit, and perform it for the group! We are so fortunate to have so many creative, theatrical choristers! After skit night, we headed out for another great campfire!

The next morning, the evil Malcoeur made another unwelcome appearance at breakfast, issuing musical challenges to the choir again. But this time, we bested him, and our mascots, Piano and Forte were returned to us! After a quick rehearsal, we were ready for our mini-concert for our parents!

This camp weekend was a wonderful experience for everyone, and brought all of the choristers closer together, all in the pursuit of beautiful music!

So tell us in the comments below, what was the best part of camp?

September 23, 2013
4 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Choir Rehearsal

As we embark on a new choir year, here are four ways to get the most out of choir rehearsals:

#1. Get to know your neighbours:

The wonderful thing about singing in a choir, is that it takes many voices to make the choral sound. This means that there are a variety of new people to meet! Introduce yourself, and get to know the people whose voices join your own every week! A friendship made in choir can last a lifetime!

#2. Remember your music:

The music you receive each year, is your own personal copy, and we encourage you to make notes all over your music (in pencil!) to remind you of cues, and other important information. If you forget your music, you can forget these important prompts. Remember to bring your music, and a pencil!

#3. Be punctual:

Because of the nature of choral singing, all members of the choir are equally important, which means if you’re not at choir when rehearsal starts, you could be missing some important information, and the choir is missing your important voice. As much as possible, get to choir on time, (or early!), so you can get the most out of rehearsal.

#4. Actively participate:

We’re all in choir because we love to sing, so while we’re rehearsing, try to engage as much as possible with material. That can be as simple as silently rehearsing your own part while the conductor is busy with another section, or answering a question the conductor might ask! The more you participate, the more you’ll get out of the rehearsal!

Tell us, how are you going to get the most out of choir rehearsal?

September 16, 2013
Welcome to CCC’s 2013 – 2014 Singing Season!

Hello and welcome to all of our new and returning choristers! We are looking forward to another fabulous year with the Calgary Children’s Choir! We have a huge variety of great activities, concerts, and other performances planned for the year, and we could not be more excited for this singing season!

If you haven’t already, we would love for you to join us on our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter. We also have many of our past performances up on our Youtube page!
If you are looking for our scheduled events for the year, they can be found under the ‘Calendar‘ section of our website.

Our weekly blog posts will appear on the website every Monday, under the ‘News‘ section. Keep an eye out for our upcoming series, The Five Senses In Singing!

What are you most excited about this 2013-2014 singing season? Tell us in the comments below!

September 9, 2013