Tapestry International Celebration of Women's Choirs
 A world of women's choral music is set to unfold right here in Vancouver at the end of February! As host choir, Elektra is proud to welcome Brilliant Harmony, all the way from Tokyo, as well as Victoria's Balkan Babes and the Western Washington Women's Chorale from Bellingham. Elektra's co-conducting team of Morna Edmundson and Diane Loomer are excited about the upcoming series of concerts. "Our audience can expect to be inspired, intrigued, and moved by the various guest choirs we have with us in our first ever Tapestry International," says Morna. "From the young adult voices of the Western Washington University Women's Chorale, to the haunting and mysterious songs of the Balkan Babes, and our special guests, Brilliant Harmony and their conductor/composer Ko Matsushita, these fine ensembles will each bring something different and special to the event."
New Commission Celebrates MilestoneTapestry International also marks a milestone in Elektra's life, as it will be the last "formal" event with Diane Loomer as co-conductor of the choir. After 22 years of award-winning leadership and great musical friendship, she is stepping aside as co-conductor and handing over the reins to co-conductor, Morna Edmundson. Elektra will be marking this transition at From the Heart, a concert and dinner hosted by Shelagh Rogers this May that will honour Diane's enormous contribution to the choir, but Tapestry International also honours this milestone with a wonderful commissioned work by Vancouver composer, Ramona Luengen. "When Morna and Diane approached me with a commission as part of their Canadian Voices series, I happily agreed," Ramona recalls. "It is always a pleasure and a privilege to compose for a skilled, committed and innately musical group such as Elektra."
"With the news that this work would be included on Diane's farewell concert, a very challenging element was added to the mixture. Despite my fondness for Latin or German texts, I decided that something in English would best suit the purpose - so the search began. How does one find poetry which captures the essence of the occasion: a celebration of Diane's many rewarding years as co-conductor of Elektra tinged by a sense of nostalgia and sadness which understandably accompanies all such departures."
"Having had the great honour of working with Joy Kogawa some years ago, I began re-reading her poetry and found what I thought would make the perfect text: How the Blossoms are Falling. There is such exquisite delicacy and beauty in all of Joy's writing, but in this particular poem we sense fulfilment coupled with an underlying wistfulness, a looking back on nature's life cycle as fruit grows from seed to ripeness, moving from fragile birth to rich maturity. The second stanza of the poem speaks of an aching longing to turn back the clock, 'to walk at that moment in the orchard again when the children are still small and to see in the sunlight how the blossoms are falling.'"
"I could not but help think what a perfect analogy this would be for Diane's retirement. How, many years ago, a small, young and enthusiastic band of women began their life as a choir, still glowing in the spring sun. How, after many years of commitment and dedication, of energy, work and blind faith, Diane and Morna have guided and cajoled, watching as Elektra matured into the choir it now is."
"It is hoped that both Joy's tender poem and the music reflect Diane's sentiments as she readies herself to retire from Elektra, undoubtedly feeling a deep love and pride for the women that now stand before her...and reminiscing of those early days when potential and love of music were merely a seed, the seed of a springtime dream."
Diane feels this is a propitious time to step down as co-conductor of Elektra because the choir is so strongly positioned in a leadership role within the choral community. "'Tapestry - a rich combination of colours and designs woven together in a harmonious whole' is the perfect description of not only this amazing event, but also Elektra's integral part within the international women's choral movement," she says. "Along with our visiting choirs we are also pleased to welcome 12 new young singers from local high schools as part of Mira, Elektra's mentorship program, to share this exciting series of concerts with us.
We feel we have struck gold with these latest commissions specifically written for Tapestry International by well known BC composers Ramona Luengen and Timothy Corlis, and know our audiences are going to love them. Elektra's Tapestry International is a brilliant mosaic of choral music you won't want to miss."
Concerts on February 26 and 28 take place at Ryerson United Church, with Tapestry's Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale on March 1 will be at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver. |
The Concerts
February 26, 2009
Spotlight: Brilliant Harmony, Japan
Ryerson United Church, 2195 W. 45 Ave, Vancouver, 7:30 pm
$26 Adults | $20 Seniors/Students
To mark this award-winning choir's first visit to North America, Brilliant Harmony takes the spotlight for the first concert of Tapestry International.
Brilliant Harmony was formed in 1988 by conductor, Ko Matsushita. Since then the choir has gone on to collect many accolades, culminating in the 2005 European Grand Prix Award. This recognized their first place wins in an astounding six major European choral competitions!
The February 26 performance of Brilliant Harmony is part of the official 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada, celebrating eighty years of partnership across the Pacific.
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 February 28, 2009
Spotlight: The Singing World
Ryerson United Church, 2195 W. 45 Ave, Vancouver, 7:30 pm
$26 Adults | $20 Seniors/Students
All four choirs take to the stage for this second concert of Tapestry International. Each choir will present a set of music that showcases their folk traditions, specialities, and the breadth of repertoire written for women's voices from many cultures.Beautiful costumes, music that may be new to you, and four distinctly different choral ensembles bringing their best to you - it's The Singing World.
March 1, 2009
Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale
Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard St, Vancouver, 5 pm
$30 Adults | $24 Seniors/Students
In addition to performing individually during Tapestry International, all four choirs plus the members of Mira, Elektra's mentoring program, have been in masses rehearsals, preparing for Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale, held in downtown Vancouver's spectacular Christ Church Cathedral.
Elektra will premiere Luengen's How the Blossoms are Falling as part of their solo set in the first half of the concert, and the massed ensembles will premiere Timothy Corlis' The Garden of Dreams in the second half of the programmem along with works by Raminsch, Matsushita, and Hampton.
"This The Garden of Dreams is a setting of the poem written by Bliss William Carman, one of Canada's best known poets in the early 20th century," states Corlis. "His body of work is substantial, often speaking in passionate terms about the subtle moments in his experiences of nature. To me, both music and text express a joy in knowing a pervasive "living breath" - an unspoken part of life that is vital, dynamic, and full of joy."
Morna praises the work for it evocative setting of text. "The voices and piano create a spinning, dreamlike mood at the opening, building to a dramatic climax," she explains. "We're proud to introduce other choirs to the work of our own composers, and hope that this piece might find its way into a choral concert in Japan in the future."
The glorious sound of 120 upraised voices in the warm accoustics of a beloved heritage building brings Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale to a thrilling close. Tapestry International offers three concerts of brilliant music from around the world of women's music. Purchase your tickets today!
Tickets for individual concerts available nowthrough  604.280.3311
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Attend all three stellar concerts and save over 20% with a Tapestry International Pass!
Brilliant Harmony, Balkan Babes, The Western Washington Women, and Elektra - how can you choose? With our convenient pass you'll never have to worry about having tickets at hand. Really, one call does it all.
Adult passes are $65 and Student/Senior passes are $50
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Available through the Elektra office (604.739.1255). Order one now!
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The ChoirsBalkan BabesVictoria, BC The Balkan Babes emerged over nine years ago when a group of women in Victoria, B.C. decided to explore the choral traditions of Eastern Europe's Balkan region. Over the years, the casual singing group became a dedicated vocal ensemble, and the Balkan Babes gained local recognition singing at festivals and concerts throughout Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, including Victoria's Luminara Festival, the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria Folkfest, the Islands Folk Festival, the Victoria Conservatory of Music Summer Festival, and the Filberg Festival. In 2008 the Babes stepped onto the national stage as first place winners in the Pan Cultural Traditions category of CBC Radio 2's biennial amateur choral competition, 'Choral 2008'. In August of the same year they released their latest CD, Divna, described as "an entrancing album of world music from one of the city's much loved choirs" (John Threlfall, Monday Magazine). Operating as a collective, without a director, the Balkan Babes showcase a capella music of Eastern Europe, including Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Dalmatia, Serbia, Georgia and the Ukraine. In doing so, they enchant audiences with the penetrating harmonies and asymmetrical rhythms that characterize the rich and ancient musical traditions of the region. While the Balkan Babes strive for an authentic sound in vocal production and pronunciation, they also open up many of the songs to their own contemporary interpretations and arrangements. Brilliant HarmonyKo Matsushita, director Tokyo, Japan
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Brilliant Harmony is a women's choir based in Saitama Prefecture, (Tokyo), and was formed in 1988 by artistic director, Ko Matsushita. In pursuit of new possibilities of women's choral music and profounder musical expressions, the choir has been engaged in a wide variety of activities such as holding annual concerts, recording CD's and participating in international competitions.
In 2002, the choir was awarded the Gold and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) prizes in the Private Division at the JCA National Choral Competition. This was followed by winning the Second Prize in Female Voice Category, First Prize of Free Program Category and Public Prize at Florilege Vocal de Tours in France in 2003. In the following year, the choir was awarded the Grand Prize at the 36th annual Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain, along with First Prize in the Polyphony Category and Folklore Category.
In 2005 Brilliant Harmony was the first women's choir from Asia awarded the European Grand Prix Award. This prestigious award recognized the in each of six major European competitions.
University Choir Women of WWU
Tim Fitzpatrick, director
Bellingham, WA
Located in Bellingham, Washington, USA, Western Washington University's Department of Music offers professional academic, performance, and music education courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the qualified student who desires to specialize in music. The department also provides a high quality educational experience in music for all university students.
The University Choir Women is a highly select ensemble that performs music of all styles and periods. Consisting of a combination of music majors, minors and non-majors, the UCW is open by audition to all university students. The UWC performs regularly throughout the year, and in 2005, was featured at the American Choral Director's Northwest Division Convention.
Elektra Women's Choir
Morna Edmundson & Diane Loomer, C.M., co-conductors
Vancouver, BC
Elektra Women's Choir, founded in 1987 by co-conductors Morna Edmundson and Diane Loomer, CM, is regarded as an international leader in the classical women's choir movement. Its mandate is to inspire and lead in the choral art form through excellence in performance and through the creation, exploration and celebration of women's repertoire.
Elektra is known for its adventurous programming, seeking out music written specifically for women and frequently commissioning new works. Elektra's national and international appearances include performances at the distinguished National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association (February 2003 and March 1997) where the choir gave memorable performances at Carnegie Hall, Riverside Church, and Avery Fisher Hall. Elektra was also honoured to represent Canada at the Fourth World Symposium on Choral Music in Sydney, Australia (August 1996).
In addition to presenting concerts in the Vancouver area, Elektra is proud of its many outreach programs for young singers, emerging composers and conductors. It has hosted three Tapestry weekends in celebration of women's choral singing in addition to the upcoming Tapestry International. In 2008 the choir established Mira, the choir's mentorship program for young singers of high school age. The programme is named after the recent astronomical discovery of a giant red star that sheds life-giving matter, forming new stars and planets in its wake as it speeds along its orbit. Elektra's Mira introduces young women of high school age to the excitement of rehearsing and performing with a world-class adult ensemble.
As the host choir for Tapestry International, Elektra will sing in all three concerts, presenting a welcoming set for Brilliant Harmony on February 26, and presenting their own sets of music on February 28 and March 1, as well as sing in the massed ensemble works that close Exhilaration! Celebratory Finale.
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Elektra Women's Choir
"To inspire and lead in the choral art form through excellence in performance and the creation, exploration and celebration of women's repertoire."
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Elektra gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts, City of Vancouver, Government of British Columbia, CBC, Cypress Choral Music, Lang Michener LLP, BordenLadnerGervais, Martha Lou Henley Charitable Foundation, the Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation, and BC 150 Years. Elektra also thanks its many generous individual donors and volunteers - their support makes us sing. |
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