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PODIUM, Canada’s biennial convention and pageant for choral music, brings collectively folks from throughout the nation to rejoice singing. Offered by Choral Canada and, this yr by the provincial counterpart, Alliance chorale du Québec, the occasion was held in Montréal over the weekend of Might 16 to Might 19. Folks from throughout the nation, and a few internationally, got here to get the heart beat of choral music and the business. All totally different roles have been additionally represented — from choristers to conductors, college students to educators, amateurs to professionals.
Concert events
In fact, what’s a music convention with out performances? The pageant program listed 25 ensembles collaborating within the pageant, however there have been definitely extra choirs concerned at different PODIUM choices resembling public pop-up live shows, the community-based group singing Connection Sequence, and convention curiosity periods. Toronto was effectively represented within the pageant by ensembles that included Babεl, Concreamus, Chroma Vocal Ensemble, Toronto Northern Lights, and Nathaniel Dett Chorale.
Live performance applications have been curated, and choirs have been invited to carry out on the pageant. The choices have been assorted and various. The applications mirrored totally different traditions and types of choral music and group singing.
The one fixed of PODIUM is the live performance by the Nationwide Youth Choir of Canada (NYCC). NYCC consists of auditioned younger singers (ages 19 to 26) from throughout the nation. The visitor conductor was Roseline Blain.
Their live performance was a spotlight for me, because it was within the 2022 version of PODIUM. Of specific notice was their set exploring the sacred. Their rendition of ‘O lumière bienheureuse’ by Robert Ingari was delicate and elegant. There was readability and path on this eight-part composition. Rachmaninoff’s Bogoroditse Devo was superbly carried out, supported by a full bass sound. The way forward for choral music is in good fingers.
Conversations
On the convention entrance, there have been many fascinating and present subjects to discover. PODIUM introduced a sequence referred to as Important Conversations the place panelists mentioned subjects that had a social affect: “Exploring Pathways to Extra Simply Choirs”, “Advocating for Collective and Choral Singing in Colleges”, and “Voicing the Ecological Disaster”.
These subjects go effectively past the query of what must be sung within the live performance. From the periods that I attended, it was clear that the delegates have been absolutely engaged as their questions shortly stuffed up the time.
Understanding the historical past and context of the music and its traditions was a recurring theme in a variety of periods. Individuals approached these periods with open minds, and an eagerness to be higher knowledgeable.
Famous scholar and panelist Laurier Fagnan remarked, “Choral singing is a good equalizer of society.” Choristers come from all walks of life. It was additionally famous that there are limitations that must be acknowledged. Entry to music training is just not the identical throughout this nation.
Connections
Conversations would inevitably spill into the session breaks. It’s throughout these in-between instances that connections are made. I met some composers who have been capable of focus on their music with enthusiastic conductors. A few of these connections have result in performances and commissions of latest works.
To help this relationship constructing, the “Meet the Music Creators” sales space was arrange on the exhibitor market.
There have been a variety of conducting masterclasses the place rising conductors had the chance to work with seasoned conductors. Music educators in attendance have been engaged with efficiency and language specialists. I met a variety of retirees who got here merely due to their very own pursuits, and to help their choir.
It was a continuous, however inspiring and enlightening weekend. The following PODIUM shall be held in Victoria, British Columbia in 2026.
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Albert Wong is a author, composer and musician primarily based in Toronto. He’s lively within the choral group and sings with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Babεl. He additionally has a selected curiosity in gamelan music, and performs Balinese gendèr wayang with Seka Rat Nadi.
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