Activities for 2007-2008

Description of Activities

READING for CHOIR & ORCHESTRA
OPERA CHORUSES!
led by Jean-Sébastien Allaire
Saturday, September 29, 1 - 5 pm

When: 1:00 Orchestra; 2:00 Choir (1:45 warm-up)
Venue: St.Thomas the Apostle, 2345 Alta Vista Dr
Cost: Members: no charge. Non-members: Singers $8; Instrumentalists and Students $5.

Tune up your fiddles and flutes, and warm up your voices! We are starting the 2007-2008 season with a reading for choir and orchestra of favourite opera choruses by Verdi, Mascagni, Wagner and others. For singers it will be a chance to sing, and to hear, these choruses the way the composers designed them to be performed, with full orchestra! For instrumentalists it will be an opportunity to explore a rich repertory seldom played in orchestra and concert band. Beethoven's Egmont Overture is also planned for orchestra alone.

Under the leadership of "J-S," we can look forward to a lively afternoon. Best known in Ottawa as the conductor of the Carleton University Choir, Jean-Sébastien Allaire has a burgeoning career in Montreal as Director of Choral Studies at Concordia, conductor of l'Ensemble Vocal Musica Viva and the Erskine & American Chamber Choir, and choral director of St. James United Church, Montreal. He is active as a tenor soloist and is also a former violinist.

Singers: We will be using the Oxford book of Opera Choruses, ed. John Rutter. If you own or can borrow a copy, please bring it along to supplement our copies. Pre-registration is not required for choristers, but you may call to obtain a score in advance. If interested in a soprano, alto or tenor solo, please call by Sept. 10.

Instrumentalists: A typical 19th century complement of instruments is needed, so spread the word to your orchestra and concert band colleagues! Required are: piccolo, 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 4 horns, tuba, 3 trombones (alto, tenor, bass), tympani, percussion, piano, harp, strings. Cello solo. Note: not all winds play in all choruses. To obtain parts in advance or to sign up for concert master, string section leaders, or wind and cello soloists, please pre-register by Sept 10.

Contacts: Singers: Janet (613) 728-9657.
String players: Ray, (613) 231-1199.
All other instruments: Elizabeth, (613)724-3719. Winds, brass: call for key requirements, possible need for transposition.

Location: St. Thomas the Apostle Church is located on Alta Vista Dr. between Kilborn and Randall. Ample parking in the church lot. Coming by bus? Route #8 or call Margaret at (613) 733-0182 to arrange pick-up at Pleasant Park transit station

COME SING, PLAY AND DANCE!
An Orff Workshop for Children Ages 7-9 led by Leslie Bricker

Sunday October 21st 2-4pm
St Matthias Anglican Church (Parkdale at the Queensway). Parking at rear off Sherwood Dr. Bus #14

COST: pregistered: $5 for members, $8 for non-members, $5 extra at the door

INFO: Elizabeth Gillies at 613-724-3719

LESLIE BRICKER is best known to CAMMACers as an Orff teacher and Director of Children's Program at the Lake Macdonald Music Centre. She also teaches for local school boards and is the director of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Orff Ensemble. Leslie is a much sought-after clinician and trains teachers in the Orff method. She also specializes in Early Childhood Education, recorder and storytelling.

"The Orff philosophy of music education combines the elements of speech, rhythm, movement, dance and song. And at the heart of this is improvisation -the instinct children have to create their own melodies, to explore their imagination. … Children are active in an integrated, guided process which allows for differing music abilities." ( Carl Orff Music for Children Canada website)

PLEASE NOTE: There is a minimum number of children required for this workshop. It is highly recommended that you REGISTER BY OCTOBER 5th to ensure that it is offered.

CAN YOU HELP? Volunteers are needed to make this workshop a success. If you can help in the planning, or on the day of the event please contact Elizabeth at 613-724-3719.

A Special Singing Workshop for Women

Location: St. Matthias Church, 555 Parkdale Avenue (at the Queensway)
Date: Sunday, October 28, 2-4:30 pm
Members: in advance, $10; at the door, $15
Non-members: in advance, $15, at the door, $20

Contact: Angela, 613-233-5420

This workshop is aimed at all women who wish to:
• Explore the range of the voice: What is "head voice"? "Chest voice"?
• Learn the latest breathing techniques
• Undo old habits of pushing and effort
• Increase ease and agility in the voice, especially in the high register
• Improve tone and intonation
• Increase power and resonance, including in the lower register

In this workshop you will learn hands-on relaxation techniques and get to monitor your progress through group and individual performance.

Sylvia Larrass, ARCT is a voice performance graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Registered Music Teacher. She has studied with reputable teachers, such as Joanne Kolomyjec and Christina Finlay, Ottawa, Michel Philippe, Paris, and Steven Flam, New York, specialist in the Carl Stough Breathing Technique. She regularly performs as a soloist, as well as with the Opera Lyra Chorus and Tourmaline Vocal Ensemble.

A QUEBEC CHORAL MUSIC WORKSHOP
Led by Robert Filion

Sunday, November 4, 2-5 pm
St. Matthias Anglican Church (555 Parkdale at the Queensway)
Parking at rear off Sherwood Dr.
Bus #14

Members: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Non-members: $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

Contact: Barbara at 613-230-1531.

Come discover and sing the music of "la belle province". From a young age, Québecois developed a taste for music, rhythm and song, thanks to La Bonne chanson songbooks, family get-togethers, tourtière and spoons. At church, as at school, choirs were part of daily life. Québecois composers and arrangers quickly set themselves to work and began composing pieces for these choirs. Come and discover some of these little jewels. You'll get to meet Daunais, Patriquin, Houdy, Bernard and even some composers from the Outaouais. It will be like a midnight reveillon with tourtière, spoons and good song.

Today, Robert Filion's reputation as a choirmaster is solidly entrenched. For over ten years now, Mr. Filion has taught singing and choral singing at the Centre d'excellence artistique De La Salle, and has achieved many successes with his students: first prize in CBC Radio's 2006 amateur choir competition (in addition to being among the semi-finalists in 2000, 2002 and 2004), second place at the Canadian Music Festival in 2003 and 2007 for De La Salle's Senior Vocal Ensemble. In 1997, when Robert Filion took over direction of the Choeur classique de l'Outaouais, he immediately set out to develop the choir's potential and put it on the road toward excellence. Season after season, he has offered varied and ambitious programs and thrown out challenges for the singers to meet. His choirs have been heard both regionally and nationally on CBC radio and television. Mr. Filion is in demand as a leader for vocal and choral workshops.

BEETHOVEN'S "REVOLUTIONARY" MASS IN C
A CAMMAC Active Listening Event

Sunday, November 11 3:00-5:00pm
St Matthias Anglican Church, Parkdale at the Queensway

CAMMAC members $10; non-members $15 in advance

50 person limit. $5.00 supplement at the door if space permits.

Info: Bethany: 613-730-2369

Come for an afternoon preview of Beethoven's Mass in C, opus 86, the featured work on our annual concert this February. James Calkin will discuss the historic background of this work, including the story of its commissioning and first performance. Prepare yourself for the annual concert in February, whether as a choralist, an instrumentalist or -tell your friends- an informed member of the audience.

Though Beethoven wrote little sacred repertoire, the works he did compose, especially the Mass in C and the Missa Solemnis, profoundly influenced the direction that sacred music was to take in the romantic period. We will discuss some of the revolutionary aspects of this mass in light of the late classic masses by Haydn (especially the Schöpfung Mass) and trace how it influenced other nineteenth century composers of sacred music.

James Calkin is Director of Music at First Baptist Church and conducts the Musica Viva Singers. His solo organ concert activities include numerous recitals in Canada, the US, and Germany as well as CBC performances on the English and French networks. He is a frequent accompanist and continuo player for ensembles throughout the NCR, including the Ottawa Choral Society, the Ottawa Bach Choir, and the NAC Orchestra and Choir. He has attended conducting master classes hosted by Chorus America and the Conductors Institute at Bard College under Eduardo Navega.

Messiah Choruses: Come learn Handel's Messiah in a relaxed setting!

What:
For those who wish to improve their reading and knowledge of the Messiah choruses, in preparation for the December performance, we offer 3 Saturday morning rehearsals.
Organist and Choir master Alan Thomas will conduct the rehearsals. Rehearsing with Alan is always great fun - his piano accompaniment will jazz up any chorus in a surprising way! He will go over all the choruses which are to be sung on December 7th. Usually, we look at about half-a-dozen choruses every week, rehearsing some of the more difficult ones more than once.

No pre-registration necessary! But please come early on your first rehearsal, to register.

BYOM
We ask that you bring your own music. However, a few copies will be available for sale at a reasonable price.

WHEN & WHERE:
November 17, 24 and December 1, from 10:00 to 12:30.
Parkdale United Church, 429 Parkdale at Gladstone.

Cost:
Members: $5 per session $10 for all 3 sessions;
$10 per session for non-members (or $20 for all 3)

For information, 613 260-2250

YES! It's "COME SING MESSIAH" time again!

‘Come Sing Messiah’ is a very special event which is dear to the hearts of a large number of singers throughout the National Capital Region. So come and join us to sing Handel’s great masterpiece.

We will be ably and energetically directed by Louis Lavigueur; Alan Thomas will be at the organ; we will have an accomplished chamber orchestra under concertmaster Kevin James and four talented soloists.

Friday, December 7th, 2007
Dominion-Chalmers United Church, O’Connor @ Cooper
Conducted by Louis Lavigueur
with Chamber Orchestra
Kevin James, Concertmaster
Organist, Alan Thomas

Doors open at 5 :30 pm
Rehearsal at 6 :00 p.m.
Performance at 8 :00 p.m.

Tickets go on sale November 17th
Singers $8 Audience $15
Seating is limited. Get your tickets early.

Tickets are available at:
Book Bazaar, 417 Bank at Frank
The Leading Note, 370 Elgin near Gladstone
Granata Music, 1558 Merivale near Meadowlands
Collected Works, 1242 Wellington near Holland

Scores available from Book Bazaar, The Leading Note and Granata Music

Information: phone 613-237-3154

On Sunday January 6, at 8pm, two esteemed Ottawa musicians will present an evening of music at the home of John Royle. Furthermore, Frédéric Lacroix (piano) and Paul Marleyn (cello) have offered to donate the proceeds of the concert to CAMMAC. We are indeed fortunate and this will be a concert to remember.

The setting is intimate and seats are limited. Non-CAMMACers and CAMMACers are welcome, and we would appreciate your passing on information about the concert to your friends and colleagues. Please contact John Royle (johnr@cadence.com) to reserve seats.

We hope to see you there!

BEETHOVEN MASS IN C

Musical director - James Calkin
Rehearsal accompanist - Theresa Cillis-O’Meara

Rehearsals:
St. Matthias Church, 555 Parkdale Avenue (at the Queensway):
Saturday, January 12 and 19 2008, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (NOTE - NEW TIME)
Sunday, January 20, 2008, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., orchestra only (no choir) (NOTE - NEW Rehearsal)
Friday, January 25, 2008, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Saturday, January 12th, please arrive no later than 12:45 p.m. If you need to register, please arrive no later than 12:30 p.m. To register at that time, the fee will be:
$40 for members, plus $10 refundable deposit for music
$55 for non-members, plus $10 refundable deposit for music

Canadian Martyrs Church, 100 Main Street, (1 light south of Lees Avenue) - lots of parking on the grounds of Immaculata High School
Sunday, January 27, 2008, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with orchestra
Saturday, February 2, 2008, noon to 3 p.m. dress rehearsal

Performance:
Sunday, February 3, 4 p.m. (James will announce at the dress rehearsal what time the choir/orchestra are to assemble)
Guest soloists are: Misty Banyard, soprano; Whitney O’Hearn, alto; David Langlois, tenor; and Colin Loiselle, bass.
Tickets (a bargain) - $10 general and $5 for seniors and students with ID

This year, there will be five rehearsals instead of six so please study your part in advance. Individual music parts are available for download without cost at www.cyberbass.com. This is a great learning tool.

See you January 12th.
Info: Margaret 613-733-0182.

CANTIAMO LIETO
An Afternoon of Music for Recorder, Viol & Choir
with Jennifer Davis

Saturday, February 9th, 2-5pm
Ottawa Mennonite Church, 1830 Kilborn Ave.
Members: $10, Non-members: $15
This workshop is for those of a high-intermediate and above sight-reading ability.
Pre-registration is recommended.

Come and join us in making Renaissance music such as baletti, madrigals and double choir music from the St. Mark's, Venice tradition by composers like Gabrieli, Gastoldi and Byrd. The church has been specifically chosen for its acoustics, which will enhance the quality of the sound.

Jennifer Davis is a well-known local recorder, viol and keyboard player. She also sings in several area ensembles. She is currently the director of the Carleton Recorder Group and the Ottawa Choral Society Small Ensembles. She taught recorder at the Ottawa Public School Board for many years. A devoted CAMMACer, she has served in several volunteer capacities, including national president.

Info: Derry, 613- 526-1229 or Elizabeth, 613-724-3719.

PIANO PARTNERS
Saturday February 16, 9 to 4

Here is the event that accompanists or would-be accompanists have been asking for. Our workshop for accompanists will be held on Saturday February 16. Coach Robert Palmai has designed a workshop that will have a plenary session as well as individual coaching. The plenary will include information and practical tips on accompanying hymns, singsongs and choirs, on accompanying musical theatre, and on playing from chord symbols or lead sheets. The individual coaching sessions will allow you to play with a soloist of your choice so that comments can address your specific needs.

Robert has accompanied soloist and choirs virtually all his life. He describes his extensive experience conducting in the pit for musicals and operettas as an extension of accompanying. Robert was the founding conductor of Toronto's Amadeus choir, was music director of Ottawa's Savoy Society from 1993 to 2001, and taught music for many years at Canterbury High School.

The fee for this workshop will be $50. Places are limited and pre-registration is essential. The workshop will be held in a private home.

To register, or to learn more about this event, please call Peggy Florida at 613-565-6878. Registrations must be received by January 16, 2008.

"GONE WITH THE WINDS"
Workshop for Wind Players with Charles Hamann
Saturday, February 16, 2008

Catch your breath... "Chip" Hamann, the virtuoso Principal Oboe of the National Arts Centre Orchestra will lead a workshop for wind ensembles. So get your group together, or form a new one, choose a piece of music, and start practicing.

Chip Hamann is one of Canada's foremost oboists, and is active as a teacher, soloist, and chamber musician, having presented master classes and clinics in various Universities and Music Academies in Canada and the United States. In addition to his regular performances as principal and as soloist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Chip has toured Canada and the US as a member of the orchestra's Wind Quintet.

If you are not already playing in a small wind ensemble, we encourage you to put one together especially for this workshop. Each group will receive about 45 minutes of friendly and constructive criticism. You may attend all group sessions, or just turn up for your own session. This workshop is not intended for recorder players, who have other opportunities during the year, but primarily for players of flutes and reed instruments. As wind quintets commonly include a French horn, that would be appropriate for this session.

Advance registration is required before February 1, 2008. The fee for each member of your group is $10 for CAMMAC members and $15 for non-members. The Workshop will be held at St. Matthias Anglican Church You will be advised of your assigned time spot a few days in advance.

For further information, call Ray (613) 231-1199, raychalk@sympatico.ca.

FORMS AND STYLES IN THE JAZZ IDIOM
A CAMMAC Active Listening Event

Saturday, February 23 2:30-5:00pm
St Matthias Anglican Church
Parkdale and Queensway
CAMMAC members $10, non-members $15 in advance
$5 supplement at the door.

Info: Bethany 613 730-2369

Come listen and learn about jazz with an informed practitioner and educator. Yves Laroche is an active pianist, conductor, educator and arranger in the Ottawa jazz scene. He is a music professor at the University of Ottawa and music director at the Bells Corners Academy of Music. Host of Wednesday Jazz Nights at Café Nostalgica, he also plays regularly at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. Recent music projects include performing with Capital Vox, Cantata Singers of Ottawa, Jazz Singers Night Out, and providing musical entertainment at the Westin Hotel. He is founder and regular guest of the Jazz Vespers Concert Series at All Saints' Anglican Church in Westboro. Recently, Yves received a Great Grant Award from the Trillium Foundation for programming jazz music in local elementary schools.

MASTER CLASSES FOR RECORDER ENSEMBLES

March 8, 2008, 10:00 - 4:30
Location: Ottawa Mennonite Church, 1830 Kilborn Ave.

It's not too soon to start selecting some repertoire for your recorder ensemble for this day of master classes with noted recorder performer and teacher Sophie Larivière! These master classes are an opportunity for your group to receive coaching from a skilled clinician to improve technical skills, ensemble playing and interpretation.

Based in Montreal, Sophie and her husband Matthias Maute are frequently on the road with Ensemble Caprice, which has produced many highly rated CDs. This season they have already played in Germany, New York, California and several states in between. They are very active on the Montreal scene, playing with groups such as Les Idees Heureuses, L:Ensemble Arion, New York-based Rebe,l among others. Their Recorder Festival Les Journées de la Flûte-à-bec, held at McGill every September, has now had six successful seasons.

Here's how the master class day will unfold. Each ensemble will have two half-hour slots to play for Sophie, one in the morning and one after lunch. (Order of playing will be determined in advance taking into account participants' schedules.) Participants usually sit in on the master classes to listen to the other groups and benefit from Sophie's comments, as well as practising with their ensemble in preparation for their turn. For the second half-hour, groups may present different repertoire for Sophie's comments, or they may choose to play the same repertoire. It is suggested that you bring a copy of the music selected for Sophie.

Refreshments will be provided for the morning and afternoon breaks, but participants should bring their own lunch. The church will be open as of 9:00 so that participants may arrive early to warm up with their group. The first class with Sophie will start promptly at 10:00.

Auditors are welcome. If you are a keen player but aren't a member of a group that meets regularly, you can benefit greatly from the comments of this gifted teacher, as well as get to know other members of Ottawa's recorder community.

Avoid disappointment by registering immediately, as only five groups can be accommodated during the day. We recommend calling the contact below to reserve your spot as soon as possible.

Information: Derry Neufeld, 613- 526-1229, or by email at neutracy@magma.ca.

Sunday, March 23
6:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
First Unitarian Church, 30 Cleary Road (off Richmond)
$5.00

Start Easter Day early with coffee, muffins, friendship, and above all SINGING of Easter hymns and some glorious choruses from 'The Messiah'.

Alan Thomas (ever popular leader of 'The Messiah' chorus workshops) is again our conductor and Jane Perry the accompanist. Soloists are tenor James O'Farrell and Whitney O'Hearn, alto. 6:30 am sounds early, but it is worth it to see the sunlight streaming through the windows of the Unitarian Church. Not to mention the raising of voices in joyful song!

Tickets, $5, are available at Leading Note and Book Bazaar and at the door, but if you intend coming but can't buy a ticket before Easter Sunday please let Janet Stevens know (613-728-9657) so that we have enough muffins for all. Talking of which, contributions of muffins will be gratefully received.
See you there, and don't forget your 'Messiah' scores!
Janet Stevens, 613-728-9657

Sunday, March 30th, 2008
2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
St. Matthias Church, 555 Parkdale Avenue
CAMMAC Members: $10; Non-members: $15

Come and enjoy a little musical "world travel" singing choral arrangements of world folks songs. Experience the interesting rhythms and beautiful harmonies of a variety of countries with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. Challenge yourself to try out a new language. Join Jackie Hawley and other CAMMAC participants on Sunday March 30th and sing around the world!

Jackie Hawley graduated from University of Toronto with an honours degree in Music Education. She has conducted adult, youth and children's choirs and is a clinician for choirs and schools throughout Ontario. She is currently the director of the Cantiamo Girls Choir of Ottawa, which she founded in August 2003, and is also the newly appointed Artistic Director of the Ottawa Children's Choir. Ms. Hawley is also a teacher with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.

Call Penny at 613-721-4927 for further information.

Led by JOHN MCGOVERN

Saturday, April 12th 1-3:30pm (please note earlier than usual time)
St. Matthias Anglican Church, 555 Parkdale at the Queensway
Bus #14, Parking at rear off Sherwood Dr.

For further info please call Elizabeth at 613-724-3719

Free for CAMMAC Members, $5 for non-members

Come join us in singing songs from Broadway's best: Hammerstein to Cole Porter and Les Miserables etc. The program hasn't been finalized yet, but you will be sure to go home humming!

JOHN MCGOVERN has been actively involved in musical theatre since childhood. He has been the musical director and accompanist for many shows with Orpheus Musical Theatre Society and other local companies, as well as several local high schools. Most recently, he was the musical director for the Catholic Education Foundation Production of "Anne of Green Gables" in February. He has even created some shows, including " The Spirit of Orpheus", in collaboration with Michael Gareau, in celebration of last season's 100th anniversary. He is delighted to once again have the opportunity to share his love of musical theatre with CAMMAC.

INTERESTED IN BEING A BROADWAY STAR?: There may be an opportunity for soloists. Please call ELIZABETH at 613-724-3719.

The vocal master class that was scheduled for April 12, 2008 has been cancelled, but the Choral Workshop Committee would like to know if you would be interested in this workshop in the future. We envision it as being like the song interpretation class at Lac MacDonald, an opportunity for a singer to work on a song of his or her choosing and perform it for a vocal leader who would provide a constructive critique. Other CAMMACers would attend the session as observers and also learn ways of enhancing their singing through the auditing experience. This would be a more informal class than a university setting, and the class leader would be well aware that we are all amateurs.

Please take a few moments to answer the following questions. You may email your responses to the attention of Margaret Cook at . Deadline for return is March 30, 2008.

1. Would you be interested in participating as a vocalist in this workshop in 2008-2009? Yes _____
2. Would you be interested in auditing this workshop in 2008-2009? Yes _____
3. Please provide any suggestions of how we could format this workshop to make it interesting and appealing.

Thank you for your participation.
Margaret Cook, on behalf of the Choral Workshop Committee

In previous years the AGM has been close to St George's Day (April 23rd), but this year, in order to avoid conflict with the Barôque Weekend at Lake MacDonald, it will be on Sunday April 27th.
St. Matthias Anglican Church, 555 Parkdale at the Queensway
Bus #14, Parking at rear off Sherwood Dr.

This year the format will be slightly different. We are looking for performers to entertain us after the Annual General Meeting.

We shall start at 2:30 pm with business, and have CAMMAC reports and elect some officers and discuss what we want to do next year. Then there will be tea and coffee and dessert (contributions of desserts always welcome) and a chance to sit around meeting up with old friends and making new friends and listening to some talented amateur performers from Ottawa-Gatineau. Please sign up to sing, play, read, dance, or even tell us a joke - our tastes are catholic!

Please contact Janet Stevens at 613-728-9657 and tell her what your performance piece will be.
Thank you and look forward to seeing you.