A new face at the helm plus a changed rehearsal venue could culminate in a collaborative and inspiring season for the Victoria Choral Society.
A change in policy meant a change in practice space for the Victoria Choral Society this season. The audition choir moves from Holy Cross Church to the Oak Bay United Church on Mitchell Street.
B次元官网网址淥ak Bay gives us the opportunity to connect with the community which is part of our mandate,B次元官网网址� said Wismath. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of work finding a new location. ThereB次元官网网址檚 only so many spaces in the city that can hold as many people as we have. B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 all very much appropriate and in line with our upcoming season which is full of newness.B次元官网网址�
The new leader has a rich choral background. He has served as director of the University of Victoria Chamber Singers and Tucson Masterworks Chorale; as associate conductor of Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Chorus Niagara, and Ontario Youth Choir; and as assistant conductor of Opera in Concert Chorus (Ontario). In 2006, Wismath conducted the Vancouver Chamber Choir as a participant in the Choral ConductorsB次元官网网址� Symposium concert broadcast on CBC Radio.
B次元官网网址淭he choir is looking forward to working with Brian,B次元官网网址� said Tricia Johnson, president of Victoria Choral SocietyB次元官网网址檚 board of directors. B次元官网网址淗is energy, dedication, and passion for choral music is infectious.B次元官网网址�
With a new musical leader, come new ideas.
B次元官网网址淥ne of my tasks and responsibilities has been finding a way to connect my musical ideas for the organization,B次元官网网址� Wismath said. He and the VCS background team filtered through ideas to create B次元官网网址渁 menu of performancesB次元官网网址� for this season.
B次元官网网址淣ext season is a unique season for us because we do two very large concerts with the Victoria Symphony,B次元官网网址� he said.
Continuing the long tradition of collaboration with the Victoria Symphony, the Victoria Choral Society will start the season with two performances as guests of the Symphony. In November, the choir will perform MozartB次元官网网址檚 Requiem under the baton of Maestra Tania Miller. VCS will join the Symphony again in December to present the perennial favourite, HandelB次元官网网址檚 Messiah, under guest conductor Michelle Mourre.
The season will conclude in May 2013 with WismathB次元官网网址檚 debut leading the choir, featuring a program of standard choral masterworks and unique contemporary compositions. HaydnB次元官网网址檚 Nelson Mass as well as works by American-Swedish composer Steve Dobrogosz and Latvian composer Peteris Vasks will be performed with soloists and orchestra.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e performing one piece of music that is very much a known work B次元官网网址� but weB次元官网网址檙e also combining it with three fairly modern works,B次元官网网址� Wismath said.
B次元官网网址淚 believe in the importance of educating our audience on music,B次元官网网址� he explained. B次元官网网址淚f we only listen to (one type of music) we tend to grow to only accept the sounds that weB次元官网网址檙e used to B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 required to expose ourselves as musicians and our audience base to a variety of music. It keeps them interested in what weB次元官网网址檙e doing and what comes next.B次元官网网址�
The choir is always on the search for new voices and auditions for this season are underway.
Contact membership@victoriachoralsociety.ca for details. Complete information about the auditions can be found at victoriachoralsociety.ca.
Did you know?
Brian Wismath is also music director of the Vox Humana Chamber Choir and the Victoria Conservatory of Music Chorale.
