King Edward Choir 2011-2012 Concert Season
King Edward ChoirWin a free pair of tickets to King Edward Choir’s 60th Anniversary Concert featuring the premiere of Feathers on the Page by Leslie Arden! Send your name and contact information with the subject line “60th Anniversary Giveaway” to kingedwardchoir@gmail.com.
Three winners will be drawn and announced on Wednesday, April 25th.
The King Edward Choir headed to Germany from August 4 – 14 to perform a series of concerts, some in Zweibrucken, Barrie’s twin City. The choir performed three concerts – in German and English- and were part of an open-air church service and closing ceremonies for village festival.
The Barrie Advance recently covered the trip in an article, which is available on their website.
Do you like to sing? Why not join the King Edward Choir? We’re a long established choir in Barrie that performs in a variety of styles. Our fall season is about to begin and we welcome new members to join us for our 60th season and beyond! For information on practice times and to arrange an audition with our director Barb McCann, check our Contact Us page.
Summer is coming to a close and the fall is about to begin. Just less than three weeks to go until Brahms Celebrated German Requiem with the King Edward Choir and the Tallis Choir on Saturday, September 24 at 7:30 PM. For concert information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.coloursofmusic.ca.
The preparation for our mid winter Concert has taken us on an unexpected journey. Our guest Conductor Brainerd Blyden-Taylor is teaching us to accentuate unexpected notes and words, and to feel the meaning of the written word with with our heart and our voice. 
Founder Brainerd Blyden-Taylor named the Chorale after internationally renowned African-Canadian composer R. Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943), a talented performer who appeared onstage at prestigious concert venues such as Carnegie Hall and Boston Symphony Hall. Since its inception, the Chorale has honoured the memory of its namesake in critically acclaimed tours throughout Canada and the United States. They also performed a the inauguration celebrations for President Barrack Obama. On Sunday March 6, they will be here in Barrie as the very special guests of King Edward Choir.
Those who join us in this musical celebration will not leave empty but filled with the music, words and stories that happened in the past, but are real and relevant today. Watch Brainerd Blyden-Taylor of Nathaniel Dett Chorale rehearsing with the King Edward Choir. This concert is sold out.
We are busy preparing for our upcoming concert, An Evening with King Edward Choir and Nathaniel Dett Chorale. This concert will take place on Sunday, March 6 at 7 p.m. (note the early start time). Collier Street United Church, 112 Collier Street, Barrie.
Under the direction of Brainerd Blyden-Taylor we will present a tribute to Afrocentric music and its influence on choral music today.
You can help us promote the concert in a number of different ways:
- download our ads (one or two) to insert in your newsletter, website or blog
- download and print our Poster
- RSVP and invite your frieds to our Facebook event
Ticket Information:
• $20 for adults, $22 at the door
• $10 for youth 17 and under
• Available at: Music Pro – 56 Barrie View Drive
• MacLaren Art Centre - 37 Mulcaster St
• Page and Turners – 123 Dunlop St E
• By Phone with VISA 705-734-0116
We look forward to seeing you at this concert.
“Building Bridges Between Choirs, Generations and Cultures” is the King Edward Choir’s theme as it moves closer to it’s 60th anniversary. The choir’s Candlelight Christmas Concert at Collier Street United Church presented an excellent opportunity to build on that theme which started in November with the collective voices of King Edward, Lyrica and Bravado, accompanied by the Huronia Symphony, in Barrie’s Choral Fest.
Presented on Saturday December 4, the concert incorporated the ‘Generations’ by including the Shanty Bay Singers—a children’s choir from Shanty Bay Elementary School under the direction of Ms. Jan Cumming.
The KEC for many years has been bridging cultures through the diverse international flavour in the music it presents. This concert was no exception, featuring folk carols from the United States, Eastern Europe and Britain. Artistic Director Barb McCann also has a knack for connecting with the choir’s patrons which was obvious when one hears the audience of 500 plus voices assisting the musicians, young and old, in the sing-along selections.
The Shanty Bay Singers also provided international flavour performing Ms. Cumming’s own composition “Sweet Little Village”, a Russian folk carol and a Hanukkah folk song and by ably singing a verse of O Tannenbaum in German.
A special connection between choir and accompaniment was obvious in the delightful and accomplished presence of Nena LaMarre as Accompanist to the KEC. The addition of Blair Bailey at the organ, the choir’s Carol Hardy playing flute, Julie Umbrico with her harp and Ray Reilly’s percussion complemented both choirs admirably.
Undoubtedly, the evening’s highlight was the performance of selections from John Rutter’s Magnificat. Premiered in 1990 in New York, it is quickly becoming a Christmas season choral favourite due its festive spirit. Solos by choir members Angela Lafontaine, Susan Cowan and Dianne Jones added sparkle.
The performance of the evocative “Silent Night” completed the bridge. Providing a soft background for Ms. Jones in the opening verse, the choir was joined by the children in the second verse. At the same time, the audience very quietly lent its collective voice with it all coming together in a stirring crescendo and a fitting finale.
Thus the stage has been set for Sunday March 6, 2011 when the choir will unite with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale under the direction of Brainerd Blyden-Taylor. This promises to be a memorable concert of music reflecting the Chorale’s African heritage. Mark your calendars.
King Edward Choir is excited to be traveling to Barrie’s European twin city, Zweibrücken, Germany in August 2011. This tour is the second part of an exchange that started with our hosting the Schwarze Husaren Kleinsteinhausen band from Zweibrücken last October.
The Choir will perform in a number of venues in the Zweibrücken area and will be treated to tours of the beautiful Rhineland-Palatinate.
This will be the Choir’s second trip to Zweibrücken n. In 2003 45 choristers and guests were welcomed by the Shanty Choir. We performed concerts in the world famous Rozengarten, at the Heilig Kreuz Kirche and Alexanderskirche.
Check our blog for updates on the tour.