A Sharing of Cultures

Eglinton-St.George's was jumping May 6th when the Choristers performed repertoire in 9 languages representing 14 different cultures. When we took this programme on the road to 8 community venues the response was terrific! Some residents said they were taken back to their youth, others had their toes tapping to the African beat.

This is one of the reasons that all the effort that goes into a programme is so worthwhile.

This holiday season we will be taking our holiday programme to 9 community venues. Some residences have no other holiday celebrations and our performance "makes Christmas" for them.

List of Nursing Homes & Seniors' Residences concerts arranged:

	Westbury                             Dec 17th
	Erin Meadows                    Dec 19th
	MOMJI                                 Nov 27th
	Providence Villa                Dec 12th
	Castleview-Wychwood     Nov 30th
	Ewart Angus Homes         Dec 5th
	Cedarhurst                          Dec 10th
	Claremont                           Dec 18th
	Meighen Residence           Dec 21st

Talisker Players return

We are thrilled to be able to perform again with the Talisker Players, a professional orchestra which specializes in choral repertoire. The 14 piece chamber orchestra will enhance our performance of Vivaldi's Gloria - making the December 2nd concert a perfect start to your Christmas season!

With Help from Friends

We are very grateful for the support of RBC Financial Group, Margaret and Jim Fleck, and everyone who has donated financially and/or given their time to support the work we are doing in the community. If you are looking for a worthwhile organization to round out your charitable giving in 2005, please consider the Upper Canada Choristers. We are a registered charitable organization and a receipt will be issued for income tax purposes.

There are a number of ways to get involved: adding your voice to our choir, attending our concert, volunteering time or specific organizational skills, arranging community concert venues. If you would like to volunteer or would like more information, please contact us at (416) 256-0510.

What you should know about your voice! - Dr. R.E. Dunn

Questions:

1. True/False? Long periods of singing and/or talking are taxing on the voice.
2. True/False? Singing uses different vocal muscles than speaking.
3. Which muscles play the most important role in sustaining a singing tone?
4. True/False? Only boys go through a voice change.
5. When is the most important time to engage in a vocal warm-up?
6. True/False? It is best to whisper when your voice is tired or hoarse.

Answers:

1. False. If you are singing and speaking correctly, the voice can last all day.
2. False. The muscles are the same.
3. The abdominal muscles and diaphragm.
4. False. Girls also go through a voice change, but their vocal cords only grow a bit. Boys' vocal cords almost double in length, leading to an octave change in pitch.
5. First thing in the morning, after breakfast, before you start speaking for the day.
6. Whispering is the worst thing you can do to your voice; it causes the vocal cords to be damaged further. It is best to speak with good support and vocal sound.

Membership Opportunities

Are you a closet Caruso or Chaliapin? If your answer is, "Yes", we need you!

Basses & Tenors, come one and all. This is an open invitation to come to one of our Monday evening rehearsals in January, and find your inner opera star. You may well be a Primo Uomo!

There are currently openings in the bass and tenor sections. If you are a soprano or alto, you can be placed on our waiting list. Please contact us at (416) 256-0510 for more information.

Did You Know?

Antonio Vivaldi, sometimes referred to as "The Red Priest" for his flaming red hair, worked most of his life teaching music at the Ospedale della Pieta in Venice. The Ospedale was a home for the illegitimate female offspring of extremely wealthy noblemen. Many anonymous fathers donated generous amounts of money to make sure that the young ladies at the Ospedale were well looked after in opulent surroundings. The musical standards in this institution were among the highest in Venice. Vivaldi's motet, "Gloria" received its premiere performance at the Ospedale.

Vivaldi is quite an exception among other Baroque composers, most of whom have enjoyed some degree of fame since their lifetime. Although much of Vivaldi's music was published during his life by a publishing house in Amsterdam, few copies survived, and those that did were mainly in private collections. As a result, Vivaldi's name had little meaning to the general public or even to most musicians until 1926. It was then that some of his hand-written manuscripts were found stored in the archives of a boarding school in Piedmont.