Music is a powerful tool. Whether it’s a Bösendorfer piano, a Tenori-On (Google it!) or a Shekere from West Africa, music has moved and touched humans all throughout time. It tells stories (take a look at “Wade in the Water”, a song sung by African slaves who worked in the fields) and is true to…
Strikingly, many high achievers told me music opened up the pathways to creative thinking. And their experiences suggest that music training sharpens other qualities: Collaboration. The ability to listen. A way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas. The power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously. – From NY Times article “Is…
This Saturday, the Calgary Boys’ Choir presents “Sharing Peace” to highlight international issues of disparity and inequality worldwide as we enter the season of giving. Earlier this week I had the privilege of being able to speak with Choir Director, Paul Grindlay. Paul has been with the Calgary Boys’ Choir since 2004 and this year…
Before I say anything else about this concert review, I just want to lay this out: wow. Though not a huge fan of choral music or operas, I was definitely won over (if at least for the time being!) after attending the packed Luminous Voices concert at the newly-opened Bella Concert Hall. Under the artistic…
As a young girl, I always dreamed of being a “real” singer. For Kate Stevens, this has become her reality. The radio today is filled with auto-tuned songs that essentially play on repeat. Sometimes it seems like music is dying. But with down-to-earth performers like Kate, music can be a down-to-earth experience again. I’m lucky enough…
What’s better than music? Music for a good cause! The 9th annual Concert of Hope was held on May 24th at First Baptist Church. Subtitled the “Best of Broadway and Opera” it featured a number of broadway hits and classical opera pieces that really blew me away by the end of the evening. More importantly though, the…
SOTERIA [so-tay-ree’-ah] deliverance, preservation; in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the soul’s safety or salvation. Produced by Mount Royal University’s Artio Choir, Soteria: The Spirit of Persistence, is a whirlwind of a journey that “explores the resilience and unconquerable spirit that drives all of humanity” through different genres of music. With a strong vocal…
The public eye has finally seen the inside of Mount Royal’s new Conservatory, as well as the beautiful Bella Concert Hall after 3 years of construction! While the building is still a work in progress, the open house on January 24th offered a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-glamorous musical palace. Notably, the area went from this……
I’m stressed, tired, and really, really, bored nowadays, so what did I do to solve this problem? Well, it’s certainly not do all my homework. I had a chance to relax a little this past weekend and let me tell you, this was AN AMAZING weekend. Let me explain: I had the pleasure of attending…
Last week, I was fortunate enough to go on a music camp down to River’s Edge Camp in the heart of Water Valley, right next to the Rocky Mountains. The autumn weather was beautiful, and there was no snow. As another cold winter season starts to roll in, I am really going to miss the…
The Spiritus Chamber Choir, headed by the invigorating and passionate Timothy Shantz, pushes the boundaries of music and provokes the audience to reveal in deep thought and feeling with this evening’s performance. The program included a newly created piece, a collaboration between the composer Terri Hron and the Spiritus Chamber Choir, which explored the vast…
Music can uplift downtrodden souls and the 12th Annual “Music for a Winter Evening” benefits concert went to benefit the Calgary Dream Centre, which graduates of this program shared their stories of hardship and overcoming personal obstacles. I was fortunate to be able to attend this concert two years ago and witness the glorious melodies…
http://www.cjsi.ca/shinefmevents/gleekout/ Are you constantly singing? Or were you born dancing? Or maybe you just want to try something new? Well here’s your chance! This Saturday Sept 17, the Youth Singers of Calgary in conjunction with Shine 88.9FM and Cardel Place are holding a free Glee workshop for youth of all ages. Personally, I have been…
This well-known portrait of Mozart isn’t what Mozart actually looked like, due to the fact that his portrait was painted only after his death and using details given by his wife. Prior to a Mozart celebration concert by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), Kenneth Delong, music critic, and the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus gave a brief introduction…
This is Part 2 of the Awesome Youth in Profile: Erica Ho, Unstoppable Believer. Part 1 can be read here. YAA: Provide some advice, about life in general or about high school or about discovery of one’s self. Erica: One of the most regretful experiences of my life so far was not doing something. So my advice…