Let Voices Resound Program

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF THE CALGARY PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

LET VOICES RESOUND

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF THE CALGARY PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

LET VOICES RESOUND

21 APRIL 2023 • JACK SINGER CONCERT HALL

On behalf of City Council and all Calgarians, we extend heartfelt congratulations to the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus on their grand 60th anniversary and celebratory concert Let Voices Resound.

The Calgary Philharmonic is a beloved pillar of our creative community and holds the distinction of being only one of two major Canadian symphony orchestras to have its own Chorus. For six decades, this Chorus has delighted audiences and enhanced the Orchestra through its exceptional vocal talents and wide repertoire.

We recognize that over the years, the Chorus has become one of Calgary’s leading musical institutions, delivering excellence in the performance of choral music and promoting the enjoyment of choral singing in our communities. It is equally impressive that Chorus members are all dedicated volunteers from different walks of life, bound together through their common love of music.

Tonight, we celebrate the incredible Calgary Philharmonic Chorus and join in the excitement of Let Voices Resound. As the lights dim for this unique concert experience, the air will be electric with the Chorus taking centre stage, joined by Cantaré Children’s Choir and special guest soloists.

Thank you to all the volunteers, organizers, and sponsors for sharing your time and energy to make this moment happen. Thanks also to the attendees for coming out and showing your love and support. Together we savour the collective joy that only live music gives.

Sincerely,

Jyoti Gondek Mayor of Calgary

Hello everyone,

This concert is an affectionate and proud THANK YOU to the amazing singers in the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, past and present (and future!), for your brilliant contributions across our communities and on stage with the Orchestra.

The Calgary Phil is very lucky — it’s one of only two professional orchestras in Canada to have its own Chorus in-house (the other being l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec), and the support of the Borak Forte Program is key to that — thank you to all those who donate to support the Chorus.

The ranks have replenished and swelled since the pandemic — which saw the Chorus performing online, recording from their cars, and eventually back on stage, distanced, masked, and valiant — with over 40 new members joining in the past two seasons. One of them was the Calgary Phil admin’s own Barbara Soles — we’re very proud of her double role!

The singers range in age from 18 to 83 — some have been singing in the Chorus just this season, others have been with us for 40 years. If you’re interested to join them, please visit calgaryphil.com/chorus for information about auditions. You may even find yourself swept up in a viral video, as happened when the Calgary Flames made the playoffs in 2015 and the Orchestra and Chorus performed an adapted version of Orff’s O Fortuna from Carmina Burana

And, behind the scenes there is more amazing volunteer power: many dedicated music librarians over the years (taking care of the music for over 120 members is no small task); four section representatives who track attendance and help communicate with their sections; Chorus potluck organizers; membership handbook compilers; and those who volunteer in other capacities at Calgary Phil events.

Our communities and the Calgary Phil thrive thanks to People Power — and the magnificent Calgary Philharmonic Chorus deserves celebrating. This is music for EVERYONE.

Marc Stevens President + CEO

CALGARY PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

Established in 1963, the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus is one of only two choruses in Canada that is part of a major professional symphony orchestra. The Chorus performs a wide variety of repertoire, including oratorio, opera, light classics, contemporary music, pops, and commissioned new works.

In a typical season, the acclaimed ensemble is featured in four to eight concerts with the Orchestra.

The Chorus is made up of more than 120 dedicated volunteer singers from Calgary and surrounding communities who come from all walks of life.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023, the Chorus delivers excellence in the performance of choral music and promotes the enjoyment and development of choral singing in Calgary communities.

Chorus

Mark Bartel | Chorus Director (on leave)

Brendan Lord | Interim Chorus Director

Evan Mounce | Assistant Chorus Director

Katt Hryciw | Chorus Administrator

Sopranos

Karine Baumgardner

Katherine Biggart

Ellen Borak

Michelle Bozynski

Tricia Bray

Carolyn Byers

Christina Candra

Twylla Jayne Conn

Sheila Cook

Laura Davis

Ina Dobrinski

Larissa Donnelly

Megan Duckett

Gail Feltham

Sue Galcher

Sim Galloway

Carolyn Hatt

Robyn Hauck

Dale Hensley

Jessica How

Amethyst Klintberg

Melody Littel

Freya Melax

Gillian Posey

Colleen Potter

Brier Reid

Becky Salmond

Lisa Sears-Walsh

Joan Simmins

Barbara Soles

Becky Standing

Chantelle Stevenson

Melissa Symanczyk | Section Representative

Crystal Tan

Norma Webb

Chelsea Woodard | Principal

Betsy Woolner

Altos

Margaret Anderson

Susan Bell

Barbara Boland

Michelle Cariou

Indrani Chatterjee | Section Representative

Tanya Chow

Breanne Coady

Bernie Constantin

Yvonne Courtney

Ruth Cross

Shirley Cumming

Gillian Forster

Racheal Githumbi

Kay Harrison

Pat Heitman

Amanda Holt

Helen Isaac

Allison Johnson

Cynthia Klaassen

Heather Klassen

Marlene Krickhan

Catherine Lasuita

Megan Lundrigan

Barbara Mathies

Susan Mendonca

Julia Millen | Principal

Patty Mino

Cindy Neufeld

Britt Odegard

Mara Osis

Karen Palmer

Anastasiya Petruk

Anne Rodger

Monica Samper

Liv Sawyer

Patti Vaillant

Julia Vanden Heuvel

Vitaliia Vash

Kaitlin Walker

Tenors

Tim Ahrenholz

Dean Allatt

Tim Bell

| Section Representative

Keevin Berg

Tristram Chivers

Philip Dano

Pat Favaro

Richard Harding

Katt Hryciw

James Hume

Juan Manuel López

Eric Ma

Jason Ragan | Principal

Peter Rilstone

Richard Seale

Dennis Voth Basses

Archie Adams

Bamzy Banwo

Aaron Bartholomew | Principal

Cam Bischoff

Glenn Bontje

Ian Charter

Chad Conrad

Tim Cooke

Kevin Di Filippo

Arthur Dick

Alan Dornian

Mark Dumbrique | Section Representative

John Ghitan

Al Huber

Brady King

Eric Klaassen

Drew Kotchan

David Mark

Martin Mobach

Keith Odegard

Dave Pattison

Dana Salter

David Schey

Greg Wagland

Richard Wanner

Keith Wyenberg

“ Since joining the Calgary Phil as Music Director, I have been fortunate to work with our wonderful Chorus on some thrilling concerts — from Mendelssohn’s Lobegesang to Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony and Beethoven’s rousing ninth symphony, and many more. As we celebrate their 60th anniversary, I reflect on the countless hours of rehearsal and dedication that have brought us to this moment. It is a testament to the passion and commitment of every Chorus member, past and present, that

are able to present these monumental choral works that uplift and inspire audiences.”

we

RUNE BERGMANN MUSIC DIRECTOR

CORONATION TE DEUM

Sir William Walton (1902 to 1983)

Sir William Walton’s stirring coronation marches, Crown Imperial (1937) and Orb and Sceptre (1952 – 1953), demonstrate how strongly and proudly he placed himself within the strong British tradition of pomp and circumstance, and festive music for royal occasions. He added to it the touches of brilliance and sophistication that had first brought him to fame in the 1920s.

Like Orb and Sceptre, the Coronation Te Deum was commissioned for the installation of Queen Elizabeth II. Taking into account the acoustic properties of Westminster Abbey, where the ceremony took place on 2 June 1953, Walton divided the choral forces in two, allowing for many striking antiphonal effects. He also added the organ and an extra brass to the chorus and full orchestra. The result is a suitably grand, jubilant work that seamlessly incorporates passages of a more reflective nature.

MOVE HIM INTO THE SUN

Bob Chilcott (b. 1955)

Like so many of the composers whose music you will hear on this program, Bob Chilcott leads a distinguished and multi-faceted career. His early career saw him serving as a chorister and choral scholar for one of the world’s best-known choruses, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. His career was solidified by the 12 years he spent as a member of a well-travelled and well-loved ensemble, the King’s Singers. He has published large quantities of varied choral music. Much of it is published by Oxford University Press and is widely recorded. He has been Principal Conductor of the Birmingham University Singers since 2019. To mark the onehundredth anniversary of the death of English poet Wilfred Owen (1893 to 1918), who died in combat during the Great War at 25, Chilcott composed this group of songs setting the poignant verses that Owen wrote in response to his wartime experiences.

TOCCATA, FUGUE ET HYMNE SUR AVE MARIS STELLA, OP. 28

Flor Peeters (1903 to 1986)

In 1931, Charles Tournemire dedicated a volume of his plainsong-based L’orgue mystique to Flor Peeters, and two years later Peeters returned the compliment in a major work of his own on a Gregorian theme, the flamboyant Toccata, fugue et hymne sur ‘Ave maris stella’. The theme is the ancient Hymn to the Blessed Virgin Ave maris stella — ‘Hail star of the sea’. In the opening Toccata the tune is declaimed on the pedals below rolling waves of sound — the more thoughtful central section briefly recalls Tournemire in his most chastely modal mood, though the chunky syncopated chords that follow are pure Peeters. After the reprise of the Toccata, the melody becomes the subject of a swinging Fugue in the rhythm of a jig, and finally rings out in bold block chords in the triumphant concluding Hymne.

Program note by David Gammie © 2011

SEEK HIM THAT MAKETH THE SEVEN STARS

Jonathan Dove (b. 1959)

Opera has been the primary focus of Jonathan Dove’s career, with 30+ stage works to his credit. Among them are The Adventures of Pinocchio (2007) and Marx in London (2018). Other highlights include a comic opera, Flight, and a television opera, When She Died… (2002) which was watched by two and a half million people worldwide. He composed the sweet, radiant anthem, Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars, in 1995. He places it in with the centuries-old tradition of composers being inspired by light. While searching for texts to set in answer to a commission from the Royal Academy of Arts for its annual Service for Artists, he found what he was looking for in these heartening, lightinspired words from Psalm 139.

SING GENTLY

One of immensely gifted and popular Grammywinning American composer and conductor Eric Whitacre’s most impressive and ground-breaking creations was the Virtual Choir. It has permitted as many as 100,000 singers from 145 countries to perform together. Sing Gently is his latest composition for the Virtual Choir. He hopes its warmth and promise of hope will provide comfort and inspiration “during these challenging times.” A graduate of the prestigious Julliard School in New York, Whitacre has occupied the position of Visiting Composer at Cambridge University (UK) and for the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His compositions have been widely recorded and his debut album as a conductor earned a Grammy Award. As a guest conductor, he has drawn capacity audiences to concerts with many of the world’s leading orchestras and choirs.

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING? FROM IN SONG

Laura Hawley (b. 1982)

Laura Hawley is a gifted Canadian musician who is deeply involved not only in composing but in creating a unique and compelling approach to musical leadership and artistic programming. Her principal areas of activity include multi-faceted community engagement and a passionate advocacy for Canadian choral art. Her compositions have been described in the publication, The WholeNote, as conjuring “the forces of nature and its effect on the human spirit.” Her works have been commissioned, performed, and recorded by such superlative ensembles as Elektra Women’s Choir and Pro Coro Canada. One of her special areas of activity, and acclaim, is composing music for developing musicians, an activity that has placed her in wide demand. Among the many institutions where she has taught is Edmonton’s Concordia University. How can I keep from singing? is a beautiful, traditional American folk song attributed to a 19th-century Baptist minister, Robert Lowry. It didn’t originate with the group known as the Quakers (The Religious Society of Friends), but it was adopted by them. It gained new popularity in 1991 when popular New Age Irish vocalist Enya released her version. Hawley created her setting in 2018 for the 50th anniversary gala of the Canadian Centennial Choir. She used it as the finale of a five-movement suite entitled In Song, which alternates words in English and French.

SONG OF THE ANGELS (GLORIA)

Mark Sirett excels on an international scale as a composer, pianist, and organist. He holds a doctoral degree in choral conducting from the University of Iowa, and has taught at the University of Alberta, Western University, and Queen’s University. In 2009, he was the recipient of the President’s Leadership Award from Choirs Ontario. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of Grant MacEwan University, Edmonton and recipient of the Mayor’s Award for the Arts-Creator, City of Kingston, Ontario in 2019. In 2020, he launched a new series of Canadian choral music for low voices: Profondo: The Mark Sirett Series

He notes that the use of the traditional ‘Gloria’ text need not be confined to music for Christmas, but is fully appropriate for other occasions, as well. He created the celestial version you will hear at this concert on commission from La Jeunesse Northumberland Girls’ Choir. It exhibits a wide range of influences, from Gregorian Chant to accessible contemporary effects. It has been received with acclaim at a variety of international events.

MAGNIFICAT

Over her lengthy and distinguished career, Ruth Watson Henderson has earned the status of a composing and performing icon. Her substantial catalogue of music includes more than 200 choral works, great and small, as well as numerous, awardwinning pieces for organ, piano, violin, and trumpet. In 1989, her Chromatic Partita for organ won a prize in an international competition for women composers in Mannheim, Germany, and three years later, Voices of Earth won the National Choral Award for Outstanding Choral Composition. In 1996, she received the Distinguished Service Award of the Ontario Choral Competition. Many of her works have been recorded and enjoy international popularity. In 2004, CBC Records released a CD made up entirely of her music: Sing All Ye Joyful, performed by an ensemble with which she enjoyed a long and productive relationship: The Elmer Iseler Singers. Additionally, Canadian choirs often perform entire concerts of her compositions, a tribute to her skill and versatility. Many composers have set the joyful ‘Magnificat’ text. This one continues the centuries-old practice of matching these joyful words with equally uplifting, spirited and melodious music.

Ruth Watson Henderson (b. 1932)

Mark Sirett (b. 1952)

Program notes by Don Anderson © 2023 (unless otherwise stated)

Mark Bartel

Chorus Director (on leave)

Dr. Mark Bartel is in demand as a versatile conductor and music educator. Since arriving in Calgary, he has been Chorus Director with the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Bartel is known for his musical, educational, and community collaborations and has established a reputation as a successful builder of choirs and choral programs. He has conducted college and university choirs for over 20 years and has extensive experience leading a wide range of community choirs in both the United States and Canada. In addition to his interest in choral-orchestral works and choral music of the Baroque period, he brings his expertise as a solo singer and teacher of applied voice to his work with choirs. Bartel is a passionate advocate of the impact of the choral experience in the lives of choristers, in communities, and society at large.

Brendan Lord Interim Chorus Director

Dr. Brendan Lord holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music) degree from Augustana University College, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Choral Conducting from the University of Alberta. Recognized for his unique blend of artistic and administrative abilities, Lord is equally comfortable in the boardroom and on the podium. As an administrator, he is the Executive Director of Choir Alberta, Project Manager of Music Conference Alberta, and Advisor for Alberta Music Advocacy Alliance. Artistically, he has conducted choirs at all levels, including Calgary’s Spiritus Chamber Choir, Edmonton’s All-City Children’s Choir, Sherwood Park Festival Singers, and Sangkor Women’s Ensemble at the University of Alberta Augustana Campus. Between 2001 and 2016, Dr. Lord was a Sessional Instructor at the University of Alberta, where he taught courses in conducting, music theory, and musicianship.

Evan Mounce

Assistant Chorus Director

Calgary-based pianist and vocal coach Evan Mounce is in demand as a leader and collaborator. Mounce is Assistant Chorus Director of the Calgary Philharmonic, newly appointed Répétiteur with Calgary Opera, and Director of Music at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. As a vocal coach, Mounce has worked with kd lang, preparing her for her 25th anniversary tour of Ingénue. Recent collaborations include work with Luminous Voices, Spiritus Chamber Choir, Edmonton Opera, and Choir Alberta. With soprano Laura Brandt, Mounce has presented numerous recitals including ones for the Mountain View International Festival of Song and Chamber Music, the ProArts Recital Series, and together they have performed on two river cruises from Budapest to Amsterdam as ambassadors of Calgary Opera.

Neil Cockburn Organ

Celebrated for his diverse repertoire interests and expertise, Neil Cockburn is Director of Chapel Music at the University of King’s College in Halifax, directing and accompanying the Chapel Choir and University Chorus. He performs a spectrum of solo organ recitals, from Bach on historically inspired organs and symphonic programs on romantic instruments to concerts of entirely new works. In addition to many Canadian performances, Cockburn has performed in the UK, France, Germany, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, and the US. His most recent solo recording features music by 17th-century French composer André Raison. Born in Scotland, Cockburn studied music at Oxford University, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Rueil-Malmaison in France, and the University of Calgary. His formative teachers include David Sanger, Margaret Phillips, and Dame Gillian Weir. He won first prize at the 1996 Dublin International Organ Competition and has received numerous prestigious awards, including the W T Best Memorial Organ Scholarship, a Countess of Munster Musical Trust scholarship, and the Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund prize — awarded by an international panel of judges. He was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award by Mount Royal University in 2014.

Cantaré Children’s Choir Ensemble

Cantaré Children’s Choir, formed in 1997 by Founder/ Artistic Director Catherine Glaser-Climie, is Calgary’s premiere program for children/youth dedicated to providing an extraordinary choral music experience through excellence in performance, outstanding music education, and community outreach through song and touring. In addition to presenting their own acclaimed concert series, this award-winning choir has performed for prestigious events across the country including a private performance for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Ottawa and annual performances as the Resident Artist of the Field of Crosses Memorial during the 11 days of Remembrance. Cantaré regularly performs in collaboration with the Calgary Philharmonic, Calgary Opera, and other prominent ensembles across Alberta. Singers ages 6 to 18 come together in one of four ensembles to share in the very finest sacred and secular works from Baroque to challenging contemporary pieces. The choir is known as a champion of works by Canadian composers and have commissioned nearly 20 works in its 25 seasons. Cantaré has won awards at all levels including First Prize at Canada’s National Music Festival. Their choristers are ambassadors for Calgary through concert tours across Canada, the US, and Europe.

1960

1963

The Chorus is formed by Music Director Haymo Taeuber

1964

The 70-voice ensemble performs with the Orchestra for the first time in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9

1977

The Chorus is revived, again led by Chorus Director Lloyd Erickson

1980

1985

1975

The Chorus is dissolved when Music Director Maurice Handford leaves the Orchestra

1970

The Chorus is restarted, led by Chorus Director Lloyd Erickson

The Calgary Philharmonic moves into its current home at the Jack Singer Concert Hall

1988

The Orchestra and Chorus are joined by several other choirs for the Olympic Arts Festival Opening Gala at the Saddledome

2015

Chorus Director Timothy

Shantz and the Chorus travel to Chicago to present a concert in the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel

2020

2020

2015

The Orchestra and Chorus perform at the opening of the Bella Concert Hall

2012

The Orchestra and Chorus perform the world premiere of Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation by composer Jeffrey Ryan

Dr. Mark Bartel is appointed Chorus Director

2020

– 2021

The Chorus adapts to the pandemic, with online concerts and car choir recordings

1968

The Chorus is disbanded with Music Director Haymo Taeuber’s departure from the Orchestra

1970

a LOOK BACK at the CHORUS

1990

1990

The Orchestra and Chorus perform for the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

2010

The Borak Forte Program is founded to support the development of the Chorus

2010

Timothy Shantz joins the Calgary Phil as Chorus Director

2000 2010

2002

The organization elevates the Chorus to become an integral part of Calgary Phil

2022

The Orchestra and Chorus perform the world premiere of ᓂᔭ niya (I Am) by composer Andrew Balfour

2022

The Chorus performs the world premiere of I Rise, a collaborative commission for the Chorus by Canadian composer Laura Hawley

2007

Chorus members and Chorus Director Rosemary Thomson travel to St John’s to participate in Festival 500

2023

The Chorus celebrates its 60th anniversary

CALGARY PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

Looking Back on 60 Years

Olivia Sawyer

Helen Isaac

Drew Kotchan and Tristram Chivers

As the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus celebrates its 60th year, we reflect on the journey of this group of volunteers who share a passion for music. The choristers have had the opportunity to sing with several Chorus Directors and many guest conductors and collaborate with hundreds of top musicians and artists. Their love for music and community has taken them through various changes and challenges, and the Chorus, over 120 voices strong and one of only two dedicated groups to sing with a major orchestra in Canada, has developed into a valued part of the Calgary Phil.

The Calgary Philharmonic Chorus was formed in 1963 by Haymo Taeuber, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s Music Director, who conducted the Chorus until his departure in 1968. The 70-voice ensemble’s first performance with the Orchestra was in March 1964, when they joined other choirs in a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. In 1968, the Chorus was disbanded when Haymo Taeuber left the Orchestra and was restored in 1970 with Lloyd Erickson as Chorus Director. Erickson directed the choir from 1970 to 1975 and 1977 to 1979, during which time the Chorus was again dissolved for two years.

Susan Fulmer, an alto from 1968 until 2016, recalls, “At the beginning, in the late 60s and early 70s, a chorus was mustered whenever the Orchestra decided to do Messiah (not every year, more like now-andthen). An invitation went around town to choirs for interested parties to attend rehearsals on Sundays with Lloyd Erickson conducting. We’d rehearse for a few Sundays, Lloyd would hand us over to whomever was conducting the concert, and we’d have one or two rehearsals with the Orchestra. Then, we gave it our best shot.”

In 1979, the Chorus was re-formed as the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, and part of the Calgary Phil. Fulmer continues, “When the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus was founded, the search for a conductor was on. The Calgary Phil organization recruited Terry Fullerton, Professor of Music at the University of Calgary and already the conductor of a really good choir at the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer. Over the next 20 years, he groomed an eager, if raggedy, bunch of singers to a more than 120-voice professional-quality instrument.”

Fullerton tells us, “Among the many wonderful memories I have as Chorus Director, the highlights would be the Giuseppe Verdi Requiem performed during the Olympics and the three performances of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 in Calgary, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.”

“ great choralorchestral repertoire needs to be heard, it should be performed at the highest level commensurate and worthy of the orchestra, and it should happen right here in Calgary ”

During Fullerton’s time as Chorus Director, the Chorus contributed towards many notable events, including the opening of the Jack Singer Concert Hall in 1985 and the Olympic Arts Festival in 1988. The Chorus sang in Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 for the opening of the Winspear Centre in Edmonton in 1997 and again in Winnipeg in 1998 to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and 75th anniversary of the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir, and in world premieres of choral works by Imant Raminsh and Krzysztof Penderecki in 2000 at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. As described by Sheila Cook, a Chorus soprano since 1983, the travelling and performing has created many friendships through a collective passion for choral music, “So many memories … performing Gustav Mahler’s Eighth Symphony for the opening of the Jack Singer Concert Hall, then in Winnipeg with Bramwell Tovey and in Edmonton for the opening of the Winspear Centre have forged many lifelong friendships.”

David Ferguson brought with him years of experience as a music teacher, choirmaster, and conductor when he took the reins as Chorus Director in 2000. Unfortunately, the Calgary Phil entered bankruptcy protection in 2002, and the Chorus had to fight for its survival to remain part of the organization. Part of the Orchestra’s recovery plan in 2003 was to elevate the Chorus to become an integral component and strategic instrument of the Calgary Phil. After the restructuring, Rosemary Thomson was appointed as Chorus Director in 2003 and served until 2010. During her tenure, Chorus members travelled to St John’s, Newfoundland, to participate in Festival 500, and after her departure, Chorus members sang in three Okanagan Symphony concerts she conducted in Penticton, Kelowna, and Vernon.

Timothy Shantz took over as Chorus Director in 2010 and continued to raise the professionalism of the Chorus. Around this time, Ellen Borak (soprano since 1996) and Allen Borak founded the Borak Forte Program to support the development of the Chorus. Ellen Borak talks about these professional standards, “I have always believed in three principles: great choralorchestral repertoire needs to be heard, it should be performed at the highest level commensurate and worthy of the orchestra, and it should happen right here in Calgary.” Sheila Cook also reflects on the unique professional and performance position of the Chorus, “I like to think we are in a unique position to be affiliated with a world-class orchestra. The Chorus sings a great diversity of repertoire, and I continue to learn more about choral singing each season.”

Shantz and the Chorus travelled to Chicago in 2015 to present a concert in the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel and sing at a special Canada Day reception hosted by the Consul General of Canada in Chicago, Roy Norton, in the magnificent Chicago Cultural Center. During Shantz’s tenure, the Chorus performed in several world premieres, notably Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation by Jeffrey Ryan with text by Suzanne Steele (2012), Stephen Chatman’s A Song of Joys with text by Walt Whitman (2014), and Randolph Peters’ Intensely Alive, a new work commissioned specifically for the opening concert of the Bella Concert Hall (2015).

The opportunity to take on challenges, whether recording themselves at home during a pandemic or learning difficult new music, is one of the many reasons members stay with the Chorus. Kay Harrison, who has been in the Chorus since 1981, says, “One thing that keeps me involved and

motivated relates to my construction background, as I really enjoy the challenge of working on something from scratch with an ever-changing group of like-minded people, and developing a work to be performance-ready by a date that is set in stone.”

The challenge of tackling new works coincides with the high standards of professionalism and performance that the choristers embrace. “It has been an exhilarating experience and a privilege to sing many masterpieces of the choral repertoire with one of the best orchestras in Canada in the company of highly talented and enthusiastic singers,” says Tristram Chivers, a tenor who joined the Chorus in 1983. The Boraks funded the Endowed Chair for Chorus Director in 2019 and comment “We have now ensured many years of great choral singing to come.”

With Shantz’s transition to the University of Alberta, Dr. Mark Bartel was appointed Chorus Director in 2020 and faced the challenge of directing the Chorus though the pandemic. Choristers endured, even recording Laura Hawley’s I Rise in their cars in the summer of 2021. When asked why they continue to sing, many people speak about their love for music and how the challenge of bringing new or previously performed works to life keeps them engaged. Richard Wanner, who has sung bass with the Chorus since 1987, says “It’s the creative power of the human mind that is the essence of the experience for me.”

While themes of personal growth, leadership, and performance are present in choristers’ stories, nothing is more prevalent than the themes of community and friendship. Many people cite their memories, friendships, and connections to others as driving reasons for singing with the Chorus. Keith Wyenberg, who has sung in the chorus for

40 years, tells us, “My time in the Chorus has been wonderful. The wonderful music, the friends that I have made, and our fun trips were really great and I look back on them with fond memories.” Wanner continues, “I have many other reasons for wanting to continue singing into later life: the friendships with fellow choristers; the emotional lift from singing together; the tremendous pleasure of performing with an outstanding orchestra; being able to share this wonderful experience with my wife.”

The Chorus experience has been enriched by shows such as A Tribute to Queen, Video Games Live, and Lord of the Rings, along with singing festive holiday carols at the Salvation Army, the Mustard Seed, Calgary Drop-In Centre, the Calgary Food Bank, and more. The Chorus has collaborated with Alberta Ballet for Mozart’s Requiem, and Orff’s Carmina Burana, and sings in many languages, including Latin, English, Cree, French, German, Italian, Hungarian, Russian, Mandarin, and Elvish.

While the choristers can tell many more stories, from electrical fires backstage to on-stage shenanigans, it is their passion for music that will keep creating new memories for years to come. Terry Fullerton sums up succinctly: “Congratulations to the present and past members celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Imagine, thousands of hours rehearsing and hundreds of hours performing with the Calgary Phil. Well done! May you continue to bless Calgary with wonderful singing for another 60 years.”

The Calgary Philharmonic Chorus with Chorus Director Rosemary Thomson, 2000s

Members of the Chorus with Conductor Bramwell Tovey in Winnipeg, 1998

Former President + CEO Paul Dornian and Chorus Director Timothy Shantz with Ellen and Allen Borak, founders of the Borak Forte program

During the pandemic, the Chorus records Laura Hawley’s I Rise from their cars conducted by Karl Hirzer, 2021

Chorus member Michelle Bozynski performs I Rise by Laura Hawley during the pandemic, 2021

Chorus members performing at Mozart at the Mall, 2010s

The Chorus visits Rockefeller Memorial Chapel in Chicago, 2015

Calgary Phil Orchestra and Chorus performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 conducted by Music Director Rune Bergmann, 2019

The Chorus at a rehearsal for Handel’s Messiah

Calgary Phil Orchestra and Chorus performing for Queen Elizabeth II at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, 1990

Conductor Ivars Taurins and Chorus Director Timothy Shantz at Sing–Along Messiah, 2015

The Calgary Phil Orchestra and Chorus, 1990s

The Chorus performing for the opening of the Bella Concert Hall, 2015

CRESCENDO to FORTE

Borak Forte Program: Amplifying the Presence of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus

Stephania Romaniuk

The Calgary Philharmonic’s 2022/2023 Season featured an important milestone in its 67-year history: the first performance of a choral work commissioned specifically for the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, and was given its world premiere at a special concert on 1 October 2022. I Rise set the inspiring poetry of LR Knost to music by Canadian composer Laura Hawley, with creative input from over 120 Chorus members and a light orchestral setting that places their voices in the spotlight.

“This is a very special piece to finally bring to life,” reflects Ellen Borak, long-time Calgary Phil chorister, who celebrates her 26th season with the Chorus this year. “Although we’ve been a part of other compositions, this brings us into greater prominence alongside the Orchestra, in terms of artistic programming and the development of new works. In the last few years, we’ve really seen the ship turning.”

In addition to being a chorister, Ellen, alongside her husband, Allen, have been some of the Chorus’ strongest advocates. Although both were born in Calgary, studies and careers took them to cities across the continent

including Houston, where Ellen became a member of the Houston Symphony Chorus. “Prior to that, I had sung in community choirs, but it was in Houston where I discovered that big sound that I just love with orchestras. When we came back to Calgary, there was just no question: it had to be the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus,” Ellen recalls. She joined the Chorus, and the couple began attending orchestral concerts as season ticket subscribers.

An engineer by training who retired in 2009 as Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Allen Borak was brought into the world of classical music through the passion of his wife, early in their relationship.

“I don’t think I would have started going to concerts on my own,” he offers. “But I kept buying tickets and insisting that he show up!” Ellen adds, chuckling. “But since I have been going, and I have been going for quite a few years, I have come to greatly enjoy them.”

When the Boraks realized that more funding was required to support the artistic development of the Chorus, they began to consider how they could be of service. Ellen and Allen

sought initial advice from local philanthropists on how to get started and then approached Calgary Phil leadership with their desire to help. After a series of productive conversations, the Borak Forte Program was established in 2010.

Annual support from the Borak Forte Program funds workshops with conductors, professional development for the Chorus Director, recording projects, new commissions, and special performances outside the concert season — “everything that will enhance the professionalism and the sound of the Chorus,” explains Ellen. “Coming from the corporate world, I know that if you want your organization to improve, you have to invest in that,” Allen adds. “And then you ask, how do we measure the results? My wife is the one with the musical ear, and she can hear it in the sound. I look at the feedback from the Music Director and the fact that the Chorus can approach pieces that they perhaps could never have taken on before, signs that are very, very positive. I think it’s good for the Orchestra and it’s good for the city.”

This three-part conviction — that “classical choral repertoire needs to be presented, that it must be performed at a level commensurate with our excellent Orchestra, and that there is no reason why that cannot happen in Calgary” — has underpinned the Boraks’ artistic advocacy for over a decade. In 2019, to further this vision, they endowed the Chorus Director Chair in perpetuity. “It takes a great deal of funding to program ambitious orchestral works with chorus — Mahler 8, the St. John Passion, Requiem for Afghanistan — and it’s opened up a tremendous number of doors for the Chorus,” shares Ellen.

In recognition of their long-term philanthropic achievements, in 2015 the Boraks received the Golden Baton, the highest honour the Calgary Phil awards its supporters.

“When you have a vision, you must continue making sure the funding is achieving what you want it to achieve,” shares Allen. “You’ll run into challenges — finding those likeminded individuals, fine-tuning how you engage supporters, and always repeating your message to keep it fresh in people’s minds,” Ellen adds. “You have to be tuned to the voices around you in performance and outside the hall, and I think that’s what I love best.”

“ if you want your organization to improve, you have to invest in that ”

© Sam Obadero

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Calling all sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses! If you would like to join the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, visit calgaryphil.com/auditions for more information.

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