Toronto Children's Chorus Programme

PROGRAMME

Roy Thomson Hall and Toronto Children’s Chorus present

TORONTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS 45th Season: “Reflections” A Chorus Christmas: Holiday Reflections SAT DEC 17, 2022 • 2PM

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PROGRAMME

TORONTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS ZIMFIRA POLOZ, Artistic Director GUEST ARTISTS: MEMBERS OF THE TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & JAMIE DRAKE, percussion ALUMNI CHOIR LOBBY CAROLS: ELISE BRADLEY, MNZM, Conductor HELEN BECQUÉ, Collaborative Pianist

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We wish to acknowledge the land on which the Toronto Children’s Chorus operates.

For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and the Toronto Children’s Chorus is grateful to have the opportunity to live, study, work, and make music on this land.

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GREETINGS FROM ZIMFIRA GREETINGS FROM ZIMFIRA In this season of transition, we reflect on our shared story and the remarkable legacy of artistry and excellence that founder Jean Ashworth-Bartle envisioned and built, and that her successor, Elise Bradley, reimaged and sustained. As the Toronto Children’s Chorus new artistic director, I am honoured to continue this rich history and work with such a vibrant choral community of more than 300 choristers ranging from 3 to 30 years old!

This autumn, the TCC engaged in making music together through a wide range of languages, styles of music, and settings. We celebrated our learning in a number of significant performances. In October, all Training Choirs shared their love of music in a performance for their family and friends, and members of the Main Choir and the Toronto Youth Choir joined the Amadeus Choir for a sold-out performance of Carl Orff’s famous Carmina Burana. In November, we continued our 45-year relationship with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, joining their performance of “The Planets” under the baton of Peter Oundjian. Members of the Chamber Choir and TYC sang the ethereal off-stage chorus contributing to the resounding experience of “Neptune”.

What a thrill to perform such a challenging and major work with orchestra!

Today, after a three-year hiatus, we gather together in Roy Thomson Hall for this Holiday concert, continuing our 30-year tradition. Thank you to everyone at RTH for making this performance possible and your continued support of Toronto Children’s Chorus.

I am sure that we all have a greater appreciation for the power of live-music and the collective experience we will share in this concert hall today. I invite you to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of our choristers, staff, volunteers, and community, and to express gratitude to the wonderful people who make this organization what it is.

May the wonder of today’s music fill you throughout the Holidays and into the new year.

Warmest wishes,

Zimfira Poloz Artistic Director

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PROGRAMME MAIN CHOIR & TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR Welcome, Yule

William Brown*

Allison Angelo, Christina Baksay, Kai Leung, Sofia Radenko & Frank Yu, soloists Zimfira Poloz, conductor | Jamie Drake, percussion

MAIN CHOIR Venit LumenT Damijan Močnik Treble Voice World Premiere Allison Angelo, soloist Zimfira Poloz, conductor | Dakota Scott-Digout, collaborative pianist Orchestra, Organ, Percussion

PASIO Gloria in Excelsis Hot Cup of Cocoa

Robert B. Anderson* Phyllis Aleta Wolfe

Judith Bean, conductor | Gergely Szokolay, collaborative pianists

SPIRITO & PASIO A Ram Sam Sam Three Ducks

Trad. Moroccan Trad. French, arr. Arthur Morrow

Judith Bean & Ariana Ribeiro, conductors | Gergely Szokolay & Lillian Lin, collaborative pianists

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ALUMNI CHOIR, MAIN CHOIR & TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

arr. David Willcocks

Meredith Wanstall, apprentice conductor | Orchestra, Organ & Percussion

ANIMA Caresse sur l’océanT You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Bruno Coulais arr. Jeff Funk

Nila Rajagopal, conductor | Nicholas Wanstall, collaborative pianist

CORO Winter Dream

Oseh ShalomT

James Desjardins Gloria Sophia Verhovsky, violin Joan Beckow

Zimfira Poloz, conductor | Kai Leung, assistant conductor Nicholas Wanstall, collaborative pianist

ANIMA & CORO Winter Sleigh Ride

Cynthia Gray

Nila Rajagopal, conductor | Nicholas Wanstall, collaborative pianist

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CANTAREALIS Riu, Riu, ChiuT O Come, O Come Emmanuel Deck the Hall and All that Jazz!

Trad. Spanish, arr. Linda Spevacek arr. Robert I. Hugh arr. Harold Barnett

Matthew Otto, conductor | Meredith Wanstall, apprentice conductor Terri Wu, collaborative pianist

TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR Ilus HäälT Song for a Winter’s Night

Margrit Kits, arr. Laura Jekabson Gordon Lightfoot*, arr. Robin Salkeld*

Matthew Otto, conductor | Kai Leung, assistant conductor

TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR & CHAMBER CHOIR Si Manu La’iti’itiT

Trad. Samoan, arr. Steven Rapana

Dominic Eboña, caller | Jamie Drake, percussion

CHAMBER CHOIR Festive Alleluia Et ExultavitT The Christmas Song Ta Na SolbiciT

Lyn Williams J.S. Bach, arr. Jerry Weseley Harris Robert Wells & Mel Tormé, arr. Sheldon Rose* Samo Vovk

Zimfira Poloz, conductor | Dakota Scott-Digout, collaborative pianist Strings & Percussion

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A MESSAGE FROM ZIMFIRA POLOZ AND THE HEAD CHORISTERS

ALUMNI CHOIR & TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR Thou Shalt Know Him

Mark Sirett*

Carol of the Bells

Peter J. Wilhousky & Mykola Leontovich

ALUMNI CHOIR, MAIN CHOIR & TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR Joy to the World

arr. John Rutter

Kai Leung, assistant conductor | Orchestra, Organ & Percussion

COMBINED CHOIRS Star Carol

* T

John Rutter

denotes Canadian composers Translation provided

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TRANSLATIONS AND NOTES Venit Lumen, Damijan Močnik Dedicated to Zimfira Poloz, Treble Voice World Premiere Your light has come, Jerusalem, and the glory of the Lord has risen over you.

A wondrous mystery is declared today, an innovation is made upon nature; God is made man.

He has been born for us, God from God. Light from Light, who was in the beginning.

He has been born for us, God from God. Caresse sur l’océan, Bruno Coulais Caress on the ocean, carries the bird so light, like a spirit from the land of snow, an ephemeral gust of winter, far does your echo take to a castle in Spain; Turning, whirling wind deploy your wings; In the rising gray dawn finds a path to the rainbow and discovers the Springtime.

Caress on the ocean, place the bird so light on the stone of a submerged isle; Ephemeral gust of winter, finally your breath moves deep in the mountains; turning, whirling wind, deploy your wings; In the rising, gray dawn finds a path to the rainbow and discovers the Springtime.

Calm on the ocean.

Oseh Shalom, Joan Beckow He who makes peace in His high places He shall make peace upon us and upon all of Israel and say Amen Riu, Riu, Chiu, Trad. Spanish, arr. Linda Spevacek Riu, riu, chiu, the riverbank protector: God kept the wolf from our lamb.

The one who is born is the Great Monarch, Christ the Patriarch clothed in flesh; He has redeemed us by making himself small, though he was infinite he became finite.

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Now we have what we desire, let us go together to present him gifts; Let us all give him our will, for he came as our equal.

I saw a thousand young boys who were singing, Flying around, chanting in a thousand voices; Saying to the shepherds, “Glory in Heaven, and peace on earth for Jesus is born!”

Ilus Hääl, Margrit Kits, arr. Laura Jekabson Ring out, generous forests Shout back the huts In return for my grateful voice In return for my wonderful song Where my voice is heard Where my song is sung There all forests will fall even without striking iron.

Si Manu La’iti’iti, trad. Samoan song, arr. Steven Rapana Little bird, atop the tree, Sing a song to me.

Sing to the rose, atop the tree.

Et Exultavit, J.S. Bach, arr. Jerry Weseley Harris And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

Ta Na Solbici, Samo Vovk There was a wedding in village Solbica/Stolvizza feet were hitting floor so loudly that drown out the church bell it was echoing off the mountain Ćanïn.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS COLLABORATORS

SUPPORTERS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like acknowledge the staff of Roy Thomson Hall, Spragg Productions, Inc., Instrumentalists from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Jodie Sargent, Jackie Stothers, Stuart Lowe, the staff of Calvin Presbyterian Church & Christ Church Deer Park, the Jean Ashworth Bartle Bursary Fund donors, the Toronto Children’s Chorus Board of Directors, and our many individual donors for their generous support of the organization and of the choir’s 15th annual Sing Loo! Campaign.

Follow this link to see our list of Season & Sing Loo! Donors torontochildrenschorus.com/donors

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VOLUNTEERS (as of December 1st) Jodie Sargent, Volunteer Coordinator Jackie Stothers, Uniform Coordinator & TYC Volunteer Peter Read, Riser Coordinator Lisa Bordan & Jordan Shapiro, Stage Management Spirito Volunteers Jing Ai Lindsey Hepburn Alicia Kalman Daniel Moore Haruko Nishimura Susie Stamatapoulos Sarah Wang Tao Wang Rebecca Weigand Nicole Di Wu Katie Wylde Joyce Xu Lanxin Xu Pasio Volunteers Nalini Chandra Sarah Cheng Sarah Declerck Yuliya Desyatova Sally Hsu Betty Hui Eun Min Kim Louise Li Matthew Lin

Dennis Liu Colleen Ray

Xin Guo Patricia Ho

Patsy Wisniewski Fiona Wong Tania Zhang Helen Zhong

Wendy Huang Priya Iyer Shirley Jin Angela LaFosse Marianne Lau Rebecca Li Caiyan li Shuang Liu Paula Luo Fabiana Moreno Michelle Murphy Tanya Radforth Jun Song Jennifer Svab Melissa Syme Alison Takacs Olena Totska Robert Waddell Wei Wang Andrew Wilkins Luping Xie Lulayna Zawdneh Kate Zeng Lisa Zhang Khristina Zhang Tony Zhou

Anima Volunteers Megan Bobier Catherine Chen Andrew Collins Jenny Gao Sofia Harwell Andrea Joyce Iryna Kalakaylo Eunice Lai Jia Li Tina Li Lillian Lin Zhen Liu Cindy Ma Vita Ma Genny Na Eri Popovsky Florence Shao Edie Torbay Nancy Wang Sharon Wu Jinjin Zhang Coro Volunteers

Main Choir Volunteers

Carolina Alvarado Crystal Chang

Rixi Abrahamsohn Alexandra Bedoev Nadya Byelova

Jessie Enriquez Jessye Gong Gisele Gordon

Linda Coelho Robert Coelho Sandra Cubas

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Tracy Cui Ameen Damani Liesha Earle Lillian Gao Sonia Grandi Alejandro Guerrero Anna Hagithomas

Lesley Hanham Mimoza Jakova Mala Joshi-Lomaga Olga Kalashnikova Sophie Laroche Fiona Lee Amy Lin

Faye Liu Sophie Naidoo Anna Rutledge Melody Tan Megan Tao Shen Wang Sue Xia

MEMBERS OF THE TORONTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS SPIRITO TRAINING CHOIR Ariana Ribeiro, conductor; Nicole Cheung, Yara Robb & Celeste Thordarson, conductor’s assistants; Lillian Yin, collaborative pianist Claire Chun Carina Ding Lillian Gao Eleanor (Ella) Hepburn Moore Maya Jeyathas Nessa Kalman Raphaela Li Olina Liu Allyson Lo Yueran Luo Gina Mei Isla Miller Sam Nathwani

Kyra Obaid Isabella Perdigao Nicolas Qian Zedong Eric Sun Elwin Sun Lucas Wan Joyce Wang Athena Weigand Gia Wong Catherine Wu Clara Xiao Candice Yang Reina Yao Jason Zhang PASIO TRAINING CHOIR Judith Bean, conductor; Asha Mayadunne, Ruth Wang & Amanda Won, conductor’s assistants; Gergely Szokolay, collaborative pianist

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Priya Aggarwal Summer Cheng Jayne Cheung Karlie Cui Maleeha Damani Carly DeRosa Simone Ho-Declerck Yuhao Hugo Huang Bridget Jara Ashlynn Jue Ambrose Li Rui Miao Helen Lin Ashley Lin Ino Liu Josephine Lo Quanwei (Julio) Ma Henry Menzel Robbie Murphy Cindy Ou Nadiya Sapeha Ella Scobie Gieselle Seto Jayden Song

Christine Sun Rebekah Tsang Stanley Wang Ani Wang Emily Wisniewski Annabelle Xi Margaret Yan Hannah Yang Zoe Zhang Alice Zhang Anna Zhang ANIMA TRAINING CHOIR Nila Rajagopal, conductor; Lauren Levorson-Wong, Priscilla Menezes, Alexandra Skira, conductor’s assistants; Mirabella Kolodkin, volunteer conductor’s assistant; Nicholas Wanstall, collaborative pianist Naomi Angelo Taejun Bhak Yan Kiu Jocelyn Chan Ella Rose Chang Marcus Chang Elle Chang Rachel Chen Jasmin Chen Helena Collins Eliana Cranker Ziya Cui

George Feng Norah Foo Astrid Frejd Christina Gan Vincent Gu Neve Harvey Alexandra He Sophie Ho Elizabeth Hu Dylan Jiang Olive Kang Patrick Keyes-Ho Amelija Kin Thibodeau Matteus Kolodkin Iris Kou Leah Kwak Oscar Li Lily Louie Felicity Mei Maria Cristina Valerie Monkhouse Emilia Morales Eva Popovsky Ethan Ru Vera Fuer Shou Jasmine Yixin Sun Oliver Torbay Melania Tverdostup Stephanie Wang Justin Wu John (Yuxing) Yan Terence Yang Kenny Yao Youchu Yu Sophia Zhang Yifan Zhang

Elise Zhu CORO TRAINING CHOIR Zimifira Poloz & Nila Rajagopal, conductors; Kai Leung, assistant conductor; Ariel Brookes, Paula Castillejo, conductors’ assistants; Katherine Lau, volunteers conductor’s assistant; Nicholas Wanstall, collaborative pianist Suzanne Antabli Hayleigh BethuneWaddell Amelia Chau Tommy Cheng Sarah Chun Graydon Church Constance Connesson Felicia De Simone Santos Austin Du Aaron Guo Leon Guo William Guo Joanna He Sherlyn Jin Milena Kahsay Olivia Laurie Leguia Emmanuelle Leung Alice Li Sophia Liu Owen Liu

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Yuming Lu Jessica Mei William Murphy Lexi Orellana Andrea Palmieri Miyoteh Pechawis Evan Radforth Kruck Martina Rojas-Alvarado Martina Ruggier Ishana Shetty Teddy Singer Sofia Skondric Akela Stone Michelle Svab Kathryn Syme Benjamin Tu Joseph Turov Elona Wilkins Charlotte Woo Chelsea Wu Elsie Yin Lois Yu Lily Zhang Lillian Zhang Yifan Zhou MAIN CHOIR - CANTARE & CHOREALIS Matthew Otto, conductor; Elizabeth Frynta & Emma Moss, conductor’s assistants; Terri Wu, collaborative pianist Aaron Alvarado

Andre Canto CubasCh Sophie (Hanfei) Bao Daniel Bedoev Jeannie Chan Nathan ChauCh Manuela Chavez Scarlett CoelhoCh Ruhee Damani Brynnie Ddungu Lillian Rose Frynta Elizabeth FullertonCh Julia Grandi FerreiraCh Natasha Harvey Elizabeth He Neeya IshaqCh Helen JiangCh Ivy JiangCh Jolene Jiang Christina Kolomiyets Evelyn Lockhart Josephine LazarusCh Lauren LeeCh Jaya LomagaCh Hermione Luk Norah MacLarkey Luca Mangrau Alycia Mark Mary McRaeCh Surina Naidoo Emma Radforth KruckCh Emma RutledgeCh Jonas Schneider Siena SmallwoodCh Anna Tong Rachel WangCh

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Maddy Wharton Olivia Xiong Zephyr Yong Michelle Zhou Ch

Chorealis Chorister

MAIN CHOIR CHAMBER Zimfira Poloz, conductor; Annick Read, conductor’s assistant; Dakota Scott-Digout, collaborative pianist Sarah Abai Christina Baksay* Lincoln Bradley Sarah Carnat*♪ Irene Chatzimichail*♪ Alina Du Zoe Earle* Ashlynn Emmanuel Laura Fullerton*E Maya Girma Ziyue (Claire) Hao Danica Henry Silver Hewitt David Jakov Kyra Jiang Paul Karras* Sadie Kennedy Evan Klein Mirabella Kolodkin* Jacob Kooiman*

Eva Kulic Ana-Sofia LarocheGuerrero Katherine Lau* Anzu Lin* Cecilia Liu Olivia Lyu Teagan MacFarlane*E Hannah Marshman*♪ Jason Moon Sofia Radenko*♪ Isla Shapiro*

Alexandra Skira*♪ Victoria Smith Liepa Spakauskas* Melanie Tao Jarvis Tomassini* Hannah Tram Angelina Tropper Caitlynn Woo Sophia Woo Eileen Xiong*♪ Annie Yan* Tracy Yim

Lucas Yin Cynthia Zhao Julia Zhuang

* Choral Scholar ♪ Head Chorister E Head Chorister Emerita

MEMBERS OF THE TORONTO YOUTH CHOIR Matthew Otto, conductor; Kai Leung, assistant conductor; Nicholas Wanstall, collaborative pianist Alice Atell Nicholas Bridi Ariel Brookes Alessandro Canto Cubas Paula Castillejo Nicole Cheung Eugenio Ciarlandini Liam Clapp Sambea Cochrane Desiree Dashtban Matthew Dennis Dominic Eboña Cole Fleming

Elizabeth Frynta Joshua Gibson Stefan Hansen Wesley Hui Victoria Ioanidis Jerry Jia Charlotte Johnston Soroosh Kahnemuyipour Riki Kajiwara Siobhan Knowles James Leung Christine Li Gloriann Lobo Ellie MacKinnon William Marcotte Miranda Martinez Jeremy Ngai Vyllana Nguyen

Tal Ohana Julia Raffaghello Annick Read Kirsten Read Zoe Renglich Peter Rutledge Katerina Savin Katrina Skuterud Amelia Soon Nadia Stanichevsky Eyal Stopnicki Danielle Toccalino Téah U-Ming Qian (Lily) Wang Amanda Won Isaiah Yankech Frank (Enquan) Yu Miranda Zhao

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MEMBERS OF THE ALUMNI CHOIR (as of December 1st)

Susan Astington Alice Atell Natalie Au Kerstin Baker-Ash Matt Bobkin Dawn Britton Ariel Brookes Alessandro Canto-Cubas Paula Castillejo Nicole Cheung Liam Clapp Sambea Cochrane Asha Collins Aramea Copeman Brian De Wolfe Matthew Dennis Dennis Dobrovolsky Matthew Dolgin Claire Durette Dominic Eboña David Federman Julia Flagal Courtney Flanagan

Cole Fleming Clare Frejd Elizabeth Frynta Catherine Fullerton Kirstin Grant Nyree Grimes Elizabeth Harvey Sarah Hicks Brooklyn Hull Alexandra Jedemann Jerry Jia Charlotte Johnston Taira Kajiwara Cassandra King Jennifer Kirner Siobhan Knowles Gloriann Lobo Andrew Lowe Ellie MacKinnon Anne Maenhaut Asha Mayadunne Keera McNalty Julianne Morin

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Alison Morin Wilhelmina NelmesVogtle Jeremy Ngai Jessica Nigli Tal Ohana Nikhil Pisharoty Pamela Psarianos Alice Quan Julia Raffaghello Annick Read Kirsten Read Evan Reid Zoe Renglich Jamie Rokin Katrina Skuterud Zachary Teper Danielle Toccalino Amanda Won Leah Wright Miranda Zhao

THE TORONTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS ORGANIZATION 26 Delisle Avenue, Toronto, ON M4V 1S5 T: 416-932-8666 | torontochildrenschorus.com ARTISTIC STAFF

COLLABORATIVE PIANISTS

Zimfira Poloz, Artistic Director Matthew Otto, Director of Education & Associate Artistic Director Joanne Chow, Movement & Staging Consultant Dr. Darryl Edwards, Vocal Coach & Consultant Jodie Sargent, Main Choir Theory Coordinator

Dakota Scott-Digout Gergely Szokolay Nicholas Wanstall Terri Wu Lillian Yin

CONDUCTORS Judith Bean, Pasio Nila Rajagopal, Anima & Coro Ariana Ribeiro, Spirito Kai Leung, Assistant Conductor, Coro &

CHORAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Michael Denomme, Apprentice Conductor Meredith Wanstall, Apprentice Conductor Allison Angelo, recipient of the Vernon Douglas McCaw Memorial Fellowship

TYC

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ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Charlotte Burrage, Executive Director Dominic Eboña, Director of Operations Sasha Anderson, Program Manager Paige Mpeletzikas, Marketing & Communications Coordinator Anica Chodri, Finance Officer Amal Ahmed, Finance Assistant Annick Read, Operations Assistant Paula Castillejo, Operations Assistant DISTINGUISHED HONOURARY PATRON The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, O.C., O.Ont. Lieutenant Governor of Ontario HONOURARY PATRONS Bob Chilcott Sir Andrew Davis Elfrieda Heinrichs Vern Heinrichs Ben Heppner Catherine Robbin Krisztina Szabó

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FOUNDER/CONDUCTOR LAUREATE Jean Ashworth Bartle, C.M., O.Ont. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Susan Astington, Board Chair Alexandra Koch, Director Louise Li, Director Shelly Lowe, Director Maria McDonald, Secretary Diana Racanelli, Treasurer Jordan Shapiro, Director Leslie Stewart Rose, Director

We would like to acknowledge and thank Kirstin Grant & Nancy Sullivan, who recently finished their tenures as board members.

UPCOMING SHOWS UPCOMING SHOWS

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER & MUTTER VIRTUOSI TUE FEB 7, 2023 • 8PM

EVGENY KISSIN

Piano

THU APR 27, 2023 • 8PM

For tickets visit

or call

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416-872-4255

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