Peterborough Singers

Our annual UnConcert is only 1 month away!
Join us Monday Oct 21st at Murray Street Baptist Church at 7pm as our Choir members showcase their many talents in this casual concert to raise funds for the choir.

Join us earlier at 6:15pm to peruse an assortment of baked goods and craft items up for sale in support of the Choir's Durham trip.

It's always a good time and we hope you'll come out to support the Choir!

We're feeling a little artsy this week, so our Welcome Wednesday is dedicated to two agencies helping our culture sparkle a little brighter.

First up, the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival is a three day spotlight in June on the works of Indigenous artists. They shine a light on theatre, dance, music, comedy, and even a bit of burlesque. While a small event at the moment, we look forward to it expanding in the future. We especially like that 100% of ticket sales goes to the artists directly.

We also welcome the Peterborough Singers. Formed by Sydney Birrell in 1993, the choir has been gong strong since. Every year, there are four distinct concerts given, in a variety of genres. There are opportunities for rising local stars to join, and there are frequently world-class guest soloists. They're starting to put the call out for ushers for their holiday concerts in December. You'll take tickets, show people to their seats, or hand them a program. Then you get to enjoy some heavenly music. The details are here, and they are asking you to provide a cover letter. https://buff.ly/46fkVpr

Our song of welcome comes to an end.
Can you help out our two friends?
The Nogo Fringe Fest or the Peterborough Singers
Might just need some volunteer ringers.
Check out our opportunities page,
Because volunteering is all the rage.

'mAPoetAndIKnowIt.

Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough Peterborough County Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce Age-friendly Peterborough New Canadians Centre Peterborough Trent University Careerspace Fleming Student Administrative Council Telecare Peterborough

Open Rehearsal! Tuesday September 17th! Come dance, sing, and make some new friends 😊. Ages 8-18, no experience required.

See you at Emmanuel United Church (George & McDonnell).
Junior Choir (grades 3-6): 5:45-7pm
Youth Choir (grades 7-12): 7-8:45pm

Elevator access with advance notice. Message Carolyn at [email protected] with any questions.

Let's sing 😮🎶😮🎶😮🎶😮🎶😮🎶😮🎶😮

FIRST REHEARSAL IN TWO SLEEPS!!!!
We can't wait. See you at Emmanuel United Church (George & McDonnell) Tuesday night.
Junior Choir (grades 3-6): 5:45-7pm
Youth Choir (grades 7-12): 7-8:45pm

Bring a Friend Night/ Open Rehearsal is Tuesday September 17th. Come one, come all, ages 8-18, no experience required.

Let's sing 😮🎶

The choir is excited to be back! We'll be taking a couple weeks to look at our May repertoire and then onto our Yuletide Cheer music!

Last night we also honoured one of our most hard working volunteers Karen.

Karen is an outstanding Singer, Volunteer, and Founding Member of the Peterborough Singers who has done just about everything in her 30+ years with the Singers. Karen has been a former Board Member, as well as a former Board Chair. In the past she has been vital to the Singers over the years by writing and editing articles about special patrons, and she has been invaluable in keeping the website up to date. But we all know Karen as the superhuman who manages our ticket sales! She is early to every rehearsal and stays behind to make sure we all get our tickets. Her hard work and dedication are an inspiration, and we want to celebrate everything she does for the Peterborough Singers! So, join us in celebrating Karen for all she does for our Choir!

"Let's Work Together" Join us for a fun evening of building community through harmony! Led by Curtis Driedger and friends FREE Experience not required; all levels welcome! Friday September 20, 2024 6.30-8.30pm St. James United Church 221 Romaine St. Wheelchair-accessible Just bring your voice!

The Singers had the first of their training shifts yesterday Delta Bingo and Gaming

We're excited to have the opportunity to raise additional funds for the choir towards our vision of 'enriching our community through music'.

Huge shoutout to Karen and Linda of Soroptimist Peterborough Ontario Canada (which works to 'to improve the lives of women and girls') for showing us the ropes!

The start of our 2024-2025 season is just around the corner and the Singers are looking forward to rehearsals starting again on Sept 11th.

We just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of our amazing sponsors and funders. Without you we wouldn't be able to produce the high level of quality in our concerts that we're so proud to showcase (including our amazing soloists and instrumentalists). Thank you!!!

Season Sponsors
Royal LePage Fran Allen & David Tomlinson
SGS Lakefield

Concert Sponsors
David Goyette Media
TD
Bussey Ainsworth

Funders
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Classical 103.1 Fm
Toronto Foundation

Lloyd Carr-HArris Foundation

Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough
The City of Peterborough

From the Singers’ signature concerts Yuletide Cheer and Messiah to the dance-in-your-seats The Music of ABBA and the glorious Mozart Requiem this year’s performances are sure to please.

Season tickets for the 2024-2025 season are now available to purchase online www.peterboroughsingers.com/tickets or through the Singers' office. Order season tickets today and save. Season tickets are a great way to ensure you have all the tickets in advance — no need for a last-minute scramble or worry about forgetting to buy tickets altogether!

BUY SEASON TICKETS AND SAVE:
All 4 concerts: $130 for adults (save $30), $35 for students (save $5)
3 concerts: $100 for adults (save $20)
2 concerts: $70 for adults (save $10)

Mama Mia 3 is in the works! You know what's also in the works? Our March 1st 'The Music of Abba' Concert!

Here We Go Again! Everything We Know About 'Mamma Mia 3,' Including If Meryl Streep Plans to Return Here's everything we know so far about ‘Mamma Mia 3,’ including if the movie is going to happen, which cast members could return and where to watch the film franchise.

Auditions will be happening throughout September, specifically on Mondays to take place in Peterborough
To sign up for an audition call 705-745-1820 and leave a message or go to the website to fill in the application here: https://www.peterboroughsingers.com/get-involved/audition/

Peterborough Singers in the Park! Ready to sing our hearts out to some 80s music with at 🎶

What an incredible night! Thank you to our Soloists, Instrumentalists, the Bach Children's Chorus and Bach Chamber Youth Choir, our ushers and volunteers and of course YOU our audience! You all make it possible for us to be able to perform and bring to our community this amazing music and we are so profoundly grateful.

Dress rehearsal tonight and the big show tomorrow night! St. Matthew Passion 7pm Saturday May 11th Emmanuel United Church Peterborough

For tickets head to www.peterboroughsingers.com/tickets

1) Syd and our evangelist Michael Corvin
2) Chris Vichy on Oboe
3) The all important Emmanuel United Organ!

High drama, extraordinary music and a stellar line up of performers: three reasons among many to come to St Matthew Passion on Saturday. We hope you’ll join us for this rare opportunity to hear J.S. Bach’s masterpiece.

Three choirs (the Peterborough Singers form a double choir, plus the Bach Children’s Chorus) and an array of soloists and instrumentalists make a performance of the Passion a unique experience, one that promises to be both monumental and moving.

When: Saturday, May 11, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Emmanuel United Church: 534 George St N, Peterborough, ON
Tickets: $40 general admission; $10 students, available through the Peterborough Singers' website, Pammett’s Flower Shop, Ashburnham Foot & Ankle Centre, Happenstance Books & Yarns (Lakefield), or at the door.

The Performers: The Peterborough Singers conducted by Syd Birrell; soloists Michael Colvin, Janelle Lucyk, Ian Sabourin and Alex Dobson; the Bach Children’s Chorus conducted by Charissa Bagan; Ian Sadler (organ), Christopher Bagan (continuo organ), Felix Deák (cello/continuo), Emily Richardson (flute), Chris Vishy (oboe) and Jimin Dobson (violin).

Seating Update: If you’ve heard the Peterborough Singers this season you’ll know that the concerts, while within capacity limits of Emmanuel United Church, have had a wonderful turnout — thank you! But in order to ensure everyone is seated in a timely fashion we’ve made a few refinements to the seating process, as follows:

Tickets will be taken at the top of the stairs
Pick up reserved tickets, or purchase tickets, at the main entrance
More ushers will be available to help you find a seat
Series ticket holders’ reserved seats will be held until 15 minutes before start time

Thank you for supporting choral music in the Peterborough community — we look forward to seeing you at this special performance!

For more information contact:
Peg McCracken, Business Manager
705.745.1820 | [email protected]

Thank you to our Concert Sponsor TD and our Season Sponsor Fran Allen and David Tomlinson of Royal LePage

A MUST for Any Music Lover: St Matthew Passion

When you ask tenor soloist Michael Colvin why you should come to St Matthew Passion (May 11 at Emmanuel United Church) he sums it up perfectly:

“It’s a chance to connect with one of the most important, enduring pieces of music ever written.” Michael, who performs the role of St Matthew, the Evangelist and narrator of the story, says it’s “more than just another choir concert.”

“Full of rousing choruses, gorgeous, contemplative arias and familiar chorales and hymn tunes, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is a MUST for any music lover!”

St Matthew Passion is also the foundation of much of the music we know and love today, from opera to pop, as countertenor Ian Sabourin notes. He describes the sound as “mesmerizing.”

“There is nothing like getting lost in a wall of sound with Bach’s counterpoint,” says Ian. “It cannot be described, you just have to hear it.”

There’s a deep spiritual aspect to the work, but whether or not you’re familiar with the religious narrative soprano soloist Janelle Lucyk points out that there is “something profoundly moving” about the Passion.

“Bach was a master of taking the human condition and translating it into music,” says Janelle.

“Even in the darkest moments of the Passion story, Bach’s music offers glimpses of light and redemption.”

The Peterborough Singers performance of St Matthew Passion provides a rare opportunity to hear this masterpiece as it’s not widely performed, in part due its sheer magnitude. Not only will you hear the Singers essentially become two choirs, you’ll also hear the Bach Children’s Chorus and an array of talented instrumentalists. And, as bass soloist Alex Dobson notes, Bach’s music brings “a technical challenge that is unmatched by any other composer.”

“The St Matthew Passion is probably one of Bach’s most complex pieces using such large forces,” says Alex. “It is quite an undertaking and I’m proud to be part of this performance with the Peterborough Singers.”

For more thoughts on St Matthew Passion from our soloists go to https://www.peterboroughsingers.com/concerts/st-matthew-passion/
When: Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Where: Emmanuel United Church 534 George St N, Peterborough, ON
Who: Syd Birrell and the Peterborough Singers; soloists Janelle Lucyk, Ian Sabourin, Michael Colvin and Alex Dobson; Ian Sadler (organ), Christopher Bagan (harpsichord), Felix Deák (cello/continuo), Emily Richardson (flute), Chris Vishy (oboe), Jimin Dobson (violin) and special guests the Bach Children’s Chorus

Tickets: $40 general admission; $10 students. Available through the Peterborough Singers website and the following:
Pammett’s Flower Shop
Ashburnham Foot & Ankle Centre
Happenstance Books & Yarns (Lakefield)

Bach and Shakespeare in May!? Lots to look forward to next month 😃

https://www.electriccityplayers.com/macbeth
Electric City Players

Join us Sat May 11th, 7pm at Emmanuel United Church Peterborough

www.peterboroughsingers.com/tickets