Sunday, July 12, 2009
HCC WINS!
Can you believe it? The choir won the Grand Prize in the World International Choral Competition.
The kids were so focused and professional in their performance....it was even a better performance than when we were here for the CBC Gala Concert event. No singing was asked of us when the choir was announced as the winners. Instead, the choir headed to a big party to dance and sing. They had a fabulous time!
Although attending the competion has been a wonderful experience for our choristers, the most valuable part of this experience was meeting the ORAN and UNIVOX choirs. It is these choirs and their positive energy who helped motivate our choristers creatively. It is these types of musical exchanges that are enriching. Thank you ORAN & UNIVOX!
We are off this morning to do a workshop and then heading home. See you tonight!
The kids were so focused and professional in their performance....it was even a better performance than when we were here for the CBC Gala Concert event. No singing was asked of us when the choir was announced as the winners. Instead, the choir headed to a big party to dance and sing. They had a fabulous time!
Although attending the competion has been a wonderful experience for our choristers, the most valuable part of this experience was meeting the ORAN and UNIVOX choirs. It is these choirs and their positive energy who helped motivate our choristers creatively. It is these types of musical exchanges that are enriching. Thank you ORAN & UNIVOX!
We are off this morning to do a workshop and then heading home. See you tonight!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
We are in the FINALS!
The choir will be competing tonight at 6 p.m. at St-Rose Church in Laval in the finals. They will be competing against two other adult choirs, ORON from Calgary, Alberta and the ARCADIA Chamber Choir from Columbia.
The kids had a great day yesterday. They attended a workshop in the morning instructed by Dallas Bergen. The subject was how to mark your music score to be a better singer....the message to singers was to always look for ways to make you a stronger musician and be aware of where you need to improve so that you can accomplish this. A good message for our talented singers!
Then the whole group enjoyed a full day of free time which included sightseeing at Mount Royal and then shopping in Old Montreal. It ended with a short public performance that we cut short because the choir was stealing the audiences from the buskers who have paid permits to work on the streets...oops :)
Everyone enjoyed a meal in the city and then returned to a musical social with both the ORON choir and Univox (Toronto). This experience in itself was worth attending the competition. The choristers were so amazed by the other singers and also enjoyed learning an African piece with movement that you can expect performed next season for sure. A fun and amazing night of musical sharing that we all fully enjoyed.
So we are off to a full day of event. The choir is rehearsing the morning in the hotel, then off to the Friendship Concert at the Choral Village (performance at 2:30 p.m.) and then getting ready to compete at 6 p.m. We are second in the competition order. The competition is followed by a concert by Eric Whitacre and the results of the competition will be shared at the end of this event. Afterwards the kids will be shuttled to the Choral Village and enjoy a wrap up party....they are stoked for this as you can imagine.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
July 9 - Part 2 - Competition Day
We competed in our second category at 4 p.m. today...a last minute schedule change to our competition time. The kids were ready despite this. The chamber choir were the last performing choir in the contemporary category and were the last performance for the day. The choir sang Las Amarillas, Salve Regina, Past Life Melodies (with flashlights that were incorporated and logistics worked out just in the morning...a typical Zimfira move) and ending with Dos a Dos. Energies were fresh cause the kids had 'quiet time' at the hotel in the afternoon before singing. Needless to say they were a hit. Numerous audience members came to share their pleasure with the performance and how amazed they were by sound. Maybe more tour invitations....who knows!
The news of who makes it to the final competition will be shared likely tomorrow. Zimfira is to get a phone call by the organizers with our results. We will let you know as soon as we can.
Also, we are having a hard time uploading pictures - sorry. Will try again and hopefully we will be able to share some of the memorable moments we have had very soon.
The news of who makes it to the final competition will be shared likely tomorrow. Zimfira is to get a phone call by the organizers with our results. We will let you know as soon as we can.
Also, we are having a hard time uploading pictures - sorry. Will try again and hopefully we will be able to share some of the memorable moments we have had very soon.
July 9 - Competition Today - Part One
The HCC Chamber Choir got up very early this a.m. (6:30 a.m.) to get ready for the competition. We had a quick breakfast, thanks to Linda & Kim, and off we went to perform at the Salle Andre-Mathieu (Le College Vocal de Laval) for 9 a.m. The choristers, despite a challenging accoustic, performed well and the cheers shouted out by our Hamilton (parents) fans was wonderful to hear!
We are off to perform today in the contemporary category for 5:45 p.m. Two other adult choirs, Univox (Toronto) and Oron (Alberta) are also competing in this category...this will be interesting. Afterwards the choristers will enjoy dinner provided by the festival and return back to the hotel to go swimming and shopping.
The competition structure has changed since we arrived. Finalists will be chosen based on best score and will compete in the final to be held on Saturday at St-Rose Church @ 6 p.m. Results are to be shared on Friday...we will be sure to keep you posted.
Of course, there will be more to speak about and show (pictures) tonight....stay tuned!
We are off to perform today in the contemporary category for 5:45 p.m. Two other adult choirs, Univox (Toronto) and Oron (Alberta) are also competing in this category...this will be interesting. Afterwards the choristers will enjoy dinner provided by the festival and return back to the hotel to go swimming and shopping.
The competition structure has changed since we arrived. Finalists will be chosen based on best score and will compete in the final to be held on Saturday at St-Rose Church @ 6 p.m. Results are to be shared on Friday...we will be sure to keep you posted.
Of course, there will be more to speak about and show (pictures) tonight....stay tuned!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 7th - Getting Competition Ready
July 6th 2009
Hello to all our choristers and families!
It has been an eventful few days with all the changes happening in Laval.
Our most current update, as of late Sunday July 5th, is as follows:
Departure - July 8th, 2009
6:15am - Call time: Chorister to meet at Ancaster pick up location
6:30am - Bus arrives and picks up choristers
6:45am - Call time: Choristers meet at Park and Ride on Guelph Line in Burlington
7:00am - Bus arrives and picks up choristers
***Please remember to be on time for the pick up as we are on a tight schedule to arrive in to Laval for our sound check at 3:30pm.
***Choristers need to bring a bagged ‘nut’ free lunch on the bus, water bottle, and snacks.
Destination: Laval - Hotel Sheraton, 2440 Autoroute des Laurentides Laval, Quebec
Ph. 450 680 5755
Competition - Thursday July 9th, 2009
Category 1 (Children's Choir) 9:00am
Category 7 (Contemporary) 5:45am
Friday July 10th, 2009
Potential attendance to workshop & sightseeing Montreal in afternoon and evening
NOTE: Please allow for dinner money, as the choristers will be eating “out” that day
Saturday July 11th, 2009
12:00pm - Out of Contest Concert (Friendship Concert) – Choral village
6:00pm - Finals: St. Rose Church in Laval (for parents attending, you can google the directions to this beautiful church or ask at the hotel)
8-10pm - Eric Whitacre Concert – for parents attending, this is the event that the results of the competition will be announced. It is unsure whether tickets need to be purchased or not. Please talk to John King.
Sunday July 12th, 2009
10-11:30am - Zimfira leading a well publicized workshop (our choristers will be participating in that workshop)
1:00pm - Depart Laval
7:00pm (approximate) : Arrival to Burlington (same as pick up location)
7:30pm (approximate): Arrival to Ancaster (same as pick up location)
Remember to....
Provide money for lunch (we have yet to hear whether or not lunch is paid for that day) and provide money for dinner (will be at a rest stop on the way home)
NOTE: Spending money as each family feels necessary.
Emergency Contact Information:
Linda Martinus-Naccarato
email: intointeriors@cogeco.ca
cell: 905 399 4686
Kim Thompson
email: kimthompson3kids@sympatico.ca
cell: 905 570 2453
NOTE: The most efficient way to contact the chaperones will be via email or text as our phones will be on vibrate. It is illegal in Quebec to talk on a cell phone and drive.
Parents who are travelling to Laval. You can contact John King and he is staying at the
Laval Hilton ph. 450 682 2225
OF MOST IMPORTANCE:
♪ Choristers – do not forget your concert uniforms, black socks, and slippers
♪ Please wear you black T-shirts on the bus to Laval as we are heading straight to the venue
♪ OHIP cards to board the bus
♪ Blue Choir Shirts and hoodies as well It is an absolute privilege to be chaperoning the choristers on this tour for the World Competition. Please know that we will do our very best to insure their safety and well being while they are in Laval, all the while having fun!
Linda and Kim
Hello to all our choristers and families!
It has been an eventful few days with all the changes happening in Laval.
Our most current update, as of late Sunday July 5th, is as follows:
Departure - July 8th, 2009
6:15am - Call time: Chorister to meet at Ancaster pick up location
6:30am - Bus arrives and picks up choristers
6:45am - Call time: Choristers meet at Park and Ride on Guelph Line in Burlington
7:00am - Bus arrives and picks up choristers
***Please remember to be on time for the pick up as we are on a tight schedule to arrive in to Laval for our sound check at 3:30pm.
***Choristers need to bring a bagged ‘nut’ free lunch on the bus, water bottle, and snacks.
Destination: Laval - Hotel Sheraton, 2440 Autoroute des Laurentides Laval, Quebec
Ph. 450 680 5755
Competition - Thursday July 9th, 2009
Category 1 (Children's Choir) 9:00am
Category 7 (Contemporary) 5:45am
Friday July 10th, 2009
Potential attendance to workshop & sightseeing Montreal in afternoon and evening
NOTE: Please allow for dinner money, as the choristers will be eating “out” that day
Saturday July 11th, 2009
12:00pm - Out of Contest Concert (Friendship Concert) – Choral village
6:00pm - Finals: St. Rose Church in Laval (for parents attending, you can google the directions to this beautiful church or ask at the hotel)
8-10pm - Eric Whitacre Concert – for parents attending, this is the event that the results of the competition will be announced. It is unsure whether tickets need to be purchased or not. Please talk to John King.
Sunday July 12th, 2009
10-11:30am - Zimfira leading a well publicized workshop (our choristers will be participating in that workshop)
1:00pm - Depart Laval
7:00pm (approximate) : Arrival to Burlington (same as pick up location)
7:30pm (approximate): Arrival to Ancaster (same as pick up location)
Remember to....
Provide money for lunch (we have yet to hear whether or not lunch is paid for that day) and provide money for dinner (will be at a rest stop on the way home)
NOTE: Spending money as each family feels necessary.
Emergency Contact Information:
Linda Martinus-Naccarato
email: intointeriors@cogeco.ca
cell: 905 399 4686
Kim Thompson
email: kimthompson3kids@sympatico.ca
cell: 905 570 2453
NOTE: The most efficient way to contact the chaperones will be via email or text as our phones will be on vibrate. It is illegal in Quebec to talk on a cell phone and drive.
Parents who are travelling to Laval. You can contact John King and he is staying at the
Laval Hilton ph. 450 682 2225
OF MOST IMPORTANCE:
♪ Choristers – do not forget your concert uniforms, black socks, and slippers
♪ Please wear you black T-shirts on the bus to Laval as we are heading straight to the venue
♪ OHIP cards to board the bus
♪ Blue Choir Shirts and hoodies as well It is an absolute privilege to be chaperoning the choristers on this tour for the World Competition. Please know that we will do our very best to insure their safety and well being while they are in Laval, all the while having fun!
Linda and Kim
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