Dear Chor Leoni fans,

The lions would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a Happy New Year, full of good things and great music! Read on for details of some exciting upcoming events on Chor Leoni's calendar.

In this issue:

1. Prestigious Upcoming Performances for American Choral Directors Association
2. Richmond Sunrise Rotary Proudly Presents Chor Leoni Cabaret
3. Chor Leoni's Next Main Series Concert: LOVE
4. Spring PROMYS Workshop
5. Chor Leoni Heads to Europe This Summer

1. Prestigious Upcoming Performances for American Choral Directors Association
Chor Leoni has been invited to not one but two regional ACDA conventions. The Northwestern Division conference takes place Feb. 20-23, 2008 right here in Vancouver and will draw choirs and conductors from BC, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. The lions will sing as part of the Feb. 22 Canada Night Concert in the ballroom of the Hotel Vancouver. Also appearing as part of the concert is the fabulous Elektra Women's Choir and the Cantilon Youth Choir from Calgary.


The following weekend (Feb. 28 - Mar. 2) will find Chor Leoni performing for the Western Division conference of the ACDA in Anaheim, California. This division draws conductors and choirs from Hawaii, California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. In addition to performances for the convention Chor Leoni will be performing in Disneyland! (We're already working on an arrangement of M-I-C-K-E-Y . . . .)

These two back to back invitations reflect the high regard Chor Leoni is given within the international choral world. You can rest assured we'll be taking the very best repertoire to both events to bring further lustre to Vancouver's reputation as a hotbed of choral excellence.

2. Richmond Sunrise Rotary Proudly Presents Chor Leoni Cabaret
An evening of fun, frivolity, and fundraising, Chor Leoni Cabaret features Vancouver’s ‘choir of lions’ on stage at the River Rock Show Theatre on Sunday March 9, 2008, in a lighthearted program of folksongs and selections from Broadway. This being a Show Theatre, one can expect reprises of some of Chor Leoni’s crowd-pleasing choreographic numbers as well. Drawing on the choir’s eclectic repertoire, director Diane Loomer, C.M., is sure to bring the choir’s trademark humour and sense of fun – along with great stage presence and singing – to the River Rock. Take a gamble and come out to the River Rock for an evening of fun and frivolity in support of two great causes, Rotary Foundation and Chor Leoni.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional, and community leaders. Members of Rotary clubs, known as Rotarians, provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

There are over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary's main objective is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.
 
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.


Tickets are $95.40 each and available through members of the Richmond Sunrise Rotary Club
or through Ticketmaster 604.280.3311

3. Chor Leoni's Next Main Series Concert: LOVE

Saturday, April 5, 2008 @ 7:30 pm

 

Evergreen Cultural Centre
1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, BC
Evergreen Box Office 604.927.6555

Ah, LOVE! Who can resist it? Who would want to? Apparently our fans in the Abbotsford/Matsqui area couldn't - they've already purchased all of the available tickets for our LOVE performance at the Matsqui Centennial Theatre on April 4 and the performance is sold out! Luckily for the rest of us there are two more performances with tickets available; one in Vancouver and one in Coquitlam. Please note that the only way to get tickets for our April 6 show in Coquitlam is through the Evergreen Cultural Centre box office.

The greatest composers have written timeless works for male choir. LOVE features many of them in a celebration of music ranging from the Baroque to today. Chor Leoni applies its lustrously vital sound to this rich musical tradition and revels in works by Britten, Victoria, Poulenc, Tormis, and Schubert, to name just a few. The men love this repertoire – and so will you! Order your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

4. Spring PROMYS Workshop in Conjunction with Saturday LOVE Performance
Chor Leoni is offering a PROMYS (PROgram for Mentoring Young Singers) workshop on Saturday, April 5, from noon to 4:30 pm. This workshop will be in conjunction with the choir's spring concert, LOVE, given that same evening.  Workshop attendees will rehearse and sing with Chor Leoni and are welcome to stay and attend the evening’s performance, where they will be invited to join the choir in the performance of one number at the end of the concert.

There is no charge for this PROMYS workshop but pre-registration is required and attendance will be capped at 50 singers. Lunch and admission to that evening's performance is included.


Do you know a high school aged young man who would like to participate? Please pass this information along. Interested singers should contact Diane@chorleoni.org to register.

5. Chor Leoni Heads to Europe This Summer
Chor Leoni is very excited to announce that they will be one of the host choirs for the Second International Boys & Men's Choral Festival this summer in Hradec Králové and Prague, Czech Republic. The choir has joined forces with Boni Pueri (an amazing Czech boys choir), London, Ontario's Amabile Boys' and Men's Choirs, the former Alliance for Arts & Understanding, and a team of world class conductors and composers to present this opportunity for boys and men who love to sing.

We were told that, once word got out that Chor Leoni was indeed making its first-ever European appearance, registrations sky-rocketed and the festival ended up over-subscribed! The lions plan to perform elsewhere while in Europe, so watch our website for further details as they are confirmed.