Blog: News and Views
Closing the circle
July 12, 2008 | 10:17 AM
I awoke this morning with mixed feelings. Today we close the circle on the second half of our tour by returning to the Prague airport. Some of us are not flying back immediately and I found part of myself wishing I could return with most of the group back to Vancouver and family. My room-mate was wondering if he'd make the ferry to Maine Island tonight...Goin' home, goin' home...
The petals are falling, scattering in the wind.
Had to rush breakfast in order to pick up my laundry around the corner and up a block from the Hotel across the street from the Casino. My stuff had been sitting there since Thursday and it was supposed to open at 8:00a.m., an hour before our departure time. Arrived to find a locked door at ten past and I began having visions of having to buy some new shirts, socks and underwear in London, when a woman called from down the street, puffing as she walked up the hill to the shop. In Czech, I guessed she was apologising and telling why she was late. Everything was neatly folded and ironed. I walked back enjoying the fragrant linden trees one last time.
If our tour was like a flower garden, some of the prettiest flowers bloomed only yesterday. In Dresden, we gave two unscheduled concerts in the largest churches in the city center. We began the first at the Frauenkirche, with such discretion, beginning only with plainchant, and giving any possible objectors a chance to talk to us, but none did and so we continued. People sat immediately, and I quickly spied a person in tears beside me. I could no longer sing but choked with emotion; the glorious newly reconstructed church, such a modern symbol of enduring patience and resurrection resonating about me... our time together drawing to a close.. other reasons came to mind, as I struggled to remember some way of breathing calmly.
Repacking. Only today, it's clear which music we didn't need: Bard repertoire, Murray Schafer, quite a bit of Canadiana. Oh well, we were well prepared! Everything fit in the luggage compartments of the bus and we were off. The bus did not take the four lane toll highway but wound around and through the hills of the pretty countryside on the two lane highways we've spent many hours travelling, on our circuit. Eventually we joined the bigger highway and were suddenly at the airport. It looked brighter and much newer in the daylight.
The flight arrived early in London and it came time to say goodbye at one fork in the corridors. Our common direction and purpose were over. Others had already left individually for other European destinations earlier in the day, but there was a clump of us, me included splitting off here. Many petals flying in the wind, and the rest, all soon to be scattered.
I checked my watch just before turning off the light in my unfamiliar bedroom. It was just past mid-night, which meant it was just after 4 p.m. in Vancouver, and the plane still had a couple of hours to go.
What a dandy lion time we've had!
Guerrilla Singing
July 11, 2008 | 3:11 PM
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It was the first time since our layover at London's Heathrow Airport that we had been outside the Czech Republic, and it certainly felt different being in another country. The language, architecture, and inflated beer prices all signified our journey across the Czech border and into Germany, but it was nice to have a change -- except for maybe the beer prices. It still didn't stop Byron from ordering a one-litre mug of beer, but then again, I can't think of anything that would.
The first stop during our visit was at the Frauenkirche church. It is a huge Lutheran church that was destroyed in the bombings of World War II, but it has been reconstructed since then. Dotted amongst the structure was a small number of burnt stones taken from the original building, which made the initial devastation of the building quite apparent, since there were so few original stones visible.
Before the trip Diane had decided that we would stealthily enter the church and begin some sort of "guerrilla concert" -- the logic being that if there were enough of us, we couldn't be stopped. We lost the stealth aspect by all wearing coordinated Chor Leoni t-shirts, but as it turns out, the pastor there was pleased to have us sing some impromptu music for the visitors in the church, so there was no problem. It felt great to sing for hundreds of people who all seemed appreciative of our music, especially on the last full day of our tour.
After a few songs we went went over to a second church and presented a similar short program. It's interesting to sing in such different acoustics from what we have in Canada. The spaces in the churches here are astounding here.
The end of our singing in the second church left us with a free afternoon to wander around Dresden, where we took in a palace, some churches, an opera house -- you know, the usual European fare. Following that, most of us walked back to the bus for a ride back to our hotel in the Czech Republic, although Peter and Ted went on their separate ways as the tour is coming to a close, and they have more exciting places to go than back home to Vancouver. Tomorrow we'll have many more "deviants" taking their own routes and enjoying some more travels.
I, however, will be coming straignt home to a living room full of boxes, since I just moved into a new place the day before we left. It won't exactly be a perfect way to decompress after the trip, but hopefully it will keep me occupied enough so that I won't be too depressed about being away from the choir... and the beautiful Lenka.
-Kyle
Templice
July 10, 2008 | 3:10 PM
It is now our second to last day here in the Czech Republic and we are spending our last Czech days here in town of Templice. During the morning we had a rehearsal with a local orchestra for a showcase concert with us (Chor Leoni) and members of the UBC Opera Ensemble. When it came for our turn to sing, the conductor ran though the piece once, and then gave us a friendly smile and said "See you at the concert or at the party!".
I stayed in the hall for a little bit to listen to
the rest of UBC Opera Ensemble people and I was greatly impressed!
Truly enjoyable, very proficient and musical, it almost made me
want to go back to school and study opera.
A bunch of the choir opted to take a tour of a local castle, a place where Casanova stayed and where Wagner was inspired to write an opera. I didn't go, but when then got back they the did notice that they were missing our featured soloist for the night! Jonathan Quick was left at the castle! Later, someone joked that perhaps we had mistakenly done roll for the bus by saying "If you are not here, please let me know." Jonathan described the experience as waiting to see if the bus would return, not having the bus return, and then walking to a train station where they told him that no bus went to Templice, and that he would have to catch a train 4 blocks away...although he was already in the train station. Thankfully he was able to get a train back and all was well.
We performed the Czech song "To Beer" that evening in an outdoor park, where the sun shone and there was a fully house in the seats. Although it was outside the acoustics were quite good, and some of us were even commissioned to sign autographs afterwards. We also got the chance to chat with the other Vancouverites in the city, and afterwards the UBC Opera people came and ate, drank, and celebrated with us back at our hotel. It was a wonderful way to close the tour, with singing, and bestowing the status of honorary lions to three wonderful people who help to organize the tour.
We are in Dresden, Germany, tomorrow. Only one more day together before we all have to part ways, saddened by the separation, but warmed by the memories and experiences that we have shared and knowing that we will all meet again soon.
Last Day of the Festival
July 10, 2008 | 8:34 AM
Sunday, July 6th. Impressions & Thoughts on the Last Day of the Festival
Morning ceremoney at St. Mary's brings together all 600 choristers, their families and friends. Shared songs include the Czech national anthem, Ave Maria and Goin' Home. Carol Beynon presents the newly-minted Carol Stewart awards to that member of each choir who's best displayed qualities of leadership during the festival. Chor Leoni chooses Les Nerling for this honour ... and well deserved it is! Huge rounds of applause for Boni Pueri and Amabilis for their amazing efforts and successes over the preceding week.
Depart the residences and Hradec Kralove at 11:00. Bus packed fully with bodies and overflowing of baggage. With later than expected departure time, Phil and Nic chosen to prepare a song to be presented to the choir in the next couple of days. Smooth, speedy and uneventful trip to Prague.
After checking in at hotel in Prague, the singers make a quick change and proceed in penguin-like fashion, dressed in tails, through streets of the city and via subway to the Rudolfinum for sound checks and line-up rehearsals. What a magnificent place! Dvorak Hall itself, the Fountain Room, the galleries above, the labyrinth of passageways and dressing rooms beneath ... truly amazing. (Bruce ponders how we can possibly expropriate this entire space for Chor Leoni's exclusive use.) Sense of history all about us.
Performance at 5:00. As we're to be broadcast live on Czech radio, what was (on Friday) a nearly 3-hour performance has to be reduced to two exactly hours. Carol and the festival organizers manage this with a minimum of fuss and pain. Overall the concert goes well. Acoustics of the Dvorak Hall truly wonderful. Disappointing turnout of audience, but those attending are very enthusiastic. Following the concert, the live lions group around a stone lion at the Rudolfinum side entrance for group shots by Doug and Paul Larocque. Rain drops falling, but the deluge holds off until most singers are safely back in the hotel. The choir's last night in Prague is long and riotous, according to rumour. This blogger doesn't know, because he got to bed early.
Some thoughts to this point of the journey:
(1) The Festival, now over, was amazingly well organized by Boni Pueri and Amabilis. Particularly impressive was their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and demands ... and to explain these changes to the choristers. Carol was a model of patience and firmness. I dare say her presence was absolutely crucial to the festival's success.
(2) Chor Leoni can be justifiably proud of its participation in the festival. Despite the inevitable grumblings and gripes, these were few and far between and generally muted. Our singers participated fully and vigorously, and served collectively and individually as fine models. Bravo!
(3) A frustration for many singers at this point is that we've not had an opportunity to sing much as "Chor Leoni." We're anxious now to "show our stuff" and look forward to hitting the road on our own.
(4) David has performed exceedingly well, keeping his cool and providing clear and firm leadership. Caught between the demands of Chor Leoni and the Festival, it's been particularly tough and trying at times. I'm sure he's more than ready now to take charge on his own terms.
Cesky Krumlov and onwards...
July 9, 2008 | 10:32 AM
Early (very, very early...) this morning, we left Cesky Krumlov to continue our touring. It seemed that this city was a highlight for many on this trip, as it featured some of the most staggeringly beautiful scenes and architecture yet. Every corner seemed to hold a new opportunity for a photo, and despite the tourist shops lining some of the main roads, in Cesky Krumlov it seemed more than anywhere we all stepped back in time to another world. Last night we had a concert of our own at the Body of Christ Church, and even though the choir almost outnumbered the audience, it was wonderful to perform some of our own music for the sake of performance, and the audience was enthusiastic all the same. The concert venue was a beautiful monastery that had been on the spot in some form or another since the mid 1300s - absolutely surreal... A great dinner followed with much drinking, laughter, and of course, singing. A wonderful way to end our time in a beautiful city.
After Cesky Krumlov, we made a stop in Karlovy Vary, a town built around a series of natural mineral hot springs. It certainly was a tourist haven, but it was still nice to have a wander around, see some interesting buildings, and some took a dip in (or a sip of!) the mineral waters. No word back yet on any positive healing powers.
We've now just arrived in the city of Teplice, and are getting ready for the second of our personal concerts. The tour continues!
40 Guys, a bus, and a castle
July 7, 2008 | 2:58 PM
What
an amazing trip it has been so far. The hustle and bustle of the hub city of
Prague was a sight to be seen for sure, but now that the festival is all done
and over with, its time for the less bustling, more exploratory week of this
little tour. Getting on the bus in the morning is getting somewhat automatic at
this point, as another long bus session awaited us this morning. Should be
jarring tomorrow when we dont have to go anywhere out of town. The trip was not
unpleasant, however, as the time was well used to catch up on much needed
sleep, play cards, or just joke around in general.
Made a briefish stop along the way to see a magnificent castle in the small
town of Cesky Bru.....something-ovice. Sorry, cant remember the exacts.
Something like. Im really beginning to like seeing the various castles around.
The Prague Castle cathedral still has to be one of my highlights.
Another short bus ride later, and here we are in Cesky Krumlov, and that i know
how to spell for sure. It was raining and kind of dismal when we got here, and
there was a bit of a trek to our hotels as the bus couldnt drive over a bridge
partway to, but the clouds have gradually dissappated to reveal a very nice,
quaint little town, with an absolutely awe-inspiring castle in the back. Tops
the one earlier today, even though that one was still very impressive. SUCH a
beautiful view, and in the twilight it was just......like being a kid at
Disneyland again, except in a real life castle. Looking forward to seeing it
again, and more of it, tomorrow. Ive got my trusty camera at the ready.
Havent had a good opportunity for general cheap dining and beer drinking since
we left Hradec Kralove 2 days ago. We shall have to see about rectifying that
tomorrow.
Cheers\Na Zdrovi,
The Goatmeister \\dont ask\\
Corey Hollett
Holiday song
July 7, 2008 | 8:43 AM
The festival had some, well, festivities planned for the evening of July 4. They acknowledged that the American choirs had reason to celebrate - but it turns out that this weekend has two Czech Republic national holidays: apparently, July 5 is "Constantin and Methodius Day" (in honor of the first Christian missionaries in the country), and July 6 is "Jan Hus Day" (in honor of the religious reformer). In any case, we knew we had some fun to look forward to after a long day of singing.
After a very early breakfast, we took the busses into the center of town; the heavy rains from last night were all but finished, although it was still very overcast and grey. We started with a "lining-up" rehearsal: it's quite a nontrivial feat of logistics to get 600+ singers on and off stage in the various groups and permutations that the concert that night required. (Each choir sang one song on its own; the treble boys choir had some mass numbers together, as did the young men's choir and also the full men's choir; and the entire ensemble, together with several instrumentalists, combined at the end.) It's no secret that everybody, including the organizers, finds these lining-up rehearsals annoying - but there were plenty of things learned which I was glad didn't go wrong during the concert itself. We had to do all of this lining up inside, since the open field behind the venue was muddy and soaked from the night before.
We then rehearsed the three-movement mass piece with the instruments and the composer, Jaroslav Krcek, conducting. He worked us hard, especially to get the entrances crisp (not easy when we're trying to read and remember foreign words!); but he had a very easy-to-follow conducting style, and his energy and love of the music got us through it.
Hurriedly we took the busses back to the dorm, ate lunch, and bussed back (some lions opted for convenient lunch over free lunch - a frequent decision we needed to make). The "smaller" mass choirs quickly rehearsed their pieces with various conductors, including Robert Sund and Diane herself, and we ran through the Krcek piece one time from start to finish. Then the choirs ran around to do their individual sound checks in the hall - twelve choirs with three minutes each! Finally we had a short break as they let the audience fill the ultimately packed house for the start of the concert.
The concert went extremely well! Chor Leoni rocked the house with a heroic-sounding rendition of a classic, "To Beer", from the Czech opera "The Bartered Bride". We rested backstage before joining the young men for a few songs to end the first half of the show; then we spent more time backstage before coming out for the last half hour of the concert. The full TTBB choir sang "Incantatio" under Diane's direction (you fans will remember the incredible storm soundscape from our LOVE concert this spring) and some Czech pieces under Robert Sund. Then all 600 of us sang with Krcek and the instruments, and we finished with a rendition of "Goin' Home" (strange to sing an arrangement different from Diane's!).
After the concert, the weather was thankfully nice, as we walked along the river a bit to arrive at a huge picnic! There was enough food (and nearly enough beer) for everyone involved with the festival; an American choir sang "The Star Spangled Banner" while waiting in line for burgers, and later Chor Leoni answered with Diane's arrangement of the Czech national anthem. The only downside of the recent rains was that the fireworks they had planned for us had to be cancelled due to still-wet conditions. But that just left more time for lions to go have fun on their own that night!
Castles and bones and beer, oh my
July 6, 2008 | 12:33 PM
July 5, 2008 - Czech Republic
Got out of Hradec Kralove for some sight-lookin'. Stopped at a medieval castle standing atop a hill that overlooks the otherwise flattish countryside. There"s something about a place that isn’t totally tarted up for the tourists or completely refurbished that really gives it character. Following that, we headed for what we have generally referred to as "the bone church”. Frankly, some of us had been looking forward to that since we got here. Put simply, the lower area of the church is decorated with bones. People bones. Lots of people bones. Macabre and a bit spooky to be sure, but the sheer quantity of bones combined with very elaborately constructions made for a sight as cool (to my Europe-virgin eyes) in some ways as the monumental Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague. This includes a giant chandelier made of bone and giant coat of arms, also of bone.
Finally, we made it back to Prague, where some of us had hoped to take a ride in a tethered balloon not far from the Charles Bridge. Sadly, it was closed due to what they considered too much wind. It really wasn’t that windy. I figure it just would have been to much fun with a little wind, so they would feel like they were under-charging us. Having failed to fulfill our one concrete goal for the day, we proceeded to wander Prague until dinner time. Dinner was good and I had the fewest beers I’d had in one day since we got here. Mother would be proud.
It hardly needs to be said that the beer is great.
It's great.
Off to Prague!
July 6, 2008 | 8:44 AM
11:30PM,
Saturday, June 28: Gabriela, our Czech guide, is giving us a cheerful
introduction to the beautiful city of Prague along with a short language lesson
as we bus from the airport to our hotel. "Not all Czechs are angels,"
she cautions us. "Keep your valuables out of reach of the
pick-pockets," - good advice, along with tips on where to get cheap
beer and the best exchange rates. "Dobrou noc (good night)," she
wished us as we arrived at our hotel ready to flop into bed.
Oh, the joys of transcontinental travel!
23 hours earlier, 41 of us plus a few fellow travellers began our check-in at
Vancouver International Airport.
Everyone was in high spirits in anticipation of the musical and cultural
experiences in store for us. But first, the reality of air travel:
lineups, security checks, airplane food, hours through a night confined in an
upright position, adjusting to a shift of nine time zones, sleep deprivation.
As we took-off around 6PM, I set my watch eight hours ahead. Trying to convince
myself it was 2AM I hoped to get some sleep before landing at Heathrow. I
figured that by the time we arrived at our hotel in Prague, it would be 31
hours since getting up Friday morning. A big chunk of that time would be spent
on our layover at Heathrow's terminal 5.
Advised not to attempt a trip into London in less than six hours, and having to
be ready to check in again in less than five hours, most of us decided to
stay in the terminal.
Terminal 5 is touted as the latest and greatest but one hardly needs more
than a couple of hours to check that out. I'll take Vancouver's airport, where
art trumps commerce, any day.
Once through another security screening, I gave the terminal a perfunctory
once-over, somewhat in awe of its sheer size. Accepting a taste of champagne
and sample chocolates from two young women dressed in the same colours as the
confections they were promoting, I asked them if they could recommend a
restaurant. On their advice I was soon enjoying a nicely prepared filet of
salmon in the relaxed atmosphere of Gordon Ramsay's upscale restaurant away
from the noise and bustle of other food options. Pricey but worth it on a
stressful day.
I spent the next several hours exploring the terminal, a vast space with high end shops where most people browsed without buying.
Before long, I found the Holletts drifting off to sleep in their chairs. I didn't have the nerve to dlsturb them but really wanted to tell them about the lounge I had discovered where you could stretch out on comfortable padded recliners.
At last our gate was posted and we boarded our plane for the relatively short hop to Prague. By the time we took to the air we had been on the ground for almost eight hours.
Finally at our hotel and waving goodbye to Gabriela we tried our Czech: "Dobrou noc!"
Bob
A Day at the Cafe
July 3, 2008 | 9:40 AM
Today was the earliest morning on the trip yet (For me at least). Breakfast was at 7:15 and after last nights carousing that was an early call. I arrived at breakfast well after the majority of people had gone through and had a wonderful meal of delicious fruit and cereal. By far the best breakfast I've had at Hradec Králové, mind you nothing compares to our food in Prague. We bussed to the town in the very cramped hot busses the festival provides for us and went to a massed rehearsal in St. Mary's Cathedral which produces beautiful overtones. Afterwards we to the St John's Boys' Choir, Tucson Arizona Boys and Young Men's Chorus, and The American Boychoir Alumni Chorus. The performance was enjoyable and there are many remarkable soprano voices in the choruses. We bussed back to the university dorms for lunch, which I skipped because I had eaten too much at breakfast, and then split up for the remainder of the day. Many choir's headed into Prague for the day and a few Chor Leoni men went with them. The majority of us stayed at the prospect of a well needed rehearsal and a free round of beer on Diane. During the rehearsal we had a surprise birthday party for Spencer where a few members presented him with a card and David and Byron carried flowers and cake to the front of the room. Needless to say the cake was delicious and we all left the rehearsal with happy tummies, heading in the direction of the nearest restaurant to drink our free round of beer. After the beer we dispersed and I found myself in a very nice cafe with Byron, Kyle and Spencer. We ordered drinks and subsequently were able to use the computer and internet for free. Which brings me to what I am doing now. As I type Byron and Kyle are having a game of chess which is generally degrading in ways which are unrepeatable and Spencer is joining in on the fun. Here ends my account of July 3rd.
Stephen Baker
Quote of the day:
"Not with flying queen's."
"Hey, none of us have wings ok!"
Canada Day in Prague
July 3, 2008 | 9:37 AM
Greetings to the viewers of the
Chor Leoni Blog
Spending the Canada Day in a foreign country may seem to dimish the posssibilty
for celebrations, but us Lions are patriotic to the core. We coordinated with
the Canadian Embassy in Prague to sing the two National anthems for the
celebrations at the Ambassador's fabulous residence. We took a 2 hour bus ride
back to Prague from Hradec Kralove and arrived at the beautiful grounds and
castle like home of our Ambassador in the Czech Republic. Michael Calcott, the
Ambassador, was very generous and made a point of saying that his home was the
home of all Canadians! An amazing spread of food and drink was provided by
local donors for the guests (including Canada's Chief of Justice), and we were
invited to eat to our hearts content...they know the way to our hearts!
Chor Leoni is particularly excited by the knowledge imparted by the Ambassador
that we should be able to invite ourselves to any Canadian Embassy
around the world thanks to Diane's Order of Canada. World tour of Canada's
embassy's anyone?
It was all over before you can say "delicious food and wine", and we
were back on the bus back to the Festival. We partook in a rehearsal for a
massed-choir performance, and listened to some of the other choirs perform.
A happy belated Canada Day to you all, we are thinking of all of you as we
share the gift of music with the wonderful people here!
Spence-lion
Singing, Eating and Drinking, what a rough day!
July 2, 2008 | 10:45 AM
Been on tour for a few days and have not actually had to
sing too much yet, until today. Big day starting off with mass choir for men 18
and over. First we worked on a very cool Czech piece with Robert Sund by
a composer named Cri?ka. This is my first time working with Mr. Sund although I
know CL has worked with him before. His love for the music is obvious within
the first minute of the rehearsal, you can just see it in his face and hear it
in his voice. There are a few thing that are little different and maybe
slightly frustrating in the mass rehearsals. One is the short amount of time
that we have to work on the music as a massed choir. Another is that we as Chor
Leoni members are so used to having a very relaxed rehearsal style where we can
speak up and ask questions, make comments or suggestions, even an occasional
joke, and in these rehearsals we are but another voice in the (very large)
crowd. I guess it makes me realise how lucky we are as choristers to have an
active role in the rehearsal process. I am really looking forward to the GALA
concerts where we will be performing all this music.
This was followed by the second Festival Concert. The first part was a
performance of the Children's Opera "Brundibar" by Krása who was one
of the many composers put into the Jewish concentration camp at Terezín. It was
staged by Boni Pueri, the the Czech Boy's Choir. They told us some of the
history about Terezín before the show so it was cool to witness the show
knowing the context and conditions in which it was performed. I wish I could go
into more details but l?ike I said, it was a big daz and I still have alot to
blog.
The second part of the concert was performed bz Amarcord. The repertoire chosen
for this performance was a lot lighter than last night but executed no less
expertly.
Then another rehearsal just Chor Leoni this time, followed by a Masterclass by
Amarcord. It was more a demonstration workshop where they performed examples of
the different styles in their repertoire with some talking in between pieces,
followed by a short question period. Some of the Chor Leoni men descended on
them after the class to pepper them with further questions. It was great to
hear them, having missed them at Festival Vancouver last summer since we we're
on tour. I was a little dissapointed that they didn't have a full concert
to themselves, I might have to discuss this with the organizers hahaha.
Another mass choir rehearsal which thankfully we we're excused from as we were
performing in the evening. Each of the evening Festival concerts are performed
twice, in one church then half an hour later in one down the street. CL was
last on the program and it was nice to get a chance to sing more than 2 songs.
The accoustic in the second venue was amazing! Immortal Bach and Choose
Something Like A Star were my highlights.
We topped off the day with a few pivo (beer) at one of the pubs across the
street with a contingent from Amabile. Our group just kept absorbing table
after table, a little like Trapper Keeper 2000 from South Park. Unforunately
the merrymaking had could not last long due to a 7:15 call for breakfast
(BOO!).
Technical Difficulties
June 30, 2008 | 10:14 AM
Welcome to the Czech Republic.
The great, the old, the moist and sticky Czech Republic.
So far the trip has been wonderful {aside from the 7 hour stopover in Heathrow. No amount of duty-free shopping can stay one's interest for that long}. The architecture in Prague is mind blowing. Art nouveau, art deco, and rondo cubism are around every corner, and the only way to really describe the streets is serpentine. If it wasn't for the map with our hotel clearly labeled I'm pretty sure that I'd be getting ready to nuzzle up under one of the many sculptures for a night's sleep. We've seen countless cathedrals, statues, porno shops. and towers, and the decorated buildings are so ubiquitous that one quickly becomes accustomed {actually, so are the erotic shops . . .}
We've come into Hradec Kralove, and are staying in the dorms for the festival. The food is very Czech {whipped cream wrapped in ham anyone [Ok, I can't make the question mark key work on this Czech kezboard]. Being a vegetarian isn't proving to be as difficult to maintain here as I had initially thought. I just end up eating mainly pasta, potatoes, and fried cheese [perhaps not quite a success . . .]
Well, this keyboard is proving to be more difficult to navigate than I had hoped, so I shall sign off, and pick up where I left off next time.
Dobri den
Nic Bermudez
Departure day, June 27 & Sunday June 29
June 30, 2008 | 7:37 AM
Take a night of pre-flight excitement and figure it for 4 hours of lost sleep.Factor in 20 subsequent hours of travel time, including waiting on the runway, at various airports, and in the air. Then subtract a few hours of unsettled sleep in said waiting placing (always awaking with a start thinking "I've missed my flight!" All told, I think I arrived in Prague with a major sleep shortage.
That didn't stop us from exploring the city on our first free day! And what a city it is! We hit the highlights: beer and a hotdog on Wenceslas Square, done it. Climbed the castle steps, done it. Stuck our noses in various astounding churches, including St. Vitus during a sung Vespers service, yup yup. Gazed at the cubist lamp post - check. Gone 'wow' at all the amazing architecture - definitely done that. The list goes on and the fun part is that we've barely scratched the surface!
After a day of walking on cobblestones I've got a blister, despite wearing 'sensible shoes.' It was well worth it! Today we have a Czech lesson before heading out to the festival location itself and meeting all the other choirs.
It is gloriously hot and sunny, the beer is cold and wonderful, and the company is fabulous. What more could a lion want?
Bruce
First Day in Prague
June 29, 2008 | 2:43 PM
Hi all!
Well, we all made it to Prague okay, even after a 9-hour
flight, then 7 hours sitting around Heathrow followed by an hour and
a half delay on our flight from London to Prague. We checked in to our
hotel (the Best Western Majestic Plaza in the heart of Prague, which is really
really nice, btw) at midnight. Some went right to bed after a shower
while a few of the younger, wilder souls had to track down the nearest bar
:) This is one of the most beautiful, spectacular cities I've ever
been in, even with tons of tourists. I thought a lot of the advertising
bumpf was just that, but really, it's all true. Every single
building for miles and miles downtown is a work of art and everyone of
them unique and intriguing. There are little touches everywhere on
the buildings and in the streets of the artistic whimsy which this city seems
to have generated for generations. Almost no streets are perpendicular
to another and every time you turn a corner, no matter in how obscure
a part of the old town, you come across a new surprise. I say old town,
but even the "new town" is over 500 years old. It's all
relative.
I went out to take pictures in the morning and got just
a little overwhelmed and giddy with the beauty of it all. The more I
looked, the more I found. And that's just part of the charm
of Prague. There is always something delightful to the eye just
around the corner. After more wandering around with Les in the afternoon,
we went to an early dinner. It was hot as blazes out
(probably 30c but we Vancouverites are just not used to that) and we'd
been getting more and more desperate to find a restaurant with a/c until
we stumbled on this one place with authentic Czech cuisine and of course,
beer. This country is literally soaked in beer. They consume
and produce more per capita than anywhere else in the world. So what did
I order? A local delicacy, knee of pork! Basically 1 full kilo of
meat and bone (yup the whole thing) roasted on a spit and brought that way to
you to carve up at your table with some mustard and horse-radish. There
isn't really room for anything else. It was very succulent and
tender.
After a very refreshing cold bath and shower back at the hotel to cool off, Greg Martin, Rod Locke, Ryan Cho and I joined up to take in the Euro-Cup 2008 final between Germany and Spain at a local Czech pub. Viva Espana! Now it's time for me to finally get the right amount of sleep at the right time of day :) Tomorrow we spend the morning in Prague and then we're off to Hradec Kralove for the choral festival. Now we get down to business :)
Cheers,
Mark MacDonald
Chor Leoni Announces Spring 2008 PROMYS Workshop
January 10, 2008 | 3:40 PM
PROMYS (PROgram for Mentoring Young Singers) is designed to encourage young men of high school age to continue singing, to educate future generations of singers, and to give young men the experience of singing with Chor Leoni, a world-class men’s choir.
Chor Leoni is offering a PROMYS 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.
FAQs:
When: Saturday April 5, 2008 noon - 4:30 pm
Where: Shaughnessy Heights United Church, 1550 W 33rd Ave, Vancouver
Cost: FREE!
What do I get?: First and most important - lunch! Seriously, you get the experience of rehearsing and singing with one of the best male choirs in the world, and then an opportunity to sing with them as part of their concert that evening. Chor Leoni provides music plus admission to the April 5 LOVE performance which starts at 7:30 pm.
Concert dress: You have two choices, either your school choir uniform or some form of all black (black long sleeve shirt, black dress pants, black dress shoes, black socks.)
Pre-registration is required. Download the application form here, fill it out, and send it in! We have spots for 50 singers so don't delay. Fax the application to our office at 1.604.886.1541.
Young 'lions' add their voices to choir's tribute
November 8, 2007 | 12:03 PM
For the average young man, choral singing doesn't even make it onto the coolness scale. Problem is, there are lots of guys out there who like to sing. Chor Leoni, Vancouver's award-winning all-male choir, is well aware of this fact -- and decided to do something about it. Chor Leoni founder Diane Loomer came up with Promys (PROgram for Mentoring Young Singers). She asked a number of colleagues teaching high school if there were any budding tenors, baritones and basses who would like a chance to rehearse and sing with "the lions."
Members of PROMY '07 with Diane Loomer, C.M. (left to right): Buddy Bailey, Jason Costa, Diane Loomer, Edmund Natividad, Sky Kao, Keith Sinclair, Robert Mackin-Lang, Harry Ahn. Photo by William Ting.
For this third year of the program, seven singers from the Lower Mainland, all between the ages of 15 and 19, have attended rehearsals and will take part in Chor Leoni's extremely popular Remembrance Day shows. Buddy Bailey is a typical participant. A Grade 12 student at Windermere secondary in Vancouver's east side, he sings with no less than four groups. But working with "the lions" is something extra special -- being able to let loose with sound has been particularly liberating. Then there are the high quality rehearsals, plus the unusual repertoire.
Loomer described the program as a pragmatic, grassroots project. It may recruit new singers for her choir; it may not. Several past Promys grads have become members of Chor Leoni; some sing with other groups. Some have gone on to advanced musical training; for others, singing remains a hobby.
It's all good, a way to enrich the community by helping young singers at a particularly vulnerable moment in their development. There is no charge to join; the organization underwrites the music and concert-related transportation costs and meals. And the results have been splendid.
Hope, Chor Leoni's 15th annual Remembrance Day concert, runs Saturday and Sunday. As is customary, there's an eclectic mix of repertoire. Loomer is particularly enthusiastic about a new work from Bob Chilcott, a co-commission with a Swedish men's choir. Loomer specifically wanted a piece to showcase the sound and the sensibility of men's choirs; Chilcott's setting of poet Edwin Brock's Five Ways to Kill a Man is a work with a decided social consciousness -- just the sort of piece that's become traditional for a Chor Leoni Remembrance Day program.
There will also be classic repertoire by Beethoven and Bruckner, and, as a particularly appropriate finale, When the Day is Over by Canadian poet and composer Susan Crowe.
Recognizing that demand for tickets always outstrips the available seats, the choir will make 150 chancel seats behind the choir available at Christ Church on a rush ticket basis.
- - -
AT A GLANCE
Hope
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Christ Church Cathedral (Burrard and Georgia) Vancouver
Sunday, 3 p.m., West Vancouver United Church (2062 Esquimalt Street) West Vancouver
PROMYS Makes the Vancouver Sun
November 8, 2007 | 6:05 PM
Young 'lions' add their voices to choir's tribute
Founder's mentoring program gives teens a chance to expand horizonsDavid Gordon Duke, Special to The Sun - Posted thanks to the kind permission of David Duke.
Published: Thursday, November 08, 2007
For the average young man, choral singing doesn't even make it onto the coolness scale. Problem is, there are lots of guys out there who like to sing.
Chor Leoni, Vancouver's award-winning all-male choir, is well aware of this fact -- and decided to do something about it. Chor Leoni founder Diane Loomer came up with Promys (PROgram for Mentoring Young Singers). She asked a number of colleagues teaching high school if there were any budding tenors, baritones and basses who would like a chance to rehearse and sing with "the lions."
Members of Chor Leoni's PROgram for Mentoring Young Singers flank choir founder Diane Loomer, including Buddy Bailey (from left), Jason Costa, Edmund Natividad, Sky Kao, Keith Sinclair, Rober Mackin-Lang and Harry Ahn, who will join the Remembrance Day weekend performances.
For this third year of the program, seven singers from the Lower Mainland, all between the ages of 15 and 19, have attended rehearsals and will take part in Chor Leoni's extremely popular Remembrance Day shows.
Buddy Bailey is a typical participant. A Grade 12 student at Windermere secondary in Vancouver's east side, he sings with no less than four groups. But working with "the lions" is something extra special -- being able to let loose with sound has been particularly liberating. Then there are the high quality rehearsals, plus the unusual repertoire.
Loomer described the program as a pragmatic, grassroots project. It may recruit new singers for her choir; it may not. Several past Promys grads have become members of Chor Leoni; some sing with other groups.
Some have gone on to advanced musical training; for others, singing remains a hobby.
It's all good, a way to enrich the community by helping young singers at a particularly vulnerable moment in their development. There is no charge to join; the organization underwrites the music and concert-related transportation costs and meals. And the results have been splendid.
Hope, Chor Leoni's 15th annual Remembrance Day concert, runs Saturday and Sunday. As is customary, there's an eclectic mix of repertoire. Loomer is particularly enthusiastic about a new work from Bob Chilcott, a co-commission with a Swedish men's choir. Loomer specifically wanted a piece to showcase the sound and the sensibility of men's choirs; Chilcott's setting of poet Edwin Brock's Five Ways to Kill a Man is a work with a decided social consciousness -- just the sort of piece that's become traditional for a Chor Leoni Remembrance Day program.
There will also be classic repertoire by Beethoven and Bruckner, and, as a particularly appropriate finale, When the Day is Over by Canadian poet and composer Susan Crowe.
Recognizing that demand for tickets always outstrips the available seats, the choir will make 150 chancel seats behind the choir available at Christ Church on a rush ticket basis.
- - -
AT A GLANCE
Hope
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Christ Church Cathedral (Burrard and Georgia) Vancouver
Sunday, 3 p.m., West Vancouver United Church (2062 Esquimalt Street) West Vancouver
A Choral Director's Thoughts on PROMYS '07
October 14, 2007 | 4:58 PM
As a new teacher full of passion for my career, I am always looking for truly genuine and exciting opportunities for my students. I am always thrilled when an opportunity like the PROMYS program comes along because it means a chance for some of my singers to have a new and challenging choral experience. What I love about singing in a semi-professional choir myself is the ability to sing through brand new pieces and experience them musically right from the start.
I love that my keen singers have the opportunity to take part in a similar experience and have a chance to sing with men from all over Vancouver and the Lower Mainland who also have a passion for choral music.
Though I have sent students to a variety of these types of programs this year (some of the younger boys to BC Boys Honour choir, and a mixed group to BC Youth Choir and BCMEA Honour Choirs each year), what I love about PROMYS is that it is FREE to young men who may not be able to afford the other opportunities out there in the community.
PROMYS is one of the best experiences available. The boys get to sing under the direction of a world class choral director, rehearse amongst men who have talent and passion for their art, and perform in two concerts with Chor Leoni. My girls are all jealous that there isn't a similar opportunity available to them!
These young men are thrilled to be a part of the program and I'm excited for them to bring what they have learned back into the school choral program, to inspire other students and to find the passion of choral music that many of us involved in the choral community consider more a lifestyle than anything else!
I hope to send many more boys to take part in this program in the coming years so that they may experience the exciting and rich choral community that Vancouver and the Lower Mainland has to offer. I know that this program and others like it continue to inspire young singers and encourage them to continue singing after high school and well into their adult lives.
Taylor Collishaw
(Choral Director - Windermere Secondary School)
(member of Elektra Women's Choir and Sarabande - Bach Choirs organization with Bruce Pullan)
PROMYS Members: Blog Here!
October 14, 2007 | 10:08 AM
Welcome, PROMYS members! This blog is for you. Tell us about your experience, what you liked and didn't like about PROMYS.Historical Retrospective and Current Events Aug 13
August 22, 2007 | 9:26 AM
Fields, Implements, and choir repertoire
August 22, 2007 | 9:22 AM
Hi members and friends of Chor Leoni.Here I am in windy and somewhat wet Outlook SK, my wife's hometown, following CL's 2007 Summer Tour to Quebec and Ontario.
I've been thinking about one of the songs we sang on our tour, "The Field Behind the Plow." It's composed by the late Stan Rogers and arranged by Ron Smail. A brief note at the beginning of the score explains that Rogers was inspired to write the song when he saw a Saskatchewan farmer working his field.
When we first sang this song a few years ago, I immediately protested that Rogers was off the mark with his song. Prairie farmers don't plow the soil. It was precisely the practice of plowing that gave rise to the "dirty" of the "Dirty Thirties." Dry-land farmers disturb the surface of the soil as little as possible, so as to conserve moisture and prevent the topsoil from blowing away. Rogers may have been inspired by his early morning observations of a Saskatchewan farmer at work, but his conceptual grasp of farming was informed, no doubt, by his upbringing in Ontario.
Within the vocabulary of the song, this is confirmed by his use of the word "rod," a measurement of distance which is so miniscule (about 10 metres, I think) that it is meaningless in the Canadian Prairies, but which may well make sense in the richer soil and more favourable climate of southern Ontario. We drove through such farming country in the last days of our tour, in the regions of Kitchener-Waterloo and Stratford. Indeed, the fields are small compared to those in the region around Outlook (where the smallest unit of measurement seems to be a quarter-mile). And, sure enough, one field had recently been plowed!
Even so, I'm glad we have included this song in our repertoire. For even if it conveys the agricultural technology of the wrong place, it nevertheless captures the poignancy of Prairie farming. I know this because I was so informed by a pastoral colleague and friend who is a professor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon. He has used this song effectively in his ministry with Prairie farmers, some of whom have suffered total loss of livelihood and land in the last few decades.
From the second floor of the Solheim residence in Outook SK, with vistas of the vast Canadian Prairie,
Cliff Reinhardt
Burnaby BC
Choir, friendship, and something like a star
August 22, 2007 | 9:20 AM
The cowboy and the farmer must get along Aug 18
August 21, 2007 | 9:32 AM
This is my neighbourhood. Southwestern Ontario, about 2 hours from Toronto (depending on traffic) I am from them there these parts. OK, my family moved to the outskirts of Toronto when I was 3, but I still know this beautiful area so well. The rolling hills, the 'plant nutrient' smells and pig trucks rumbling through town made me feel right at home. This is a great town - er, city. Last night we saw a standout performance of Oklahoma here at the Stratford Festival and were mighty impressed. It's amazing how they're able to push it out every night for weeks, and for this show, months, on end. Puts a new perspective on our 3 Bard shows when they do more than 300!So, today we boarded the bus at the early, early hour of 7:30 to make the short trip to Kitchener-Waterloo, or KW to the locals. There we met 120 or so singers and conductors from local choirs - like Goderich, Waterloo, and even some folks from Lindsay and Ottawa. These keeners were on the road at 5AM to make it for our 9AM start. Well, Diane ran us through a workshop that, at first, we thought would be too long at 4 hours, and it turned out there was still much to be done.
It was great to see so many of our friends from London's Amabile male choir and to meet so many other choral junkies too. What impacted me most though, was walking down the stairs and meeting my cousin, Stephen, who now lives in KW. I haven't seen him in about 15 years. He is a singer too, with Howard Dyck (yes, the CBC fellow). Singing must run in my family.... Then, as we were ending the workshop, his sister, (also a singer and a choir director), stopped by to say Hi.
That's the great perk of a tour. We get to meet family and friends across the country and it seems, the more we travel, the more friends we make! After a hearty lunch - with that great Guelph beer - Sleemans, we headed back to Stratford.
That evening, our Stratford Summer Music host, and my long-time friend, John Miller, and his partner Andrey, took my husband to be, Jim, and me, to dinner. We capped off the evening at his table at the Church Restaurant's Sold-Out Cabaret starting at 11:30. Diane joined our table after seeing the hit Oklahoma and has new ideas for our finale at the Bard. See, we get ideas everywhere. Back to the Cabaret...what a show. OK, Bruce Dow (a Vancouverite and friend), performed first and zinged us with little-known tunes. The show also included an amazing tribute to Noel Coward. So, off to bed we were by 2 AM, with the Noel's words still fresh... It was a marvelous party.
A big rehearsal AND concert tomorrow, with aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends coming to hear the choir. It is truly amazing how music brings family together.
--
Submitted by a humble baritone,
David Love
Great day in Lachute! Aug 12
August 20, 2007 | 9:28 AM
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