Soundstreams Canada Presents University Voices
Posted: October 09, 2008
Maria Guinand; Building Through Singing
Conductor and university professor Maria Guinand is a legendary force in Latin American choral music. She has changed the lives of countless youth living in slums in Venezuela through Construir Cantando (Building through Singing). With a specialty in Latin American Choral Music of the 20th century, Guinand presently conducts three prestigious choirs in Venezuela: the Cantoría Alberto Grau, the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar and the Schola Cantorum of Caracas with whom she has recorded and toured extensively. She has also been Associated Conductor of Choral Symphonic Performances of the Orchestra Simón Bolívar since 1980. Guinand has served on the Executive Committee of the International Music Council of UNESCO, and as Vice President for Latin America in the International Federation for Choral Music. She is also frequently invited as guest conductor in U.S.A, Europe, Asia and Latin America of prestigious choirs and as a lecturer in the World Symposia for Choral Music and the Conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
Uniting Youth Through Music
Youth, Music, Passion! is the fifth University Voices presented by Soundstreams since 2000. Choirs will include: University of Manitoba Singers, Calixa Lavallée Choir (U of Ottawa), MacMillan Singers (U of Toronto), University of Guelph Chamber Choir, and Laurier Singers (Wilfrid Laurier U). The goal with each University Voices is to provide University choristers with an opportunity to work with a world-renowned conductor and to perform challenging, contemporary repertoire.
This season, Soundstreams will also present University Voices in Montreal on November 9th at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church in partnership with the Société de Musique Contemporaine du Québec [SMCQ].
Social Action Through Music
Inspired by Maria Guinand's efforts in Latin America to bring music and the joy for music to underserved communities, Soundstreams' own action through music will begin during the University Voices week on November 5th and include two Community concerts.
The University of Manitoba Singers with conductor Elroy Friesen will give a concert at the Fred Victor Centre in Toronto. The Fred Victor Centre started in 1894 as an outreach mission of the Methodist Church at the corner of Queen and Jarvis Streets. Its mandate was to address the basic needs of homeless and transient men. Today, they are a multi-service organization and a registered charity, with a mandate to provide assistance to men and women who live in extreme poverty and are marginally housed or homeless.
The University of Manitoba Singers will also perform at Our Place Community of Hope, a drop-in social centre in downtown Toronto for people who experience mental health issues. Our Place is celebrating over 25 years of community since it was founded by a Capuchin-Franciscan priest in 1976 when many people who were discharged from psychiatric institutions needed a place of continuing renewal and friendship. The goal of the centre is to affirm the person and to build community. Guided by a staff of 7 and generous volunteers, the centre provides a ministry of hospitality, reflecting Catholic beliefs and values. Currently, over 350 active members make Our Place their social hang out.
University Voices 2008:
Youth, Music, Passion!
Friday, November 7th, 2008 @ 8 pm
Metropolitan United Church (56 Queen Street East)
Tickets $25 adult/ $15 senior & artsworker/ $15 student
Buy Tickets through St. Lawrence Centre Box Office. CALL 416-366-7723 or visit www.stlc.com.
*$1 from every ticket sold will go to the Construir Cantando Foundation to improve the lives of Latin American youth through choral singing.
Young Artist Overture at 7:00pm
The talented Cawthra Park Chamber Choir from Cawthra Park Secondary School in Mississauga returns to Sounstreams Canada's Young Artist Overture. Directed by Bob Anderson, the Cawthra Park Chamber Choir will also be led by a special guest University conductor.
Meet Maria Guinand at Salon 21!
Maria Guinand will appear at the premiere of Soundstreams' exciting new Salon series on November 5th at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. She will speak about her experience working with Latin American Youth in South America, and how music can affect positive change.
Salon 21
7:00pm - 9:30pm
The Bata Shoe Musem
327 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario
FREE *Space is Limited
About Soundstreams
Soundstreams is a hub for new directions in music, programming culturally provocative concerts and festivals by weaving together music and ideas from globally diverse genres, artists and eras. Founded by renowned oboist Lawrence Cherney in 1982, Soundstreams has presented hundreds of unique and compelling concerts, from intimate chamber music events to multi-choral spectaculars, operas, and six highly successful international festivals. A recognized national leader, Soundstreams Canada is one of the largest and most dynamic organizations of its kind anywhere in the world.
Soundstreams Canada gratefully acknowledges the support of TD Canada Trust Music, Classical 96.3 FM, NOW Magazine, the Laidlaw Foundation, the Metcalf Foundation, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, SOCAN Foundation, the Creative Trust, the Julie-Jiggs Foundation, the Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation, the Koerner Foundation, the John D. McKellar Foundation, Roger D. Moore, the Charles H. Ivey Foundation, the Hal Jackman Foundation, the EJLB Foundation, Opera.ca, The Ontario Trillium Foundation and the McLean Foundation for their generous support.
University Voices is made possible through the generous support of Lead Sponsor TD Canada Trust.
-30-
For more information please contact:
Catherine Boudreau, Soundstreams Canada, Marketing and Public Relations Manager
416-504-1282
catherineb@soundstreams.ca