The Toronto Chamber Choir is committed to enhancing the appreciation of early music by our audiences, while always mindful that our audiences must be entertained as well as enlightened!
Before each concert program, our Music Director conducts scholarly research into the nature and complexities of the music we’re presenting, its historical context, and the lives of the composers.
All of these aspects are most evident at our afternoon Kaffeemusiks, presented twice a year. For these, the Music Director elaborates on the theme of the Kaffeemusik, providing an informative and often amusing description of the music. The choir, soloists and orchestra then perform excerpts to illustrate points being made. Often, members of the audience experience a “eureka” moment when hearing the musical demonstration!
At Opening Notes preceding our two major evening concerts, the Music Director offers a pre-concert chat, tantalizing the audience with samples of the music. In addition, detailed program notes add depth and detail.
The Toronto Chamber Choir has an active education and mentoring program with Rosedale Heights School of the Arts. In this program, the Music Director conducts workshops at the school, auditions interested students and selects one or two to join the choir for a year of mentoring. Following that, the student is eligible to audition for full membership in the choir. A number of students have become full members.
Reaching out beyond our concert series, the Chamber Choir often performs at other events and venues. In the fall of 2009, we will be rehearsing and performing with Rosedale Heights School of the Arts in a concert production at the school. For many years, we have sung carols for patients at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute at Christmas time. We have also participated in the Tree Lighting at the Royal York Hotel to help launch the Christmas Wish charity program. Doors Open Toronto has provided another venue for us to present our music to a broader audience.
In 2007 and 2008, we performed in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in collaboration with the Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies, Victoria University in the University of Toronto, on the occasion of the Renaissance Spring Festival. We will be participating in this Festival again in February, 2010. These events provide opportunities to extend our reach to audiences who might otherwise be unfamiliar with early choral music and its beauty.
Discount ticket prices for groups of ten or more are available for teachers and students. Call (416) 763 1695 to arrange for tickets for your group to attend one of our concerts.
This year we have introduced Under 30 Prices for subscriptions and concert tickets in the B section for those under 30 years of age. Please see our order form for details.
Bach himself once called music ‘an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul’. For the Toronto Chamber [Choir], that definition obviously still rings true.
— The Toronto Star