O CANADA OUR HOME - British Columbia Boys Choir sings on Parliament Hill, July 1

O CANADA OUR HOME - Songs and Stories of Canada

45^th Anniversary - Cross-Canada Tour
With the British Columbia Boys Choir and Abbotsford Virtuosi
June 27 to July 27, 2014 in a location near YOU!

It’s a dream come true – as the British Columbia Boys Choir travels across Canada with their sensational new show O CANADA OUR HOME - Songs & Stories of Canada. One highlight for the Choir is singing on Parliament Hill for Canada Day 2014 during the noon-hour performances. The other - meeting people, performing in, and staying in communities across this great nation.  

It just seemed the appropriate thing for this internationally-renowned four-part secular boys’ choir to do - celebrate their 45^th Anniversary by travelling across their own country with their award-winning Artistic Director, Tony Araujo, and Associate Conductor, Edette Gagne, and guests, the Abbotsford Virtuosi violin ensemble, directed by Calvin Dyck. Members of the Choir and ensemble range in age from 10 to19, and come from Greater Vancouver communities and central Vancouver Island. They will be on the road for a whole month, singing and playing together in Montreal, Ottawa, Gros Morne National Park, Cornerbrook, Sydney Mines, Lunenburg, Charlottetown, Saint John, Toronto, Stratford, Huntsville, Wawa, Neepawa, Saskatoon and Banff before venturing back home through the Rockies.

 The Choir – Since its inception in 1968, the Choir has trained over 900 young singers (many of whom have become professional musicians and broadcasters) and has represented Canada around the globe. They have won the hearts of audiences everywhere and received acclaim in the Netherlands, Europe, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, China, South America, the United States - and Canada. Says Araujo; “It’s such a wonderful opportunity and fantastic cultural experience for these young artists to perform Canadian choral music across our own great nation – visiting each province, from sea to sea.” 

 

 The Abbotsford Virtuosi – This string ensemble was established in 2000 by violinist and conductor Calvin Dyck to provide youth with opportunities to learn a broad range of orchestral repertoire, and to perform in public – with virtuosity - and fun! Their highly successful Songs Strings & Steps concerts create an arts experience that delights audiences and inspires youth to reach for the stars. Says Dyck, “This is the longest and biggest tour we have done and my youngest violinist has said, ‘I’m so EXCITED … I can’t wait!’”

 

O CANADA OUR HOME is a highly entertaining performance filled with soul stirring and spine-tingling songs and music, brilliant choreography, heart-felt poetry, stories, costumes and surprises – all about Canada. Says Executive Director, Margot Holmes, “The goal for this show and tour is to celebrate Canada, this great country, the people, cultures and traditions - through songs and stories. Tony and Calvin have picked great music, from popular Canadian favourites and less familiar songs to choreographed string numbers. We are even dramatizing the poem We Are More by BC’s Shane Koyczan who presented it during the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.”

The Music includes choral favourites from across Canada, composed by Canadians, like Northwest Passage, Song for the Mira, I’se the B’y, This is My Home, Song for Canada, Wood River, J’entends le Moulin, and Frobisher Bay. The Choir will also premiere the newly commissioned piece, Go into the Glory of the Woods by Vancouver composer Brian Tate. The Abbotsford Virtuosi will accompany the Choir throughout then take the stage with the energetic, toe-tapping, choreographed Prairie Swing, Nickel Rag, Canticle for an Angel – and more!

Tickets: check your local media for locations and tickets for this exciting and not-to-be-missed truly Canadian concert.

For more information visit www.bcboyschoir.org  - Inspiring Excellence!