CanSing

The Vancouver CanSing (VCS) 2019 fall session registration is open! This will be our 10^th anniversary season!

All rehearsals begin Tuesday, September 17th, Cityview Church, Hillcrest neighbourhood. We welcome new members (youth and adult) who LOVE to sing and perform all kinds of music. Please help us get the word out. Feel free to share via email, Facebook, Twitter, newsletters so the word gets out to people who are keen to sing!

The Vancouver Cansing program is comprised of five choral groups of varying age groups – youth and adult, all of whom sing separately but also engage in multi-generational music-making.  There’s a great community spirit in our group and sense of joy and belonging between the singers and audience. 

We believe “If you can talk, you can sing.” Like any other instrument, learning to sing takes practice!  

VCS has been praised by many for the camaraderie, challenge and sense of real ‎community that is promoted.  Hope you can join us!

VCS is a member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodaly Association and Choral Canada.

Vancouver Cansing Choirs:

LEVEL 1 (ages 5 & 6). Our youngest group of musicians…

LEVEL 2 (ages 7 & 8). Slightly more advanced group who also sing with Level 3.

LEVEL 3 (ages 9 – 15. Non – auditioned). A vibrant group of singers who sometimes work with Level 4 and adults.

LEVEL 4 CHORthemo (ages 10 – 16. Auditioned). An advanced group of boys and girls who provide leadership to the younger singers and also “wow” audiences with their individual choir work and singing with the adult choir.

ADULT CHOIR (grades 11 and 12 through adult: non-auditioned but you must be able to carry a tune…). A wonderful group of keen adults, many of whom are parents of youth choristers.

VCS Youth choir’s final concert of the year will feature the musical, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT (Abridged) along with other songs, May 21st, 7pm and May 24^th, 7pm, Cityview Church (4370 Sophia St). Admission is by donation ($10 – $15 suggested amount) to cover professional fees, rent and general choir expenses.

Witty, fun and energetic, the show will be approximately 50 minutes.

This is the 50^th anniversary of the musical play. It was first written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at the age of 19. Since that time the play has been rewritten and lengthened for stage several times. The fourteen songs, including “Any Dream Will Do”, “Jacob and Sons”, and “Close Every Door to Me” are all in a light, popular style. 

It’s an enchanting, light hearted, “rags to riches” story of a boy named Joseph who overcomes many hurdles to go from being his father’s favourite son to a slave and then to become the second in charge to the Pharaoh (King) of Egypt. Discover how perseverance, bravery, kindness and Joseph’s special powers to interpret dreams, help reunite him with his brothers and his father.

The Vancouver CanSing Choirs are in the Hillcrest Neighbourhood and practice at Cityview Church. VCS is a member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodaly Association and Choral Canada.

Do you love to sing? Come sing with us! For information: www.cansing.ca

Vancouver CanSing Adult Choir will present HERE COMES ANOTHER NEW DAY, Tuesday, May 7^th, 8 – 9pm, Cityview Church (4370 Sophia St – 5 mins East from Main & 28^th). Admission is by donation (suggested $15 – $20.00 to cover rent and professional fees).

The choir will perform a variety of seasonal songs by Karl Jenkins, Leonard Cohen, Thomas Juneau, Blok-Wilson and more. The audience will have the opportunity to sing along to George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun.”

We are delighted to feature Ashley Gonzales, UBC Voice Major. This is the third year that the choir has supported an emerging vocal artist and we look forward to making music together!

Known for her expressive performances, Ashley is an upcoming soprano from Vancouver, British Columbia. She began her musical studies in piano at the age of 5 with Juliet Dizon. Her love for singing began in her elementary choir and she has taken part in multiple choirs ever since, either as singer, pianist, or conductor. She completed her Diploma in Music at Capilano University where she studied with Siri Olsen-Maddock and George Roberts in 2017. Ashley is currently in 3rd year Music at the University of British Columbia, majoring in Voice Performance with Marisa Gaetenne.

This is the final concert of the season for the VCS Adult choir. If you are interested in singing with a choir September 2019, come join our group! We are an awesome, friendly SATB community choir, in the Hillcrest Neighbourhood, that sings all kinds of choral repertoire and rehearses once weekly. Click VCS Adult Choir information

We hope you can join us! Please help us spread the word to family and friends.

Member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodály Association and Choral Canada

www.cansing.ca

This group of fine young Vancouver Cansing musicians will take to the stage tomorrow, 5pm, Cityview Church to perform their short musical EIEI-OOPS story: In the barnyard, Mr. and Mrs. Old MacDonald and Mr. and Mrs. Farmer in the Dell and the whole barnyard are singing except the poor cow who is afraid to vocalize because she’s too shy and has been teased…

The group will also sing some of the wonderful repertoire they have learned this year.

Along with artistic support from Kevin Eng, Tim Mah, Graeme Guimond, the VCS Level 1 and 2 program is such an amazing introduction to choral singing for young singers! With emphasis on singing and vocal production using the principles of the Kodály method, the children develop musical skills singing varied repertoire and are introduced to age appropriate movement and storytelling skills. It’s been a delight to work with this group of singers!  

Along with Kevin Eng, Andrea Westaway, Tim Mah, Graeme Guimond and all the Vancouver Cansing Choir members, I invite you to LIFE HAS LOVELINESS TO SELL, 7pm, Friday, March 1^st, Charles Tupper Auditorium. The uplifting songs from all genres were chosen to fit the theme of Sara Teasdale’s poem “Barter” (Life has loveliness to sell). I hope “everything is great” and you can join us!

Thank you to Makeesha Fisher for the beautiful poster!

My new SATB choral composition “Life Has Loveliness to Sell” will be premiered by our VCS Adult Choir. Other featured repertoire will include choral selections by Vivaldi, Praetorius, Copeland, Jan Garrett (I Dreamed of Rain – arr Larry Nickel), and a 130 voice mass choir finale of  Bret McKenzie’s fantastic song, “Life’s a Happy Song”, SATB choral arrangement by Audrey Snyder. This hour long program will be “full of highs!”

VCS Choirs are a member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodaly Association and Choral Canada. www.cansing.ca

What gives us the most joy during the holidays? It’s the gifts we give to others and the Vancouver Cansing Choirs, Hillcrest Neighbourhood not only bring the season alive with their beautiful singing but their Christmas Show is an annual fundraiser for the Greater Vancouver Foodbank. Last year, the singers raised over $2000.00.

This is the fourth CHRISTMAS IN THE AIR benefit and is a wonderful way to hear seasonal selections including Brian Tate’s THIS WINTER’S NIGHT and Chuck Bridwell’s crazy NUTCRACKER JINGLES, woven with readings from Chris Van Allsburg’s Polar Express. The audience sing along is always a highlight! Invite your family, friends and neighbours!

Admission is by donation ($15 – 20.00 suggested amount). All proceeds will go to the Greater Vancouver Foodbank (NO FOOD ITEMS PLEASE).

With each $1 VCS Choirs donate, GVFB can purchase at least $3 worth of nutritious groceries and fresh produce for the thousands of people they support each week. Family and friends are welcome!

Member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodály Association and Choral Canada

Chase away the November rains and join the youth and adult Vancouver Cansing Choirs (Hillcrest Neighbourhood) for WE ARE THE MUSICMAKERS, Friday, Nov 16, 7pm, Charles Tupper Auditorium. Admission is by donation ($15 – $20.00 suggested amount).

The songs will include selections from GF Handel, Brian Tate, Gene Maclellan, Jim Papoulis and a mass choir selection of Enya’s Echoes in Rain by Gerda Blok-Wilson. It’s a tradition for the audience to sing at our shows and you will have a chance to burst into song on All I have to do is Dream by (Everly Brothers).

Along with Gerda Blok-Wilson (Artistic Director) and Kevin Eng (Assistant conductor, accompanist), we hope you can join us!

Member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodály Association and Choral Canada.

Twitter: @vancansing

Website: www.cansing.caMusic Maker 8 X 11

The Vancouver CanSing (VCS) 2018 fall session registration is open! All rehearsals begin Tuesday, September 18th, Cityview Church, Hillcrest neighbourhood. We welcome new members (youth and adult) who LOVE to sing and perform all kinds of music. Please help us get the word out. Feel free to share via email, Facebook, Twitter, newsletters so the word gets out to people who are keen to sing!

To register, see the choirs below and click for information and instructions.

LEVEL 1 (ages 5 & 6)

LEVEL 2 (ages 7 & 8)

LEVEL 3 (ages 9 – 15. Non – auditioned)

LEVEL 4 CHORthemo (ages 10 – 18. Auditioned)

ADULT CHOIR (grades 11 and 12 through adult)

The choirs will begin rehearsing for the 60 – minute show, WE ARE THE MUSIC MAKERS AND WE ARE THE DREAMERS OF DREAMS, Friday, November 16th, 7pm and will feature thematic songs from the classic, jazz, popular, musical theatre and folk genre. A more detailed list of music repertoire will be sent to registrants at the end of June.

www.cansing.ca

Twitter: @vancansing

Member of the BC Choral Federation and BC Kodály Association

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is perhaps the most recognized composer of all time.  He is not only known as one of the most famous child prodigy in music history but also as a brilliant composer in his adult life.  The Vancouver CanSing CHORthemo and Level 3 youth choir, directed by Gerda Blok-Wilson and accompanied by Kevin Eng  will present performances of THE MOZART PHENOMENON, Tuesday, May 22, 7pm (Community Show), and Friday, May 25^th, 10:30am & 1pm (School Shows) and 7pm (Community Show), Cityview (4370 Sophia St). Admission is by donation (suggested $10 – $20). 

Crazy, zany and eccentric Mozart’s personality and music speak to everybody, of any age and on any level of musical experience.  This 50 minute musical play explores the wonders of Mozart’s life and music in a fun way.

The audience will be transported back to the 18^th century along with the two main characters, Katrina and Karla, and their new found friend, Mozart.  From touring Europe with his older sister, Nannerl, and playing for kings and queens in the great courts as a young child to his continual search for employment, family life, development of his operas and the mysteries behind his death, the audience will enjoy discovering the phenomenon of Mozart’s life and music.

The choir is a member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodaly Association and Choral Canada.

Do you love to sing? Come sing with us! For information: www.cansing.ca

Vancouver CanSing Adult Choir will present IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, Tuesday, May 8^th, 8 – 9pm, Cityview Church (4370 Sophia St – 5 mins East from Main & 28^th). Admission is by donation (suggested $15 – $20.00 to cover rent and professional fees).

The choir will perform seasonal songs by Handel, Purifoy, Joel, Tate, Bernon, Blok-Wilson and more. Our programs are always entertaining. We hope you’ll join us! Please help us spread the word to family and friends.

Special guest soloist will be Alyssa Nicole Samson, UBC opera student. This is the second year that the choir has supported an emerging vocal artist and we look forward to sharing the singing experience with her!

This is the final concert of the season for the adult choir. If you are interested in singing with a choir September 2018, come join our group! We are an awesome, friendly community group who rehearse once weekly because we love to sing all kinds of music! Click VCS Adult Choir information

Member of the BC Choral Federation, BC Kodály Association and Choral Canada

www.cansing.ca