Sirens join other voices
Concert features Island choral ensemble with Halifax Camerata Singers
Prince Edward Island’s own choral ensemble, Sirens, joins forces with the award-winning Halifax Camerata Singers (HCS) to present “Let our Spirits Soar: The Voices of Our Past,” on Saturday afternoon in Charlottetown at Park Royal United Church.
Artistic director of HCS, Jeff Joudrey, commented “I’m so looking forward to these concerts with Sirens. We worked together over the past year, and this program is inspiring and eclectic, with repertoire reflecting where we’ve come from as Canadians in our founding cultures, to music of several faith communities, ranging from Muslim (Ai’Yu) to Christianity (spirituals/Gospel traditions).” The two ensembles will combine for some repertoire including a joyous Gospel-infused finale, and also perform on their own. Halifax Camerata Singers will present the world premiere of its new work, “I Lost My Talk,” with text by the late Mi’kmaq poet, Rita Joe, commissioned from Canadian choral composer, Jeff Enns.
Sirens will explore folksongs of French, Gaelic and English traditions. One of the featured works to be performed is “Ya Faraoule” by Stephen Hatfield, featuring driving percussion, sensuous harmonies and Arabic text.
Now in their 30th anniversary season, the Halifax group has become one of Canada’s leading chamber choirs, winning the Healy Willan Grand Prize for Canadian choirs in 2010. Last season the choir released its fifth recording, “A Time for All Things,” which won Best Classical Recording from Music Nova Scotia in 2016, and was nominated for an East Coast Music Award for 2017. Lynette Wahlstrom accompanies the choir, and assistant director is P.E.I. native Michael James. Camerata includes performers from many parts of Nova Scotia and one from P.E.I. The choir performs choral repertoire from many periods and styles, with special attention to Canadian music. Named after the singing femmes fatales of Greek mythology, Sirens is an award-winning women’s choral ensemble based in Charlottetown. Since their formation in 2012, the group has been lauded for its pure tone quality, sensitive musicality and tight ensemble. Under the leadership of artistic director and soprano, Kelsea McLean, Sirens produces two full-length concert programs each season while maintaining a busy schedule performing at a variety of concerts, fundraisers, events and workshops. The choir has received several awards at local and provincial music festivals as well as the Richard W. Cooke award at the FCMF National Music Festival, placing first in the Choral Ensemble Class in 2015. Also in 2015, they received a nomination for Music P.E.I.’s award for Achievement in Classical or Jazz. Tickets are on sale now through sirenschoir.com or available at the door the day of the Charlottetown performance on May 27, at 3 p.m. A second show will take place in Halifax on Sunday, May 28, at 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1300 Oxford Street.