‘Chorus for a Cure’: A concert for a cause
Classical music
It’s been three years since the second local benefit concert for the Sanfilippo Children’s Research Foundation, but that doesn’t mean that the financial need isn’t as pressing as ever.
“I think it took a while to think about doing something like this again, and I think it’s the type of event that if you do it too often then it takes away the special part of it,” said concert organizer Sandra Dendekker to The Spec from the Lynden home she shares with her husband, Peter, and their three children, Noah, Emma and Katherine.
Briefly, Sanfilippo Syndrome is a degenerative genetic disorder. Children with Sanfilippo are missing an essential enzyme that breaks down sugar. The resulting buildup affects all the organs and bones, and usually leads to death by mid-teens. Dendekker’s daughter, Katherine, has Sanfilippo, as did Dendekker’s late son, Warren, who passed away of a coronary at age 7, one day before the October 2015 benefit concert.
When Dendekker learned of the SCRF’s plans to make a $300,000 pledge, which will be matched by SickKids in Toronto for the purchase of an analytical ultra-performance chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometer, the adrenalin to organize a “Chorus for a Cure” benefit concert kicked in.
“It felt like a great opportunity,” said Dendekker.
Her first priorities were making sure Central Presbyterian Church was available on Friday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m., and that pianists Valerie Tryon and Olga Tcherniak could both make that date.
Next on her list was snagging acclaimed baritone John Fanning, who’s recently returned to Dundas after teaching voice at the university level in Montreal.
“We’ve tried a couple of times to get John Fanning,” said Dendekker. “He’d be a great draw. He has a great personality. This time he right away said yes and he was available.”
Fanning is slated to sing the gospel hymn, “How Can I Keep from Singing,” set especially for this occasion by his good friend, pianist-composer Brian Finley. Tryon will accompany at the 88s. Other performers donating their time and talents for the benefit are soprano Janet Obermeyer, the parish choir from The Church of St. John the Evangelist in Elora, featuring soprano Sheila Baritone John Fanning
Dietrich, classical guitarist Emma Rush, pianist Catherine Robertson and clarinetist Peter Shackleton.
In addition to performing solo, the aforementioned Ms. Tryon and Ms. Tcherniak will be heard as a duo. Tcherniak will also accompany cellist Andras Weber. The closing number will be “You Lift Me Up.” Speakers include Elisabeth Linton, founder of the SCRF, and Ray Pennings cofounder and executive vice-president of Cardus. MC will be former CBC Radio host and Bach Elgar Choir conductor emeritus, Howard Dyck.
Admission is by donation and registration is at “Chorus for a Cure” at www.eventbrite.ca. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $50 or more. Dendekker stressed that, “Every dollar donated will go straight to research because there is no cost to the foundation for the event.” Following the concert, which should end around 9 p.m., there’ll be a standup reception and silent auction.
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From Friday, Sept. 28 to Sunday, Sept. 30, the City of Burlington will celebrate Culture Days, a pan-Canadian volunteer movement spotlighting the arts.
Friday’s “Celebrating Rhythm & Beat” kick off will be at the Art Gallery of Burlington, 1333 Lakeshore Rd., from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The lineup in the Shoreline Room includes Indigenous performer Denise-Delilah McQuabbie, the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera Chorus, the Burlington Footnotes in Bollywood song and dance, the Lowville Festival group in musical theatre selections, a string ensemble from Symphony on the Bay, among others. Concurrently in the Fireside Lounge, there’s country singer Hayley Verrall, the KooGle Theatre, guitarist Philip Corke and violinist Andrea Battista in old standards, accordionist Charles Cozens accompanying Simone Caruso in Italian art songs, multi-instrumentalist Stuart Laughton, Burlington Slam Poets, and others. Fine art demonstrations will be held in the Fine Arts Studio, while the Children’s Studio will have demonstration-activities for the whole family.
Saturday will see a Doors Open Burlington at various locations throughout the city as well as a myriad of events at the AGB, the Burlington Public Library’s branches, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, and Tourism Burlington. Sunday’s events will be held at Tourism Burlington and the BPAC. For the entire lowdown on these free events, log on to www.burlington.ca, click “Arts and Culture,” and then “Culture Days.”