Sharing Joy Through Song!

Achill — Your Community Choir since 1982!

ACHILL CHORAL SOCIETY WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

Achill is growing! We are overjoyed to have welcomed many new members! Rehearsing and singing in person is wonderful!

Our weekly Wednesday rehearsals will resume  January 11th 2023 from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. in the beautiful sanctuary of Westminster United Church, 247 Broadway, Orangeville. Please join us if you love to sing choral music, want to be part of a vibrant community, and wish to grow musically under expert leadership. We are a welcoming choral community that strives to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment. After a free 2-week trial with us, new members will participate in a short vocal placement exercise with Jenny, to determine how best to blend your voice with the choir’s beautiful sound. We look forward to welcoming you in January!

We practice a careful Covid protocol, including full vaccination, risk self-assessment, wearing singers’ masks indoors (provided), and observing spatial distancing. We want our singers and staff to be as safe as possible.

Please contact President@achill.ca if you wish to attend and for more information. Also you can connect with us on facebook.com/AchillChoralSociety

 

“A Winter Day”

The link to the free video is directly below. Enjoy the video, and share it with your family and friends. We will keep the video link up until after after the New Year begins.
On the next page are also excerpts from the printed programme, as well as ads from those businesses who supported us.

Concert Video Link

Jenny Crober, Guest Director

Jenny Crober has had a richly varied professional music career of over 40 years as a choral conductor, collaborative pianist, coach, clinician, choral arranger and teacher. She has been the Artistic Director & Conductor of the VOCA Chorus of Toronto since 2004. Jenny co-conducted Scott Macmillan’s Celtic Mass for the Sea at Carnegie Hall in 2015. Following a 2016 VOCA workshop with renowned composer Ola Gjeilo, she assembled numerous choristers at his request to perform in a 2018 mass choir concert featuring his work, Dreamweaver, at Carnegie Hall, which VOCA later performed as a Canadian premiere. VOCA also performed the world premiere of Anang (A Star) by celebrated Cree composer Andrew Balfour at their recent Star Songs concert, and will perform it again, with other works – featuring Shawn Grenke and guests – in April 2023, part of Roy Thomson Hall’s Choir & Organ Noon hour Concert Series.

In the Spring of 2017, Jenny conducted Achill performing the marvellous Missa Gaia: Earth Mass by Paul Winter. Welcome back, Jenny — we are looking forward to working with you again!

Shawn Grenke, our Artistic Director, is currently on sabbatical in Edmonton acquiring his doctorate in choral conducting. Shawn and our Guest Director Jenny Crober are working closely together to plan our 2022 fall season and winter concert.

 

“Voices of Earth”

This is an Achill’s Covid Zoom project to publish a virtual performance. It is a recitation of Archibald Lampman’s sonnet “Voices of Earth” by Mark Whitcombe, accompanied by Mark’s photos, leading into virtual singing by members of the Achill Choral Society and the Eglinton St. George’s United Church Choir, with production by Bryan Estabrooks.
Lampman taught high school here in Orangeville in 1883. After that he devoted his life to poetry, becoming one of Canada’s finest late 19th century poets.
Achill will be singing this in person during our upcoming Spring matinee concert at Westminster Church, Orangeville, on 2023 May 6th. Look for details coming!