We are excited about our 2020 Fall Program at Achill and have many activities planned to keep us all in the choral mood as we work our way through the experience of this extraordinary pandemic.

Here are some of the initiatives that we will be engaging our members in this fall:

  • Bi-weekly rehearsals beginning in September on Zoom!
  • Sharing ideas and energy about our innovative Virtual Christmas Concert.
  • Using the ‘Breakout Rooms’ feature in Zoom to get back to work on our repertoire for our spring session. This will be a continuation of the work we began last spring and it will be good to get back to those familiar songs.
  • Accessing additional material on Achill’s practice page for members to enrich their singing experiences and skills. Zoom is not the only way to participate during this Covid-19 lockdown!
  • Our Artistic Director Shawn and Collaborative Pianist Nancy are busy preparing professional grade videos to ensure choir members maintain and even improve their vocal skills. This will include techniques aimed at improving musicianship, blending, sight reading, and vocal exercises.
  • Shawn will be offering webinars to the choir featuring guest conductors and composers. These informative sessions will give Achill members a chance join in and explore what transpires in the development of musical ideas.
  • We hope to have small gatherings later in the fall (pending Health Department Guidelines) where members will be able to participate with colleagues in a safe manner, respecting social distancing requirements.

If you are not an Achill member and are an experienced singer or are just beginning, we extend a special welcome to participate in our 3 Open Rehearsals starting on September 23rd. We do plan Virtual Auditions and would be glad to have you become an Achill member. For information, please contact info@achill.ca.

Christmas with Achill

For over 38 years Achill has been bringing choral music to our cherished audiences. Christmas is a special time for many of us and because we cannot come together in the usual sense this season, we’ve been exploring new ideas and ways to bring you a very special concert this year. We are currently working on putting together our first ever Virtual Christmas Concert! For this choral celebration we have been combing our archives and selecting our most treasured pieces to share with you – along with introductions by current Achill members. This concert is guaranteed to please choral music lovers of all ages.

We look forward to hearing from you, seeing new members, and old familiar faces over the coming season!

John Lemke,   President, Achill Choral Society