Celebrating Outstanding
Youth Performing Arts Ensembles
Flint Hills Children's Choir
from Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Janie Brokenicky Artistic Director
Thursday, March 14
International Choral Gala at the Bella
Flint Hills Children's Choir
7:30 pm at The Taylor Centre
for the Performing Arts
Featuring
Calgary Children’s Choir
Calgary Girls Choir
Cantaré Children’s Choir
with Guest Conductor
Sandra Meister
Friday, March 15
In the Heart of Downtown
Flint Hills Children's Choir
Noon Hour Performance
Knox United Church
A free one hour uplifting performance of inspiring music in one of Calgary’s most beautiful historic churches!
International Choral Gala at the Bella
2024 Calgary Choirs
Past Participants
Flint Hills Children's Choir
from Manhattan, Kansas, USA
Based in Manhattan, Kansas, USA, the Flint Hills Children’s Choir was founded in 2015 by long-time colleagues and friends, Janie Brokenicky and Janet Armstead. The first choir, comprised of 28 5th-9th grade singers, quickly expanded to two treble-voiced choirs (Bluestem and Konza) spanning grades 3-10. Students in the Choir currently represent the communities of Clay Center, Manhattan, Olsburg, Riley, St. George, Wamego, and Westmoreland. The Choir’s mission is to provide excellence in choral music instruction and performance for children and to provide enrichment in the arts for Manhattan and surrounding communities.
Calgary Children's Choir
A sense of community, fellowship and caring for one another has always been the hallmark of the Calgary Children’s Choir. Maintaining balance in the development of the child as a musician, performer and responsible citizen is an important part of the Choir’s philosophy. The Calgary Children’s Choir teaches the highest quality repertoire to the highest standard while promoting this development. The discipline of regular practice, formal choir presentations, international tours and involvement in community events are the means by which this balanced development is pursued. Kathryn Berko is thrilled to be working with the organization where she started as a founding member and is now the Artistic Director.
In its 35th season, the Calgary Children’s Choir proudly looks back on its many varied activities and performances. Choristers take part in many music festivals and joint performances with local performers and groups as well as performances in senior residences and other care facilities. In addition, the choir has completed nearly fifteen tours; the most recent being Rome in 2017 and Prague/Germany in 2019.
Calgary Girls Choir
Founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Elaine Quilichini, the award-winning Calgary Girls Choir is recognized as a celebrated and creative musical organization. The Calgary Girls Choir is dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment in which girls and women who love to sing can build their skills and develop their talents.
At the Calgary Girls Choir we believe artistic expression is crucial to the development of happy and productive human beings and that the pursuit of excellence in artistic expression develops countless important life skills. Leadership, self-discipline, responsibility and accountability are developed as they work together to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. A stunning level of expertise and excellence is achieved through the singers consistent and inspiring dedication to their craft. The girls’ lives are up-lifted through a personal and meaningful connection to wonderful music that has the ability to transform their lives in positive ways. Their love of expressing themselves through singing develops their ability to express their own thoughts and feelings in life and become better citizens of the world.
A belief, in the words of Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodály, that “only the best is good enough”, has always been the cornerstone of the Calgary Girls Choir philosophy and has helped guide the choir to achieve 28 years of glorious music!
Cantaré Children's Choir
Widely recognized as one of Calgary’s premier performing ensembles, Cantaré Children’s Choir was formed in 1997 by Founder / Artistic Director Catherine Glaser-Climie to enrich the lives of children through the power and wonder of music.
Each week, over 150 children ages 6 through 18 come together in four ensembles to experience the joy of singing. Though they represent diverse abilities and backgrounds, our choristers are united through the study and performance of great choral music and discover that music can be a bridge to understanding. We aspire to instil ideals of compassion, sensitivity, consideration, commitment, tolerance, discipline, co-operation and teamwork. In addition to giving performances, choristers gain valuable training in musicianship, self-discipline, confidence, poise and teamwork. Singers enjoy meeting and getting to know other children who share their interests.
2023 international Guests
Martin High School Orchestra & Chorale from Texas, USA
2019 international Guests
‘Iolani School Orchestra from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Bishop Carroll
Chamber Choir
Bishop Carroll High School Chamber Choir is one of six choral ensembles, including two award winning vocal jazz ensembles, concert choir, touring choir, and ladies choir, all under the leadership of director, Andrea Ciona. Choristers work with many world class clinicians and conductors, through an ongoing partnership with Mount Royal University. John Morgan, director of the Mount Royal Kantorei Choir, has been the choral accompanist at Bishop Carroll for the past ten years, and also regularly coaches the groups as a choral clinician.
Bishop Carroll Choral Ensembles have received local, national and international recognition, including First Place at the Beijing International Music Festival, a first place, and “Best In Class” award at Festival Disney, in Orlando, and Gold Seals at the Calgary Performing Arts Festival. Featured performances have included joint performances with the Calgary Civic Symphony, the Kenyan Boys Choir, the Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede, the Kantorei Choir, the Mount Royal University Artio Choir, and a special Easter Sunday concert with the choir of Basilica di Sant’Alessio, in Rome.
Andrea Ciona, Choral Director
2018 international Guests
The GRAMMY™ award winning,
Mira Costa Chamber Strings from Manhattan Beach, CA, USA.
Calgary Suzuki Strings Association
The Calgary Suzuki Strings Association is an organization formed to promote string teaching, training and education of teachers, parents, students and the community. The organization is made up of independent Suzuki-method trained teachers, students and families. CSSA encourages the highest standards of excellence in teaching and playing. We strive to facilitate communication between teachers, students and to foster good relations and exchange of information in the string community and the general public. CSSA sponsors several events throughout the academic year to enhance student learning and performance: Heritage Park Play-in, Winter Workshop with various local clinicians teaching enrichment classes, and Non-Competitive String Festival with guest adjudicators from US & Canada including an Ensemble Workshop. In addition, the CSSA has sponsored a Suzuki String Institute and teacher training events such as Music Mind Games by Michiko Yurko.
Board: Mandy Loban-Jordan, Steve Komar, Katrina Lybbert, Cindy Lau, Andrea Hudson, Damian Jordan
Mount Royal University Conservatory Sinfonia
The Conservatory Sinfonia is for advanced string and wind players ages 12 to 18. This orchestra performs music from professional repertoire and a high degree of commitment is expected. In addition to weekly rehearsals , players participate in an annual workshop with a guest conductor, the Conservatory’s annual Winter Fantasia concert and other performance opportunities as they may arise during the term. As the former Conservatory Strings, they produced two CDs and have been recorded by the CBC.
Chris Sandvoss, Artistic Director/Conductor
Amici String Program
The Amici String Program was founded in 2007 by Fiona Carnie and Theresa Plotnick. Their goal was to provide a setting for young string players to grow in a positive and nurturing environment, providing opportunities for students to excel, both musically and personally. High standards of playing are expected and all students have access to fine teaching from local, national and international artists. Amici also runs two popular summer programs: Amici String Camp for younger players and Calgary Stringfest – an intensive chamber music camp for advanced players. Details are available on their website.
Fiona Carnie, Artistic Director
Lakeview Chamber Players
Lakeview Chamber Players is a small chamber ensemble formed to give Suzuki students (who learn core repertoire by ear and perform from memory) an opportunity to develop and practice their music reading and orchestral skills. In keeping with the Suzuki concept of encouraging all ages and levels of students to play together and learn from one another, we are an intergenerational, multi-age and multi-level ensemble, with members ranging in age from 7-80 and in playing level from beginner through intermediate. We are open to string students, parents, grandparents, and friends of all ages.
Suzuki Talent Education Society, Calgary
Founded as a non-for-profit organization in 1972, Suzuki Talent Education Society, Calgary is more than a music school. We work together in unison with the student, parent and teacher to enhance lives and develop compassionate listeners. Our roots are firmly planted in the Suzuki method of education, offering an alternative learning approach. Students train from a very early age by learning how to listen carefully and then learning to play. This powerful learning through listening approach impacts all areas of our lives. Our non-competitive positive environment fosters communication through the medium of music. Listening and nurturing unconsciously expands into other areas of life, creating citizens that are thoughtful, kind, inclusive and supportive. What we do is provide a framework so we can give our children the lifelong gift of music.”
Wan Tsai Chen, Artistic Director
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