ChorFest 2008!

Increasing our exposure to the choral music community in Vancouver is an ever-present concern, and I (as an active member of the BC Choral Federation, and English-speaking representative for the choir) try to attend as much events that this umbrella organization holds to share with the board.



Recently, I had attended the annual choir festival called ChorFest at UBC. The timing of this festival was wonderful and significant in that it was the 30th year of this festival, the 150th birthday of the province of British Columbia, and the 100th anniversary of UBC.



The major highlight was to return to sing at the gorgeous and acoustically-sensitive Chan Centre, though one of the two workshops that I attended during the festival was particularly exceptional. The singing workshop was led by Elektra co-conductors, Morna Edmundson and Diane Loomer, and was practical in that it was similar to a mini-choir rehearsal! The short warmup was interesting as not only was it about warming up our voices; it was very much a physical exercise to warm up our whole body :) No piano was necessary to do the vocal exercises, as Diane led us through vocalising by singing "Over the Rainbow" using various vowels.



Members of Elektra choir were sandwiched between festival participants, and helped us through singing the many pieces of music. The 75 minutes alloted for the workshop flew by in a jiffy...and I felt so uplifted and joyous by the end that I didn't want to leave immediately. I didn't hesitate to talk to the conductors...Morna, who had come to our choir rehearsal last November, seemed to remember me as she gave me a welcoming handshake :) Soon afterwards, I would talk to Diane...and further confirm my realization of how small and close-knit the choral community is here...by introducing myself as part of Folsom choir which was now led by Kemuel Wong. She immediately noted that she had met him last autumn, likely through Morna's connection.



All in all, it was a very wonderful experience to get together and sing with a lot of music enthusiasts, as well as reconnect with contacts in the choral music community.