Folsom Singers' 7th Annual Concert!

Lucky 7! Folsom Singers is 7 years old! Our passion for music has always been the same, if not more.

Folsom Singers would like to dedicate this year's annual concert to you, our friends, who have been supportive for all these years. The concert is scheduled on June 7th at New Life Community Church in Burnaby. This is the first season that Folsom has worked with two talented young musicians, Kemuel Wong (conductor), and Gary Tse (Accompanist).

Ms. Morna Edmundson, co-conductor of the renowned Elektra Women's Choir, and Dr. Bruce Pullan, the highly beloved and respected professor of the UBC Music Department, came to our rehearsals and offered great guidance. We are deeply moved by their dedication and passion for music, and earnestly appreciate their assistance!!! It's a rewarding and exciting experience for everyone.

〈Over the Rainbow〉is the theme of this year's concert. The repertoire includes: religious pieces as “Ave Maria,” “Pie Jesu,” “Cantate Dominum”; popular English pieces as “Shenandoah,” “Mr. Wonderful,” “Sing Me to Heaven”; traditional Chinese/Taiwanese pieces as “Autumn Chrysanthemum,” “The Moon is My Witness,” “Blossoms on a Rainy Night”…and other pieces from Spanish, Japanese and Inuit cultures.

To celebrate our 7th anniversary, admission to this year's concert will be by donation.

Time: 7:30 pm June 7th, 2008

Place: New Life Community Church
8765 Government Street, Burnaby (between Lougheed Mall and Costco)

Reservation or Inquiries: Sherry (604-4206036); Ada (604-4365018)

｢7｣是許多人的幸運數字，而今年正是〈美聲歌者〉(Folsom Singers) 室內合唱團成立七週年之幸運年。七年來，團員們對音樂的熱愛「一路走來始終如一」，為了回報愛樂聽友的熱情支持，年年卯足全力，期望能在年度音樂會上以絕佳的默契展現合唱音樂之美。

今年〈美聲歌者〉的七週年年度表演，定於六月七日星期六晚間7:30於本拿比新生活社區教會 (New Life Community Church， Burnaby) 舉行，歡迎各界喜愛合唱音樂的朋友共襄盛舉。這是〈美聲歌者〉與指揮新秀黃國豐先生及鋼琴伴奏謝志豪先生首度合作，更邀請到著名合唱指揮Dr. Bruce Pullan （UBC音樂系副教授）以及Morna Edmundson（Elektra Women’s Choir團長及指揮）擔任客座指導，相信必能帶給聽眾耳目一新的感受。

〈美聲歌者〉今年的音樂會以〈Over the Rainbow〉為主題，曲目包括多首宗教歌曲Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Duo Seraphim, Cantate Dominum, Nigra Sum；著名英文歌曲Shenandoah, Mr. Wonderful, Sing Me to Heaven, Prayer of the Children；精選中文及台語歌曲如秋菊、月亮代表我的心、雨夜花、天黑黑；還有十六世紀西班牙民歌、日本童謠、加拿大原住民歌曲等，內容包羅萬象，精彩可期！

〈美聲歌者〉為了慶祝成立七週年，本年度音樂會為樂捐入場 (admission by donation)。音樂會地點位於新生活社區教會 (New Life Community Church，8765 Government Street, Burnaby，介於Costco 及Lougheed Mall之間)，六月七日晚上7:30，〈美聲歌者〉與您歌聲中相會。因座位有限，請預約索取門票。洽詢電話：604-420-6036 (Sherry), 604-436-5018 (Ada) 。

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.