Nature: A Reflection
Autumn, I tend to think, is the most enjoyed season of the four in Canada which we are lucky to experience. Alright, this may be a biased opinion, as Autumn is my favourite season, but I stand by it. The temperature is comfortable and somewhat consistent, the leaves are changing and we are presented with beautiful colours for a few weeks. And of course Thanksgiving is nigh, which means pumpkin spice everything. Cue all the excitement. I also notice people are happier around this time. That could be an arguable statement, but I do think the brightness of the season somehow results in an overall brighter demeanor with people.
While looking through performances over the next couple of months, I noticed a bit of a trend with themes of human connection and nature. In this season which we appreciate for the natural beauty that surrounds us, in addition to being part of a culture where attempts at living with zero waste is slowly becoming more prominent, it seems apt to see concerts calling on a reflection of the state of the Earth and the respect of nature. What’s more, especially with our current political climate, listening to music that takes us out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life is essential in keeping us zoned in to what is truly important: Earth, nature, togetherness.
Accordingly, a few concerts piqued my interest pertaining to these themes, one of them being a performance of Bob Chilcott’s Five Days that Changed the World- and Other Works by the Guelph Chamber Choir. Choristers might be able to easily recognize Chilcott, for he is a prominent feature with choral repertoire. I have experienced many a Chilcott; however, I had not heard of this particular work. I got in touch with Dr. Charlene Pauls, the new Artistic Director of the Guelph Chamber Choir, to inquire a little further about the work.
Advancing to Where We Are Today
I was also interested to know why Pauls chose to perform Five Days that Changed the World and her reason for calling on this theme of unity. The concert features other pieces as well, but Chilcott is the main event. Pauls explained that “in a world that seems increasingly to highlight so much of what is negative about the human spirit, we wanted to create a program that did the opposite.” As mentioned earlier, we are in a time where there is an increased urge in being more united, trying to leave behind a lighter footprint on our planet and taking care of what we have. “We tend to hear so much about the problems in our world;” Pauls continues, “however, throughout time there have always been those around us who have made an impact through positive change, who have created innovations that have improved society and who have made the world a better place.” This piece “highlights five moments in time that have connected people: the invention of the printing press, the abolition of slavery, the invention of flight, the discovery of penicillin, and the first human in space. […] The music is wonderfully varied, with threads of humour, poignancy, and wonder woven throughout the various movements.”
Some of the other works to be performed “celebrate connections between us.” They include Winnipeg composer Andrew Balfour’s welcoming song “Ambe” (sung in Ojibway), American composer Joan Szymko’s “It Takes A Village,” French composer Maurice Duruflé’s “Ubi Caritas,” Canadian composer Sarah Quartel’s “Sing My Child,” and a great gospel arrangement of Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Kirby Shaw. Other pieces on the program include works that challenge us to action, such as Eric Whitacre’s “Cloudburst” that urges us to “dream with our hands.” To top it off, there is a surprise encore piece that should not be missed. She revealed the surprise to me, but I am going to keep it to myself.
Continuing on to explain her aim with this performance, Pauls comments, “fundamentally, I believe that the foundation of society must be relationships, humanity connecting with each other, because it is only then that we can have empathy and create positive change.”
In Celebration of Nature’s Beauty
Equivalently, another concert I think will be a captivating listen is Voices of Earth: In Celebration of Nature’s Beauty by the Exultate Chamber Singers. This will be conducted by Mark Ramsey as the choir enters its 39th season. Ramsey answered a few of my questions via email. I was interested to know more about the program as well as his decision behind setting on the theme of nature.
The music is quite varied, he says, and the concert is a compilation of an interesting mix of composers, many who are Canadian.
A few mentioned are:
“Voices of Earth” by Mark Sirett, which will be performed with a guest violinist, Adrian Irvine.
“Due North” by Stephen Chatman. Ramsay tells me “this is a fun set of five pieces set in the style of soundscapes where [they] explore the sounds associated with and inspired by specific words related to our Canadian landscape, including “Mountains”, “Trees”, Mosquitos”, and even “Woodpecker”.”
“Come to the Woods” by Jake Runestead, with a text by John Muir, is the cornerstone of the program, Ramsay informs me. “It’s an extended work, with a fantastic piano part, that takes us on an emotional journey. The composer describes it as a piece that “explores Muir’s inspirations and the transporting peace found in the natural world.”
The program also includes, but is not limited to, works by Johannes Brahms, Allan Bevan, Gwenyth Walker, Matthew Emery, and Samuel Barber.
Environmental Consciousness
On what led him to decide on the theme, Ramsay says, “I personally believe the theme is a timely one. The Earth and our environment has always been a powerful inspiration for writers, musicians, and artists from all creative streams. Recently, I think we are seeing a general increased interest in our environment and our relationship with it. How are we harming it? How are we caring for it? What does our future look like? With that in mind I tried to design a program filled with beautiful texts and choral music that depicts this diverse and stunning environment we are so strongly connected to.”
These questions that Ramsey poses, keep them in mind as you take in the music. We have to make a conscious effort to take a minute to centre ourselves, think about our planet, think about all that we have gained from it. This theme is one that cannot really get stale or uninteresting, as we continue to slowly but surely witness an active push in working together to keep our earth healthy and bridge any divide in society.
On October 27th at 3pm, the Guelph Chamber Choir will perform Bob Chillcot’s Five Days that Changed the World, amongst other works. The performance will take place at the Harcourt Memorial United Church in Guelph. In keeping with a theme of unity, the Guelph Collegiate And Vocational Institute (GCVI) high school choir will join the Guelph Chamber Choir for the main piece.
On October 18th at 8pm, the Exultate Chamber Singers will present Voices of Earth: In Celebration of Nature’s Beauty by the Exultate Chamber Singers. It will be held at St. Thomas Anglican Church in Toronto.