Choral Canada and Choirs Ontario are pleased to offer the Respectful Workplaces in the Arts Workshop for the Canadian choral arts sector and community. They are free and open to anyone to attend. Presented by the Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC), the goal of the workshop is to provide information and facilitated conversations to encourage better workplace practices and behaviours.
What is a “workplace” in the context for choirs/singing groups?
“Workplaces” can be defined as anywhere that singers, volunteers, artistic staff, and administrative staff come together to “work”, including rehearsals, performances, retreats, tours, and administrative spaces (online and in-person).
What happens at this workshop?
The workshop covers information on provincial/territorial legislation, definitions of harassment and bullying as well as case-studies to navigate the complexities of problematic situations. These workshops are not legal nor therapy clinics, they are conversations facilitated by experienced cultural sector leaders. Resources are discussed to help individuals and organizations towards contributing to better work environments and/or to develop their own policies/codes of conduct.
Where and when are the workshops?
The workshops will be on Zoom. It is a one-time four-hour workshop full of information, discussions, and opportunities to ask specific questions. The workshop will not be recorded.
Ontario — Saturday March 5 @ 10am-2pm Eastern (ENGLISH)
Ontario — Saturday March 26 @ 2pm-6pm Eastern (FRENCH)
Who are these workshops for?
These workshops are open to anyone to attend, however they are limited to a maximum of 25 people. If more than 25 people register, an additional date/time will be offered. A minimum of 8 people is required.
These workshops are geared towards community choir/singing groups’ administrators, artistic staff, board members, committee members, and singers — any individual who takes part in the choir/singing group at any level.
How do I register?
Fill out this registration form and select the province/territory specific workshop you wish to attend.
Register for Choirs Ontario’s May Workshop!
Join Choirs Ontario for our next online workshop, Grounding Meditation and Self Massage for Pain Relief with Rachel Kabodian, on May 30th, 2021, at 1:00pm, EST. This workshop is free for all!
Register here! https://bit.ly/3dXhIBi
About Rachel:
“I have been practicing massage and reiki in the pacific northwest for the last decade. Though my roots reside in music and performance, I found my niche in the healing arts helping people feel empowered in their self care practices, recover from injuries and chronic pain, and reconnect with their breath and bodies. In trying to creatively adapt to the last year, I have opened my practice virtually with guided group massage and meditation sessions, as well as 1-1 distance reiki sessions. I am honored to create a bridge between myself and others in this way, giving people tools to make their lives a little lighter, more grounded, and pain free.”
About the Workshop:
“The workshop will begin with the meditation and then move into the guided massage. I recommend wearing comfortable, non-restrictive clothing, and setting yourself up with a place to sit comfortably in a chair for meditation. During the guided massage part of the session, you will need a wall for support while you are shown some techniques using a massage ball. I use the Yoga Tune Up balls that can be purchased here: https://www.tuneupfitness.com/yoga-tune-up-therapy-ball-pair
I have no affiliation with them, they are just the ones I like the best! They are made to withstand your full body weight, but if you have an old tennis ball you can wrap it with a few layers of duct tape, that works too. I look forward to helping you all be well!”
Changes to the Choral Mosaic 2020 Festival Announced!
For Immediate Release | December 9, 2019
Music festival now more accessible to all choral music lovers.
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada – David Ambrose, Artistic Director announced some exciting pricing and programming changes that will make the Choral Mosaic music festival more accessible to everyone in our choral community. Choral Mosaic will now be held on 2 days (June 26 & 27, 2020) for a new Early Bird price of $199 CAD until February 29, 2020. There will now also be open rehearsals offered for all participants.
Choral Mosaic 2020 will still feature performances from Rajaton and Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and a spectacular Gala Concert featuring a brand-new commissioned work by renowned composer Kim André Arnesen. Choral music enthusiasts of all skill levels will be invited to participate in a mass choir at the Gala Concert, no audition required. Choral Mosaic will also feature a keynote address by Kim André Arneson and master classes and workshops from top choral clinicians.
Choral Mosaic 2020 Program Highlights:
- Keynote address from Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen;
- Concert by Finnish a capella performing artists Rajaton;
- Master Class by Rajaton;
- Mass Choir Gala Performance of the world premiere of a brand-new choral work by Kim André Arnesen, with Denis Mastromonaco conducting the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra;
- Open rehearsals for all choristers prior to the festival weekend;
- Master classes and workshops;
- Every participant will have an opportunity to perform with no audition required!
Early Bird passes for the 2-day festival are on sale now for $199 CAD until February 29, 2020 here.
For more info, visit www.choralmosaic.com
Choral Mosaic 2020 Inaugural Program Announced!
For Immediate Release | October 17, 2019
A new music festival that gives choral music lovers of all levels a chance to perform and learn together with choral musicians from around the world.
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada – David Ambrose, Artistic Director has announced the programming for the choral music festival’s inaugural season. Spread over 3 days from June 25-27, 2020, Choral Mosaic 2020 will feature performances from renowned choral musicians from all over the world, and choral music enthusiasts of all skill levels will be invited to participate in a mass choir gala performance, no audition required. Choral Mosaic will also feature keynote addresses, master classes and workshops from top choral clinicians.
David Ambrose spoke about what makes the Choral Mosaic program unique from other choral festivals: “It’s really the only festival in this part of the country that is actually designed for singers, to give opportunities for singers that they wouldn’t have on a week-in, week-out basis in their own choirs, to give them access to some wonderful educational opportunities, a chance to perform some fantastic music a full symphony orchestra including a brand-new commissioned work by one of the world’s top new composers. It’s also just a chance to come together as a choral community and celebrate what we do and explore what we do on a deeper level.”
Program Highlights:
• Keynote address from Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen;
• Concert by Finnish a capella performing artists Rajaton;
• Performance of Primadonna Choralis by Canadian Soprano Mary Lou Fallis;
• Master Class by Rajaton;
• Mass Choir Gala Performance of the world premiere of a brand-new choral work by Kim André Arnesen, with Denis Mastromonaco conducting the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra;
• Performances by choirs from around the world;
• Master classes and workshops;
• Every participant will have an opportunity to perform with no audition required!
See the new Choral Mosaic 2020 Program Schedule here
Early Bird passes for the 3-day festival are on sale now until December 9, 2019 here
Program Details:
Kim Andre Arnesen: Composer and Keynote Speaker
Kim André Arnesen is one of the most frequently performed classical composers from Norway today. He was educated at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim. Choral music became his greatest passion. As a composer, he had his first performance at the age of 18. Since then he has written music that has been performed by choirs all over the world.
Rajaton: Performance & Master Class
A capella sensation Rajaton was founded in Helsinki in 1997. Rajaton has sold over 100,000 records worldwide. They have earned eight gold records, one platinum and one double platinum record. The Finnish word “rajaton” means “boundless”, and this perfectly describes the wide and varied nature of their repertoire, from sacred classical to Europop. Rajaton performs in Finland and tours in Europe and around the world. They have performed in over 25 countries.
Primadonna Choralis with Mary Lou Fallis
Toronto-born Mary Lou Fallis is well known to thousands of Canadian theatregoers for her series of one-woman shows (Primadonna, Primadonna Goes Camping, Primadonna Does More with Less, Primadonna on a Moose), which have toured North America, Europe, Japan and Iceland. She is well known to millions of radio fans for her weekly Primadonna Diaries which were a regular feature on CBC Radio 2 for many years. Mary Lou was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her Primadonna series (based on her own life as a singer) as well as winning a Gemini Award for producing the BRAVO! TV hit “Bathroom Divas”. She has released two CDs: ”Primadonna on a Moose” and “Fallis & Tiefenbach More or Less Live”. Ms. Fallis has toured Canada from stem to stern and is much in demand as an adjudicator and clinician across the country. Mary Lou Fallis was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2011 for her services to music and her work as a performer, teacher and broadcaster.
The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra
The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra is passionate about, and committed to, maintaining and continuing the tradition of classical symphonic music in Mississauga. The MSO takes pride in our designation as the best hybrid orchestra in Canada, a term that describes an orchestra with a mixture of professional musicians and highly skilled amateurs. Under the direction of Maestro Denis Mastromonaco since 2013, the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra continues to offer entertaining and increasingly sophisticated programs from the classical and popular repertoires of symphonic music with a quality of programming that meets the highest artistic standards. With the inclusion of the Mississauga Symphony Youth Orchestra in 2014, the organization has become the centre of classical symphonic music in Mississauga, built around the pillars of music education, performance and entertainment. The MSO has grown significantly since its inception in 1972 and is now designated as one of Mississauga’s six pillars of arts, culture and heritage.
Denis Mastromonaco, Conductor
The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to enter its fifth season under the direction of Maestro Denis Mastromonaco. Mastromonaco brings with him over 20 years of experience in conducting and teaching both symphonic and operatic groups. He has worked with orchestras nationally and internationally including New York’s Orchard Park Orchestra, Czech Republic’s West Bohemian National Orchestra, and the National Academy Orchestra of Canada. As an advocate for music in the community, Maestro Mastromonaco has been Music Director for numerous ensembles and has taught, adjudicated and served as clinician for schools, arts festivals and competitions all while promoting the importance of music in local communities. He has been the recipient of prestigious awards including the Emme Contestabile Prize in Orchestral Conducting from Accademia Musicale Chigiana, the City of Vaughan 2005 Outstanding Citizen Award and in 2013 the Ontario Service Medal for contribution to the arts.
David Ambrose, Artistic Director
David Ambrose is the creator and founder of Choral Mosaic. David has served as Artistic Director of Mississauga Festival Choir since 2006, facilitating its growth from a single choir of 75 to an organization of four choirs with more than 250 singers. An award-winning conductor, singer and director, he is equally accomplished in choral music, musical theatre and opera. David was the inaugural winner of the Elmer Iseler National Fellowship in Choral Conducting. In recent years, David has served as Stage Director for Mississauga Symphony’s productions of Carmen and La Bohème, as well as productions of Beauty and the Beast, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying and Anne of Green Gables. David teaches vocal music at Etobicoke School of the Arts, one of Canada’s leading high schools for the arts. He also conducts several ESA choral ensembles including its Toronto Symphony Orchestra Pops Choir and the award-winning WoCo young women’s choir. David serves as Director of Music at Runnymede United Church, is active as a choral music clinician, and mentors many emerging artists.
Mississauga Festival Choir, Host Choir
With over 160 singers, Mississauga Festival Choir is one of the largest community choirs in Canada. MFC enriches lives through music by way of performance, education and outreach. The choir values excellence in choral music performance, education, spirit and community engagement. MFC first came together in 1984 to celebrate Mississauga’s 10th anniversary and stayed together to celebrate the joy of singing in a choral community like no other. Their spirited singing springs from our no-audition policy. Everyone who loves to sing is welcome to join MFC, and audiences hear the joy in every song. Under the leadership of David Ambrose, MFC performs many concerts, raises money for local charities, records professional CDs, holds an annual choral competition and tours the world. In addition to the large community choir, the MFC family includes Resonance (a youth and young adult choir), Raising Voices (a choir for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia), and a chamber choir.
‘Round the Town Concerts & Workshops
More details to follow in the coming months.
For more information, please visit the Choral Mosaic 2020 Website or this Choral Mosaic 2020 Event Page.
Choral Mosaic 2020 gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: The City of Mississauga, The Living Arts Centre, Ellison Travel & Tours.