Cantilon Choirs comes home

This year Cantilon Choirs is toasting its 10th anniversary as an independent choral group. They return to their St. Albert roots with an annual fundraiser at the Arden Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Broadway Gala, now in its ninth year, is a delightful frothy concoction that deviates from the choirs’ mandate of classical and chamber music. The funds generated are used to support the choirs’ touring and recording activities.

Founded in 1999 by then St. Albert resident Heather Johnson, the once small choir has mushroomed to four choirs with over 200 voices. Johnson estimates about 30 choristers are from St. Albert.

However, not everyone is performing. Only the children’s 35-piece choir and the women’s 25 choristers will be featured in a program of song, music and dance.

“We don’t have a lot of men in the choir,” explains Johnson of the all-female choirs. “So we’ve asked brothers and fathers to join us and there will be about 20 men.”

Broadway Gala is divided into two parts with the first half focusing on a myriad of musicals such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Sound of Music, Gypsy and Anne of Green Gables.

The program’s second half is dedicated to Johnson’s favourite stage show, Fiddler on the Roof. “The music is fantastic and Tevye is one of the best characters I’ve seen. He’s the classic Everyman, and Fiddler also has a powerful social message.”

Former St. Albert resident Adam Blocka, who just completed a three-month engagement at Mayfield Dinner Theatre’s The Super Groovy 70s, is blocking the choreography.

In January 2010, Cantilon released its fifth CD, Bonny Wood Green. The 35-voice chamber choir recorded the 29-track disc with songs sung in six languages — Icelandic, Hungarian, Spanish, French, Latin and Italian.

“There’s quite a variety from an Irish arrangement of Bonny Wood Green, an arrangement of the hymn When It Was Yet Dark and an arrangement of Las Amarilla, a Mexican folk song.”

For additional information visit www.cantilonchoirs.ca.