Willi Zwozdesky Confirmed for SMC 2014!

Saskatchewan Choral Federation is eager to welcome Willi Zwozdesky as this year’s feature choral clinician at Saskatchewan Music Conference occurring November 13 – 15, 2014 at the Saskatoon Inn! Not only will Willi direct the delegate choir, but he will also lead delegates through the Treble and Mixed voice reading sessions, as well as offer his insight and enthusiasm at two additional choral sessions.

Willi Zwozdesky is widely known for his work as an arranger and as the choral conductor of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus. An active choral clinician, adjudicator and volunteer, Willi also serves as the Executive Director of the British Columbia Choral Federation. Zwozdesky’s choral arrangements appear regularly in concert programs and recordings across Canada and abroad. His choral music has been performed by leading choirs, including the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Elektra Women’s Choir, the Seattle Men’s Chorus, Turtle Creek Chorale, MUSE – Cincinnati Women’s Choir, Pandora’s Vox, and Chor Leoni Men’s Choir.

Find out more here

One Week Left to Apply for SYC!

Don't miss your chance to apply for Saskatchewan Youth Choir!

Applications are due Friday, June 20, 2014
Audition materials are due Monday, June 23, 2014

Click here to find out more about Saskatchewan Youth Choir

Now Accepting 2014-2015 Mentorship Applications!

Are you an emerging choral conductor and wanting to develop your conducting skills?  Consider working with an established director under SCF's Mentorship Program.

Mentorships provide a unique opportunity for training emerging choral directors.  A mentorship project provides a disciplined and intensive period of development for an emerging choral director which, in other circumstances, might take years.  The mentor will communicate and educate in an informal, relationship-based adult learning experience utilizing the most useful method of communication for both the emerging choral director and the mentor.

The program allows emerging choral directors develop professional skills by mentoring with qualified experienced choral directors and provides accomplished choral directors with a professional medium to share and reward their expertise.  Find out more about the Mentorship Program here.

Conducting Fellowship Opportunity

Canadian Chamber Choir (CCC) seeks applicants for its Conducting Fellow Program for its September 2014 New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island tour

This outstanding opportunity offers conductors a unique platform to hone their skills while preparing and rehearsing challenging repertoire under the leadership of CCC Artistic Director Dr. Julia Davids. Conductors will benefit from immersion in a professional music-making environment while on tour with the CCC.

Application Details:
Please send the following (either by email/mp3 or post) to:
CCC Artistic Director: Dr. Julia Davids
5247 Cleveland Street, Skokie, IL  60077 USA  jdavids@me.com
·  Cover letter
·  Resumé/CV including contact information for 3 references
·  List of repertoire conducted in rehearsal and performance
·  One video recording of the conductor (front view) in rehearsal or performance
·  Application fee of $25

Application deadline: June 30th, 2014.
Successful applicant will be notified by July 15th, 2014.

Successful Applicant:
·  Conducting Fellow will conduct the Canadian Chamber Choir both in rehearsal and performance. Repertoire will be decided with the Artistic Director.
·  Conducting Fellow may have the opportunity to sing with the ensemble, if appropriate.
·  Conducting Fellow is responsible for all travel expenses getting to and from Nova Scotia.
·  Conducting Fellow is responsible for a $500 tuition fee (payable to the Canadian Chamber Choir).
·  The CCC will cover all expenses during the tour (travel, room, and board).

Says Davids: "...aspiring and working conductors have the chance to experiment in communicating their own musical ideas to an established professional ensemble, with the guidance of the CCC Artistic Director and the added benefit of feedback from the singers themselves."

My experience as the 2013 Conducting Fellow of the Canadian Chamber Choir was one of the most enriching musical experiences of my life. The choir's sense of collegiality is unlike any I've ever encountered, and is matched by their professionalism and prowess as an ensemble. Professor Davids provided the perfect balance between hands-on experience and expert instruction, and continues to be an encouraging mentor since my fellowship with the choir. All aspects of my musicianship were bettered by this experience.  - Kathleen Allan, 2013 Conducting Fellow

For more information about the CCC and the Conducting Fellowship, please visit www.canadianchamberchoir.ca.

Ninth Annual Chant Workshop

EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS JULY 1!

Friday, August 22-Saturday, August 23, the Gregorian Institute of Canada will host its Ninth Annual Chant Workshop at St. Mary's Anglican Church and Holy Rosary Cathedral in Regina. Chant is one of the oldest surviving forms of choral music. In addition to being incredibly beautiful, chant has influenced the entire history of western music -- from compositions by Bach to Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Bruckner, and Stravinsky, to name only a few.

In two full days of workshops, participants will learn chant notation, ancient chant melodies, as well as sing chant-inspired choral music by Palestrina and others. The guest workshop leader is one of North America's chant experts, Alison Altstatt from the University of Northern Iowa. Each evening ends by putting chant into its original context -- a chanted service (Compline) that demonstrates how the great composers of the western tradition would have first encountered chant.  The sung service of Compline has been sung for more than a thousand years, usually by candlelight, as a way of peacefully ending the day and preparing for sleep.

For more information or to register, go to www.gregorian.ca.

"Shake Up Your Summer" With SK Express' Premiere Performance!

Upcoming Concert!

Open Show with Harmony 2 Go!

Saturday, June 7th at 5:30 p.m. 

St. James United Church, 

4506 Sherwood Drive, Regina

No charge

The show is the culmination of our coaching session with Diane Taylor to introduce our New Orleans contest songs.