The Cantabile Society will close its 2014-2015 in a celebratory style, featuring its first performance outside of Nova Scotia in a quarter century and a collaboration with a dynamic vocal ensemble from PEI! Our second annual Cantab-elation Celebration – Joyfully Making Music Together concert will feature the Cantabile Singers of Truro and self-directed women’s choral ensemble Sirens from PEI coming together in song for a weekend partnership on April 18 and 19, 2015, with a concert in Charlottetown on Saturday afternoon and a concert in Truro on Sunday afternoon (where they will be joined by our own Cantabile Boys’ Choir)!

On Saturday, April 18, 3:00 p.m. at Park Royal United Church (11 Christie Drive, Charlottetown, PEI) the Cantabile Singers from Truro, NS will join PEI’s own Sirens women’s choral ensemble for a concert Celebrating Making Music Together! Each ensemble will perform on their own and then will join forces to perform John Rutter’s Requiem. Tickets are $17 ($15 seniors/students), available at the door.

On Sunday, April 19, 3:00 p.m. at First United Church (711 Prince Street, Truro, NS) the Cantabile Singers and Cantabile Boys’ Choir (Chris Bowman, artistic director) will host PEI women’s choral ensemble Sirens for Cantab-elation Celebration – Joyfully Making Music Together! All three groups will offer a selection of music on their own and then combine their talents to perform John Rutter’s Requiem. Tickets are $17 general, $5 students, 12 and under free, available at MacQuarrie’s (Esplanade), from choir members, and at the door.

Now in its 33rd season, the Cantabile Society was formed in 1981 for the purpose of supporting the activities of the 50-voice community choir the Cantabile Singers of Truro. Since then, its activities have expanded to include the creation of the Cantabile Boys’ Choir, the Spotlight Musical Theatre program and the annual Choirs for Comfort program. The Cantabile Singers of Truro, the Society’s flagship program, provides eclectic concert programming for its audience in Truro and around the province. Succeeding previous directors Jeff Joudrey and Ross Thompson, Chris Bowman began working as Artistic Director of the Society in 2013. This season, the Cantabile Singers have presented a pops concert “On the Radio” featuring popular music from the 1950’s to present day, and an acclaimed performance of Handel’s Messiah featuring a spectacular line-up of soloists representing all of Atlantic Canada.

What a weekend we had!

After four months of preparation, we had the opportunity this weekend to share Songs of the Sea with two warm, receptive audiences. This was the first time that Sirens performed a concert program in two different communities, and we’re so glad that we did. Sirens is pleased with the outcome, and there are some individuals we just need to thank:

UPEI Music: Thank you to the supportive faculty, students and administration of UPEI. Several of us are alumni and students of the university, and it was very meaningful to perform at the institution that provided (and provides!) our education.

Trinity United Church, Summerside: Thank you to Andrew Richardson, administration, and congregation of Trinity United for hosting our first full-length performance in Summerside. Your church is beautiful and a pleasure to sing in.

Stephanie Cole: You are a pianist extraordinaire! Our accompanied pieces were a true collaboration between piano and ensemble, and you fit perfectly within our sound. Thank you!

Alana Reddin: You captured the visual of our program perfectly. Thank you for once again designing our promotional materials!

Nova Scotia Choral Federation: Thank you for the loan of scores used in Songs of the Sea.

Our Audiences: What would a concert be without an audience? Many thanks to all who attended in both Charlottetown and Summerside – you make all the hard work worth it!

Today, we’re still feeling the concert high, but also a bit of relief after such a busy rehearsal/performance period. We’ll be taking a couple of weeks off before we start preparing for our spring 2015 concerts, L.O.V.E.