"You never know what you're going to get..." Camerata Nova is a vocal group without fear, performing medieval, Renaissance, Aboriginal and contemporary music. Often singing a cappella, the group also enjoys accompaniment from didgeridoos, crystal bowls, strings, all kinds of percussion, and/or early instruments. Since 1996, they continue to push the envelope, offering authentic early music performances, premieres of Manitoba compositions and an eclectic array in between. Camerata Nova has issued three CDs: Camerata Nova, Mystica and Nova Noel, and a DVD Wa Wa Tey Wak (Northern Lights). Camerata Nova is led by a trio of extraordinary individuals: Artistic Director and Resident Composer Andrew Balfour, Early Music Curator and Conductor Ross Brownlee and Co-Curator and Conductor Mel Braun.
To offer audiences an alternative musical experience by performing early and contemporary music, pushing the envelope of the classical experience through innovation in scores, sounds and spaces.
To become nationally recognized as a unique, experimental vocal group that is able to perform early music in either traditional or innovative forms and whose original contemporary music expresses the reality of life in our urban Prairie/Aboriginal culture.
Andrew Balfour is the founder, conceptual creator and Artistic Director of Camerata Nova. In addition to extensive choral experience (singing, directing, coaching and clinician work with a range of choirs in Manitoba), Andrew has become a serious composer and arranger. He also specializes in creating "concept concerts" (Wa Wa Tey Wak, Medieval Inuit, Falls the Shadow) for Camerata Nova, where a theme is explored through an eclectic choice of music, including new works written for the performance, and innovative inter-genre and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Of Cree descent, Andrew started writing his own compositions in 1998. Since then, he has written a body of choral, instrumental and orchestral work, including Gregorio's Nightmare, Raven Can Tango, Wa Wa Tey Wak (Northern Lights), Fantasia on a Poem by Rumi, Missa Brevis, Medieval Inuit, Kihewetaniy (Eagle Feather), and Voice of the Lake. Many of Andrew's works have been performed and/or broadcast locally, nationally and internationally. As well, several are featured on Camerata Nova recordings. In 2010, two new orchestral works by Andrew are being premiered: Manitou Sky was performed by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) in June and Oscana will be performed by the Regina Symphony Orchestra in September with Andrew conducting.
Andrew has been involved extensively in editing and arranging music for 20 years. Since Camerata Nova's inception in 1996, he has specialized in arrangements of medieval, Renaissance, early Baroque and Byzantine choral music. Andrew has also produced many experimental arrangements using unusual instruments in conjunction with voice. Camerata Nova is proud to possess a unique choral library, of which many pieces are Balfour arrangements.
Andrew was Curator of the first Indigenous Festival sponsored by the WSO in 2009 and Composer-in-Residence of the same Indigenous Festival in 2010. He also does extensive music education work in Winnipeg schools, primarily as part of the WSO outreach program.
In 2007, Andrew received the Mayor of Winnipeg's Making a Mark Award, sponsored by the Winnipeg Arts Council to recognize the most promising midcareer artist in the city.
Baritone Mel Braun is a versatile singer, equally at home on the concert or opera stage. He is well known to Canadian audiences for his many early music performances and broadcasts with Tafelmusik and Opera Atelier. In the field of new music, he has premiered numerous works with the Banff Centre, Groundswell, Chamber Opera West, and Manitoba Opera. He has appeared throughout Canada in the Masterworks of Bach and Handel and continues to maintain a busy recital schedule as a member of the Emerado quartet. Performances this season include a Bach Cantata project with the Winnipeg Bach Soloists, a Three-Baritones Concert, a recital tour of the Maritimes, a Monteverdi project with Emerado, and a new music concert with Groundswell.
Mel teaches voice and works with opera ensembles at the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music, University of Manitoba, where he is Head of the Voice Department. His many initiatives there include the annual Opera Apprentice School Tour and the Contemporary Opera Lab, a three-week summer training course which brings together faculty and students from all across North America in the exploration of new opera.
As a conductor, Mel spent 4 years as Co-Artistic Director of the Winnipeg Singers. He currently works with the Cantata Singers at the Faculty of Music and has guest-conducted the Manitoba Youth Choir, the CBC Easter Festival Chorus, the CMU Vespers Choir, and now Camerata Nova. One of his favourite choral activities is playing piano for the Junior Choir at Sargent Avenue Mennonite Church.
Ross Brownlee, countertenor, began his musical training as a singer at the age of six with Donald Hadfield, in the All Saints' Men and Boys' Choir. Having found that music was one of the greatest joys of life, Ross continued his studies in Trombone Performance, graduating from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor in Music Performance.
After a few years of freelance work in Winnipeg, his great Early Music adventure began unfolding at McGill University in Montréal. Douglas Kirk, Ross' friend and mentor, snatched him from his orchestral pursuits and put a sackbut (the precursor of the modern trombone) in his hands! He played with the McGill Noyse, with members of the Boston Shawm and Sackbut Ensemble and with members of the Amherst International Early Music Festival, where he is now on faculty for the summer music workshop.
Ross hopes to introduce the haunting and beautiful sounds of the sackbut and cornetto to enthusiastic Winnipeg audiences. Ross is currently teaching instrumental music at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate whilst madly renovating his old and needy home.
Karine Beaudette, studied violin, piano and voice, the latter two under the guidance of Sr. Patricia Doyle, with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She also sang with the local school and church choirs. She frequently performed as a soloist at weddings and other events in her hometown of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Manitoba, and, following her graduation, in Winnipeg and other Manitoba towns.
Throughout her university years, Karine was always part of a choir, such as the Chœur de l'Université Laval and the Calixa-Lavallée Choir, conducted by Laurence Ewashko, at the University of Ottawa, as well as Les Blés au Vent in Winnipeg. While in Quebec City, she studied with one of the university's leading voice teachers, Sylvia Saurette. Back in Manitoba, she joined the group Musica sacra et profana (directed by Chris Oelkers) for its second and final year of performance.
She joined Camerata Nova in March of 2000. Besides singing, she accomplishes several others functions for the group. In "real" life, she is a French editor with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Rebecca Hill, soprano, recently completed a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in education at Canadian Mennonite University. She is a vocal student of Rosemarie van der Hooft, and was also under the tutelage of Richard Greig for a number of years.
During her time at CMU, Rebecca had the opportunity to perform as the soprano soloist in the Mennonite Community Orchestra's A Baroque Extravaganza. She also served as the Assistant Conductor to Dr. Janet Brenneman with the CMU Singers and, in 2011, was awarded the Bert Kroecker Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding potential in a future choral music educator.
Although she has completed her degree, music still remains an integral part of her life. Beyond Camerata Nova, Rebecca will also be performing with the Mennonite Festival Chorus, and continuing to teach music lessons to a number of voice and piano students. She is currently working towards a Bachelor of Education at the University of Winnipeg. She hopes to teach music and math to middle school students. Rebecca is also a singer-songwriter and performs with the indie-pop group The Burning Kettles.
This is Rebecca's first year singing with Camerata Nova and she is very excited to be working with such a creative and skilled group of musicians.
Melodie Langevin, soprano, graduated in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Manitoba's Marcel A Desautels Faculty of Music. Known for her versatility and clear, bell-like timbre, Melodie came from Alberta to Winnipeg to pursue vocal performance but quickly recognized her blossoming love for choral music instead. This love took seed early in her youth while she attended summer choir camps and she later went on to sing with the Tokiwagi Gakuen choir in Japan during a youth exchange program in Sendai City, the Victoria School Jazz Choir and small ensembles in Edmonton, U of M Masters students' choirs, vocal jazz quartets, the University of Manitoba Singers, and of course, Camerata Nova.
With a BMus now under her belt, Melodie is currently working toward a Bachelor of Education degree and she plans to attain a Masters in Choral Conducting in the future. In July 2012, Melodie created, designed, and directed a week-long workshop that she called "The Vocal Point Choir Workshop" in her hometown Boyle, Alberta. It was an overwhelming success and she has been asked to continue and lengthen the workshop in the years to come.
Melodie hopes to develop her conducting skills this year while continuing to sing in the most innovative, enthusiastic ensemble in Winnipeg!
While primarily a pianist, has considerable choral experience—on both sides of the podium—and as rehearsal pianist. As a pianist, Michael has played for Smith's Cove Baptist, St. Andrew's United, and First Presbyterian; as well as the University Chorus and Vocal Ensemble of Acadia University.
As a Music Director, Michael has led the choirs of Gordon Providence United, St. Andrew's United, and presently First Presbyterian; he was also the resident Musical Director for the Ancient Comic Opera Company in Toronto, as well as directing the music for several theatre productions in Toronto and at Acadia University.
Finally, as a singer, Michael has worked with the University Chorus, Vocal Ensemble, and Chapel Choir at Acadia University; Willowdale United and Wolfville Baptist churches (as a section lead); the Ancient Comic Opera Company in their hit Toronto show Clouds (as "pinch hitter" for most of the male chorus roles); and, more recently, Winnipeg Singers and Camerata Nova.
Thomas began singing at the age of 6 in the All Saints' Men & Boys choir and continued at St. George's Anglican until the age of 12. During these years he took part as a chorister in productions such as La Boheme, La Tosca, and Hansel & Gretel. Attending Westgate Mennonite Collegiate starting in grade 7, Thomas took part in choir classes which were mandatory, but upon entering high school his passion for choral music became one he could no longer ignore. He excelled as a bass/low baritone in Westgate's concert choir, school chorus and vocal jazz groups.
After graduation, and three years of reflection on his future, he eventually enrolled in the School of Music at the University of Manitoba. Since then, Thomas has continued his endeavours in choral music as part of the University of Manitoba Singers, singing in J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio¸ Handel's Messiah and Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms and Orff's Carmina Burana. In the spring/summer of 2011, he participated in a tour of Europe with the U of M Singers, including stops in Sweden and Finland.
More recently, Thomas has enjoyed performing with Camerata Nova, including a performance with the WSO of Wa Wa Tey Wak. He is also an accomplished classical guitarist, a passion which he puts to good use at the U of M and which he hopes to turn into a degree in performance or education one day.
Victoria is in her third year of a Vocal Performance degree at the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba, studying with Mel Braun. She currently sings in the University of Manitoba Singers, under the direction of Elroy Friesen, and this past spring she had the privilege of travelling to Ottawa to join the 2012 National Youth Choir, under the direction of Ivars Taurins of Tafelmusik.
After graduation, Victoria hopes to continue performing in Canada. In addition to her classical interests, she is an avid student of jazz and improvisation, and enjoys taking the bandstand whenever she can.
Angela attended Canadian Mennonite Bible College from 1983-1986, where she worked on her Bachelor of Church Music. She studied voice for one year with Jane Friesen, and then spent the next two years under the tutorship of Henrietta Cornies-Schellenberg. She was a member of a number of choirs during her time at CMBC, all under the direction of George Wiebe.
From 1988 to 1992, Angela attended the Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba, in the integrated Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education program. During that time, she studied voice with Mel Braun, and was a member of the University Singers, led by Henry Engbrecht. During her university years, Angela was also employed by Holy Trinity Anglican Church as a paid soloist, receiving the Church's Ronald Gibson Scholarship for three years. After university, she continued her work with the church as a musician, choir member, and co-director of the Junior Choir with Beverly De'Athe.
From 1994-1996, Angela lived and worked in Japan. She taught primarily English as a Second Language, but also started an English choir with her Japanese students. Since returning from Japan, Angela has been employed as an elementary music teacher. She has been singing with Camerata Nova since 1998.
Daniel was born in Winnipeg but grew up in Calgary and Vancouver. In Vancouver he studied vocal performance and sang with Chor Leone and the Sacred Harp Men's Ensemble. He has lived and studied music in Winnipeg for the last fourteen years and has had the opportunity to sing with various excellent choirs including the Winnipeg Singers, Renaissance Voices, Apogee (a vocal jazz ensemble), the Canadian Chamber Choir, the National Youth Choir, Antiphony, and of course Camerata Nova. This is Dan's second stint as a chorister with Camerata Nova as he was fortunate enough to sing two seasons with them at an earlier time. He is very excited to be back with the group.
Elle Salvalaggio, soprano, is from Edmonton, Alberta. She has recently graduated with a vocal performance degree from the University of Manitoba, where she studied under the direction of Tracy Dahl and Monica Huiseman. She has been a member of U of M's University Singers, which travelled to Sweden and Finland a few years ago to participate in a world choir festival. Elle is a past member of the university's opera theatre ensemble and of the musical theatre ensemble. She also currently performs with the Winnipeg Singers.
Elle plans on doing further studies in the early music field with a focus on musicology and performance, and has participated in the Amherst International Early Music Festival. Elle has found her passion in music specifically from the Renaissance into early Baroque and is thrilled to be a part of an ensemble who performs this music. This is Elle's second year in Camerata Nova.
Michael Schellenberg, tenor, is pursuing a Bachelor of Music at the University of Manitoba, studying voice under Robert MacLaren. He has been involved in music all of his life, beginning with piano lessons at the age of five, and learning to play violin and trumpet before finally settling into the choral program in high school and university. He has traveled to Great Britain with the Providence College Singers and to South America and Scandinavia with the University of Manitoba Singers. Playing the role of Frederic in the Pirates of Penzance in grade ten, singing in the Rachmaninoff Vespers with the Winnipeg Singers at the age of 18, and participating in the I Believe oratorio composed by Zane Zalis have been valuable learning opportunities for him.
Michael sees joining Camerata Nova as an opportunity to grow musically with the support and mentorship of more experienced singers. He enjoys Camerata Nova's musical style, including the eclectic mix of sounds, original compositions and counterpoint, and hopes that this experience will inspire his own compositions and arrangements.
Michael also currently sings with the Winnipeg Singers as well as with the Cantata Singers of the University of Manitoba.
Alan has been singing in choirs for as long as he can remember. Growing up in the Mennonite Church exposed him to polyphonic singing from an early age and he progressed through his school years singing in a succession of choirs. Four years at Westgate Mennonite College saw him singing with John Harder and Gary Froese in the concert choir and participating in choir tours and school musicals.
In university, Al sang with the CMBC Singers under the direction of George Wiebe and John Poettker. He also studied voice with Henrietta Schellenberg. In Waterloo, Ontario, Al sang with the Conrad Grebel Singers under the direction of Leonard Ens.
Since his undergraduate degree, Al has spent time singing with the Mennonite Oratorio Choir, the Mennonite Festival Chorus and, for the last 8 years, in Ecco under the direction of Marge Koop. Al has also sung under the direction of Rudy Schellenberg, Bill Baerg, Robert Shaw, Bramwell Tovey, Kazuhiro Koizomi and Andrei Borgko.
More recently, Al has become known for his overtone singing, thanks in no small part to his association with Camerata Nova. He has sung overtones for Camerata Nova for the last 5 years and has appeared on their two CDs. Al has also recently appeared on Paris to Kyiv's CD entitled Fragmenti as an overtone singer, as well as on Winnipeg's bluegrass/gospel group House of Doc's first recording, entitled Sacred Blue where he sang second bass in the men's southern gospel number "Oh Lord".
Michael is a man of many passions. It all began when he was 9 years old. It was then that he was able to join the junior choir of St. James' Anglican Church, under the direction of Dr. John Tanner. There, he was exposed to a wide variety of choral music, performing solos in Allegri's Miserere, and Bach's Saint Matthew's Passion. He also attended two summer sessions of the Toronto Diocesan Choir School. There he was privileged to work with the likes of Giles Bryant and Syd Birrell.
Michael participated in the Winnipeg Music Festival, and sang in operas Turandot and Tosca with the boys' chorus, under Stewart Thomson. In 1981, he joined All Saints' Anglican Men and Boys' Choir, directed by Donald Hadfield. There, he received intensive musical training. With All Saints', Michael also sang in the Winnipeg Music Festival and toured extensively in England. It was the England tours that had the strongest influence on Michael's interest in early music.
During the course of his studies, Michael dabbled in musical theatre and studied the trumpet. He later joined the Naval Reserve unit HMCS Chippawa, where he was a bandsman for 7 years, attaining the rank of Master Seaman. While attending the University of Manitoba School of Music, Michael sang with the University Singers, under Henry Engbrecht. In 1995 a passion for early music led Michael to be a founding member of the ensemble Camerata Nova. Michael is also a member of the Winnipeg Singers which he has been a part of since 2006. Along with all of that, he finds the time to be the president/manager of the Winnipeg Boys' Choir. Mike's son Matthew is currently a member of the choir just as his dad was 34 years ago.
Michael's other passion is playing the didgerydu. He is Canada's only orchestral didgerydu player, performing Sula by Helena Tulve with the WSO under Andrey Boreyko in 2006. In 2010, Michael was invited to play with the Regina Symphony for the premier performance of Andrew Balfour's Oscana. Camerata Nova often employs Michael to play at concerts, as well as in recordings. In 2010 Michael was recorded by CBC Radio (Concerts on Demand), playing with celebrated Inuit throat singers Madeleine Allakariallak and Sylvie Cloutier in Balfour's Medieval Inuit. He enjoys the blending together of his two favorite musical things… didgerydu and choral music.
Mike's ideal musical experience is a 'Ner' (overtoning) under the stars, around a roaring fire, with friends, family and the love of his life. Mmmmmurrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Paul is living his first year in Winnipeg, having recently moved from Victoria, BC to study with Mel Braun in the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba. There, he is a second-year voice student, and a member of the University Singers. He hopes to pursue a degree in Vocal Performance, and a career as a professional singer. He is excited about his first season with Camerata Nova, and looks forward to discovering their diverse and original repertoire.
Paul's first choir was in his Elementary school in Victoria. He sang for a couple years with the Victoria Children's choir under Madeleine Humer until his voice changed and he had to find a new choir. He joined the choir at Oak Bay High School, and at age 16 was encouraged to begin voice lessons with Mezzo-Soprano Rebecca Hass. In 2008 he joined the Pacific Opera Victoria Chorus, performing in 11 productions over 4 seasons, and working with conductors Timothy Vernon and Giuseppe Pietraroia.
In 2009 he began his studies with sopranos Ingrid Attrot and Nancy Argenta at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where he eventually received a Diploma in Music. In 2011 he joined the Victoria chamber choir Vox Humana, directed by Brian Wismath, and began working with Fran Pollet as a choral scholar at First Metropolitan United. His more recent solo work includes the bass soloist in Handel's Messiah with Via Choralis, Haydn's Missa Sancti Nicolai with the VCM Chorale and Festival Orchestra, and Gounod's Messe Solennelle de St Cecilia with the Victoria Summer Choir.
By: Gwenda Nemerofsky
IF the possibility of time travel has ever appealed to you, you're in luck. On Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, at Westminster United Church, Camerata Nova will take a step back in history with a full-length production of Claudio Monteverdi's 1610 magnum opus, Vespers for the Blessed Virgin.
The tongue-in-cheek concert name is The Full Monte, telling us something immediately about this musical organization. These are serious musicians who don't take themselves too seriously. They're having fun -- and this is passed along to their loyal audience.
"We did portions of it a few seasons ago," conductor Ross Brownlee says of the 90-minute work. "It is so powerful. Whenever I need a life reset, I listen to the Vespers. But it takes enormous resources. It is intricate, with passionate solo work."
Rehearsals began just over a month ago. Brownlee, a music teacher at Westgate Collegiate, is holding 10 rehearsals with the singers, the last of which will be with the 14-piece orchestra. "This is the biggest undertaking I've ever done," he says. "There is lots of rehearsal planning..."
He feels all the preparation will be worth it. "It's extremely accessible," he explains. "It's tonal, very rhythmic and there is an enormous amount of excitement. There's a vast amount of colour because of the instruments and some of the vocal solos and duets are the most passionate you'll ever hear."
Generally believed to have been composed for the wedding celebrations of the Duke of Mantua's son, Prince Francesco, and his bride, Margherita of Savoy, Vespers is a revolutionary setting of the five psalms, hymns and Magnificat that make up a Roman Catholic Vespers service. Monteverdi also included four motets for various numbers of voices, based primarily on love poetry from the Song of Solomon.
Solo parts abound, with a number of Camerata Nova choir members performing substantial parts. There are six additional soloists: soprano Maria Luz Alvarez, bass Derek Morphy and the members of the Encore Quartet -- soprano Marni Enns, mezzo Kirsten Schellenberg, tenor Doug Pankratz and bass Kris Kornelsen.
The orchestra is not your usual collection of standard instruments. The five-piece string section -- violinists Claudine St-Arnauld and Rachel Moody, violist Anne Elise Lavallée, cellist Leanne Zacharias and bass Meredith Johnson -- will all use gut strings to reproduce as authentic a sound as possible.
Camerata Nova singer Michael McKay will provide organ continuo on a portative organ and Phil Rukavina will play lute and theorbo, an oversized Italian-developed lute.
Alexandra Opsahl, Matthew Jennejohn and Douglas Kirk will play cornetti, curved wooden pipes prized for their ability to complement the human voice. "They do a magnificent tightrope walk," said Brownlee. "It's delicate and magical."
On sackbut, a predecessor of the modern trombone, will be WSO principal trombonist Steve Dyer and Peter Christensen. Trevor Dix will play bass sackbut.
Brownlee says there will be "surround sound" effects, with musicians and singers situated throughout the church.
"There are duels between the strings and cornetti," he said. "And live improvisation... One group will do a decoration and the other will try to top it."
What gives a work written in 1610 the relevance to grab listeners in 2013? "Each movement is so different; there is no sense of boredom," said Brownlee. "It goes from theatrical to driving to passionate... And it's such a big enterprise that it won't be back again soon. This is a landmark."
There are 30-minute pre-show talks at 7:15 p.m. Saturday and 2:15 p.m. Sunday, with the concerts starting at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively.
Tickets are $28/adults, $23/seniors and $12 for students, available at 204-918-4547, at www.cameratanova.com, McNally Robinson and at the door.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 27, 2013 D3
From the Middle Ages to Manitoba, Camerata Nova
Friday, May 11, 2012 at Convocation Hall, University of Winnipeg
Review by Monica Hultin, Winnipeg Early Music Society Newsletter, May 2012
We attended the concert on Friday, May 11.
Co-presented by Virtuosi Concerts, this performance did not take place in Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall as most Virtuosi concerts, but in the Convocation Hall of Wesley College at University of Winnipeg. For Camerata Nova, this was an excellent site, having both excellent acoustics and lovely ambience. It also allowed for ease in staging, with some pieces performed from the balcony, most from the front and the antiphonal encore performed with the choir arrayed along the two sides of the hall.
The concert presented pilgrim pieces from the Middles Ages to present day Manitoba. The medieval offerings included pieces from the Llibre Vermell, a collection of pilgrim songs from the Monastery of Montserrat in Spain. This included Stella Splendens, a piece familiar to WEMS members who sing with This Merrie Companie. In this case, it was sung to a lively dancelike tempo. Angela Neufeld began, lightly singing the chorus with Dan Peasgood do-dooing the second line, followed by the whole group joining in, accompanied by percussion, santur and harp. I marvel how well Angela Neufeld's alto blends with Dan Peasgood's countertenor; they may be singing in the same range but individually have different sounding voices. From the same collection, the round O Virgo Splendens was sung from the balcony by the three sopranos, Maria Luz Alvarez, Melodie Langevin and Elle Salvaggio. Two simple pieces, Laudemus Virginum and Splendens ceptigera were presented, then sung as rounds, and eventually superimposed upon each other. Finishing off music from the collection, Cuncti simus concanentes was very lively and dancelike, (for a hint of how this piece sounds, check the pre-concert video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8D4Wxdc4sI. Many of the different singers were featured on separate lines, effectively using their different tones. Perhaps this was to represent the different pilgrims one may find on the journey? Interjected among the devotional pieces was a devotion to a decidedly secular version of love. Michael McKay sang Tempus est Jocundum from Carmina Burana with great expression, accompanying himself on harp.
The Renaissance pieces included music by Gombert. Of note was the Magnificat tertii et octavi toni, in which each section started with a chant sung by Andrew Balfour, then followed by the men's voices and then ever larger ensembles from trios to the full group, terracing up to a glorious end.
Bridging between Renaissance and Baroque was Allegri's Miserere mei, Deus, with the quartet solo in the balcony, all the better for the soaring soprano of Elle Salvaggio. The Baroque pieces included the string playing of Claudine St-Arnauld, Rachel Moody, violins, Anne-Élise Lavalée, viola and Yuri Hooker, cello plus Michael McKay on keyboard. The first of these pieces, Antonio Scarlatti's Lamentatione per il Mercadi Santo, was expertly handled by guest soprano Maria Luz Alvarez. Dramatic and powerful, Ms. Alvarez held the audience's attention throughout the many sections of the piece. As well as this piece, Ms. Alvarez' choices of solo pieces included the concert opener Ay trista vida corporal - a chant from El Misterio del Elche - a 14th century song for the street procession of Corpus Christi, and Ay amargas soledades, a 17th century plaintive lament presented by Ms. Alvarez and accompanied by Yuri Hooker on cello. I appreciate Ms. Alvarez introducing us to these wonderful Spanish pieces, which we may not be so familiar with in Winnipeg.
Finally the two concerts included two Manitoba Offerings, O Fortuna by Andrew Balfour, and a slightly truncated version of Kenneth Nichols' Music for Pilgrims and Penitents, reflecting on the stations of the cross and written in memory of the 14 woman killed in the Montreal Massacre. Although I had heard this piece when it premiered years ago, this evening I found it particularly affecting.
In conclusion, this was a perfectly executed, excellent concert. Each piece of the program held one's attention, the flow of pieces worked well, including juxtaposing pieces from different periods, and full groups with small ensembles. We were treated to many different singers featured in solos and small ensembles. I really had a problem even deciding which pieces to comment on for this review, they were all so well done. Congratulations Camerata Nova and co-sponsors Virtuosi for a great performance!
Camerata Nova took its loyal choral fans to all ends of the earth Sunday afternoon, as its second season offering Directions: A Day in the Life of Mother Earth explored the "meaning and magic" of the four directions.
The eclectic program included four sets of music inspired by traditional cultures' interpretation of east, north, west and south. Each section, in turn, began with an Anishinabe song performed by local Aboriginal singer/drummer Corey Campbell that underscored the program with sacred reverence.
Holding the concert in the Circle of Life Thunderbird House -- a CN concert first -- only added to the experience that began with a traditional smudge ceremony invoking gathering spirits.
Now in its 14th year, CN is known for innovative programming spearheaded by founding artistic director Andrew Balfour. This concert proved no different with the 14-voice ensemble led by Mel Braun shifting position throughout the two-hour show, facing the direction corresponding to each set. While playing havoc with sight lines -- not to mention diction -- this novel concept nevertheless showed the organization's care paid to creating a unique concert experience for its listeners.
The world premiere of Balfour's Omnia Sol Temperat (East) is a meditative reflection on worship of the sun, based on medieval text used in the Carmina Burana. The modal work displayed Balfour's ear for close harmonies with guest string quartet: Claudine St-Arnauld (violin); Rachel Moody (violin); Anne Elise Lavallée (viola); and Blair Burns (cello) seamlessly interwoven throughout while adding its own sonic texture.
Also from the east set, Minnesota-based composer Catherine Dalton's From the State of Emptiness evokes haunting Tibetan chant including otherworldly, whistling vocal overtones led by chorister Alan Schroeder.
Ave Maria (West) by New-Brunswick's James Fogarty is an arresting a cappella work that steadily grows in intensity as its melody derives from densely scored harmonies.
Minnesotan composer Abbie Betinis' Spell of the Elements (West) intrigued with its incorporation of spoken text, foot stomps, and extended vocal techniques creating naturalistic colours.
The program ended with Winnipeg-based musician Richard Moody's Maya (South) based on his own text and first performed by CN in 2008. Described as "a poetic, humorous look at the birth and death of the universe," Moody's re-scoring of the work for choir and string quartet unfolded as a lilting, melodic excursion to the cosmos before finally bringing this unusual concert full circle.
Directions
Camerata Nova
Circle of Life Thunderbird House
April 3 attendance: 280
four out of five stars
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 4, 2011 D3
Review by Gwenda Nemerofsky, Winnipeg Free Press
Andrew Balfour, artistic director of Camerata Nova is a wise man. At the acapella vocal ensemble's concert Saturday night, he said, "It is impossible to describe music in mere words. You need to experience it."
And an experience is exactly what Camerata Nova gave their audience.
It started with the venue. Etienne Gaboury's magnificent creation, Église Precieux-Sang is enough to take your breath away. The all-wood interior and circular seating of the spiralling teepee structure is warm and welcoming.
The program included traditional Inuit songs, Icelandic, Estonian and Finnish works, sung, throat sung and accompanied by didgeridoo, percussion and viola. We sat enthralled, never knowing what would happen next.
We knew we were in for something different when Inuit performer Madeleine Allakariallak translated board chair Sandi Mielitz's introductory comments into Inuktitut.
Icelandic chant Almáttugur guo, allra stétta, was mournful and full of difficult dissonant intervals handled with ease by sopranos and altos. The men's long resonant drones rumbled through the church, but while conductor Mel Braun directed the proceedings, the difficult text kept singers' eyes focused firmly on their music stands.
Braun's expansive movements reaped rewards in Iceland, Land of Happiness, as ensemble members sang with smiling voices, making this optimistic folk song especially lovely.
Allakariallak stepped forward with fellow Inuk singer Sylvia Cloutier and facing each other at close range, microphones in hand, performed rhythmic throat singing. Allakariallak sang much of the time, while Cloutier did metered breathing. This visceral performance was totally arresting. We even found ourselves breathing along with them.
Arnalukakuluk featured Allakariallak and Cloutier using a variety of throat singing techniques. Some sounded like hyperventilating, while others were a little spooky. Allakariallak sang with fierce determination, gesticulating strongly.
With Joy We Go Dancing, a more traditional work by Finnish composer Rautavaara, was restful, offering an opportunity to hear the sopranos' finely crafted notes. There are fine voices here. The men chimed in with rich phrasing, Braun maintaining flow and balance.
Throughout the evening, Frederick Ford projected historical photographs taken by his explorer grandfather on a huge screen. These Arctic images added context and authenticity.
The second half of the program was devoted entirely to Balfour's suite of eight songs, Medieval Inuit.
Full of sounds of the North, it was a stark and atmospheric portrait of a harsh land populated by a strong people and their first encounters with early explorers.
Huge black flags were waved vigorously, sounding like sails whipping in the wind. Singers made bird-like calls and Alain Guilmette drummed thunderously.
Violist Anne-Élise Lavallée's vibrant, rich tone was the perfect choice for the grieving, introspective interludes and, when accompanied by wind talking, was truly mesmerizing.
Allakariak sang with glowing strength and spirit in Singing the Story, her arms moving like wings. Cloutier's drum seemed to float in her hand.
And while programming this as the opener, when many of the novel elements were as yet unheard might have created more of a stir, the crowd loved it and gave Medieval Inuit an enthusiastic standing ovation.
Anyone who has lain awake at night counting endless sheep would have understood Camerata Nova's latest concert, Falls the Shadow. Saturday night's eclectic program explored the cracks between hazy dream states and the waking world - where "magical states of consciousness are open to the unconsciousness" and anything can happen. The intriguing show was conceived by CN's artistic director/conductor/composer Andrew Balfour, who led the 13-voice choral ensemble during the 90-minute concert, including three world premieres of his own compositions.
Inspired by T.S. Eliot's haunting poem, The Hollow Men, the multimedia production also featured choreography by Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers artistic director Brent Lott, performed by WCD company dancers: Kristin Haight, Lise McMillan, Johanna Riley and Sarah Roche (with understudies Christie Martens and Alison Pethrick), as well as Dean Cowieson's shadowy lighting design. Guest percussionists: Derek Elaschuk, Phoebe Man, Mark Paxton-MacRae and Michel Loiselle on hurdy-gurdy added a strong ritualistic flavour.
The two weekend shows were performed in the grand rotunda of The Aboriginal Centre, with its glorious acoustics ideally suited for the (mostly) a cappella program.
Balfour's Between the Conception sets a verse of T.S. Eliot's text with syncopated hockets and vocalizations, creating an unusual, lighter treatment for the bleak poetry. His ambitious Gregorio's Nightmare displayed his flair for drama, with brave soprano soloist Karine Beaudette literally falling backwards from her perch into the waiting arms of six dancers.
The venue's sight lines proved to be a challenge, with the dancers often seeming to disappear on their low stage. More integration between the artists - such as during Gustav Holst's gorgeous I Love My Love where Roche wove amongst the singers like a ghostly figure - would also have created a more satisfying experience, as would have a better, stereophonic use of the richly resonant space.
We did have a taste of this with Saint-Saëns' Calme des nuits with the choir divided into halves, as well as during O Virgo splendens, where the choristers sang from the aisles, enveloping the crowd of 325 in sonic pleasure.
The evening's most dramatic moment came during Balfour's third work of the program Raven Can Tango. Near the end of the hypnotic work, Paxton-MacRae and Man suddenly broke free of the band to swing oversized black flags overhead, creating the soul-stirring sound of flapping wings that became a leitmotif for the entire concert.
Despite a few inevitable bumps that come with any creative risk-taking venture, Balfour continues to prove that he is an important voice - and restless dreamer - in Winnipeg's rich artistic community, tirelessly seeking new ways to express wholly authentic music.
That is magic in itself.
And now for something completely different. Andrew Balfour and the a cappella group Camerata Nova took the plunge Thursday night with Off the Wall, a potpourri-style concert that could have sported the tag-line 'Just about anything goes.'
Bravely going where no one has gone before, Balfour, joined by guest artists Richard Moody, viola, Lianne Fournier, vocals, and arranger/conductor Dan Wiebe ventured into pop, rock, jazz, medieval and more in a multi-voice, multi-instrument extravaganza that had the audience riveted.
As with almost anything experimental, some things worked and some didn't Occasional exposed vocal lines lacked clarity and support, blend was a frequent issue and a few tunes meandered with questionable purpose, transcending into the chaotic. But the ones that worked did so in a big way, easily overshadowing the works/performances that need to go back to the drawing board.
The fun started with the unusual venue. The Park Theatre oozes kitschy charm, with its roomy seats and red-painted tabletops. Stars glittered on the walls and the stage boasted lava lamps, a sofa, easy chairs and a sheepskin rug.
The singers entered down the aisles, dressed in a mix of hippie garb and '70s funk. Colourful psychedelic images danced on a giant screen as drummers Derek Elaschuk and Mark Paxton-MacRae, hurdy-gurdy player Michel Loiselle and Michael Thompson on didgeridoo began a Balfour-arranged version of George Harrison's Within You, Without You.
By the time the singers joined in, there was so much going on, they seemed like an afterthought.
Will You Visit Me Dreaming Forward?, on the other hand, made much better use of this talented ensemble, employing an intriguing technique of swells and détaché notes. The first word of each line was heavily accented, and the ensemble's crisp diction made the text, also by Balfour, clear as a bell. It ended with a moving aboriginal cry.
Lianne Fournier's witty and irreverent Oh Zannah was a hit, combining Latin flavour with jazz for a lounge feel, slinky and silly. Poking fun at the traditional Latin text often sung by Camerata Nova, she mixed scat and nonsense with Latin for clever combinations like "sanctus fructus" and "omnibus deum." All this was done in her commanding and rich velvety voice with singers echoing.
Dan Wiebe used a Renaissance touch in his arrangement of the Mamas and Papas hit Dedicated to the One I Love. He is a sensitive conductor, using beautifully fluid motions.
The evening finished with a romp in the farmyard as bleating, clucking and moos accompanied the performance of Bovina sancta (Holy Cow) by Balfour. A little Mozart, a nasal waltz and other vocal effects you don't usually hear from this group had the audience in stitches. The cowbell at the end was the cat's meow.
This was a valiant departure from Camerata Nova's usual fare, which one nevertheless hopes will not be forsaken.
The second concert of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's New Music Festival, Rituals, interpreted the term loosely, often leaving solemnity aside, to the delight of an almost full house on Sunday.
What emerged was a thoroughly intriguing and embracing evening of new music that stimulated the senses.
First up was Ka Hia Manu, a traditional Polynesian song arranged by Stephen Hatfield. Members of Prairie Voices lined the front and sides of the church and walked on to the stage, men holding bamboo stocks and sceptres, women with flowers in their upturned palms. This versatile choir met the changing demands of the music – at times gentle, at others strong, almost yelling.
At one point they erupted into a tribal-like dance, complete with hoots, animal calls and swaying of hips.
Andrew Balfour's Fantasia on a Poem by Rumi featured Camerata Nova, his 14-voice a cappella ensemble and string quartet (Claudine St-Arnauld, Rachel Moody, Merrily Peters and Margaret Askeland). This was a musical exploration of the words of 12th-century Afghanistan-born poet Rumi on the idea of death and transformation.
The piece opened with the eerily magical notes of the crystal bowl. As the pristine voices of the singers entered, luxuriantly textured harmonies portrayed the emotional pulls between the finality of death and the spiritual peace it brings. Tension in the string parts acted as an underlying question, while the perfectly tuned voices alternated between plaintive and joyous. This is not a sombre look at death but a hopeful one.
Epitaph for Moonlight by R. Murray Schafer recalled a walk in the forest on a summer night. Prairie Voices and the University Singers delivered peeps of laughter, voices like the wind, whispers, solo voices followed by a myriad of echoes – a delightful sensory treat that hinted at the scent of pine needles.
Vancouver singer-songwriter Veda Hille provided what she called "palette cleansers" between choral works. Singing songs from her new CD to be released next month, her clean and simple delivery was refreshing in its unpretentiousness. Accompanying herself on the piano, she struck a stark contrast to the choirs, performing with unself-conscious abandon.
Sid Robinovitch's Noche de Lluvia (Rainy Night) was a sensual, swaying Spanish song. Pianist C. Kayler and the University Singers really got into this hot, yet gently civilized number.
Coming Soon.
Coming Soon.
