Guelph Chamber Choir and the GCVI Chamber Choir Contemplate Five Days that Changed the World and Others

Dr. Charlene Pauls, the new Artistic Director and Conductor of the Guelph Chamber Choir, is pleased to present our first 2019/2020 series concert. In a world that seems to highlight so much of what is negative about the human spirit, we are presenting a concert that focuses on music that brings people together. The cornerstone of our program is British composer Bob Chilcott's Five Days that Changed the World which, along with other works, will be performed at our afternoon concert on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 3:00 pm at Harcourt Memorial United Church.

Joining the choir are the inspiring and talented young voices of the GCVI Chamber Choir who, under the direction of Lane Osborne, have enjoyed six consecutive invitations to Musicfest Nationals as well as local and international festivals. Our own Alison MacNeill will be featured on piano and Dr. Richard Moore will bring his mastery of rhythm on a variety of percussion instruments to delight both ear and eye.

Our title piece, Bob Chilcott's Five Days that Changed the World, highlights five moments that connected and advanced humanity: the invention of printing, the abolition of slavery, the first powered flight, the discovery of penicillin, and the first human in space. The music is wonderfully varied, with threads of humour, poignancy, and wonder woven throughout the various movements. Conductor Charlene Pauls notes, "We are in a time where there is an increased urge to be more united. We hear so much about the problems in our world, but there have always been those who have made an impact through positive change, who have created innovations to improve society, and who have made the world a better place." This piece celebrates five events that have been instrumental in positive change.

Other works that celebrate connections between us include Winnipeg composer Andrew Balfour's welcoming song Ambe (sung in Ojibway), American composer Joan Szymko's It Takes A Village, French composer Maurice Duruflé's beautifully introspective Ubi Caritas, Canadian composer Sarah Quartel's Sing, My Child, and a great gospel arrangement of Paul Simon's Bridge Over Troubled Water by Kirby Shaw. Eric Whitacre's Cloudburst will close the first half of the afternoon, with a challenge to action, urging us to "dream with our hands." Finally, the GCC will offer a surprise encore piece that should not be missed.

Explaining her aim with this performance, Dr. Pauls comments: "Fundamentally, I believe that the foundation of society must be built on relationships connecting us with each other, because it is only then that we can have empathy for the 'other' and create positive change in our world."

Subscription tickets for our 2019/2020 four-concert series including Messiah are still available for only $125.

Single tickets for Five Days that Changed the World on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 3:00 pm at Harcourt Memorial United Church are now available for only $25 each or 4 for $80. We encourage young adults to attend with $10 tickets for students and those 30 and under, and only $5 for youth 14 and under.

Tickets are available through the River Run Centre by calling 519-763-3000 or online at riverrun.ca.

To discover more, please visit our website at guelphchamberchoir.ca or email info@guelphchamberchoir.ca

Special thanks to our concert sponsor Linamar and our soloist sponsor Stantec.

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