Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlainternational womens day, benefit concert, penthalia singers, cantala womens choir, toronto choral scene, events, concert, be bold for change, echo womens choir, lirit womens chamber choir, street haven womens choir, street haven womens centerComment

Be Bold for Change: A benefit concert

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlainternational womens day, benefit concert, penthalia singers, cantala womens choir, toronto choral scene, events, concert, be bold for change, echo womens choir, lirit womens chamber choir, street haven womens choir, street haven womens centerComment

These are interesting times, we can probably all agree on that. Isn't there always some spectacle to talk about at work, the bus stop, or the grocery store lineup? Positively, I remind myself that people are coming together to show support for each other and speak up for inclusiveness, equality and truth in record numbers, and that’s exciting. It’s also what #beBoldforChange is all about, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day benefit concert.

Cantala is excited for the bold endeavour of the Penthelia Singers to bring together 5 Women’s choirs and Suba Sankaren from Toronto to show an act of solidarity and strength in a choral benefit concert for the Street Haven Women’s Center on International Women’s Day. 

The Penthelia Singers are hosting and organizing this event and have invited the Cantala Womens Choir, the Echo Womens Choir, Lirit Women’s Chamber Choir, the Street Haven Women’s Choir and special guest Suba Sankaren to all preform solo works as well as mass choral numbers.

Special guest Suba Sankaren is a JUNO nominated world fusion vocalist and will conduct the two mass choir numbers, “Sankofa” (C. Wilson) and “Shaking the Tree” (Peter Gabriel and Youssou N’Dour). “Sankofa” is a powerful word which means to “Go, return and look”. It is represented by an image of a bird with its feet squarely looking forward but his head reaching backwards. To the Akan tribe in Ghana, Africa this powerful image reminds them that it is not taboo to reach back and get what is at risk of being left behind. This is an important message today as we strive to take care of those in our society that are in need and too often do get left behind.  “Shaking the Tree” has been described as one of the most inspirational songs for women. It speaks to the women’s movement in Africa where men traditionally do not allow them much rights. Both of these pieces have powerful messages of hope, solidarity and strength and with over 100 women’s voices joining together this surely will be a moving part of the concert.

The Powerful image of Sankofa, the image is of a bird standing firmly forward but looking back to make sure no one is at risk of being left behind.

The Powerful image of Sankofa, the image is of a bird standing firmly forward but looking back to make sure no one is at risk of being left behind.

Cantala will present a short solo program including Canadian composer Eleanor Daley's "Rise Up my Love", R. Murray Schafer’s “Gamelan”, Hungarian composer Miklos Kocsar’s “Salve Regina”, and the Canadian folksong gem “Land of the Silver Birch” arranged by Finnish composers Olli Pohjola and Pentti Paalanen.

TIckets are “pay what you can” with the proceeds benefiting the Street Haven Women’s Center in Toronto. The concert takes place at Crescent School Auditorium on Wednesday March 8th, 730pm, Toronto. Come and #beBoldforChange with us!

To learn more about International Women’s Day and to learn about events near you in your city go to www.internationalwomensday.com.

 

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala womens choir, cantala, Choral music, choral, choral singing, nancy singla, R. Murray Schafer, the enchanted forest, spring concert torontoComment

The Enchanted Forest: A Cantala Spring Concert

It has been a few years since I first heard the women of the Vancouver Chamber Choir sing “Lu-Li-Lo-La”, the final piece in R. Murray Schafer’s work “The Enchanted Forest”  but it made a lasting impression on me.

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala womens choir, cantala, Choral music, choral, choral singing, nancy singla, R. Murray Schafer, the enchanted forest, spring concert torontoComment
concerts, Conductors, choristersNancy Singlacantala, cantala women's choir, cantala repertoire, cantala choir, christmas choral concert, benjamin britten, in the bleak midwinter, st.martin in the fields, toronto choral scene, toronto choir, toronto womens choir, toronto choirs, nancy singlaComment

Cantala Concert 2017: In the Bleak Midwinter

I've recently discovered a lesser-known work by Britten, A Boy is Born; a very demanding unaccompanied choral work for mixed choir. But lucky for us, the 5th movement In The Bleak Midwinter, is only for treble voices and Cantala is set to perform it in concert on December 9th, 2017, Toronto.

 

concerts, Conductors, choristersNancy Singlacantala, cantala women's choir, cantala repertoire, cantala choir, christmas choral concert, benjamin britten, in the bleak midwinter, st.martin in the fields, toronto choral scene, toronto choir, toronto womens choir, toronto choirs, nancy singlaComment
Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala womens choir, cantala repertoire, cantala choir, Doreen Rao, Nancy Singla, Choral music, toronto choral scene, toronto choral, Toronto Women's Choir, Singers, Piano music, Rachmaninoff, Kabalevsky, samuel barberComment

Russian Beauty: Spring Concert Program

The final concert of our 10th Season is quickly approaching and we are celebrating in many ways, including performing Rachmaninoff’s Six Choruses for Treble voices, op. 15; a special gem from the Women’s choral literature in May. 

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala womens choir, cantala repertoire, cantala choir, Doreen Rao, Nancy Singla, Choral music, toronto choral scene, toronto choral, Toronto Women's Choir, Singers, Piano music, Rachmaninoff, Kabalevsky, samuel barberComment
Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala women's choir, Cantala, cantala womens choir, catherine glaser climie, spring concert toronto, Spring concert, francis poulenc, benjamin britten, Nancy Singla, womens choir, toronto choir, toronto choirs, toronto choral singing, toronto choral concerts, toronto choral sceneComment

Transformative Choral Experiences with Cantala

Every year I tell Cantala that they are the closest I’ll ever get to driving a Mercedes Benz but this year I have upgraded them to a Tesla….

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala women's choir, Cantala, cantala womens choir, catherine glaser climie, spring concert toronto, Spring concert, francis poulenc, benjamin britten, Nancy Singla, womens choir, toronto choir, toronto choirs, toronto choral singing, toronto choral concerts, toronto choral sceneComment
concerts, choristers, alum, composer, ConductorsNancy Singlaerica goodman, nancy singla, cantala women's choir, toronto choral scene, toronto choir, choral music, women's choir, toronto women's choir, john rutter, dancing day, toronto choral concertComment

Highlights of our Seasonal Concert

After hearing the Cantala Women’s Choir sing their hearts out last saturday night to a crowd of very appreciative concert goers, we are looking forward to sharing with you our highlights.

concerts, choristers, alum, composer, ConductorsNancy Singlaerica goodman, nancy singla, cantala women's choir, toronto choral scene, toronto choir, choral music, women's choir, toronto women's choir, john rutter, dancing day, toronto choral concertComment