Come and rediscover the magic of the natural world with Cantala during our winter seasonal concert, Saturday December 7th at 7pm. It will feature parts from a larger work called Lost words: A Spell book, which features one poet (Robert Macfarlane), ten composers (many of our Canadian favorites!) and twenty choral compositions.
On a summer evening, while searching on Google for Bass tabs/Wes Montgomery/Cantaloupe Island, Rachel Shaw found Cantala in what could be dramatically described as a torrent of serendipitous fate.
Carnegie Hall here we come!
We are over the moon about our upcoming tour to NYC to perform our debut recital at Carnegie Hall. It will take place in Weill Recital hall, an intimate hall that is perfect for small ensembles like Cantala. Mark your calendar-the recital is on Friday April 11, 2025. Tickets are available online through the Carnegie Hall website.
Cantala gathers at Forest Hill United Church (2 Wembley road) on Monday evenings. Many people arrive early (6:30pm) to chat, have a bite to eat or practise. The vibes are fun and focused-people are ready to sing and work hard. There is an exciting energy in the air-let’s get singing. Book your audition today.
We finished up our spring recording project this past week. The piece titled Lullaby, is a musical audioscape by Toronto composer James Rolfe. Listen to our recording below.
Cantala is now well into its 2024 Spring project. This year we are recording James Rolfe’s Lullaby with Michelle Colton on Marimba in Walter Hall at the end of June 2024. This will be released on our next album, titled Songbird, this coming Fall 2024.
We are truly lucky to have such a diverse cultural landscape in Canada. From the Indigenous peoples, to the settlers and now immigrants from every part of the globe, Canada is a place where there is such variety in our food, entertainment and social circles that one cannot but rejoice and celebrate Canada.
This spring we will be learning Canadian Folk songs. I was inspired recently by the work titled Woodsmoke and Oranges (Tamblyn). (Psst…. For those that know me, don’t be surprised to also anticipate other pieces that are not Canadian folk as well).
Do you ever think about death? I do. Death was an underlying theme at the concert this past December 2nd. It was a powerful night of wonder.
Cantala’s seasonal concert is one month away! We are excited to share with you works by Quartel, Geilo and Schubert. A magical experiences awaits….
Cantala is rethinking its commitment to provide an equitable, inclusive and diverse musical experience for any and all that want to sing. To see our initiative through, we have started a mentorship program.
A fall choral retreat sounds exciting, right? Singing. Laughing. Making memories with new friends… old friends. We are going to Jackson Point, October 13-14th. Join us! Audition today.
Have you ever swirled around in a big ball gown on a concert stage that is all yours? We did this past May at Roy Thomson Hall. We can report back that it is a fantastic experience and highly recommend it.
We are looking forward to welcoming you to our upcoming recitals. We are featuring brand new works that are looking forward to their world premiere. As we are entering our final rehearsals with this challenging program the excitement is growing at Cantala.
Have you ever wondered what a rainbow wears for clothes?….. come to our first winter concert since 2019 where we will entertain with an array of christmas “usuals” and unusuals…..
Here at Cantala our favorite Winter themed concert includes A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. However, we have now presented that work recently and made an outstanding recording of the work with Canadian legend Harpist Erica Goodman, so what could be next to rival that work? Read on to find out.
Did you know that Cantala is a registered charity and has a Board of Directors? All charitable organizations in Canada are required to have a Board of Directors to oversee and direct the vision and mission of the organization. Who is on the Board of Directors and what is their role in your singing experience? Read on to find out.
What do you do to keep your mental health where you want it to be? How do you get out of a rut when you’re feeling down? I have good news! Read on.
This September Cantala continues on its 15th season journey back to choral vibrancy! Please mark these dates!
Cantala Choir and I had our first in person rehearsal in two years in February 2022 and for so many reasons, it feels like a new beginning. For one, as I re enter the world of choral music and choral programming I feel I have many new ideas and perspectives. So consider this: what about changing “hundred of years-old sacred text” to a sacred text that is relevant to our human society today? Radical idea? Read on.