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British Columbia Boys Choir
Founded in 1968 by Donald Forbes, the British Columbia Boys
Choir celebrates its 40th Anniversary Season in 2008. The BCBC
has won international acclaim throughout Canada, the
Netherlands, the United States, Europe, the Czech Republic,
Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and China. The British
Columbia Boys Choir is a four-part secular boys choir, one of
the few in North America. Over its 40 year history the Choir has
trained over 800 members who have represented Canada on 20
international tours, performing a demanding repertoire spanning
centuries, from Gregorian chant to contemporary works.
Programmes frequently include sacred and secular works,
selections from musicals and opera, folk songs from around the
world, and an assortment of Canadian works; many specifically
composed for the Choir. In addition to frequent radio and
television appearances, the Choir has made over 20 recordings
and a one-hour documentary film “Summer Song” profiling the
Choir's 10th tour to The Netherlands and has been viewed on
television around the world. The Choir currently has six CDs on
the market: Home, Gloria, Places, Symmetry, Spirit and Legacy.
THE CHORAL LEGACY
DAVID DUKE: THE HISTORY OF THE CHORAL
TRADITION PT.ONE
It may seem like splitting hairs, but defining
the British Columbia Boys Choir is a fairly elaborate proposition: a
non-liturgical, SATB (soprano-alto-tenor-bass), boys choir. But what
does all that really mean, and, more significantly, why does it
matter? In this and a subsequent article, I'd like to provide a bit
of background about choral tradition and the implications of both
the old and the new repertoire sung by The Boys.
From the beginnings of western classical music,
singing has been especially significant. Vocal music designed for
church use was, for many centuries, the only music notated and
preserved. Chant traditions of the early middle ages (heard in last
April's concert) flourished in the many monasteries and churches.
As time went on, composers experimented with
intertwining two or more melodic lines and what we now call
polyphony became fashionable. Composers came to realize that
differing voice types helped highlight the sophisticated interplay
that is the hallmark of vocal polyphony. But at that time aspects of
church policy effected resources available to composers: mixed
choirs were not allowed in sacred contexts and there were many young
singers already in the monasteries. The desirability of a complete
range of voice types lead to the use of boy trebles in sacred
choirs.
Thus for many centuries serious composers wrote
their best and most impressive works in service of the church.
Unaccompanied (or 'a capella') vocal polyphony was the style of
choice and these works were specifically conceived for the blend of
boys' and mens' voices.
Today all the serious choirs learn and perform
the great historical choral repertoire: modern youth choirs are
unable, by definition, to handle the full-spectrum repertoire.
Contemporary mixed SATB ensembles can and do perform with
sophisticated musicianship but they do not ever have the sound heard
by Lassus, Palestrina, Byrd, Josquin and beyond; only male voice
ensembles create the sound conceived by the early masters.
But let's go back to the BCBC's fundamental
definition: a non-liturgical (in that they are not church
affiliated) SATB choir of young people, uniquely equipped to perform
the choral masterpieces of the 6th through 18th centuries. That the
BCBC is by definition restricted by young tenors and basses is, to
put it mildly, non-traditional. These implications, especially
regarding new choral work tailored for the ensemble, will be covered
in an article next issue.
David Duke, Vancouver BC
Our People
Donald Forbes, Founding Conductor
Gerald Van Wyck, Conductor from 1988-2003
Tony Araujo, Artistic
Director
In
addition to his position as Artistic Director of the British
Columbia Boys Choir, Tony Araujo is Director of Choral Activities at
St. Patrick Regional Secondary School and Artistic Director of
Corpus Christi College Chamber Choir and Spirit Alive Men's Chorale.
Mr. Araujo has developed an award-winning high school choral music
program that includes five choirs, with over half the student body
enrolled. Mr. Araujo is recognized for the passion and musicality he
consistently develops in his choirs as well as for his selection and
interpretation of versatile repertoire. Mr. Araujo's choirs have
been invited to perform at international conferences and festivals
throughout North America, Europe and Asia, including concerts at the
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, Canterbury
Cathedral and the United Nations.
Mr. Araujo's contribution to choral music education have been
featured on CBC radio and television, and the recently produced
documentary film, "Spirit Alive: The Tony Araujo Story". He is a
recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence and
was recently inducted as a lifetime Honorary Member of the Golden
Key International Honour Society for his scholastic achievements,
leadership and community service.
Mr. Araujo received his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) degrees from the University of
British Columbia. He holds a Masters of Arts degree in Pastoral
Studies from Seattle University and is currently completing a Ph.D.
in Depth Psychology. Mr. Araujo is committed to the vocational and
transferential aspects of the choral music experience, applying new
theories and practices of depth psychology to cultural
transformation and healing and locating this work in the larger
frame of academic scholarship.
Interview with Tony Araujo, Artistic Director
Edette Gagné , Associate Conductor
Edette Gagné has built a reputation of excellence in musical performance through her work as a conductor and singer. Blending careful attention to performance practice and historical accuracy, with her deep passion for music, Ms. Gagné's performances reflect the high standards she sets for both herself and her ensembles. Ms. Gagné holds a Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of Calgary, Bachelor degrees in arts and education from the University of Alberta, as well as Associate Performance Diplomas in piano and voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She has studied conducting with Helmut Rilling, Toshi Shimada, Paula Holcombe, Allan McMurray, Frank Klassen, Kenneth Woods, David Hoose and Christopher Zimmerman.
Ms. Gagné has conducted performances in Los Angeles and New York City, and has worked with many ensembles, choirs and orchestras in Oregon, Alberta and British Columbia. She is in great demand as a guest conductor, vocal coach and lyric soprano. A strong proponent of new and rarely performed works, Ms. Gagné has conducted several World, North American and Canadian premières. She is pleased to be entering her second season as Associate Conductor for the British Columbia Boys Choir. Edette is also Artist in Residence at St. Patrick's Regional Secondary, Resident Conductor for Opera Appassionata, Principal Conductor for the North Shore String Ensemble and the newly appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the Coast Symphony Orchestra.
OUR ADMINISTRATION TEAM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Margot Holmes has been working with the
British Columbia Boys Choir for the past 15 years. She works in the
field of arts management and is the owner of Caline Artists
International where she has developed the careers of professional
artists and worked with community based non-profit organizations.
Margot has an extensive list of artistic contacts across North
America and around the globe. She studied Oboe Performance and
Choral Conducting at the University of Western Ontario, London. She
has a keen interest in youth and is interested in their development
as performers as well as people. Margot is an experienced tour
manager and has taken the choir on over 20 local and international
tours.
Board of Directors
Board of Directors 2007-2008
Michael Lewis, President
Cathy Cena, Vice President
Barb Craig, Treasurer
Peter Alexander, Alumni Representative
Kirk Huxley
Anntonette Keogh
Susan Sally
Paul St. Pierre
Ex-Officio Board Members:
Tony Araujo
Margot Holmes
BCBC SOCIETY: The British Columbia Boys Choir is a registered
non-profit organization that is governed by a Board of Directors
that is composed of parents, alumni and members of the community. The
Annual General Meeting Will be held November 28, 2007 at 6:30 Gloria Dei Church, North Vancouver.
BCBC Charitable
#: 0435982-22. Annual General Meeting Date: Wednesday October 10,
2007 6 p.m. at designated location TBC.
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