The Island Bel Canto singers take top billing at the Port Theatre to celebrate 15 years as a women’s community choir.
The group performed at Nanaimo’s premiere arts venue four times, but always as the guest of another group – The Tidesmen Barbershop Chorus, The Nylons and twice at the Nanaimo Sings choral festival.
The special retrospective program, Celebration of Song, showcases Island Bel Canto Singers’ great variety of repertoire, ranging from European classics through contemporary Canadian compositions, to international folksongs, Broadway musicals and jazz standards. Former choir members and directors will also join the choir onstage for a celebratory song.
“Island Bel Canto Singers has performed a huge number of songs, so choosing the music for this special 15th anniversary concert proved to be a delightful challenge,” said Lionel Tanod, the choir’s artistic director. “The program we finally selected includes many of the choir’s favourite songs and represents the various periods of the choir’s history. It showcases the singers’ special sense of style, and their enthusiasm and love of singing.”
In keeping with the choir’s tradition of encouraging young musicians, this concert will spotlight two exceptionally talented ensembles from Nanaimo. Sinclair Singers, under the direction of Sharon Sinclair, is an enthusiastic auditioned group of young adults who sing with the highest possible standard of musicianship. Patrick Courtin Trio is made up of three music students from Vancouver Island University who share a strong passion for jazz.
These two musical groups will perform their own sets of music and will join Island Bel Canto Singers in a couple of numbers.
Later this year, the Bel Canto singers compete in July with 20 choirs from around the world at Kathaumixw XV, an international biennial choral festival in Powell River.
“With it being our 15th anniversary and Kathaumixw’s 15th festival, we felt it was a natural fit for us to apply and make it part of our anniversary celebration,” said Penny Mitchell, one of the choir’s executive members.
Before then, the choir performs May 5, 7:30 p.m., at the Port Theatre. Tickets $18. Please call 250-754-8550 or visit www.porttheatre.com.
For more information about the concert, visit www.islandbelcanto.com.