On May 3, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts was filled with the enthusiastic voices of both young and experienced choral singers. This event, The Big Roar, is Chor Leoni’s signature community choral festival. Chor Leoni was joined by MYVoice educational choirs, the young singers of its PRÉLUDE program, its Emerging Choral Artist Program (ECAP), and The Leonids, bringing joy and vigor to this special afternoon event.
The programme was diverse, featuring traditional Malaysian folk music, Broadway as well as classical a cappella pieces such as “O Nata Lux.” After the intermission, Chor Leoni performed Melissa Dunphy’s major choral work, “The Things We Leave Behind,” written in three parts and eight movements. The concert ended with all the choirs coming together to perform the world premiere of Canadian composer Marie-Claire Saindon’s “The Day is Yours.”
Chor Leoni conducted by Erick Lichte. Photo: Philip Jack
As conveyed by their mid show speeches and reduced TD Community Roar ticket prices, Chor Leoni showcased a deep appreciation for the Vancouver arts community. The organization, a registered charity, relies on philanthropy to run. This concert felt like a love letter to the audience and a celebration of what Chor Leoni accomplished this season with their support.
Concert Highlights
In their opening song, the MYVoice choirs quickly grasped my attention. They began with “Wau Bulan,” a Malaysian folk song arranged by composer and conductor Tracy Wong. For this piece, the singers sat on the stage in rows and performed choreographed movements. This Dikir Barat style of performance was incredibly captivating to the eye as the singers drummed, clapped, and moved their arms and bodies in well-ordered patterns. Their vocals suffered no consequences despite the need to divide their attention between singing and the choreography.
MYVoice Choir conducted by Melodie Langevin. Photo: Philip Jack
Performed by the Leonids, ECAP, and Chor Leoni, Benedict Sheehan’s “Song of Simeon” contrasted delicate and powerful moments. Sheehan composed the “Song of Simeon” specifically for soloist Glenn Miller’s voice, and the result was astounding. Miller had a commanding stage presence and his wide vocal range—all the way down to F1—made it feel like the ground was rumbling underneath your feet.
The Leonids delivered exceptional performances throughout the festival. The singers in this ensemble were handpicked by Artistic Director Erick Lichte for their vocal and performance abilities and each have active solo careers. My personal favourite was Mark Kibble’s “Mary,” an a cappella piece featuring soloist Brian Hinman. The tenor smoothly transitioned between vocal registers and selectively dug into his voice for this gospel arrangement. The Leonids exceeded expectations with every song as the professional headline choir for this festival.
Soloist Brian Hinman with The Leonids. Photo: Philip Jack
Also noteworthy was Dunphy’s “The Things We Leave Behind” performed by Chor Leoni. It was accompanied by saxophonist Julia Nolan and harpist Vivian Chen. The lyrics were projected onto a screen behind the choir so that the audience could follow along: stories about what we leave behind for future generations to discover. Both Nolan and Chen added to the angelic singing with their meticulous playing, communicating the universality of these stories.
The final piece of the night, “The Day is Yours,” can be summarized in one word: joyful. Seeing singers of all ages on stage communicated the beauty and uniting power of choral music.
The Big Roar was enjoyable from start to finish as it brought the community together to celebrate alongside all of Chor Leoni’s choirs. I left the theatre feeling uplifted and looking forward to the future of Chor Leoni.
The collected choirs conducted by Erick Lichte. Photo: Philip Jack
For more information about Chor Leoni’s upcoming events, visit www.chorleoni.org
