From May 22-31, Nova Scotia’s choir Capella Regalis will go on tour for the first time outside of the Maritimes, in collaboration with festivals, cathedrals, and churches in Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, and Toronto.
Capella Regalis—founded and directed by Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal winner Nick Halley—is steeped in the European tradition of church choir training. Halley, born in New York City, brings a background as a percussionist, keyboardist, composer, and conductor in jazz and classical performance. As well as being artistic director of Capella Regalis Choirs, Halley’s work with cathedral-style choirs extends to the Cathedral Church of All Saints, The King’s Chorus at King’s and Dalhousie University, and the University of King’s College Chapel Choir, all in Halifax.
In Halifax and Lunenburg, Capella Regalis offers 125 children completely free weekly programs in choral singing, with opportunities for mentorship with professional singers and regular performances. The choirs (a Boys Choir, Girls Choir, and professional Men’s Choir) explore music from various time periods, including Gregorian chant, Baroque masterworks, and contemporary commissions.
Capella Regalis will bring 26 singers on tour, ranging from 8 years old to professional adult singers, in a program titled Sea Songs & Sacred Anthems. The sea songs aspect of the program reflects on the group’s Maritime identity, and will explore themes of naval and fishing expeditions, historical events, and folklore.
Some of the choir’s unique arrangements are by five-time Grammy Award-winning composer and keyboardist Paul Halley, who will also accompany the tour. Capella Regalis is a family-run group, as Paul Halley is the father of directors Nick and his sister Vanessa. It is also built on community engagement, through the weekly programs as well as community donations to make the tour possible.
The tour is an opportunity to “carry the Nova Scotia spirit to new audiences,” says Nick Halley. Capella Regalis will collaborate with other choral groups in Quebec and Ontario while on tour including Montreal’s Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal, Ottawa’s Caelis Academy and Christ Church Cathedral Men & Boys and Cathedral Girls Choir, and Toronto’sGrace Church on-the-Hill choirs.
CONCERTS ($15-$100)
- May 22: MONTREAL – L’Église Sainte Famille, Boucherville (Presented by Festival Classica)
- May 25: OTTAWA – St Matthew’s Anglican Church (Presented by Music & Beyond)
- May 28: KINGSTON – Saint George’s Anglican Cathedral
- May 30: TORONTO – St Martin-in-the-Fields Anglican Church
CHORAL SERVICES (Free)
- May 24: MONTREAL – Morning Mass with Les Petits-Chanteurs du Mont-Royal at St Joseph’s Oratory
- May 24: OTTAWA – Choral Evensong with Caelis Academy Ensemble at St Matthew’s Church
- May 26: OTTAWA – Choral Evensong with Christ Church Cathedral Men & Boys Choir
- May 27: KINGSTON – Choral Evensong at St George’s Cathedral
- May 31 AM: TORONTO – Choral Eucharist at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church
- May 31 PM: TORONTO – Choral Evensong with Grace Church on-the-Hill Choirs at Grace Church
Find Capella Regalis at www.capellaregalis.com.
