Toronto, January 22, 2024 — The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir announces “Exchange,” a day of community choral workshops, on Feb. 3. In collaboration with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto and Pax Christi Chorale, this all-day event features guest speakers and clinicians for a series of interactive workshops, masterclasses and lectures. A variety of choral music topics will be explored, including vocal techniques, choral conducting, community building, mindfulness for singers and more.
Nine facilitators have been chosen from across our musical community, with workshops led by TMChoir Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée, Pax Christi Chorale Artistic Director Elaine Choi, Orpheus Choir of Toronto Artistic Director Thomas Burton, as well as specialists from across the GTA, including choral conductors, speech-language pathologists, music therapists and Alexander Technique certified teachers.
This year’s keynote presenter is the 2023-2024 TMChoir composer-in-residence, Dr. Tracy Wong. Dr. Wong, an award-winning conductor and composer, will lead participants through her newest composition throughout the day. An active choral clinician, Dr. Wong has led workshops for choirs in North America, Brunei, France, Ireland, Portugal and Malaysia.
This one-day event will include events for every choral music enthusiast, from the armchair music fan to active choral singers of every level. All are welcome and registration is pay-what-you-can, with a suggested amount of $20.
WORKSHOPS — Our speakers and topics
Demystifying Conducting
JEAN-SÉBASTIEN VALLÉE, TMCHOIR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Join TMChoir Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée to explore the artistry and craft of choral leadership with our workshop, “Demystify Conducting.” This session is designed to unravel the complexities of conducting, offering participants a comprehensive understanding of the conductor’s role. Through interactive discussions and practical activities, participants will gain insight into the conductor’s techniques, gestural communication strategies, and the collaborative dynamics that shape a choral performance.
Explore Chinese Choral Repertoire
ELAINE CHOI, PAX CHRISTI CHORALE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Come for a reading session and explore the rich history of Chinese choral music with Pax Christi Chorale Artistic Director, Elaine Choi. As a group, we will sing through some repertoire by Chinese composers, learn about Mandarin & Cantonese choral diction, and understand the brief history of choral tradition in Asia.
Listening and Community Building through Improvisation
THOMAS BURTON, ORPHEUS CHOIR OF TORONTO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Choristers will explore different free improvisation techniques in order to expand their ability to connect with their fellow singers in rehearsal and performance. Emphasis will be placed on one-on-one connections between participants, pitch and melody memory, and the importance of risk-taking.
Mindfulness for Singers
LINDSAY MCINTYRE, DMA
How can we sing together more mindfully? In this workshop, TMSinger Lindsay McIntyre will discuss mindfulness and its benefits for musicians, music performance anxiety (MPA) and its root causes, transformational examples from participants in her recent research study, and practical tools and exercises for participants to incorporate mindfulness activities into their own musical practice.
Building your Choral Toolbox
EMILY PARKER, PROFESSIONAL CHORISTER AND CONDUCTOR
Join TMChoir Musical Assistant and TMSinger Emily Parker as you strengthen your skills as a choral musician by expanding the tools you have at your disposal. Learn shortcuts to better sight-reading, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), diction onsets and offsets, how to utilise subdividing, effective and efficient note-taking, and more.
Alexander Technique for Choristers
PAUL GENYK-BEREZOWSKY, CERTIFIED TEACHER OF THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE
Would you like to uncover greater vocal freedom and ease, but old habits seem to hold you back? In this workshop, under the guidance of Alexander Technique Teacher, TMChoir Musical Assistant and TMSinger Paul Genyk-Berezowsky, you will begin practising a process for developing greater self-awareness and presence in the moment of performance (and rehearsal, practice, etc.). We will explore singing as an activity for the whole self. Discover strategies for sitting and standing through long rehearsals and performances and take home practices you can use to help promote greater ease of movement in daily activities.
The Global Chorister
NICHOLAS NICOLAIDIS, PROFESSIONAL CHORISTER AND CONDUCTOR
TMChoir Musical Assistant and TMSinger Nicholas Nicolaidis has been a chorister across the globe, from South Africa to Canada. Learn about navigating the singing tools required to be able to participate in and contribute towards the art of choral singing in a new country or environment, no matter where you go.
The Anatomy of “Blend:” Vowels and Vocal Colours
JORDAN SCHOLL, SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Vowels are the primary colours of the voice. When we understand their composition and how they interact with the sounds and spaces around them, we can learn to create our own unique vocal colours and even “colour match” with singers around us. In this workshop, we’ll explore and practise how vowel sounds are created and how to use an understanding of vowel shapes to our advantage as choral singers. Whether the goal is to blend, to stand out, to project, or to soften, we’ll discuss the tools needed to feel more confident and in control of the art we make with others.
Connecting Through Our Musical Selves
HANNAH YOU, MUSIC THERAPIST ACCREDITED
Why do we sing? Certified Music Therapist, Hannah You will guide you through identifying the elements of your musical self that help us connect to music. We will explore how this connection shapes our relationships with others in music and ultimately impacts our audience.
For more information, including how to register and further details on the workshops, visit our website.
