community

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CM micro-docs published!

I’m excited to announce that we have published the first four micro-documentaries within the research project Community Music in Canada. You can view them all on our YouTube channel Community Music in Canada. Here’s brief overview of the amazing people and projects in these four short documentaries. https://youtu.be/6Wxh80JpN4s?si=BTPiGz8TDLVGORnI Nour Kaadan and Tarek Ghriri, the founders of Music from Hope, offer creative music workshops for refugee youth in Toronto and Beirut. The musicians use sound, songwriting, body percussion, and nonviolent communication to encourage interaction between participants.  https://youtu.be/dSOVzQ3QIMY?si=bxLRmWLvG3YmDi_u VAMS offers music lessons, recording sessions, and live performance opportunities for disabled musicians in… Read More »CM micro-docs published!

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you may now call me dr. dee

I defended my thesis at the end of August, and handed in the final document a week later. I think that, technically, I’m not a doctor until my convocation in November, but unofficially: I AM A DOCTOR!! And I am a doctor who now lives in Edmonton, Alberta. I just had my childhood piano delivered from my parents’ house to mine today. My new studio needs work, but it’s looking promising: Not quiiiiite homey yet, but with a little love and a lot of work, I think this will make a fine studio. I also have plans in the works,… Read More »you may now call me dr. dee

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Concert: ‘My Mother is the Ocean Sea’ May 10 @ 3pm

Echo Women’s Choir is performing a concert on Mother’s Day afternoon, with Ukrainian singers Mark Marczyk and Marichka Kudriavtseva of Lemon Bucket Orkestra. I am not conducting in this concert, but am singing with a full heart! Come join us! Sunday May 10, 2015 @ 3:00 pm Church of the Holy Trinity (10 Trinity Square, next to the Eaton Centre) Tickets: $15 advance/ $20 door/ $10 seniors, children, underwaged

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Concert: The Divine Feminine

I get to work with the wonderful Echo Women’s Choir this semester, and am conducting a set at their concert on December 7 in downtown Toronto. I’m loving the repertoire this season: a couple challenging Ave Maria kinds of pieces (unusual for Echo); a ladino lullaby; some Georgian crazy-harmony pieces; a gospel piece. I think it’s going to be a fantastic concert. Here are the details: Sunday, December 7, 2014 7:30 pm Church of the Holy Trinity (next to Eaton Centre on West side) $15 advance/$20 at the door/$10 seniors, students, underwaged To reserve tix: 416-779-5554 for more info: www.echowomenschoir.ca

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Pete Seeger: The Man of a Million Small, Powerful Actions

So Pete Seeger passed away on Monday at the age of 94. I, like so many millions of people, have been deeply affected and influenced by his music and his commitment to building a more just world through music. I never met him, but I have had the pleasure of singing and teaching his music. I frankly don’t have much to say that could add to the many amazing tributes that have been published, from the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and the CBC, to name just a few. There’s a fantastic documentary on CBC’s program Ideas that lets… Read More »Pete Seeger: The Man of a Million Small, Powerful Actions

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my ‘choir’ is performing tonight

I’m in a ‘choir.’ I have a hard time telling people I’m in this choir without putting quotes around the word. Because you see, it doesn’t look anything like any choir I’ve ever seen or participated in. If your definition of choir is a group of people singing together, then yes. We’re a choir. But after that, us and most other choirs depart ways. You’re probably familiar with a typical choir: people arranged in rows according to voice type, facing a conductor and singing multi-part scored music. I’ve sung in these kinds of choirs, and I’ve directed versions of these… Read More »my ‘choir’ is performing tonight

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advice for choosing a choir

I was the guest editor for Whole Note magazine’s May 2012 edition. This Toronto area-based music magazine is known for releasing its ‘Canary Pages’ in May– a listing of choirs and other singing opportunities in the Greater Toronto Area for anyone who’s looking to join a choir, or perhaps looking for a change. I was asked to write about choirs and community for this year’s edition(you can read it here). I also had some long, wonderful discussions with two Toronto-based conductors: Isabel Bernaus, conductor of the Jubilate Singers and Common Thread Community Choir; and Becca Whitla, conductor of Echo Women’s… Read More »advice for choosing a choir

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conducting myself accordingly

I just got back from my first rehearsal of the season with Echo Women’s Choir. I’ve sung with Echo for many years. I love the world music and community-minded, loving atmosphere.  Plus, it’s really amazing to sing with 80 other women in the incredibly resonant Holy Trinity Church in downtown Toronto (yes, this is the same Church of the Trinity Session by the Cowboy Junkies!).   I haven’t been able to sing with Echo for the last year because of school, so it feels even more lovely to be back. Like reuniting with an old, dear friend. But this year is… Read More »conducting myself accordingly

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