The University of Windsor Choirs have been invited to sing at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall in May and they need your assistance to get there. And there’s no better way for a group of choirs to raise funds than to host a cabaret.
Cabaret for Carnegie Hall will take place this Saturday (April 14), and although it likely won’t raise enough funds to cover the cost of the entire trip, it will certainly help reduce the costs of the pricy voyage.
This isn’t the first time the University will have performed on the Carnegie stage, but it will be the first appearance in more than 20 years.
“The University Singers performed twice in the 90s when Richard Householder was the director of choirs at the University,” says Dr. Bruce Kotowich, current director of choirs at the University of Windsor’s School of Creative Arts. “It has been over 20 years since they have performed in Carnegie Hall and the first to be featured in a performance. It is an international stage where world-class artists meet and perform. It has witnessed performances of all genres and styles. We are excited to represent our part of Canada in New York and share our passion for choral music.”
The choir will be performing as part of a large chorale music series organized by Mid-America Productions for Carnegie Hall.
“Our choirs are forming a festival chorus that will perform Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass,” Kotowich revealed. “The University of Windsor Singers, UWindsor Chamber Choir will have members that will perform with members from the Windsor Classic Chorale, Windsor Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and County Classic Chorale; we will be joined by a group from London, Ontario. There are three sections to the choral concert and we are responsible for one of these sections. The New England Symphonic Ensemble will be accompanying us.”
Kotowich has had the opportunity to previously prepare choirs for Carnegie performances five times throughout his career, but this will the first time he’ll be a guest conductor.
“It is a unique space that Andrew Carnegie gave to the City of New York. He wanted it to be a international stage where New Yorkers could hear the music of the world. It doesn’t have a resident orchestra instead it hosts groups. It is an honour to be invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.”
The University of Windsor Chamber Choir is an auditioned ensemble made up of music majors from the School of Creative Arts and singers from other departments across campus. The UCC enjoys performing a cappella, Canadian, contemporary and historic choral works for all sorts of audiences in traditional and unusual settings.
Created in 2005, the ensemble has performed in the annual “Festival of Christmas,” the Windsor Canadian Music Festival, local performances for the CBC reading of Dickens “A Christmas Carol,” and with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. In 2008, the chamber choir, under the direction of Timothy Shantz, won the CBC National Radio Competition for Amateur Choirs. Windsor beat out choirs from Laurier and Manitoba in the University Choirs category.
While there will be no broadcast or recording of the Carnegie program, the University of Windsor Choirs, along with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Windsor Classic Chorale and members of other choirs will be performing Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass for Windsor at the Capitol Theatre on May 11 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at the Capitol box office for that show.
Tickets for Saturday night’s Cabaret for Carnegie Hall show are available for $15 by email or $20 at the door. The show takes place at the SoCA Armouries, 37 University Avenue East, at 7:30 pm.
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