Conductors, composer, choristers, alumNancy Singlaalum, choiristers, choir toronto, choral community, toronto choral scene, spring 2024, toronto, nancy singla, cantala choirComment

A look forward to Spring 2024

Conductors, composer, choristers, alumNancy Singlaalum, choiristers, choir toronto, choral community, toronto choral scene, spring 2024, toronto, nancy singla, cantala choirComment

This spring we will be learning Canadian Folk songs. I was inspired recently by the work titled Woodsmoke and Oranges (Tamblyn). Afterwards, I immediately knew it was time to program a folk themed concert. (Psst…. For those that know me, don’t be surprised to also anticipate other pieces that are not Canadian folk as well).

Photo Credit: Joanne Schwindt

You know those annoying flies we battle in the summer while camping? Well, there is a song about it! And it’s fun. It is called “Black Fly”. We will also sing about all the gorgeous Canadian rivers in a piece titled “All the Little Rivers in Canada”. It is music full of education and fun.

For the past two years we have been trying very hard to learn a Mandrin piece titled Y Chin O (Wen). We are lucky to have many that speak Mandarin and that can help us with the difficult sounds English speakers struggle with. Wen is a composer living in Montreal Canada.

We also have work left over from 2020 to complete for our next recording. We will continue to perform and record works of choral art that were interrupted by the pandemic including Lullaby (Rolfe), V’la bon vent (arr. (Allen) and I am a Songbird (Quartel).

Looking forward to welcoming new singers in 2024. Our organization is growing. We are back to reaching new heights.

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala womens choir, cantala, Choral music, choral, choral singing, nancy singla, R. Murray Schafer, the enchanted forest, spring concert torontoComment

The Enchanted Forest: A Cantala Spring Concert

It has been a few years since I first heard the women of the Vancouver Chamber Choir sing “Lu-Li-Lo-La”, the final piece in R. Murray Schafer’s work “The Enchanted Forest”  but it made a lasting impression on me.

Conductors, concerts, choristersNancy Singlacantala womens choir, cantala, Choral music, choral, choral singing, nancy singla, R. Murray Schafer, the enchanted forest, spring concert torontoComment
choristers, ConductorsNancy Singlacantala women's choir, cantala choir, cantala repertoire, cantala womens choir, toronto womens choir, toronto choral singing, toronto choir, toronto choral scene, Nancy Singla, torontoComment

Beverly Lewis' Five Texts of William Shakespeare

Every year I receive many scores from composers near and far asking Cantala to consider learning and performing their music. So I decided to add on a spring project every year into Cantala’s season where we will workshop and record this music for these composers. It is exciting work and we are thrilled to do it.

choristers, ConductorsNancy Singlacantala women's choir, cantala choir, cantala repertoire, cantala womens choir, toronto womens choir, toronto choral singing, toronto choir, toronto choral scene, Nancy Singla, torontoComment
alum, choristers, composer, concerts, ConductorsNancy Singlachoiristers, cantala choir, cantala women's choir, toronto choral singing, toronto choral scene, Nancy Singla, choral singing, choral sound, sacred musicComment

New Beginnings

Cantala Choir and I had our first in person rehearsal in two years in February 2022 and for so many reasons, it feels like a new beginning. For one, as I re enter the world of choral music and choral programming I feel I have many new ideas and perspectives. So consider this: what about changing “hundred of years-old sacred text” to a sacred text that is relevant to our human society today? Radical idea? Read on.

alum, choristers, composer, concerts, ConductorsNancy Singlachoiristers, cantala choir, cantala women's choir, toronto choral singing, toronto choral scene, Nancy Singla, choral singing, choral sound, sacred musicComment
choristers, alum, composer, concerts, ConductorsNancy Singlacantala choir, nancy singla, choral singing, toronto holiday concert, winter concert, choral singing torontoComment

Saturday December 17th 2pm

Here at Cantala our favorite Winter themed concert includes A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. However, we have now presented that work recently and made an outstanding recording of the work with Canadian legend Harpist Erica Goodman, so what could be next to rival that work? Read on to find out.

choristers, alum, composer, concerts, ConductorsNancy Singlacantala choir, nancy singla, choral singing, toronto holiday concert, winter concert, choral singing torontoComment
alum, choristers, Conductors, composerNancy SinglaNancy Singla, cantala choir, cantala, toronto choral singing, toronto choral scene, non binary choir, canadian composers, spring choral concertComment

Spring Concert-SongBird

We are truly lucky to have such a diverse cultural landscape in Canada. From the Indigenous peoples, to the settlers and now immigrants from every part of the globe, Canada is a place where there is such variety in our food, entertainment and social circles that one cannot but rejoice and celebrate Canada.

alum, choristers, Conductors, composerNancy SinglaNancy Singla, cantala choir, cantala, toronto choral singing, toronto choral scene, non binary choir, canadian composers, spring choral concertComment