Top 3 Repertoire pieces
Over the years I have had a blast finding new choral pieces to sing with Cantala. My top 3 picks of all time from the past 8 years are full of poetry, great harmony and fabulous melodies the choir has sung so beautifully and to great acclaim in competitive festivals.
3) Adam Lay I Bounden by Canadian Composer Mathew Larkin. This piece is so hauntingly beautiful with gorgeous long legato lines. It sends shivers up my spine every time the choir sings it.
2) Rise Up My Love by Eleanor Daley. The choir has sung this piece a million times and they are probably sick of it! However, this piece is so poetic and lilting. It wears like a perfecting fitting summer dress on every singer that has ever sung it in Cantala.
1) Vestigia by Canadian composer Imant Raminsh. The brilliant setting of Carmen Bliss’ poem, Vestigia, is so compelling and moving that every time I learn it with the choir I am reminded of how lucky we are to have this composer in our “backyard”. This piece takes the singer on a journey; the musical lines and poetic images that come to life with the addition of the violin, cello and piano make this piece a standout.
I’m thrilled to note that all three pieces are by Canadian composers. Cantala is committed to singing and excelling at Canadian choral work, and this proves we are doing just that! Join Cantala Now.