Kamala Youth Choir has just returned from another musical adventure. Kamala joined with 280 singers from western Canada in Voices West held in Nelson, B.C.
“Our vision was to bring together six community youth choirs,” organizer Scott Leithead says. “This is a group of choirs that run into each other regularly at festivals, and they’re six of the best in the country.”
Voices West includes Corazon of Nelson, B.C., Coastal Sound Youth Choir of Vancouver, B.C., ihana of Red Deer, Alta., Kamala Youth Choir of North Battleford and Edmonton Youth Choir and Kokopelli from Edmonton, Alta.
All singers came together Friday evening to meet each other and to rehearse the mass choir songs. Saturday was spent with more rehearsals, culminating in a joint concert before an audience of 700.
Each choir was showcased in a set of their individual repertoire before joining together in a mass performance of two songs.
Sunday morning, choir members explored the uniquely beautiful city of Nelson followed by another mass rehearsal. Choirs prepared for an upcoming concert at Podium, a national conference for choral conductors, to be held in May 2016 in Edmonton, Alta.
Voices West is the brainchild of Leithead, Kokopelli conductor. He wanted to bring together like-minded choirs and conductors to celebrate the joy of choral singing. Leithead said the idea is to empower the youth.
“We’re empowering the next generation. It’s really exciting. This weekend is very much for the members as well, for getting the kids excited about arts and music.”
When asked what they learned from participating in Voices West, Kamala singers mentioned they were inspired by the common joy of singing, the uniqueness of each choir, and the high caliber of performance. It was well worth the 14-hour bus trips.
For more information visit corazonchoir.org.
Kamala, along with the Junior and Preparatory choirs and the Gallery Singers are in the midst of preparing for their annual WinterSong Christmas concert to held at 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13. They are excited to welcome guest soloist Melanie Hemmerling. Come and share in this newest musical adventure.
