From Markus, GYS Artistic Director:
Hello GYS Families,
As our season is quickly wrapping up, in the next few weeks, I will send out a 'Memo From Markus', which will be a reflection on the past season and its successes. Heather and I are currently discussing choir placements for next year, and will be eager to reach out to you all individually to offer you spots in the ensemble we think best fits each chorister's age and abilities.
It has become very clear that people are eager to know more about the basic structure of our choirs for the 2018/19 Season and I am happy to share some details in this Newsletter.
Choir 1 will continue on Tuesdays from 4:15-5:45 p.m. for our youngest and newest singers. The introduction of Dalcroze Eurythmics, a method of building innate musicality though movement, rhythm and improvisation will be an exciting addition to our programming!
Choir 2 will remain on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. Drumming and movement will enhance a season of choral repertoire from around the world. Guest leaders will join us from the Universities of Guelph and Laurier, and the greater Guelph arts community.
Cantabile, Choir 3 and Chamber Choir will maintain their Wednesday time slots. Collaborations with dance and theatre companies, and the Guelph Symphony promise to offer a season that maintains the highest of choral standards while exploring multidisciplinary performing opportunities.
NEW THIS SEASON: Young Men’s Choir: Tuesdays 4-5:30 p.m. Geared towards the bravest of us all, the changing male voice will be nurtured and challenged in this high-energy 90 minute vocal session. Exploring repertoire from folk, to light pop and more traditional styles, GYS will guarantee a high standard in a safe environment filled with tons of fun! (Gentlemen are welcome to sing in other core choirs, like Choir 3 upon the approval of the artistic staff).
NEW THIS SEASON: Music Theatre Academy: Sundays 2-5 p.m. Our newest program in GYS is the establishment of the Music Theatre Academy, structured around the programming of two of Canada’s finest youth theatre companies. Geared towards young performers who are looking for an elevated theatre performance experience, the small group will work with Markus and other professionals from the Central Ontario theatre community. Solo and small ensemble singing, drama, and dance will be the core disciplines in a weekly intensive. More information will come as guest artists and performance dates are finalized.
NEW THIS SEASON: sheVoce: Wednesdays 4-6 p.m. Until we can find a balanced number of changed male voices to resurrect our amazing SATB Choir, sheVoce will be an all-treble ensemble of the most experienced singers from GYS. Geared towards auditioned voices mainly in grades 11 and 12, this advanced ensemble will explore music from the Contemporary Songbook. The Good Lovelies, Sweet Honey on the Rock, and VOCO will inspire our small ensemble singing, mentored this season by members of the professional choir LA MOVIDA!
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From Sara, GYS President
It’s hard to believe the 2017-18 GYS season is already over! It has been a fantastic year. From the board of directors, it has been a wonderful year where we welcomed new members to the board and are now saying good bye to a couple more. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Kim Gould for her decade of service to GYS as the treasurer. Thank-you Kim! On a personal note, I am stepping down as chair of the board and handing over the reins to our vice president Pam Young. I look forward to serving on the board as past president. We are still looking for more board members to join our ranks, particularly a coordinator of touring. If you are interested, please contact the GYS office. On behalf of the board, have a safe and healthy summer.
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From Tina, GYS Board Member-at-Large
I decided to join the board this past September to help better understand how the GYS organization works. As a busy mom juggling work and school, I often found it difficult to stay on top of all of the demands of my children’s extracurricular activities, particularly fundraising. I thought it would be valuable to learn more about how the organization ticks, its financial demands, with the goal of contributing to help the organization grow. During the fall meetings I largely listened, and have since assisted with grant proposal writing and the development of the upcoming client feedback questionnaire. You can put in as much or as little time as you have to offer. I have found it a very rewarding experience, and I encourage others to consider joining the GYS board next season.
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