Bumming out that choir is over for the summer?  Have no fear- S.C.A.T camp is here!

S.C.A.T Camps offers an exciting opportunity for young singers, dancers, actors and artists (aged 8-18) to come together and create a semi-staged production after two fun-filled weeks of training in musicianship, dance, choreography, set production and musical theatre.

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!

At the end of these 2 weeks, S.C.A.T participants stage a show centred on a theme that includes songs from the jazz, classical, folk, and Broadway genres, among others.  "Campers" will also participate in set painting and the creation of props and costumes. 

Participants will be given the opportunity to audition for vocal, dance or acting solo parts to be performed as part of the final show, following a potluck dinner for family and friends.

The camp will take place 9AM-3PM,  Monday-Friday from July 16th - July 27th at First United Church in White Rock.

The 2012 S.C.A.T Camp Faculty is:

Stephen Horning, B.Mus, Ed. Dip. graduated from the University of Victoria in 1978, majoring in composition, piano, and choral studies.  Stephen taught twelve years in the Campbell River School District, where he founded the Campbell River Children's Choir.  Stephen moved to the lower lainland in 1989 to teach in the Surrey School District.  In 1992, he founded the Surrey Children's Choir.  Stephen was recipient of the 1999 Willan Award for Outstanding Service to the British Columbia Choral Federation.  In 2008, Stephen received the Surrey Civic Treasure Award for the his contribution to Arts in Surrey.

Carol Coulson attended Dalhousie University, UBC, and received a Master degree from the University of Lublin, Poland, in Folk dance and Choreography.  She performed with the Halifax Theatre Ballet Company and the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine.  Carol has produced, directed, and choreographed many spectacular events in Vancouver, such as the Opening Ceremonies of Expo '86, the Papal visit, and two Grey Cup half-time shows.  Carol is also an accomplished painter and the resident choreographer with the Surrey Children's Choir.

Katie Tennant-Horning is a graduate of Emily Carr University of Art and Design.  She has years of experience working with children and is currently enrolled at UBC in the teacher training program.

Ewa Lajlo has studied at the National School of Art, Zielona Gora, Poland and is currently enrolled in the Fine Arts Program at Langara College in Vancouver.

Danica Kell is a recent UBC graduate and current program manager for the Surrey Children's Choir.  She has over 16 years of choral singing experience and has worked as a musical summer camp assistant for the BC Choral Federation.

For more information, or to register, please call Danica at: 604.618.1474

Carmina Burana at the Surrey Arts Centre

In just over a week's time, the Surrey Children's Choir, Surrey Chamber Choir, Surrey Youth Chorus and Surrey Adult Community Chorus will mount the main stage at the Surrey Arts Centre to present their 20th anniversary season Spring Concert.

The choirs have been working on Carl Orff's masterpiece since November and are incredibly excited to stage it.  The first half of the show also promises to be an exciting one, rounded out by Paul Halley's "Untravelled Worlds" and "Freedom Trilogy", and with performances of pieces from the Dominican Republic, Poland and commissioned piece "Say the Names" by Vancouver composer David MacIntyre.

Tickets available at Tapestry Music in White Rock, or at the Surrey Arts Centre box office.

Out to Lunch at the Vancouver Art Gallery

Vancouver Art Gallery: 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver

As part of the Vancouver Art Gallery's "Out to Lunch" Concert Series, the Surrey Chamber Choir and Youth Chorus will perform "Ave Verum Corpus",  a Good Friday concert, at the gallery this week, Friday, April 6th at 12:00pm, joined by director Stephen Horning and Erik Homonick on piano.

The concert features a mix of both sacred music, some specific to Easter, and secular pieces, a variety that promises something for every audience member.

Works include the piece made famous by Joel Coen's "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Down to the River to Pray", as well as lesser known original spirituals, "City Called Heaven" and "Hold Me, Rock Me".  

The choir's female voices will perform pieces from Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" and Randall Thompson's "The Place of the Blest", while the mixed voice youth choir will perform sacred works by Canadian composers Eleanor Daley and Stephanie Martin, as well as secular piece "I Dreamed of Rain" arranged by local composer and conductor, Larry Nickel, and pieces by international composers.  

The chamber choir will perform "Music For a While" by 17th century composer Henry Purcell, among other pieces, and are also delighted to present the west coast premiere of Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki's "Benedictus".

The concert will conclude with chorister favourite, "Freedom Trilogy", a piece by Paul Halley that takes musical phrases from gregorian chant, traditional American spiritual "Amazing Grace" and South African folk songs, to create an exciting, dynamic choral medley.

The choirs sincerely hope you will join them for this lunch hour of beautiful music.

Surrey Youth Chorus

 

Surrey Chamber Choir

Tickets are included in admission to the gallery exhibits.  

$17.50 Adults | $12.50 Seniors and Students | $6.25 Children (5-12)

20th Anniversary: 1 term down, 1 to go!

With one term of our 20th Anniversary season finished, it is already shaping up to be a great year for the Surrey Children's Choir Family.

The year started off with a bang, when the SCC met up at Timberline Ranch for their annual Rehearsal Retreat.  This year's group includes many new singers moved up from the Intermediate Training Choir, and they did a commendable job of jumping right in to the challenging repertoire of the Senior Choir and really giving it their all!  The staff lucky enough to join the chorister's for their opening retreat were entertained the whole weekend long by beautiful melodies, silly skits and tons of fun.

The SCC kept busy in September, performing at the Grand Opening of the new Surrey City Centre Library.  Following their first gig, rehearsals swiftly turned to the Holiday Season, and the many gigs the choir had coming up.

In preparation for the busy season, and for some fun, the Youth Chorus spent a weekend at Harrison Hot Springs Resort.  The choristers got a ton of work done on their tunes for the upcoming holiday performances, and had a blast dancing the night away at the hotel's "Copper Room", and singing the night away in the Hot Springs Tub.

November kicked off the busy holiday season for the choristers, their first gig being to welcome Santa to Surrey Central Mall.

The next weekend, the Senior choir joined Elektra Women's Choir at their annual Christmas Concert "Chez Nous".  They sounded absolutely gorgeous, and totally held their own when singing alongside Elektra members! 

Throughout the season, members of the Chamber Choir went back in time, playing the role of "Roving Carollers" at Burnaby Village Museum's 1920's Heritage Christmas.  

Chamber Choir singers also entertained some of White Rock's Senior population, when singing at the White Rock Leisure Services' Annual Mistletoe Dinner.

Next up was the choir's own family Christmas Concert, "Ave Maria".
It was a fabulous night, with stellar performances by all 6 levels of the choir family.

The next weekend, the JTC and ITC performed for busy shoppers at Semiahmoo Mall.  They were fabulously professional and sounded great!  See snippits here and here.

To wrap up a wonderful first term, the children's and youth choirs joined together for our first annual SCC Christmas Party.  There was singing, dancing, card-making, game-playing, and all around fun!

Congratulations to all our singers on an excellent first term in this, our 20th anniversary season.

Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra

The Senior choir shone this weekend when they joined the distinguished Elektra Women's Choir at their annual Christmas Concert.

The SCC and Elektra rehearsing at Ryerson United Church

The SCC sang alongside Elektra for mass carols, and also performed a solo set featuring "He Shall Feed his Flock" from Handel's Messiah, Canadian composer Violet Archer's "Christmas" (with lovely solos by Cassandra, Monika, Roberta and Rachel) and finnish folk piece, "Vesi Vassu Lumen Alle".

Congratulations, seniors, on a job well done!

Next up- our own annual concert, "Ave Maria"!

Guess who's Coming to Town???

We're so excited to ring in the Christmas season next Saturday, November 19th at Surrey Central Mall!  Bring family and friends, sing-along to some classic carols and help welcome the big man to Surrey!

Ave Maria: A Family Christmas with the SCC Family

To "attend" the facebook event, please click here:

"I'm going to "Ave Maria!!"