goddesstogo

I'm thinking about some of the things I'd like to start in the fall (courses, etc.) and one thing I'm interested in is joining a choir.

There's a perfect version of this at the Miles Nadel Centre at Bloor and Spadina (the old Jewish Y) -- no auditions and you don't have to be able to read music. It's just an opportunity for people (non-formalized singers) like me to get together with others and sing. The only problem with this one is that it's on Monday nights and I'm not free that night. I'm actually only free Tuesdays and Thursdays. Too bad, too, because that's a perfect location for me.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew of a similar kind of choir -- no auditions, no reading music.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Ta, my little honeys.

kodi

Oh that sounds like fun. I only ever auditioned for a choir once and that was in grade 6. I wasn't even finished singing when the teacher yelled "NEXT".
but I'm really terrific when I'm on my own!!!!

I know a man who is in a choir , and I'll be seeing him this week. I'll ask. I know he goes to NYC to sing. NOw that would be a great perk!!

Meesthare

Goddess, you might think about the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir. They have a long and interesting history, and I don't believe they are an auditioned choir. Take a look at their website.

goddesstogo

Thanks to both of you. I'll look into that Meesthare.

irecommend

Sounds great! You can sing for us at the next GTG!

goddesstogo

Well, um, sure. If we needed to clear the room quickly, I could do that.

SallyCanuck

What about the Sweet Adelines?

http://york.cioc.ca/details.asp?RSN=8032

I don't know anything about them except a friend's sister belongs.

goddesstogo

Sally,
That looks like a good possibility, thanks. It's a good website too.

SallyCanuck

You're welcome, goddess.

Just looking through the night school brochure (which gets smaller every year), noticed there's a course called "Let's Sing" offered at Northern on Tuesdays nights, so close to you I believe. Starts Sept 30.

http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/p...reFall2008.pdf

Me, I would like to try African drumming ever since I saw The Visitor.

goddesstogo

Sally, that might be just the ticket! It's right in the neighbourhood and it's even on the right night.

Seeing the brochure, I'm so tempted to a) sing, b) learn blues harmonica, c) learn to play the guitar or d) join an opera chorus!

Thanks so much.

(Are you really going to do African drumming?)

SallyCanuck

Good, several choices for you...knowing what I sound like I skip over the singing sections of brochures.

Will have to think about the drumming because I have to buy my own drum, I thought maybe they'd let participants borrow them and then I'd have to find a place to either play the drum, and how likely is that, or find a place in the basement to store it which is much more likely.

In the movie, the fellow joins other drummers on the street - I suppose that goes on in NYC but I haven't seen it here. Still it would be fun to know how to do it JUST IN CASE IT CAME UP ONE DAY - a group needed an African drummer and I could jump in and save the day! Yes, that's very likely to happen...wait, not it's NOT!

Will mull it over for a few days.

To totally change the thread - saw Jersey Boys on Sat - we all loved it. I'd see it again. I think you and SO are going..right?

goddesstogo

We're going in a couple of weeks -- can't wait to see it. We saw Avenue Q last week and all of us liked it very much. There were just a couple of lines that we thought were too crude and seemed almost tacked on but otherwise it was very clever and well done.

Your drum comments reminds me of my friend who's been learning to play blues harmonica. Every time he travels by air he tucks his harmonica into his pocket. He's just dying for security to question him about it. He has this fantasy of pulling it out of its case and saying "Of COURSE, it's just a harmonica -- listen!" and playing this fabulous blues piece in front of the wowed crowd. Sadly, so far no one's ever even questioned it.

SallyCanuck

Of course they haven't asked him about the harmonica ... I hope they do though, it would just like the movies.

Enough of Fodor's - off to the gym.

Mathieu

Hi Goddess,

I’ve been singing in a choir for the past 3 years and have been having a grand time. I’d welcome you to join us, but I don’t think you’d like trekking an hour up and back to my neck of the woods every Tuesday night.

However when they’re on hiatus during the Summer, I sing with The Toronto Singing Studio downtown and it’s a blast. The summer session is conducted at Trinity St. Pauls (Bloor and Spadina). Our Director Linda, is an energetic barrel of fun and from meeting you at the GTG, I think I can imagine you fitting in with us. She runs programs during the Fall and Winter as well and I think those sessions may be held in the Spadina and St. Clair area.

Google the studio, or let me know if you’d like me to send you contact info or more information.

M.

goddesstogo

I'll definitely take a look at that Mathieu. Now that I've seen the TDSB catalogue, I'm also thinking about taking guitar lessons.

Ah September -- it makes me energetic!!!

Meesthare

Matthieu, just out of curiosity, what's the name of your regular Tuesday night choir?

I also googled the Toronto Singing Studio, but it looks like a website for someone offering private voice lessons. What's the actual web address?

Mathieu

Hi Meetshare,

My regular choir is 'The Harmony Chorale'. We're about 45 in total on concert nights, and are based in Newmarket, and draw members and fans alike from Richmond Hill, King City, Aurora, Orangeville, Mt. Albert, Bradford, Barrie (no kidding) and the surrounds.
We put on 2 concerts a year; a Christmas one in December and a fund raiser for children's AIDS charities in May. We also do 10 concerts a year at Seniors homes in the vicinity. We sing a wide range of material, from classical to spiritual, Broadway to contemporary Christian and some stuff in between - all in 4 (sometimes more) part harmony.
(I also have friends who sing with the Mendelssohn Choir and the Mississauga Chorale Society.)

The website is probably Linda's teaching site, since she also gives private singing lessons being a vocal coach herself. However you may contact her through that site to inquire about the choral sessions. I know that she runs least 2 choirs during the Fall and Winter, one auditioned, the other not.

kodi

wow, all you talented people!! I think it's wonderful!

Goddess, I asked my friend today, and he didn't have anything to suggest, but it sounds like you have great suggestions already.

I'd love to learn an instrument or to sing... but alas, I'm failing in the talent end of it.

Meesthare

Hi, Matthieu - the website I saw actually belongs to somebody named Deborah Staiman.

My best pal is visiting me from Toronto right now, and she sings with Mendelssohn! My SO was with the Elmer Iseler Singers for 14 years.

Mathieu

Meetshare and Goddess,

The webaddress for the Singing Studio is : www.TheTorontoSingingStudio.ca

Linda advises that its presently under construction but should be up and running any day now.

I used to attend the EI singers' concerts years ago. Most enjoyable.