This past weekend (March 13-15) two prominent choral groups premiered works by Conrad Grebel University College faculty member Timothy Corlis. Elektra Women’s Choir in Vancouver, directed by Morna Edmundson, premiered and recorded a suite of 4 choral pieces entitled Heart Songs of the White Wampum. These are musical settings of poems written by the celebrated Canadian Poet E. Pauline Johnson. This commission was supported by a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. Acclaimed percussionist Beverly Johnston was the soloist for this commission. Also this weekend, Noel Edison and the Elora Festival Singers premiered a new work entitled Immortality, text by poet Sri Chinmoy. This new work was premiered in New York City as part of a three choir concert, entitled A Cappella Next at Carnegie Hall. The choir also performed this new work, along work with Corlis’ Gloria as part of Manhattan’s Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church’s concert series. Both the Elora Festival Singers and the Elektra Women’s Choir are multi-award winning ensembles that frequently champion Canadian music both in Canada and abroad.
