Five Things about Heavenly Voices

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The Calgary Philharmonic Chorus is performing what the chorus master Timothy Shantz describes as a “really big sing” March 13 and 14 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, namely Beethoven’s Mass in C Major. (Go to cpo-live.com for more information.) Here’s five things about Heavenly Voices.

1. Who are the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus?

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“They are volunteer and they’re people from all walks of life,” says Shantz. “Really it’s quite an interesting cross section of Calgary. We’ve got plenty of engineers, people in oil and gas, we’ve got doctors, nurses, teachers, homemakers — accountants — other people in the arts world. It’s amazing. A lot of these singers, I call them reformed instrumentalists, because they may have played an instrument along the way and they find they can have a real outlet in their singing and they might find their voice coming into the chorus and they want to be part of it. ”

2. Why is Beethoven’s Mass in C Major not performed very often?

“It’s an early mass he wrote,” says Shantz. “He was kind of caught in having to write in the style of (composer Joseph) Haydn, because he was writing for the Esterhazy family who were famous for Haydn having worked for them. He was supposed to write in that style, and of course, Beethoven being Beethoven, he couldn’t really keep himself out of it. He included some things (in the mass) that were definitely pushing the envelope a little bit in terms of form, and in the end, the piece wasn’t all that well received by the prince. But of course in hindsight now, it’s quite fascinating actually to hear and sing and perform.”

3. Tell us about your Chicago-bound Philharmonic Chorus.

“We’re getting a chance to perform at the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago,” says Shantz, “which is an incredible venue. It’s just a huge, huge space and quite awe-inspiring. We’re also connecting with the Canadian consulate in Chicago, and we’re singing on Canada Day at an event … at the Chicago Cultural Centre, underneath one of the largest tiffany domes in the world. We’re starting a crowdfunding campaign to support the artistic costs of that and launching on March 14 (on the CPO website).”

4. Violinist Nikki Chooi returns home.

“It’s my adopted home,” says Victoria native (and passionate Canucks fan) Chooi, who studied violin at Mount Royal Conservatory by commuting every two weeks from Victoria. “I’m just really thrilled to come back.” Will he visit The Bella, the new concert hall being built at Mount Royal University? “I hope so,” he says. “I don’t know if it’s available for public viewing, but even to see it from outside (would be awesome). I’d love to (see inside). I’ve heard so many great things about it.” Chooi is performing on a $5 million Stradivarius violin, which was loaned to him by the Canada Council for the past three years. Does he practice on the Strad? “I use it for everything,” he says. “I’m really thrilled to be playing on this instrument.”

5. Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy.

“It’s in four movements,” says Chooi. “Each movement has its own character, its own melody that, when the audience hears it, you kind of go back, and just have it in your ear and hum it. When Bruch was writing this, he hadn’t been to Scotland yet. He admired the soulfulness of it and the melody of it. It’s pretty much a medley of Scottish folk tunes. He obviously had a lot of virtuosity written in to the violin part, so it’s very exciting as well (to have the opportunity to perform it).”

Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra presents Heavenly Voices: Beethoven’s Mass in C Major at Jack Singer Hall

March 13&14, 8 p.m.

cpo-live.com

shunt@calgaryherald.com

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