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Elliott Chorale
 Conducted
by Dr. Gayle h Martin, the Elliott Chorale is named
to honour Professor Emeritus Carleton Elliott (1928-2003),
who taught at Mount Allison 1951-1993 and founded and
led the original Conservatory Chorale for several decades.
The Elliott Chorale is an auditioned chamber choir of
mixed (SATB) voices. Our singers have strength in sight
reading, are experienced singers, and have an avid interest
in and enthusiasm for choral singing. In addition to
performing one concert each term on campus, the Chorale
sings at various church services, at concert venues
in the Maritimes, and tours in the spring. Non-musical
social events, such as pot luck suppers and hikes, enhance
our ability to work together, fostering mutual respect
and understanding. The Elliott Chorale has been semifinalists
and quarter finalists in the chamber choir and university
choir divisions of the CBC National Radio Competition
for Amateur Choirs. They performed with the Amadeus
Choir, directed by Lydia Adams, for a concert at Podium
2008. The Chorale's repertoire is challenging and diverse,
with emphasis on early and new music. For
example, music from last season included works by Tormis,
Peterson-Berger and Whitacre, as well as Schumann Lieder.
Madrigals and arrangements of folk songs are popular
lighter fare for the Chorale.
This fall the Elliott Chorale will honour Remembrance
Day by performing a short concert, ‘In Memoriam:
Songs of Remembrance’ at 8:00 p.m. on November
2 in Mount Allison’s chapel. Works by Barber,
Mealor, and Nystedt will be performed. On November 25
they will be singing Avro Part’s Cantate Domino
as well as works by Gabrieli and Monteverdi in the chapel
joined by the Choral Society and Brass Choir at 8:00
p.m. The following week, December 2, the Elliott Chorale
will perform at the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols
in the university chapel singing from Seven Magnificat
Antiphons by Part. On March 24, also in the chapel,
the group will honour the anniversaries of composers
deaths: John Dowland’s 450th; Carlo Gesualdo’s
400th; George Day’s 300th; Manoel Dias de Oliviera’s
200th and Francis Poulenc’s 50th.
Rehearsals
The Elliott Chorale rehearses on Mondays and Thursdays
from 4:00 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. in the Choral Room at the
Music Conservatory. Rehearsals will begin on Thursday,
September 6th.
Auditions
Auditions for the Chorale will be held on Sunday, September
2 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Tuesday September
4, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 pm.. There will be sign-up
sheets at the Conservatory on the office door of 107
beginning the week prior to the auditions. Auditions
will be held in Dr. Martin’s office. Please prepare
a short excerpt of something you have recently performed
or enjoy singing (this could be a few phrases from choral
repertoire as well).
Dr. Gayle h Martin
364-2692
Office: 107 Music Conservatory
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