A month gone by….since the Opening Ceremonies of Songs of the World 2011. Can still feel the energy of all those singers….the beautiful setting….the RCMP & Piper bringing in the dignitaries!  …And the amazing singing as the Guest Conductors led the 300 participants!!!  Was fabulous!!!

After two days rest following the Gala Closing concert, and the action & harmony packed five days, we can truly say the “Songs of the World 2011″ was fabulous!!

Guest conductors Rollo Dilworth and Henry Leck both agreed that this particular festival was one they personally will not forget….that it had a quality of personal intimacy that happens only rarely in these festival gatherings.

Endless positive feedback has come in from the singers, chaperones and conductors of each participating choir.  And the guest performers could also feel the energy of affirmation, excellence and true joy throughout the six days.

Thank you everyone for Songs of the World 2011!!!

“Songs of the World 2011″ Festival office is up and running at SFU – in residence west side of campus…where the 320 participants are staying.  Had the meeting and orientation of the “guardian angels” for the participating choirs!  Wonderful to sense the excitement and anticipation for “the party to begin! “….or rather…..LET THE SONGS BEGIN!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

A choral Festival would be impossible without keyboards!!!  And CSICF is MOST GRATEFUL to our generous keyboard sponsor, Tom Lee Music!

Tom Lee Music is a well recognized provider and arts advocacy outlet in this province, and across Canada!  Currently, Tom Lee Music is the exclusive supplier of instruments for the Vancouver Jazz Festival!

So to include a Choral Festival in that busy timeline for Tom Lee Music….CSICF says a huge THANK YOU!!!!

THREE of the Coastal Sound Music Academy choirs have won their classes at the Performing Arts BC Choral Festival!
Coastal Sound Women’s Choir, which is self directed, Children’s Choir and Youth Choir have all won “the Provincials” and have now been recommended to the National festival level.

Also the Coastal Sound Youth Choir has been selected as a finalist in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, formerly known as the CBC Choral Competition. Winners will be announced in July.

You have the opportunity to hear these choirs during the Festival July 4 – 9, 2011.  Don’t be disappointed….order your tickets now online.

Spoke in person with the director of Green Bay Girl Choir this morning – Karie Green.  We chatted about the repertoire….and in the conversation, she said how excited her singers are about coming to this beautiful province…and in particular to Vancouver area.  So, the energy for the events of “Songs of the World 2011″ is building…we can feel it!

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP AS A VOLUNTEER YET?  You don’t want to be left behind.  Give it a go…even if it is just for an evening, or a few hours throughout the time…maybe as a rehearsal facilitator – just to watch Henry Leck or Rollo Dilworth make magic with the music!

SAD NEWS/GOOD NEWS SCENARIO RE: Volunteer Coordinator……

Sad News:  CSICF regrets saying farewell to our friend Jessica Pasiuk as our Volunteer coordinator from 2009.  Jessica had thought she could serve in this position for 2011, and we were working with her.  However, in the past month, she has had to step away from the position for personal reasons.  Thank you Jessica for your help thus far!

Good News…actually GREAT NEWS:  We have a replacement….

CSICF IS THRILLED TO WELCOME SHELLY PENNINGTON AS VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR FOR 2011.   Here is a quick introduction of Shelly….

SHELLY 

♫      has lived in Port Coquitlam all her life

♫       is married with two teenage boys ages 15 & 13

♫       loves to golf, cook, ski, snowshoe, hike and travel.

♫      Volunteers for the MS Society and for the City of Port Coquitlam as a volunteer coordinator.

♫      Is VERY excited to be part of this festival.

Extra info:  Shelly had the Artistic Director of this Festival as a Music teacher in her elementary school at Viscount Alexander School, in Port Coquitlam…we won’t say how many years ago.

To contact Shelly…to sign up as a volunteer…   shellypennington@hotmail.com

Just over two months away from the Opening Ceremonies on July 4th…we can’t help but highlight our amazing donors, sponsors & partners.

Without the generous help of our community, events such as “Songs of the World 2011″ would not be possible.

Please take time to see the growing list at “Get Involved” on the website

A performance of the brilliant work Carmina Burana by Carl Orff  happened just last evening in Vancouver by Amabilis Singers – one of the Vancouver’s regional choral organizations .  Wonderful evening – the opening chords of this work sent the audience off into that  “life journey of love & life” !

An impressionable part of the evening was how recognizable the selections from this remarkable work have become!  The energy – the joy – the amazing variety in the one work!  It is an example of how “sing along in spirit”  this choral work has become!

Carmina Burana is just one example of such great works!  In “Songs of the World 2011″ repertoire, such music will be shared with the added energy of children and youth presenting thrilling selections.  Will also be quite remarkable!

In 2007, Bob Chilcott wrote a beautiful song  for the Coastal Sound International Choral Festival.  The words of Robert Louis Stevenson were set to harmony, and the premiere was outstanding that year as the singing voices of Children and Youth reminded us:

“And at noonday, you and I

See the same sun shine……..

And makes all countries one…..

See the same sun shine above.

This same sun shines in Japan at this time of pain and chaos in 2011.  Our world has once again changed – and we are all one as we feel this change.

May the singing voices of Children and Youth continue to bring us together to reach out to each other as one.