Festival Singers of Canada
Encyclopedia
The Festival Singers of Canada was a professional choir
located in Toronto
, Canada
from 1954-1979. Founded in 1954 by Elmer Iseler
as the Festival Singers of Toronto, the choir was heard first heard on CBC radio
in a 1955 Good Friday
broadcast of Bach
's Christ lag in Todesbanden. Initially consisting of only 25 voices, the choir expanded to 32 voices and attracted international attention for their work in the early 1960s with Igor Stravinsky
. Their recording of Symphony of Psalms, conducted by Stravinsky, was nominated in 1965 for a Grammy Award
. Tenor Gordon Wry
was one of the founding singers of the chorus.
The choir made its US debut in December 1967 at the White House
. In 1968 the choir changed its name to the Festival Singers of Canada and became the first Canadian choir to develop professional status. At this time, the chorus became the core of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
. Expanding to 36 voices, the ensemble toured Europe in 1971, and again in 1972 with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Further US appearances included concerts at Lincoln Center (1972), the Kennedy Center (1976), and the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia (1977). In 1977 the choir toured England
, West Germany
, and the USSR. In Canada the ensemble toured the west in 1974 and 1977 and the east in 1975 and appeared at the Stratford Festival during the summers of 1955, 1956, 1958, 1963-7 and 1974, the Guelph Spring Festival 1968, 1973, and 1975-7, the winter seasons of the Shaw Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake 1973-6, and the 1976 Olympics
in Montreal. Annual concert series were given in Toronto, and at the height of their fame the singers gave about 25 concerts each year on the CBC.
Excepting a period of about a year and a half (late 1960 to early 1962) when ill health forced his temporary resignation, Iseler was the Festival Singers' regular conductor until 1978. In Iseler's absence, Lloyd Bradshaw conducted several concerts, and Walter Susskind
and Rowland Pack each conducted one. Iseler himself - as a guest - conducted the final concert in the 1961-2 series prior to returning as artistic director in August 1962, and he retained the position for the ensuing 16 years. Ruth Watson Henderson
served as the choir's accompanist from 1968-1979.
By the mid-1970s there was dissatisfaction about the Festival Singers' objectives and policies among its constituent components - choir members, artistic director, management, and board. Furthermore, concern about the levels and sources of its funding prompted the Canada Council to commission a review of the choir's affairs in 1976. In 1978 these contentious issues resulted in the board announcement on 12 May that Iseler's contract would not be renewed.
Giles Bryant was named music director in June 1978, and Peter McCoppin
, Jon Washburn, Brian Law, and John Barnum
appeared as guest conductors during the 1978-9 season. The season was not a financial success, due in part to decreased use of the choir by the CBC. The Festival Singers announced suspension of activities in April 1979 and filed an assignment of bankruptcy 30 Jul 1979.
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
located in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from 1954-1979. Founded in 1954 by Elmer Iseler
Elmer Iseler
Elmer Walter Iseler, OC was a Canadian choir conductor and choral editor. He was the conductor of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and founder of the Festival Singers of Canada and the Elmer Iseler Singers....
as the Festival Singers of Toronto, the choir was heard first heard on CBC radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
in a 1955 Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
broadcast of Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's Christ lag in Todesbanden. Initially consisting of only 25 voices, the choir expanded to 32 voices and attracted international attention for their work in the early 1960s with Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
. Their recording of Symphony of Psalms, conducted by Stravinsky, was nominated in 1965 for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
. Tenor Gordon Wry
Gordon Wry
Gordon Wry was a Canadian tenor and conductor. His voice is preserved on a handful of recordings made with pianist Glenn Gould.Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Wry studied singing with renowned contralto Nellie Smith and music theory with Healey Willan at the Toronto Conservatory of Music...
was one of the founding singers of the chorus.
The choir made its US debut in December 1967 at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. In 1968 the choir changed its name to the Festival Singers of Canada and became the first Canadian choir to develop professional status. At this time, the chorus became the core of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is a Canadian large vocal ensemble based in Toronto.The choir was co-founded in 1894 by Augustus S. Vogt and W. H. Hewlett. The ensemble was originally an extension of the choir of Jarvis St. Baptist Church in Toronto which Vogt directed and Hewlett accompanied. The...
. Expanding to 36 voices, the ensemble toured Europe in 1971, and again in 1972 with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Further US appearances included concerts at Lincoln Center (1972), the Kennedy Center (1976), and the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia (1977). In 1977 the choir toured England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, and the USSR. In Canada the ensemble toured the west in 1974 and 1977 and the east in 1975 and appeared at the Stratford Festival during the summers of 1955, 1956, 1958, 1963-7 and 1974, the Guelph Spring Festival 1968, 1973, and 1975-7, the winter seasons of the Shaw Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake 1973-6, and the 1976 Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal. Annual concert series were given in Toronto, and at the height of their fame the singers gave about 25 concerts each year on the CBC.
Excepting a period of about a year and a half (late 1960 to early 1962) when ill health forced his temporary resignation, Iseler was the Festival Singers' regular conductor until 1978. In Iseler's absence, Lloyd Bradshaw conducted several concerts, and Walter Susskind
Walter Susskind
Jan Walter Susskind was a Czech-born British conductor.-Biography:Susskind was born in Prague, Austria–Hungary, now the Czech Republic. His father was a Viennese music critic and his Czech mother was a piano teacher. At the State Conservatorium he studied under composer Josef Suk, the son-in-law...
and Rowland Pack each conducted one. Iseler himself - as a guest - conducted the final concert in the 1961-2 series prior to returning as artistic director in August 1962, and he retained the position for the ensuing 16 years. Ruth Watson Henderson
Ruth Watson Henderson
Ruth Louise Watson Henderson is a Canadian composer, pianist, and music educator. She has been the accompanist for the Toronto Children's Chorus since its inception in 1978 and is currently on the faculty of The Royal Conservatory of Music where she has taught for many years...
served as the choir's accompanist from 1968-1979.
By the mid-1970s there was dissatisfaction about the Festival Singers' objectives and policies among its constituent components - choir members, artistic director, management, and board. Furthermore, concern about the levels and sources of its funding prompted the Canada Council to commission a review of the choir's affairs in 1976. In 1978 these contentious issues resulted in the board announcement on 12 May that Iseler's contract would not be renewed.
Giles Bryant was named music director in June 1978, and Peter McCoppin
Peter McCoppin
Peter McCoppin is a Canadian conductor and organist.He studied conducting with Erich Leinsdorf, Lovro von Matičič, and Hans Swarowsky, and taught conducting at the Cleveland Institute of Music ....
, Jon Washburn, Brian Law, and John Barnum
John Barnum
John O. Barnum was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s....
appeared as guest conductors during the 1978-9 season. The season was not a financial success, due in part to decreased use of the choir by the CBC. The Festival Singers announced suspension of activities in April 1979 and filed an assignment of bankruptcy 30 Jul 1979.