GATHER: Outdoor Choral Festival

Description

To celebrate a much-anticipated return to in-person choral singing after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, MCA will host a FREE outdoor choral festival to bring Manitobans together for a celebratory day of singing. GATHER will take place on Saturday, October 1 on Treaty 1 Territory at the Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg. The festival will feature performances of Manitoba choirs and vocal ensembles, musical acts, workshops for singers, and opportunities for reconnecting with community members. Attendees will also have the opportunity to sample food and drink from food trucks, peruse crafts and products in the local artisan market, and flex their creative muscles in spaces devoted to making art. We invite everyone in the Manitoba choral community and beyond to bring their lawn chairs or blankets to the park and celebrate with us in person at this exciting FREE event!

SCHEDULE
09:30 Mindful Yoga for Singers Workshop - Blue Rose Yoga & Voice
10:00 Buffalo Gals
10:40 St. James-Assiniboia Divisional Senior Concert Choir
11:00 Rainbow Harmony Project
11:30 Juvel 12:10 Assiniboine Chorus
12:30 Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute Chamber Choir
12:50 Gratitude Song Workshop - Cory Campbell
14:00 Those Guys 14:30 Ecco Singers
14:50 Fort Richmond Collegiate Senior Choir
15:10 Margaret's Choir
15:45 CMU Chamber Choir & U of M Upper Voices
16:05 Niverville Middle School Choir
16:25 Quarry Choristers
17:15 JP Hoe - Finale Performance Mindful Yoga for Singers Workshop

Start off the day with Rose van der Hooft, MMUS, Y200H+, MBSR, of Blue Rose Yoga and Voice as she leads a workshop that will strengthen the connection between mind and body for expressive singing that “truly resonates the soul”. Focusing on breath calms the mind and heightens concentration, in order to let go of distractions and be fully present in the moment.

Gratitude Song Workshop
Join Anishinaabe traditional drummer and singer Cory Campbell as he shares teachings and leads attendees through a learning of the original song Gratitude. Originally commissioned by the U of M Concert Choir (Dr. Catherine Robbins, Director), Gratitude is a song dedicated to reconciliation and healing and has been gifted to all Manitoba singers. It expresses a spirit of gratitude, or profound thanks, in the languages of the Traditional Peoples of Manitoba: Anishininiwak, Dakota, Dene, Ininiwak, Anishinaabeg, and the Métis Nation. Read more about the project on MCA's website.

FOOD & VENDORS - more to come!
ARTEL Studio Blue Rose Yoga Color Street Evani Gems Gibson's Glass and Art Homemade Creations by Pat Manitoba Chamber Orchestra Manitoba Choral Association Merch Table Mariants Crystals Mini Donuts & More North End Women's Centre RePurpose204 Rescued Hearts Those Guys Merch Table Tugging at Your Artstrings Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Businesses interested in joining our event as a vendor are invited to visit our website to submit an application.

VOLUNTEERS
We are still seeking volunteers to help us make this festival a success! Visit our website to apply.

VENUE
The festival will be held at the Lyric Theatre in beautiful Assiniboine Park, Treaty 1 Territory, Winnipeg. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets and please dress for the weather! In case of rain, we will move down the road to Canadian Mennonite University. The washrooms beside the Lyric Stage are fully accessible. The festival area will be entirely on grass, which can be uneven terrain. ASL interpretation will be provided for the finale performance.

RAFFLE
Help MCA Elevate Choral Music in our Province! Enter our 50/50 raffle to support MCA's work in The Singing Province. All proceeds will support valuable programs and resources for Manitoba singers, students, choral directors, and choirs! Purchase your tickets by 12:00pm on October 1 and be entered to win an MCA Swag Package ($95 value). https://www.fundingchange.ca/mbchoral