“Like a bridge over troubled waters, in the time of Covid.”
LET’S HEAR IT FROM OUR CHORISTERS!
As people join choirs for many reasons, we decided to invite anyone who felt so inclined to share their reasons for joining the choir – and what it has come to mean to them, especially during these times of Covid. Their response goes a long way towards capturing the spirit that lies behind and within the Upper Canada Choristers.
A long-time chorister’s perspective
“I joined the choir in the mid-1990s, not long after it was established. My previous singing experience was about forty years before that when I sang in a high school barbershop quartet. I was somewhat apprehensive about singing in a group after all those years, but I found the choir to be welcoming and reassuring, which made my return to music very easy.
“I gained confidence in my singing thanks to our amazing choir director, Laurie Evan Fraser. She identifies each member’s voice, their strengths and weaknesses, and then provide constructive support that leads to improved performance. She sets the tone for an overall good feeling of fellowship within the choir. It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience. If I had it to do over, would I join the choir again? I certainly would, and hopefully would not wait forty years to do it the next time!”
From Bill L.
A core component of UCC’s mission is to take our music into the community, to those unable to attend our regular concerts. One of our regular December dates was to sing for the elderly Sisters of St Joseph in their lovely retirement home. Sadly, these community concerts ground to a jarring halt for almost two years, thanks to the pandemic… until this last Christmas:
“On December 11, 2021, between “waves”, we stood outside in a circle, faces uplifted to a dramatic sky. Sun and cloud competed for our attention, and powerful winds tried to knock us off balance. But when our conductor raised her arms, we breathed deeply, and in defiance of all that tried to stop us, we began to sing. Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light we sang, for the sweet Sisters of St. Joseph, in the time of Covid.”
From Janet C.
A choral lifesaver
“Music, especially singing, has always been an important part of my life from a very young age. So, when the pandemic began, resulting in all five of my choirs shutting down, I searched the internet for a local online choir – and was thrilled to discover Upper Canada Choristers. Moreover, I had first met its artistic director, Laurie Evan Fraser, years ago; I knew that she was gifted, well qualified (having graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music, as had I), and very personable. So, I got in touch with Laurie in June 2020, began singing with the choir on Zoom, and have never looked back.
“Membership in UCC keeps me both mentally and physically engaged. The repertoire is excellent, multicultural, and even challenging at times. The concerts have been absolutely amazing, even though I have remained on Zoom. Although I have not yet met any of the choristers in person, I can sense their welcoming warmth and acceptance.
“Being a professional musician, I know an excellent choir when I both hear and sing with one.”
From Carol
Much-needed normalcy in turbulent times
“Thanks to Laurie, Jacqui and the Board for making the effort to keep the choir going during these past couple of years. It sounds silly, but it has been so helpful to have something scheduled to help me figure out what day of the week it was.
“The friendly faces on Zoom and the little bits of news (mostly good) helped to keep us grounded and aware that there were other things happening, and that people’s lives continued. The sense of community within UCC has been enormously gratifying when most of our normal pursuits were curtailed and the world seemed to shrink so much.
“Laurie’s cheerful face and her continued endeavours to teach us all new repertoire on Zoom was a heroic effort. I can’t say Zoom is an ideal teaching tool because of its uncanny ability to either slow down or rush the music, depending on the bandwidth available, but it was certainly better than nothing.
“When we were able to be together in rehearsal or concert, it was wonderful. It made us all so happy to be able to sing together again.
“Many thanks should also be extended to everyone who worked behind the scenes to make the technology work for both rehearsals and concerts. Jacqui, Cecilia, Jacinto and Otto are the ones I know about, but I’m sure there were others doing their bit as well.”
Anonymous
The power of motivation
“It’s hard to believe I’ve been singing with the Upper Canada Choristers for more than 20 years. When asked, I had to stop and think about what UCC has meant to me. The choir is an activity I do on Monday nights, it’s a routine, and as with all activities that become routines, we take them for granted and we don’t often see how important they are in our lives.
“Why is it that every time I’ve not felt like going to a choir commitment – and believe me, there have been a few – I make the effort, and at the end of it I am a happier person? Perhaps it’s the singing, the listening, the harmonizing, the learning, the workshops, the potlucks, the sharing of our music with the community, Cantemos and its connection with my culture, the laughter, the kindness, the positivity, the encouragement, the challenges, the patience, the acceptance, the camaraderie, the friendships built, the love, the wanting to help others, the sense of responsibility and ownership.
“Once Covid-19 took hold, and we began to rehearse on Zoom, it was especially difficult to feel motivated to attend. The main joy I got from singing with a choir was the harmonizing and this wasn’t possible online. However, despite the challenges, we continued doing our best, and in the end, we managed to live-stream our concerts. Interestingly, I now much prefer the new concert format with no intermission, where we integrate our live performance with pre-recorded singing, and the programme notes are presented with images and videos. In my view, it’s a more dynamic experience.
“All of this happened thanks to Laurie. She’s the one who binds everyone together. She’s the source of that love, energy, positivism, patience, kindness and encouragement that we all feel and that makes us carry on. She’s also the reason I’ve been part of this group all these years.”
From Otto P.
“In the time of Covid, UCC has been like a great hockey team. We practiced hard every week with a terrific coach. We welcomed new players and had some big wins at our concerts. We never worried if we could not hit a high note or a low note… we just passed to another player and scored the goal! Oh, and did I forget to tell you that we stayed friends, on and off the ice?”
Anonymous
Intellectual and empathetic support
“I was invited to join by an enthusiastic trio of choristers (I had loved singing with the Hart House Singers, I could read music and I had sung in an Anglican church choir in my teens). I was glad that I didn’t have to audition, although the double sharp at the first rehearsal revived my trepidation! However, I continue to appreciate Laurie’s thoughtful approach – always serious but without solemnity! – to further our understanding, as her explanations go beyond the score and the text of what we are singing, providing the historical and musical context to the wide range of music that we encounter.
“Since a medical diagnosis led to a temporary loss of my voice, and to a continuing problem with standing, I’ve had real support from my empathic fellow altos and other choristers. And the choir's lighter-hearted approach to the Covid years has sustained resilience, and hope.
“The sense of community within the choir is demonstrated by Laurie's check-in at the beginning of every Zoom get-together, where we share funny stories along with news of absent and former choristers. Our sense of community is also shown through the sharing of our music with those unable to experience a concert or to make music.
“The continuation of our rehearsals, working with our customary expectations towards the performance of a concert, provided us all with a purpose. The ingenuity and innovation that went into live-streaming our concerts required extensive collaboration, and we owe a great debt to some individual choristers who made it happen through their skills and knowledge.”
From Rosemary M.
The joy of continuous learning
“When I retired from teaching in 2014, Otto asked me to join his choir (the Upper Canada Choristers). As I had heard it perform, I decided to give it a try. In January 2015 I came to a rehearsal at Grace Church on-the-Hill and sang in the tenor section, where I met Kathy and Bill. I felt warmly welcomed, which encouraged me to come back. I have always liked singing. Being in the choir has given me an opportunity to learn songs from around the world and sing in various languages. Also, I’ve improved my voice through the different warm-ups and singing techniques taught by Laurie. I still must work on the breathing, but with time that will improve!
“We have to learn quite a few songs for each concert, and generally at least one of them has to be memorized. I don’t remember the last time I had to do that! I’ve come to enjoy this exercise, and when a song is learnt by heart, it sounds better too. Laurie suggested that being able to read music would be a useful asset, so I decided to learn solfege. I have made some progress, and it certainly helps.
“I wanted to sing better and with confidence, and Laurie provided some opportunities. I was giving a chance to perform informally in front of the choristers at a rehearsal, and I sang a short solo at our recent Christmas concert. The feedback I received after both these performances was extremely rewarding.
“During the pandemic, the choir managed to continue singing, via Zoom, without a break, which has been greatly beneficial. All of this was possible because of volunteers who are dedicated to pursuing what we love, singing!”
From Jean F.
First impressions from three newcomers
We joined UCC last October and have loved it! Fortunately, when we joined, we were able to sing in person at Grace Church on-the-Hill. We were comforted by the fact that we had to wear masks, sit six feet apart, and have our temperature taken at the beginning of every rehearsal. All the precautions made us feel safer so that we could enjoy singing together.
No doubt about it, the program was tough. We were unfamiliar with the music, (except, of course, for Handel’s Messiah), so we worked hard between choir practices to learn our parts. But on Mondays (rehearsal night) we were greatly helped by the “leads” for our sections. If we could get close(ish) to them, or, better yet, in front of them, we could hear their strong voices and gain confidence in our own.
All the choristers are friendly, approachable, and helpful. Our choir director, Laurie, takes time to include everybody and make it fun.
Now, sadly, we are back on zoom*, which – despite Laurie’s best efforts – is not the same. We can’t wait to get back to the in-person choir. Even better, being able to sing sitting close to each other – if those days ever return. However, failing that, the choir’s arrangements for in-person singing works well.
Thank you, UCC, for welcoming us! We feel so good when we sing – buzzed even! Our previous choir had disbanded a couple of years ago. Now, with UCC, we can once again experience the joy of singing.
Shirley A, Linda K, and Carolyn K.
(*This has since changed, and the choir is once again rehearsing in the church.)