What did “New Beginnings” mean for Upper Canada Chorister, after the sudden withdrawal of a major new composition? It resulted in four brand new songs created by composers of various ages, musical backgrounds, and life stories.

Led by the creative vision of Otto Pierre, the new uniform features variations that allow members to express themselves while staying true to the choir's identity. With a carefully curated colour palette and a range of garment combinations, the choir is set to debut their stylish new look at their upcoming 30th Anniversary concert.

As part of the concert Our Voices Together: Corazones al Unísono. Performed against a filmed, kaleidoscopic background of visual arts. The concert featured 3 pieces of music created for the UCC and Cantemos through commissions and collaborations. This international arts collaboration project featured a shadow puppet theatre production from Barcelona, Spain; an illustration from Toronto, Canada; and a dance performance from Boston, USA.

When Laura Morales Balza was asked to write the lyrics for Cantemos, she considered it a gift. The Bird I Await is a prayer of grief, hope, daydreaming, infinite certainty, and strength. It is a contemplation of nature, through the universal song of a bird.

While participating at the conference PODIUM in Toronto in 2002, Laurie and Jacqui approached Canadian composer Stephen Chatman with the hopes to commission a choral work for our 10th anniversary, only when they match his talent with the words by the poetry of Archibald Lampman, Voices of Earth was created.

I came to Canada in the fall of 2007 with my wife and two daughters. We landed in Toronto with big hopes for a better future. Little I knew how important singing was for me.