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As part of their 100 year Anniversary Celebrations, the High Park Curling Club (location and directions can be found at: http://www.highparkclub.com/contact/) is hosting the Mixed Provincial Curling Championships on April 6. The Intermezzo choir has been invited to take part in the Opening Ceremonies of this prestigious event by performing O Canada.
Date: Wednesday, April 6
Timing: 7:00 pm arrival, sing at 7:30 pm, 7:45 pm dismissal
Location: High Park Curling Club, 100 Indian Road
The High Park Choirs is delighted to be the Canadian hosts of the Pfälzische Kurrende from April 16 to 24, 2011. We will be performing in a joint free concert open to everyone at Humbercrest United Church, 16 Baby Point Road, Toronto (nearest intersection is Jane and Annette Streets). The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
The internationally acclaimed German female chorus Pfälzische Kurrende was founded in 1985 by conductor Carola Bischoff who still is the head and heart of the chorus. The voices are selected and formed by the conductor, in order to create a special sound, and thus allowing her to perform her selection of music at a high international level.
The singers’ repertoire contains traditional as well as modern music; sacred and secular, and pieces especially written for the Pfälzische Kurrende. The special performances of this chorus, with various formations and gestures, have moved the listeners both at home and abroad.
The chorus won the first prize in the German National Choral Competition in 2002 and the third prize in the International Choral Contest in Tolosa /Spain in 2004.
The choir recently sang for the German President in Koblenz, Germany.
Watch and listen to this amazing choir
The origin of the Kurrende singers in Germany dates back to the Middle Ages. Students used to walk from door to door to offer their services for holidays, weddings and funerals. Around Christmas time they also used to sing carols in order to collect alms.
The Latin word currere, meaning “to walk”, led to the name of these “walking choirs”. With their special robes, the Kurrende singers are still well known as part of the famous Christmas Pyramids. A Christmas Pyramid is a Christmas decoration that has its roots in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) of Germany but has become popular throughout.
The tradition of Kurrende singers is still alive in Germany, often they are connected to a parish, but most singers neither walk nor wear special robes today. In one of the old heartlands of Germany, down south on the grape-growing slopes of the Rhine Valley, is the ancient city of Neustadt, capital of the Palatine region. This is where the Pfälzische Kurrende, the Palatine Kurrende singers, come from.
Carola Bischoff, founder and conductor of the Pfälzische Kurrende, is a music teacher and a church musician at the Paulus-Kirche (St. Paul’s church) in Neustadt. There she works with children in a beginner’s chorus, with adults in the church choir and, of course, with the Kurrende. Apart from this local work, she is a member of the national board of “Conductors for young people”, and she is often invited as a jury member in choral competitions.
The Brio and Allegria choirs will be taking part in our first ever, annual “Spread the Joy of Music” Day. We are going to share some musical joy with the people in our wonderful cityby performing at several venues throughout the city.
