High Park Choirs of Toronto ~ Who We Are

High Park Choirs of Toronto

Introduction

The High Park Choirs (HPC) is creating a buzz about sound - organic, beautiful, shimmering sound. Since July 2004, Artistic Director Zimfira Poloz, has been developing the sound of HPC using her phonopedic method of vocal development, and the results are terrific. She is a gifted leader, recognized for her skill, intelligence and sheer musicality among the international choral community and at home for her warmth and energy with her choristers and parents alike.

Under her direction, we have increased enrollment by 56% over the past two years, and expanded from three to five divisions: Early Bird (ages 5-7), Training (ages 6 - 11), Children's (ages 9 - 13), Senior (ages 12 - 20) and Chamber (selected from the Senior Choir). The activity level has also increased to include workshops, community performances and local competitions. In addition, HPC is now Children's Choir-in-Residence at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music.

2006/07 will mark the 20th Anniversary Season for High Park Choirs. We are celebrating with special programming, return of alumni, a commissioned work which will reflect the multicultural makeup of our home base - the High Park area in the West end of Toronto - and a special tour for our Senior Choir.

The High Park Choirs of Toronto (HPC) was founded as a girls choir in 1986 by Ann Cooper Gay. Since then, the Choir has won provincial and national recognition for its unique sound and varied repertoire, which ranges from Hildegard von Bingen to Oscar Peterson and Stephen Hatfield. The choir sings in many languages and explores the rich heritage of cultures that make up the Canadian mosaic.

History

HPC made its symphonic debut in 1994 with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and in 1997 performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Strings Across the Sky, a group of young fiddlers from the Eastern and Western Arctic. The Choir joined with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra once again in April 1998 for a performance of Susan Hammond's "Hallelujah Handel!" The Choir has also appeared on national CBC television ("A Victorian Christmas at Black Creek") and on a YTV Christmas Special with the Holly Cole Trio. The Choir can be heard on the award-winning Classical Kids recordings of "Tchaikovsky Discovers America," "Hallelujah Handel!" and "A Classical Kids Christmas," (released in the fall of 2001 and a 2002 Juno Award winner) as well as on the Kindermusik educational series.

HPC was selected to give a Showcase performance at the Podium 96 Convention for the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors in Quebec City. We celebrated our 10th Anniversary with guests Puirt a Baroque in a special concert that featured "classical" and folk music of the Baroque period, as well as later Celtic-oriented music.

The Girls' Chamber Choir appeared as guests of the Toronto Senior Strings in 1999 and 2000 (Galuppi's Dixit Dominus) and was one of four choirs invited to participate in the first International Women in Song Festival hosted by the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. The entire Choir joined with the Toronto Sinfonietta and several adult choirs in a Millennium Concert at Toronto's Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, featuring the world première of The Sermon of John the Baptist by Alexander Rapoport.

As a community organization, the High Park Choirs has also performed in benefit concerts and participated in events celebrating the work of children's charities and foundations. The HPC has also hosted and performed with several European and American choirs, as well as sponsoring workshops and festivals, most notably "A Choral Celebration with Bob Chilcott", which brought together 480 singers from seven southern Ontario choirs, in the Fall of 2000.

International invitational appearances have included the "Sing for Pleasure" Festival in Norwich, England and Bruton Parish Church in historic Williamsburg, Virginia. The Choirs have also toured in Ontario, Quebec and Upstate New York, and in July 1998 embarked on a ten-day European tour, participating in the Bonn (Germany) International Choral Festival as well as performing concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium.

top