Top-notch choir from University of Alberta to sing in Oliver

2013-choirJoin the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus in concert as it comes to Oliver on its 69th annual Spring Tour.

University of Alberta Mixed Chorus 69th Spring Tour

with the Faculty of Education Handbell Ringers

Oliver Alliance Church

May  2, 2013

 7:30 pm

Admission $5  Adults  

Students FREE!!

The UAMC is a student run choir that is based at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, AB. It was founded in 1944 by Gordon Clark, a medical student, who wanted to bring together students who shared his love for music and singing. Sixty nine years later, that tradition continues.

Led by conductor Dr. Robert de Frece, the UAMC is pleased to present a delightful repertoire of choral works ranging from the Baroque to Broadway. Highlighted works include J. S. Bach’s ‘Bist du bei mir’, William Byrd’s ‘O Magnum Mysterium,’ and selections from the musical ‘The Music Man.’

Handbell-Ringers-2011-12Featured with the UAMC are the Faculty of Education Handbell Ringers, who celebrate their 25th anniversary this year. Founded by Dr. Robert de Frece in 1988, the Handbell Ringers have dazzled and entertained audiences with their quick hands and beautiful tones. This group plays one of largest collections of handbells and chimes in Canada. The Handbell Ringers will be playing “Syncopated Clock,” and a specially commissioned arrangement of “Belle of the Ball.” Both pieces were composed by Leroy Anderson whose works were often showcased by the Boston Pops Orchestra.

The UAMC is one of the University’s oldest groups. Each season, its members come together to share a love of music, under the inspirational leadership of Dr. Robert de Frece. For almost 70 years the UAMC has created beautiful music, and shared it with communities like Oliver in the spirit of those who founded the group in 1944.

The Oliver concert is sponsored by the South Okanagan Secondary School Enrichment Fund Society. The SOSS Enrichment Fund Society provides bursaries and scholarships to qualifying graduating students from SOSS going on to post-secondary education. The Society is sponsoring the event by finding billets for 65 performers, hosting a dinner before the concert and taking interested chorus members on a hike.

UPDATE from SOSS!!  

“We were able to arrange for Lisa Ante, the SOSS Music teacher, to involve her Music Futures class in the concert. They are going to sing with the chorus for the final two songs. They will rehearse with the choir in the afternoon and then be given a vocal workshop by the conductor. It should be a great experience for approx 25 students and their teacher. The Youth Ambassadors are going to assist in a coffee and dessert table at intermission.  Students of course will be given free admission.”  from Janet Shannon

For additional information, please reach the U of Alberta contact Nicola Gale at gale at ualberta dot ca or  SOSS Enrichment Fund contact Janet Shannon at larjanshannon at gmail dotcom

Sage Valley Voices celebrate the 70s

by Heather Fink

The Sage Valley Voices is a 45 to 50-member adult choir based at the United Church in Oliver.  Alice DeRoche has fearlessly, and with much patience and good humor, led the Voices for the past eleven years, selecting the music, writing scripts, sewing costumes, and she has even had a hand in designing sets for the choir’s performances.  A busy lady indeed!

The Sage Valley Voices will present their 2012 spring concerts, “GOLDEN DECADE OF THE 70s“, featuring a variety of cool music from the 1970’s – think ABBA, McCartney, Cash, Denver, Broadway show tunes and more! – on Saturday May 5 at 7:00 pm and Sunday May 6 at 2:30 pm at the Oliver United Church.  Admission is $10 at the door and includes sweet treats following the concerts.

The choir is a non-profit organization and proceeds from the concerts support local community outreach programs such as the church’s soup kitchen and the Oliver Food Bank.  Donations of non-perishable food for the food bank are always welcome at the concerts.

The choir usually performs four concerts per year, two in December and two in April or May, and welcomes new members – no audition required.  Rehearsals are on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Oliver United Church. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a part of this fun-loving show choir, or for more information, please contact Lois Bzdel at 250-497-7966, or Alice DeRoche at 250-492-4159.

Sage Valley Voices sing the 70s

The Sage Valley Voices are hard at work practicing for their upcoming concert “The Golden Decade of the Seventies”. This concert has something for everyone – a little country, theatre songs, movie music, and those great songs you heard on the radio – so don’t miss it !

Saturday May 5 
7:00 p.m.
Sunday May 6 
2:30 p.m.
$10 at the door
Oliver United Church
Admission includes refreshments
Donations to the Oliver Food Bank welcome!

Sage Valley Voices Choir sings the 70s – but beyond 2012?

by Heather Fink

The Sage Valley Voices is a 50-member adult choir based at the United Church in Oliver. Alice DeRoche has fearlessly, and with much patience and good humour, led the Voices for the past eleven years as their choral director, selecting the music, writing scripts, sewing costumes, and she has even had a hand in designing sets for the choir’s performances. A busy lady indeed! (The photo at left is from the choir’s early days. The choir now boasts 50 members. Ed.)

The Sage Valley Voices will present their 2012 spring concert, “Here Come the 70s!” which will feature an array of music from the 1970’s (think ABBA, Johnny Cash, John Denver, even some disco) on Saturday May 5th at 7:00 pm and Sunday May 6th at 2:30 pm at the Oliver United Church. Admission is $10 at the door. (Revised dates)

The choir is a non-profit organization and supports such local community outreach programs as the food bank and soup kitchen. The choir welcomes new members – no audition required – and rehearsals are on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Oliver United Church.

At this time, the future of the Sage Valley Voices is in considerable doubt as we are in grave need of a new pianist. If you or anyone you know is interested in playing piano accompaniment for this fun-loving choir, or for more information about the choir, please send a message to Lois Bzdel or Alice DeRoche by writing c/o the arts council: OliverCAC@gmail.com Your message will be forwarded promptly. Don’t let the music stop!

Down Home Christmas with Sage Valley Voices

A Down Home Christmas to get you in the spirit! The Sage Valley Voices are known locally for their lively programmes, zany humour, colourful costumes, and … surprises! Their sense of fun and love of singing comes across in every performance. A true “community choir” that knows what its audience likes, and delivers.

You can also “sample” the choir in performance at Oliver’s downtown LightUp celebration on the evening of Friday December 2 and at the Community Christmas Concert on December 4 at 2:30 p.m. on the  Oliver Alliance Church stage.  But you’ll want  to get the full show “Down Home” on December 10 & 11 at Oliver United Church (see poster for details). 

The choir is hunting for a new director to carry on the tradition. Are you interested? Find out more by contacting the arts council and we’ll pass your inquiry along olivercac @ gmail.com  Don’t let “A Down Home Christmas” be their last concert!  These folks are just having way to much fun to stop!

Choir goes "Down Memory Lane" April 16 &17

It’s been ten years already, since Alice Deroche started waving her arms (and sometimes stamping her feet ) in front of a motley crew of local yokels who grew into their name: The Sage Valley Voices! Her dream of a thriving community choir singing and smiling their way through the seasons, sometimes with a bit of musical theatre thrown in, making happy and pleasing sounds, continues to be fulfilled as evidenced by the growth of our audiences. The choir’s performances at the Oliver United Church are most often sold out, and the choir has grown too, numbering almost 50 now, doubling in size since the beginning and challenging Alice to keep us all in line.

We’ll be singing in style for the tenth spring in a row. Come help us celebrate Alice for her years of dedication creating these programs and offering them to you. Come join our party as we dream of yesteryear, presenting many of the favourites we’ve performed in the past. (Photo at left is from the 2010 concert “Sixties with a Twist”) We’ve prepared love songs, sad songs, a bit of country, certainly spiritual and gospel. Rumours of guest appearances the likes of Elvis, Marilyn, Manhattan Transfer, and perhaps even “Mama”, shouldn’t be exaggerated – but guaranteed each performance will be full of surprises. Of course there’ll be swinging and swooning, boogying and jiving as we present “Those Fabulous Fifties”. Count on some foot stomping (or at least tapping) of your own during “Shades of Country” and just see if you can sit still during “The Sixties With a Twist.”

Alice has led the choir through many additions and changes. We’re fortunate this year to get a sampling of memorable moments from the last ten years. Is fashion your thing? Even just to laugh at, or to remember that you used to be able to fit into some of them? Do you like coffee and goodies afterwards? Well, it’s a party, so you can be sure something will be arranged! Do you enjoy silent auctions? You’re bound to find something you’d like to bid on, so break open that piggy bank and bring your loonie and toonie collection. Got a special anniversary coming up? We do! Let’s get together and celebrate! Bring your honey, your Mom or your favourite aunt, bring the kids and grandkids or a special neighbour and share with them our gift of song.

See you

Down Memory Lane
 Sat. April 16
7:00 pm 
Sun. April 17 
2:30 pm
Oliver United Church
Tickets: $10.00 available at the door
Price includes coffee and cake, fashion show
Come up to 45 minutes early to place bids on the silent auction. Bring your loonies and twoonies and chequebook to take advantage of  these great items!  

Choir goes “Down Memory Lane” April 16 &17

It’s been ten years already, since Alice Deroche started waving her arms (and sometimes stamping her feet ) in front of a motley crew of local yokels who grew into their name: The Sage Valley Voices! Her dream of a thriving community choir singing and smiling their way through the seasons, sometimes with a bit of musical theatre thrown in, making happy and pleasing sounds, continues to be fulfilled as evidenced by the growth of our audiences. The choir’s performances at the Oliver United Church are most often sold out, and the choir has grown too, numbering almost 50 now, doubling in size since the beginning and challenging Alice to keep us all in line.

We’ll be singing in style for the tenth spring in a row. Come help us celebrate Alice for her years of dedication creating these programs and offering them to you. Come join our party as we dream of yesteryear, presenting many of the favourites we’ve performed in the past. (Photo at left is from the 2010 concert “Sixties with a Twist”) We’ve prepared love songs, sad songs, a bit of country, certainly spiritual and gospel. Rumours of guest appearances the likes of Elvis, Marilyn, Manhattan Transfer, and perhaps even “Mama”, shouldn’t be exaggerated – but guaranteed each performance will be full of surprises. Of course there’ll be swinging and swooning, boogying and jiving as we present “Those Fabulous Fifties”. Count on some foot stomping (or at least tapping) of your own during “Shades of Country” and just see if you can sit still during “The Sixties With a Twist.”

Alice has led the choir through many additions and changes. We’re fortunate this year to get a sampling of memorable moments from the last ten years. Is fashion your thing? Even just to laugh at, or to remember that you used to be able to fit into some of them? Do you like coffee and goodies afterwards? Well, it’s a party, so you can be sure something will be arranged! Do you enjoy silent auctions? You’re bound to find something you’d like to bid on, so break open that piggy bank and bring your loonie and toonie collection. Got a special anniversary coming up? We do! Let’s get together and celebrate! Bring your honey, your Mom or your favourite aunt, bring the kids and grandkids or a special neighbour and share with them our gift of song.

See you

Down Memory Lane
 Sat. April 16
7:00 pm 
Sun. April 17 
2:30 pm
Oliver United Church
Tickets: $10.00 available at the door
Price includes coffee and cake, fashion show
Come up to 45 minutes early to place bids on the silent auction. Bring your loonies and twoonies and chequebook to take advantage of  these great items!  

Arts Council welcomes two new groups under Umbrella

The Oliver Handbell Ringers and the Oliver Community Garden Society are two new groups under the umbrella of the Oliver Community Arts Council.

The Oliver Handbell Ringers, under the direction of Sue Gay have been performing for the last few years. Their concerts have been gaining in excitement as the ensemble has been gaining in skill. The ensemble attains  a clear warm sound, with music that can both stimulate and relax. Proceeds from their concerts and donations from the community have gone towards purchasing  tuned sets of bells and sheet music.

The ensemble  is always looking to train new members.  It’s an exciting and non-threatening way to learn music, and gives you a gentle workout in the process. What more could you ask for?

The Oliver Community Garden Society has also recently joined.  See the article below (“Arts Council growing relationship”) for more information about this community-spirited  organization or check out their website (click on the link at right under “Member Organizations”). 

The “umbrella” of the arts council is a unique opportunity for groups and businesses to:

* have a forum for co-operating and networking within the local arts community,
* take advantage of advertising and promotional opportunities (like this one!),
* apply for financial aid, and
* to have a greater voice municipally and provincially to increase awareness of and access funding for arts groups.

And what about you? There’s lots of room under the umbrella! Contact olivercac@gmail for more information about becoming a member or fill out the membership form by clicking the link under the banner above.

Sleighbells and Song … and Snow

An enthusiastic but small audience enjoyed the musical variety show, Sleighbells and Song presented by the Oliver Community Arts Council on December 7th at the Frank Venables Auditorium.  A heavy wet snowfall kept many prospective concert goers indoors on Tuesday night, but those in attendance were appreciative. 

Choirs from the Oliver Elementary and Seventh Day Adventist Schools, the  Desert Airs Men’s Chorus and the Advent/Valley Quartet charmed the crowd in the first set. The children’s bright faces and bright voices were an instant hit and a great opener to the show. Some clever choreography, cheerful lyrics, and good rhythms combined to make for a highly entertaining start to the evening.  The Desert Airs impressed with their tuneful a cappella harmonies and crisp musical delivery – and their crisp white shirts. Handsome outfits, gentlemen!  This is a very polished men’s choir who need to have their very own concert — soon, we hope!   The mixed quartet from the Adventist and Valley Congregational churches served as a good counterpoint with some reflective music. Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming and Rise Up Shepherd were especially moving.

The second set featured seasonal music from the Penticton Concert Band. The band began with an audience sing-along  led by soprano Madison Johnson. This young lady has a powerful confident voice that did not need any added amplification.  It was a treat to hear a young person sing in full voice from abdomen, lungs, and head.  No swooping notes, breathy whispering, or pop diva imitations for her.  Brava, Miss Johnson!

The Penticton Concert Band gave an accomplished, rousing performance with good balanced sound from all sections, cohesive playing, and excellent attention to direction.   Their repertoire spanned several centuries of Christmas music and showed off styles varying from Gregorian and Baroque to jazz and pop. Although any band’s volume  could easily overwhelm listeners in an indoor venue — risking amplifying a wrong note, missed cue, or jangly ending — the Penticton Concert Band proved to be very well-rehearsed and easy to listen to, under the competent direction of conductor Gerald Nadeau.

The Oliver Community Arts Council welcomes suggestions for future community Christmas concerts.  Contact olivercac@gmail.com

Have a review of an arts council event or member group performance? Submit it to olivercac@gmail.com