Festival 500
Encyclopedia
Festival 500:Sharing the Voices is an international biennial non-competitive choral music
festival
held in St. John's, Newfoundland
, Canada
.
's arrival in Bonavista, Newfoundland in the year 1497. The inaugural festival was planned to coincide with the anniversary visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the gala opening concert in June 1997.
The festival invites choirs from all around the world (33 countries as of 2009), who must send audition tapes and subsequently be invited to attend. During the day, the choirs attend workshops, clinics and master-classes, as well as perform for free at random places throughout the city, including the airport, hotel lobbies and churches. Concerts in the Afternoon and The World of Music concert series are both concerts open to the public, during which up to four choirs perform individually, then combine at the end for two to three pieces led by one of the invited conductors.
The festival concludes with the Grande Finale, a massive concert held at Mile One Centre
. During the concert, there are two massed-choir projects, one involving all youth choirs and the other with the adult choirs. Both are led by one of the two invited conductors and are accompanied by the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
. The final act of the finale is the Guest Artist, usually one of the main local draws to the festival.
Since 1997, there have been more than 10,000 participants from 38 countries, 22 U.S. States and 11 Canadian Provinces / Territories.
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
held in St. John's, Newfoundland
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
Festival 500 began in 1997 as part of the Cabot 500 Celebrations, a series of events commemorating the 500th anniversary of John CabotJohn Cabot
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America is commonly held to have been the first European encounter with the continent of North America since the Norse Vikings in the eleventh century...
's arrival in Bonavista, Newfoundland in the year 1497. The inaugural festival was planned to coincide with the anniversary visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the gala opening concert in June 1997.
The festival invites choirs from all around the world (33 countries as of 2009), who must send audition tapes and subsequently be invited to attend. During the day, the choirs attend workshops, clinics and master-classes, as well as perform for free at random places throughout the city, including the airport, hotel lobbies and churches. Concerts in the Afternoon and The World of Music concert series are both concerts open to the public, during which up to four choirs perform individually, then combine at the end for two to three pieces led by one of the invited conductors.
The festival concludes with the Grande Finale, a massive concert held at Mile One Centre
Mile One Centre
Mile One Centre is an indoor arena and entertainment venue located in downtown St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The centre's name comes from it being located at the beginning of the Trans-Canada Highway. At full capacity the arena can seat 7,000 people.The arena opened in May 2001, as...
. During the concert, there are two massed-choir projects, one involving all youth choirs and the other with the adult choirs. Both are led by one of the two invited conductors and are accompanied by the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra is a prominent orchestra from the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. They began in 1962 as a 20-piece string orchestra known as the St. John's Orchestra.Music Directors:*David Gray...
. The final act of the finale is the Guest Artist, usually one of the main local draws to the festival.
Since 1997, there have been more than 10,000 participants from 38 countries, 22 U.S. States and 11 Canadian Provinces / Territories.
Symposium
In 1999, the festival introduced The Phenomenon of Singing, a week-long academic symposium as a prelude to the choral festival. The symposium was designed to address a variety of aspects of singing and the human voice including artistic, physiological, cultural, sociological, historical, pedagogical, psychological, creative/compositional.2011 Symposium
The 2011 Symposium differs from previous years because it will overlap starting on the 10th of July rather than starting after the festival has finished.Past guest artists
- Club for FiveClub for FiveClub for Five is a contemporary a cappella group from Finland. They are known for their unique singing style and being able to skillfully use their voices like instruments. Club for Five were founded in Helsinki, 2001...
(2009) - AnúnaAnúnaAnúna is an Irish choral group. In 1987 Dublin composer Michael McGlynn founded An Uaithne, a name which describes the three ancient types of Celtic music, Suantraí , Geantraí and Goltraí . One of the group's stated aims is to explore and redefine this music...
(2007) - RajatonRajatonRajaton is a Finnish a cappella ensemble, founded in Helsinki in 1997. The Finnish word rajaton means "boundless", to indicate the breadth of their repertoire, from sacred classical to near Europop...
(2001, 2003, 2005) - The King's Singers (1997)
Past invited conductors
- Bobby McFerrinBobby McFerrinRobert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner.-Life:...
(2003) - Bob ChilcottBob ChilcottRobert "Bob" Chilcott is a British choral composer, conductor, and singer, based in Oxford, England.Born in Plymouth, Chilcott sang in the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, both as a boy and as a university student. He performed the Pie Jesu of Fauré's Requiem on the 1967 recording. In 1985 he...
(1997, 1999, 2001) - Bramwell ToveyBramwell ToveyBramwell Tovey, OM is an English-born Grammy Award winning conductor and composer. His musical roots are in The Salvation Army. He was educated at Ilford County High School, the Royal Academy of Music and the University of London. His formal music education was as a pianist and composer...
(1997, 1999)
Corner Brook-Festival 500
The City of Corner Brook on the West Coast of the Island is also the host of a biannual Festival which is on a smaller scale than the one held in St. John's. It usually consists of two concerts, one featuring individual groups, and the other featuring the two massed choirs (Children's Massed Choir & Adult Massed Choir)2011 Festival
For 2011 the dates of the festival are July 6th to July 13th. One of the feature performers is the Finnish group Rajaton who will be performing songs by ABBA. The final gala performance will be at Mile One Centre on July 13th.Past guest artists - Corner Brook
- Linda Tillery Cultural Heritage Choir (2009)
- AC Rock (2007)
- Madrigia (2005)
- RajatonRajatonRajaton is a Finnish a cappella ensemble, founded in Helsinki in 1997. The Finnish word rajaton means "boundless", to indicate the breadth of their repertoire, from sacred classical to near Europop...
(2003)
Past invited conductors - Corner Brook
- Ki AdamsKi AdamsCecil Kinette "Ki" Adams, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, is an Associate Professor in Music Education and Organ at Memorial University of Newfoundland and is a founding member of Festival 500.Mr. Adams is Music Director at St. Thomas' Anglican Church in St...
(2011) - Ki AdamsKi AdamsCecil Kinette "Ki" Adams, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, is an Associate Professor in Music Education and Organ at Memorial University of Newfoundland and is a founding member of Festival 500.Mr. Adams is Music Director at St. Thomas' Anglican Church in St...
(2007) - Dr. Susan KnightShallawayShallaway, formerly the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir, is an organization of 220 young people from the city and surrounding area of St. John's, Newfoundland. It was founded by Susan Knight, the Artistic Director...
(2005) - Valarie Long (2003)
External links
- Official website
- Promotional video from YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....