On March 7, at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Edmonton Metropolitan Chorus will perform a stunning major work by Alberta composer Allan Bevan: “Nou Goth Sonne Under Wode” (“Now goes the sun/Son under the wood”), based on a poem from the Middle Ages.

The EdMetro Chorus is directed by David Garber, and does three concerts each year. It is non-auditioned – anyone can join. The choir is dedicated to reaching excellence through hard work, vocal coaching, and high standards. Being invited to perform this concert is one indication of its great reputation in the Canadian choral community. For this New York concert, 60 singers from the EdMetro Chorus are flying to New York to perform, joined by three smaller choirs from across Canada and the USA.

Timothy J. Anderson, a Boyle Street community resident, is a well-known actor who has narrated a number of choral works. He narrated the Canadian Premier of this work by Allan Bevan five years ago when ProCoro sang it at the Winspear, and he became the composer’s narrator-of-choice. Timothy remembers that, “I took the opportunity of consulting a living composer to ask how he wanted the piece interpreted. I think he appreciated that, and we had a long talk about his intentions, which really informed my performance. It’s a stunning piece, and brought the audience to its feet in an ovation of unprecedented length. This is the second time that he has asked for me to play the Narrator.”

Candas Jane Dorsey, also a Boyle Street resident and Timothy’s partner, has sung in EdMetro Chorus for years as time permits. She finds it a special way to breathe and enjoy the art of music, a rest from her work as a professional writer and part-time visual artist. For her, this concert was a must. “Although Timothy and I have performed in literary events together, this is the one and only time we will perform at Carnegie Hall together. It’s just so much fun, especially after hearing that joke all my life about how one gets to Carnegie Hall… ‘Practice, practice, practice’!”

David Garber is the Artistic Director and Founder of the Edmonton Metropolitan Chorus. He started the EdMetroChorus 11 years ago to share the joy of singing with anyone who wanted to join. David was a founding member of ProCoro Canada, Edmonton’s Professional Chamber Choir, in the early 80s, singing bass with them for 28 seasons. He also taught music in various Alberta schools and colleges over the years, He has been the Arts Administrator for several local choirs, and is the recipient of multiple choral music awards and honours from the Alberta Choral Federation. David lives just south of Boyle Street, and it is because of his choral connections that our chorus has been invited to sing in Carnegie Hall.

I (Joanne C. McNeal) have been a McCauley resident for 10 years, and I have been singing on stage since the age of four. A voice major in college, I was a founding member of Pro Coro in 1980-83 and also sang in dining rooms, toured with a show band, and performed lots of Klondike Kate gigs in the 1970s. The honour of singing in Carnegie Hall is fantastic, I can hardly wait.

If you happen to be in New York City on March 7, please come cheer us on. Contact Carnegie Hall in New York for tickets.