Singing on the High C’s

The festival will draw upon a recent influx of musical talent to Digby, including noted conductor Douglas Hales, formerly of St. David’s United Church in Calgary. He will be the first conductor of the High Cs Mass Choir.

Deirdre Morrell-Ormerod, artistic director of the community choir, Fundy Chorale, is also taking part, as is local opera singer and voice teacher Robert Milne. Both will be directing master classes.

A third master class will be offered by William Perrot, a charter life member of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and founding director of the Kings Chorale and conductor of the Annapolis Valley Honour Choir.

Although the festival name emphasizes Digby, the event major event—the massed choir concert—will be held in St. Bernard.

“Our goal is to have 200 voices singing in the beautiful stone church in St. Bernard,” said federation president Richard Treleaven, “and to do this, we have created a fun weekend for the choristers.”

Participants will rehearse and socialize on Friday, May 23, while Saturday is given over to rehearsals and master classes in vocal techniques, music reading and choir conducting. The choristers will then dine at the Digby Pines Resort followed by a concert in Digby Regional High School featuring Bridgewater’s ‘Drumlin’ and Digby’s ‘Kadijah & Friends’.

Following a Sunday afternoon rehearsal, the massed choir will perform at 7 p.m. in St. Bernard Church. The Kings Chorale of Middleton and La Voix dans la Vent from Clare will also lend their talents to the evening.

Choristers, individually or as a choir, are invited to participate by contacting registrar Marjorie Hales at (902) 245-5393 or e-mail dhales@ns.sympatico.ca.

Advance tickets for the public to attend Saturday and Sunday evening concerts, as well as the dinner at the Pines are available at the Coastal Inn Kingfisher, Digby. Phone (902) 245-4747 or email digby@coastlinns.com