Just Touching Base & An Invitation

Hello Friends -

It's been a while! Plenty happening in terms of composing, and life in general. I just wanted to let you know I'm still alive, even though I've not been posting here lately.

And I also wanted to let you know about a project that, when all is said and done, will represent about a year's work.

I am composing a requiem to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the École Polytechnique tragedy. It will be performed in Ottawa ON on Saturday December 6, 2014.

Please visit http://requiemfor14roses.blogspot.ca/ to learn more, and if you are interested in peeking in at the process of creating a concert-length work.

Wishing you all the best -
Elise

The Composer Performs concert series

I've put together a series of new music performances in Ottawa ON, and the second of the series will have some new choral music being premiered.

Ottawa Jazz Scene posted a nice article about it HERE.

And ticket info may be found HERE.

Capital Vox Jazz Choir's New CD

So happy for the members of Capital Vox Jazz Choir, with the release of their first CD.

There is an article about it in the Fall/Winter 2012/13 newsletter of the Association of Canadian Women Composers HERE

And ordering info may be found at the choir's web site HERE

Hello World!

What a time it's been! Several writing deadlines and applications, some incredible opportunities, lots of composing and arranging, and loads of choir activity, on top of the regular gigging and teaching load has meant no postings lately! But all is well. Podium 2012 starts in a few hours and I can't wait! I was really pleased with Vox Eclectica Women's Chamber Choir's Joni concerts, and Capital Vox Jazz Choir really turned it out for their 5th Anniversary Blue Skies Smiling concert. I couldn't have asked for a lovelier premiere of Ave Maria for Mary Tevlin - thanks so much Elise Bradley and Toronto Children's Chorus!

Watch for changes in the coming weeks - I'm in the process of revamping my web presence, and soon this blog and my web home will all be under one web roof!

Enjoy this wonderful SpringTime everybody!

Sing with the One Earth Choir on Tues Feb 21 - 2012

It's not too late to join the Inin 2012 One Earth Choir. Join over 115,000 singers from all over the world singing the same music at the same time. You can find both the score and the conduction video at www.inin2012.net . Happy Singing!

Upcoming Singer Offerings at Alcorn Music Studios/GigSpace

Hello Good People! Just a heads up about a few offerings for Ottawa-Gatineau singers at Alcorn Music Studios/GigSpace that are starting soon. Allison Jackson is leading a singing group focusing on East Coast folk and Celtic music, and it comes complete with Ceilidh celebration. There's also a keep-singing-better class full of tips and exercises for taking care of your voice for a lifetime of comfortable singing as the years progress - a participatory class with Elise Letourneau. And there are Thursday evening offerings every week at GigSpace, including Singer's Night Out, Indie Night for singer-songwriters, a jazz and blues jam that welcomes vocalists and instrumentalists, and some vocal jazz workshops en français avec Nicole Ratté. Come sing with us!

Click HERE for more info.

Choirs Ontario Composer's Corner

Established in 1971, Choirs Ontario is a dynamic organization whose mission is to foster a vibrant and inclusive choral community by providing resources, creating opportunities and engaging Ontario's diverse population in the transformative power of choral music.

They have launched a new feature on their website, called Composer's Corner, and somehow saw fit to make my Ave Maria - for Mary Tevlin their inaugural post. Check it out HERE.

Thanks so much Choirs Ontario!

Thank-you Etta James.....

..... for every note you ever sang.....  so much Life, so much Wise, so much Earth, so much Real, so much Much.....

Blues Singer Etta James Dies - CBC News

Etta James Obituary - The Guardian

Etta James Dead at 73 - Rolling Stone

Etta James Dies at 73 - New York Times

Sheila Jordan workshop update - audit spots remain for tomorrow

Just a quick update - all the participation spots have been spoken for in Sheila Jordan's vocal jazz workshop tomorrow at Alcorn Music Studios/Gigspace, but there are still audit spaces available. It's a 4-hour workshop - so much can be learned from watching and listening to a master in action. Don't miss!

Click HERE for details.

Only 2 Participant Spots Left for Sheila Jordan Workshop!!!

when - this Saturday January 21, 2012
where - Alcorn Music Studios/GigSpace in Ottawa Ontario

There's still room if you want to audit the workshop, but only 2 participant spots remain.

details and registration information HERE

Solitude & Creativity

An interesting article a friend posted from the New York Times about solitude, creativity, and groupthink. Creative introverts, take heart. And stand your ground too.

The Rise of the New Groupthink


Going back to my cave now... see ya!

Sing Better As You Age - new 12-week class at AMS

click HERE to go to Alcorn Music Studios for registration info

Sing Better as You Age

"Sing Better As You Age" is an interactive and participatory class for the adult singer that will help you understand how your voice works and gain insight into what it taking place physically as you experience vocal changes. Ideas as to what types of actions you can take to improve the condition of your voice, including breathing and vocal conditioning exercises. We'll also review the vocal and musical skill sets that will help you in group singing. Keep enjoying singing to its fullest!

Instructor: Elise Letourneau, music educator, composer, choir director and vocalist.

Course Length: 12 weeks.

Dates:  Thursdays beginning Feb 2nd, except no class March 15 (March break week), last class Thursday April 26th.

Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 Pm

Location: GigSpace 953 Gladstone in Alcorn Music Studios

Registration Fee: $175.00

This course requires a minimum of 8 to run.

Please note this is a "less scent" class.

Call 613-729-0693 to register.

...and speaking of Laughing at Ourselves...

They say the best humour is easy to relate to because it hits close to home. But hopefully not too close! This is scary-funny. They really nailed it.

If you'd like to learn more about this choir, click over to www.vancouvercantatasingers.com .

Ave Maria - for Mary Tevlin

Hi. This is a home demo recorded with some friends in a living room. It's called "Ave Maria - for Mary Tevlin". A piece of music for a wonderful woman. It turned out to also be the winning entry in the 2011 Ruth Watson Henderson Choral Composition Competition. It will be performed by the Toronto Children's Chorus in May 2012 under the direction of Elise Bradley. Performers on this track are vocalists Diana James, Elise Letourneau, Anne Naylen, and Cathy Patton; and pianist Richard Fujarczuk.


Ave Maria - for Mary Tevlin

If you'd like to check out the news article on the Choirs Ontario website, you'll find it here:
http://www.choirsontario.org/NewsManager/detail?id=402834e53393e12f0133a36d4a5d0086

Laughing at Ourselves

Sometimes I think it's so easy for singers of all styles and levels to get a tad over-serious, and I think much of it has to do with the fact that the line between where we end and our instrument begins is both blurry and constantly moving. This video made me laugh so much and reminded me why I love singer-people so much.

When you're done laughing, be sure to visit their websites!
www.saragazarek.com
www.gretchenparlato.com

Sheila Jordan's upcoming vocal jazz masterclass in Ottawa ON

The GigSpace Performance Studio is very excited to feature a Jazz Vocal Masterclass with Sheila Jordan.

Sheila Jordan received the Jazz Masters Award 2012 from the National Endowment for the Arts - the highest honor in jazz music in America.

Vocal Masterclass:

Getting Your Jazz Act Together - How to prepare yourself for performances.

Hosted by Elise Letourneau

Date: Saturday  January. 21st, 2012

Time: 11:00 am – 3:00  pm

Vocal participation: $50 (limit of 10)

Masterclass audit: $20

To Register: call 613-729-0693 and pay by credit card or drop into Alcorn Music Studios to register and pay cash, debit, cheque or credit card.

Location: 953 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa (in Alcorn Music Studios)

Participants: please bring a prepared piece of music, water, a recorder or pen/paper for taking notes.

Note: This is a “less scent” class, please avoid perfumes, body sprays or cologne.

About Sheila Jordan:

Sheila Jordan is not only one of the premier singers in jazz, but she is known for her stimulating vocal workshops as well. A superb scat singer, she can just as easily reach the emotional depths of a ballad. Whether singing well-known standards or original material, she makes it all sound like no one else.

Jordan, née Dawson, grew up in Pennsylvania’s coal mining country with her grandparents, singing in school and on amateur radio shows. In the early 1940s, she returned to live with her mother in Detroit, where she became interested in jazz after hearing a Charlie Parker recording. She met some of Detroit’s young musicians during that time, such as Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Burrell, and Barry Harris. She then joined a vocal trio, Skeeter, Mitch, and Jean, which performed versions of Parker’s and others’ bebop solos in a manner akin to later vocal jazz trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.

Upon moving to New York City in the early ’50s, Jordan sang in clubs and at jam sessions with some of the city’s jazz giants, including Charles Mingus, Herbie Nichols, and Parker. She also studied with the renowned Lennie Tristano. In 1952, she married Parker’s pianist, Duke Jordan. Ten years later, she made her acclaimed first recording, showing her vocal finesse on a ten-plus minute version of “You Are My Sunshine” on George Russell’s album The Outer View. Thanks to Russell, she released her first album, Portrait of Sheila, on Blue Note, the first female vocalist to record for the label.

In the mid-1960s, Jordan’s work encompassed jazz liturgies sung in churches and extensive club performances. After touring and recording with trombonist Roswell Rudd in the 1970s, Jordan became a member of the Steve Kuhn Quartet alongside bassist Harvie S and drummer Bob Moses. By the late ’70s, jazz audiences began to understand her uncompromising style and her popularity increased.

Her preference for bass and voice led to several collaborations with bassists, including Arild Andersen, Harvie S, and Cameron Brown. Jordan is the pioneer in bass/voice duo in jazz, starting in the early 1950s and continuing to the present.

In 1978, she began teaching at the City College of New York and has continued teaching jazz vocal workshops there until 2005. She is also a faculty member for Jazz in July at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, Vermont, and conducts workshops internationally as well. The singer has received several honors, including the 2008 Mary Lou Williams Award for a Lifetime of Service to Jazz. Jordan still travels extensively – nationally and abroad – performing with her quartet and as a duo with Brown.  www.sheilajordan.com

Selected Discography:

Portrait of Sheila, Blue Note, 1962

Jazz Child, High Note, 1998

Little Song, High Note, 2002

Sheila Jordan/Cameron Brown, Celebration: Live at the Triad, High Note, 2004

Winter Sunshine: Live at Upstairs, Justin Time, 2008

Beatlemania!!! on November 19 with Capital Vox Jazz Choir & Friends

Beatlemania!!!

Saturday November 19, 2011 at 7:30 PM

Dominion-Chalmers United Church

355 Cooper Street, Ottawa ON

$25/$23/$20/$10

Join Capital Vox Jazz Choir for their upcoming "Beatlemania!!!" concert on Saturday November 19 at 7:30PM at Dominion-Chalmers United Church in downtown Ottawa. The concert represents some significant coming together in the Ottawa music community. Capital Vox (30 voices and a professional rhythm section under the direction of Elise Letourneau) is hosting the Capital Youth Jazz Orchestra for this concert. Canterbury High School for the arts has accepted our invitation to have 5 students featured as guest lead vocalists. Ottawa's newest women's choir, Vox Eclectica, is on the bill as a guest vocal ensemble. The Four Seasons String Quartet rounds out the musical offering. And special guest Amanda Putz (host of Bandwidth on CBC Radio 91.5 FM) is coming to emcee the evening. Close to 75 performers are gathering for one extravaganza concert to give the Fab Four their props.

Beatles songs will be performed in several vocal and instrumental configurations. And, due to the positive response to the choir's "Come Sing Standards" events and requests for more audience opportunities to sing, there are a couple of "everybody sing" selections planned for the programme.

Dominion-Chalmers United Church address is 355 Cooper Street. Advance tickets ($20) are available from choir members, and at Alcorn Music Studios, Wellington Herb & Spice, and The Leading Note. Advance tickets are also available online at www.capitalvox.ca until midnight November 17. Tickets can also be purchased at the door - $25 general admission, children 12 years of age and under accompanied by and adult are free of charge. Student rush tickets will go on sale 15 minutes before the show begins for $10 with the presentation of a valid student ID.

Please visit www.capitalvox.ca for additional information.

Live Piano Karaoke at Alcorn Music Studios' GigSpace

Starts Thursday October 6 - details below...

Our Come Sing Standards event was so FUN!!!

We'll have to do it again sometime!

Check in with OttawaJazzScene.ca's coverage of the event...

http://ottawajazzscene.ca/news/3275-standards-singers-overflow-new-gigspace-at-culture-days

Singing Blues and R&B course at Alcorn Music Studios

Just a heads-up that there are still a few spaces in the "Singing Blues and R&B" course at Alcorn Music Studios. Every time we run this course, we have such a fun time. All participants sing every class meeting, and it's a very supportive atmosphere. Details below.


Here's a link from one of our previous classes. It's the group number from the showcase at the end of the course.

(info below from www.alcornmusicstudios.com )

Sing Blues, Motown and classic R&B favourites. 
This course will focus on the stylistic considerations of the R&B, Motown and Blues genres. You will learn vocal techniques for breath support, phrasing, flexibility, range, judicious use of vibrato, diction, how to “belt” responsibly, lyric interpretation. Explore the art of backing vocals.  All participants will be singing lead and back-up.

You will have an absolute blast!

Time: Thursday 6:15 pm - 7:45 pm
Dates: 10 weeks Sept.22 to Nov 24. Final show Nov. 27
Instructor: vocalist/music educator Elise Letourneau, B.Mus., M.Ed.
Cost: $234.00 (non-refundable)
Pre-requisite: Some singing experience preferred.
Maximum participants: six
Register: 613-729-0693 info@alcornmusicstudios.com
Location: 953 Gladstone Ave. @ Loretta (Little Italy area)
Note: This is a "less Scent" class we ask all participants to avoid wearing perfume, body spray or cologne.