Call for Singers! - Vox Eclectica - new women's choir in Ottawa ON

When I relocated to Ottawa in 2006 with a fresh start and a clean plate to bring up to life’s buffet, I knew that if I wanted to start the jazz choir I’d always been hoping for, I had to do it then, before the rest of life had its way with my schedule. What I didn’t know at the time was how many friendly and wonderful singer-people there are in Ottawa!

Fast-forward to 2011 and Capital Vox Jazz Choir is just embarking on its fifth season. It has been a wonderful time - with lots of good experiences, learning experiences, and even some growing pains. But the best thing about growing pains is the growth at the finish line, and things have grown to the point where, to quote the rock-musical Tommy, “We need to build an extension!”

I am both honoured and blown away by the number of audition requests I am receiving. Many of the requests are coming from women, and even if we had the space in Capital Vox (both figuratively and literally - more space in the rehearsal room, more chairs, etc), we do not have enough male voices to support all the female voices who are asking for auditions.

In answer to this, I am forming another choir, a women’s choir called Vox Eclectica. This choir will be dedicated to exploring the female voice in its most captivating and entrancing settings; with music drawn from every genre, from Mozart to Mitchell, early music to Enya, lieder to lullabies, traditional music, new music, and more and more.

The vision for this first year is to find our footing in terms of singing together as a group - to find our sound, our gel, our blend, our combination of special features and unique talents. In terms of concerts, so far the intention is to plan and rehearse for three performances:
1) As a special guest vocal ensemble for a selection in the upcoming Capital Vox concert, “Beatlemania” on November 19, 2011 at Dominion-Chalmers United Church.
2) To present a short showcase concert (in multiple seatings?) with Mary as the central theme, at the new GigSpace performance facility at Alcorn Music Studios on December 18, 2011.
3) To present a full-length concert in the Spring of 2012, date/location to be determined.

Vox Eclectica will rehearse on Tuesday evenings, not far from Preston Street. I hope to begin rehearsals on September 27, or October 4 at the latest. I’m reserving time on September 13 and September 20 to hear singers, and I’d love to meet you.

Like Capital Vox, Vox Eclectica will be structured as an independent choir, without a church or school or other type of institution administering it, and as such will need to collect dues to support its basic operating costs. This will be similar in structure to Capital Vox - please visit http://www.capitalvox.ca/join-capital-vox/membership-expectations for more information about becoming a member.

And more information about what to expect at the audition/initial meeting can be found at http://www.capitalvox.ca/join-capital-vox . I'll want to hear something you love to sing (any style), check in with your music reading ability, and explore your vocal range.

Please feel free to pass this letter along, or to contact me directly. Thanks for taking the time out to read this letter. I look forward to the possibility of our paths crossing soon.

Carleton University Jazz Camp is Coming Up Soon!

Just a quick reminder that the Carleton University Jazz Camp is August 7-12. Enjoy five-and-a-half days of  workshops, ensembles large and small, masterclasses, concerts, jam sessions. A great way for singers to build technique, improv, and musicianship skills.


Visit www.cujazzcamp.ca for more detailed information and registration.

Wasn't THAT a Party!!!

Well that sure was fun! It was a perfect sunny day this past Saturday and the OLG tent at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival was full of smiling and singing people. They had all turned out to sing jazz standards with Capital Vox Jazz Choir and Our Very Fine Band - Mark Ferguson piano, Tim Bedner guitar, Mark Alcorn bass, Marilee Townsend drums. We all sang Ellington and Gershwin and Jobim and more. Definitely we have to do that again sometime. Watch either here or at www.capitalvox.ca for when the next Come Sing Jazz Standards will be. Thanks so much to all who participated - it for sure wouldn't have been the same without you!

Come Sing with Capital Vox Jazz Choir at Ottawa Jazz Fest!

We are trying our hand at the "Come Sing Handel's Messiah" type of event, but with our own spin on it. Join us at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival at our "Come Sing Jazz Standards" event. It's Saturday July 2 from noon to 1 PM at the OLG Stage downtown in Confederation Park.

Be a part of the fun! Join Elise Letourneau & Capital Vox Jazz Choir in singing some favourite standards from The Golden American Songbook. We'll sing a tune or two, and then you'll get to join in the singing too - and pick up a few jazz vocal tips along the way, learn to count in the rhythm section, and sing a few scat riffs too. Lyrics and rhythm section provided - just bring your own voice. All ages and singing levels welcome - the more the merrier!

For more information about the event, or about the Ottawa Jazz Festival in general, please visit http://ottawajazzfestival.com/index.php/come-sing-jazz-standards-with-elise-letourneau-capital-vox-jazz-choir/

Hope to see you there!

Lyrics Then & Now: School's Out!

These last weeks I have been coaching students of all stripes and watching many of them graduate or count down the days, or sometimes both. Those who display the most obvious anticipation tend to make me recall strains from Thomas Augustine Arne's 18th-century masque, Comus, with the libretto written by John Milton.


Here's the text to "Air from Comus":


Preach not me your musty rules, 
Ye drones that mould in idle cells, 
The heart is wiser than the schools, 
The senses always reason well. 
If short my span I less can spare 
to pass a single pleasure by: 
An hour is long if lost in care; 
They only live, 
They only live, 
They only live who life enjoy



Fast forward from 1738 to 2011 and we find that the ups and downs of social codes, formal education, and incorruptibility are still being hotly debated by songwriters. In 1972, Alice Cooper offered us "Well we got no class - and we got no principles/principals - we ain't got no innocence". I'm not licensed to print the whole lyric to "School's Out", but here's a fun link to it - don't let the first 10 seconds throw you:

Congratulations Class of 2011! And Good Summer to all! Hey do they still make those "burning schoolhouse" firecrackers?

Singing Blues/R&B Class - Showcase!

We had such fun the last 10 weeks in the Singing Blues and R&B class at Alcorn Music Studios. Six people signed up - most of whom had never performed in a club setting or with a live blues band. After getting over some normal initial reluctance to sing in front of people - including each other - the class really gelled and supported each other. Everybody got to sing lead on one tune, and backups on two more, and this is the group number we did where everyone sang on Mustang Sally.

Way to go Dan, Candace, Linda, Leslie, Barbara, and Liz!

Seasonal Allergies

They bother a lot of people, including singers!


So far, knock on wood, this Spring hasn't been too bad for me, comparatively speaking. Which roughly translates to one bad attack per week instead of three.


Some people feel like they are allergic to everything - and if your sinuses are already irritated, walking into a freshly industrial-cleaned retail space, the radius of a perfumed person, or a Catholic choir loft (when they light the incense it will take the shortest route to the choir loft - promise!) can be a dicey proposition with goopy results. Many of these same people have tried endless pharmaceuticals - both over-the-counter and prescription - often year round, only to remain sneezy and snuffy. I know that place very well.


I really wanted this year to be a little different in terms of allergies, instead of living it in a pharmacy-induced fog once I got out of my 6-8 week allergy-safe time frame (comparatively speaking again). I tried some different things, and I'm finding that so far this spring I am able to limit my allergy-drug taking to when I'm really symptomatic dangerously close to a gig. It's nice not to have to pop all those pills every day!


Here's what I've found has helped me with chronic allergic rhinitis and frequent sinusitis, and maybe they can help you too if you're suffering:


1) I went to a chiropractor and he got my neck into a more normal curve. Magically my headaches mostly went away too.


2) I got serious about nasal irrigation. The vessel for this purpose is often referred to as a Neti pot. But I found a squeeze-bottle type version at the pharmacy that you can use without contorting your head, neck, wrist, and elbow into strange positions over the sink. You just do it upright. No mess no fuss if you do it in the shower.


3) I got some help from an acupuncturist who specializes in allergies. Don't know why it works for me, but I don't really know why aspirin works either, and that never bothered me. Plus it's wonderfully relaxing.


4) At my acupuncturist's suggestion I started cutting down on "the white stuff" - dairy, processed flour products, and processed sugar products.


Now, when symptoms do get acute and I resort to pharmaceuticals, they are a lot more likely to work for me. Things still aren't perfect, but the above four measures have improved things for me by two-thirds (one attack per week instead of three), and then about two-thirds again (meds more likely to work when things get bad). I find they are also a lot more cost-effective, and "my liver is thanking me", at least according to my husband.


Here's a book with lots of ideas:
The Sinus Cure - 7 Simple Steps to Relieve Sinusitis and other Ear, Nose, and Throat Conditions
Debra Fulghum Bruce, Ph.D. and
Murray Grossan, M.D.
Ballantine Books, 2007
ISBN 978-0-345-49602-7


And if you've found some things that have helped you, feel free to share. Singing is too important to give up on finding sinus relief! And DO keep in touch with your medical support people. Your family doctor or allergy specialist or ENT can keep you up to date about any breakthrough treatments, or any changes they observe in your vocal apparatus.