Every two years choirs from all over the world converge on Powell River for a five-day choral festival filled with concerts, singing, competitions, seminars and social events. The festival, under the artistic direction of Don James, is called Kathaumixw (pronounced Ka-thou-mew) from the Coast Salish language meaning "a gathering together of different peoples" running July 6 to 10 at various venues.
"The festival is about sharing music and culture, with a small competition component," said Academy of Music administrator Terry Sabine.
She explained the singers enter the auditorium on opening night carrying the flag of their country, and by the closing concert, sit among their peers as part of a choir of the world. Considering that the festival draws up to 40 choirs from around the world, the festival is not widely advertised.
"We're much better known in Europe than here," said Sabine.
This 14th festival is open to the public; tickets are for sale at www.kathaumixw.org. If you can't get to Powell River during those dates, consider the bounty of choirs that will be performing at this end of the Coast on their way to and from Kathaumixw. They are three of the best, according to Sabine.
The award-winning Christ the King Church Choir from Uganda, celebrating its 80th anniversary, performs at St. Hilda's Anglican Church in Sechelt on Monday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. in a joint presentation by St. Hilda's and the Coast Recital Society.
A total of 26 choir members (out of 90 singers) are coming to Canada to participate for the fifth time; they won the prestigious Folk Song competition during their first appearance at the festival in 1988.
When home in Uganda, this colourful group, under the direction of Fred Kasujja, sings at all church functions as well as at many state events, and they often include Ugandan songs and dances in their performances. Tickets are $10, available at the door.
The following weekend, Sunday, July 11, at 2 p.m., you can catch the Viva la Bella Czech Children's Choir atthe School of Music in Madeira Park. This youth choir has been performing in Slavonice, Czech Republic, since 1985 under the direction of Vlastimil Burkart. It currently has 30 members ranging in age from 10 to 22. Their repertoire consists of classical music, Czech folk music, dance and spiritual songs.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children/students, available atBluewaters Books, Monkeychips and Hallmark Cards.
The third choir to visit the Coast, also on July 11, is known as Aurora: Young Adelaide Voices. This Australian group has educated and inspired young choristers to sing their hearts out and experience music-making at its finest.The senior vocal ensemble, who will appear in Powell River, has been in existence for only five years as a chamber group of experienced choristers who sing a cappella, and they will perform challenging music from contemporary to classical. Expect anything from Waltzing Matilda to Leonard Cohen to Mendelssohn.
They will perform at Gibsons United Church at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15, available at Hallmark Cards, Roberts Creek General Store and Coast Copy Centre.
