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Vancouver Orpheus Choir tours Northwest

Performances with local choirs from Kitimat to Prince George start this weekend.
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Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir (Contributed photo)

The Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir is performing with Smithers Local Vocals at the Smithers Christian Reformed Church on Tuesday, May 29 at 7 p.m.

The acclaimed 45-member choir formed in 1992 for “men of all ages who love to sing,” melds the dynamic and tonal possibilities of the blend of male voices, under the expert eye of artistic director Liana Savard, with an eclectic, but highly accessible repertoire that covers everything from sacred and folk songs and Canadiana, to popular contemporary ballads and old-time rock n’ roll.

The Orpheus men are all amateur yet deliver a professional engaging performance from memory. Each performance guarantees an emotional ride through familiar, new, rousing, humorous and classic repertoire.

A strong component of the Orpheus repertoire is a collection of Canadian and B.C. composed and arranged songs. This includes the arranged for Orpheus version of “Fisherman’s Son” and “Four Strong Winds”, “Fogarty’s Cove”, “Royal Hudson”, BC Native song “Klee Wyck” among others. Other genres include “Danny Boy”, “ol’ Man River”, “Va Pensiero” “Battle hymn of the Republic”, “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight” and the Welsh Hymn “Gwahoddiad” which is sung in Welsh.

Orpheus annually tours BC to enrich smaller communities with choral entertainment. Major tours have included the Maritimes, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the US PNW, all to rave reviews. Our September 2015 highlight was tour of Wales hosted by many of the Welsh Male Choirs we hosted in Vancouver over the years.

This season is the 25th anniversary as a choir. The Orpheus men are celebrating this with a five concert tour of BC’s North and Northwest Coast this May with stops in Terrace, Kitimat, Smithers, Burns Lake and Prince George.

Concert times are 7 p.m. at each location:

May 26 Terrace Re Choir and Sine Nomine

May 27 Kitimat Sine Nomine

May 29 Smithers Local Vocals

May 30 Burns Lake Lakes District Community Choir and Chambermaids

June 1 Prince George Nove Voce

Artistic Director - Liana Savard

Liana has been an active director, educator and performer of music for the past 16 years. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz studies from North Vancouver’s Capilano College in 2000, Liana went on to obtain her Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Alberta in Edmonton in 2002. Liana is currently Artistic Director of the Vancouver Orpheus Male Voice Choir and has a thriving vocal studio at the Langley Community Music School.

Accompanist - Barry Yamanouchi

As accompanist for the Vancouver Orpheus Male Voice Choir since 1994, Barry has been an integral part of the choir’s growth and musical development. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music from UBC and a Masters degree in music from McGill University with a major in sound recording.

Barry primarily works as an accompanist playing for many choirs which include the Coastal Sound Music Academy Chamber Choir, the North Shore Chorus, and the Vivaldi Chamber Choir. He is also a sought after accompanist for soloists and makes recordings in his home studio. In 2014 Barry was awarded the Joyce O. Maguire award from the BCCF for long-term service as an accompanist.

–Submitted article