Get ready to jump back in time to 16th century England.
On Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m., the Via Choralis choir will host Peninsula locals and music-lovers from farther afield for an afternoon of Elizabethan music at St. Elizabeth Church in Sidney.
Led by artistic director Kathryn Whitney and pianist and classical composer Yousef Shadian, this spring concert promises to enchant attendees with unusual yet delightful tunes from the past. Vancouver Island’s own multi-instrumental group, the Banquo Folk Ensemble, will join the choir.
"Musical selections range from the lighthearted Now is the Month of Maying to pub songs, madrigals and songs sung in the fields and by village people to pass the time while working," the concert's organizers said in a news release. "This uplifting selection of choral music is a perfect way to welcome spring while revelling in the charm and sound of Elizabethan Renaissance music played on instruments from the era."
The choir will also skip forward in time and perform older Canadian songs – ones sung by settlers and folks from First Nations communities, including Acadian melodies, a Cree lullaby and Balfour’s Four Directions with Ojibway text that incorporates sounds from the natural world.
Tickets are available online at 3Common.com, Tanner’s Books in Sidney, from choir members or at the door of the 10030 Third Ave. church.
Via Choralis is pleased to acknowledge the assistance of a Saanich Peninsula Arts and Culture Grant (SPACG) for their Elizabethan Spring concert. Funds for SPACG are provided by the Town of Sidney and District of North Saanich.
