Singers guild hosts landmark 150th birthday party

For those who love a good show, the St. Albert Singers Guild is throwing quite a party to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Here’s to Song is more than an ordinary birthday concert. This group of 75 choristers, under the direction of Criselda Mierau, is throwing a strawberry social on May 12 and 13 at Al Shamal Shriners Centre.

Hosted in a cabaret setting with patrons snacking on strawberry cake and candies, the choristers also add an extra dash of pizzazz serving dishes of Da Vinci’s single scoop strawberry ice cream while singing Ice Cream from Anne of Green Gables.

“We have chosen music that is unexpected, but at the same time we also want to sing about the diversity and community pride in being Canadian which we do in an apologetic way. We want to be unapologetic in an apologizing way. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” laughs Mierau.

The concert opens with Gordon Lightfoot’s Canadian Railroad Trilogy.

“A railroad built this country. This song honours not just our ancestors, but all the many who laid down their lives, and were used and abused, and this is a way to honour their contributions.”

Another song the choir is preparing is a musical serenade on the relationship between Canada’s provinces.

“What’s interesting is the relationship the provinces have and the big one is with Quebec. It’s interesting, but it’s also been rocky and tumultuous. But in the end we’re all in it together and we sing My One True Friend. “

The guild pays homage to our province through Ian Tyson’s Springtime in Alberta, a love song comparing the province’s temperamental weather to a woman.

“We’re doing an arrangement of Larry Nickels’. He writes so brilliantly for every part. He’s big into beautiful phrasing, and he knows how to highlight melody and build harmony that is interesting.”

In a nod to Canada’s indigenous cultural heritage, the choristers chant the Mi’kmaq Honour Song, a deep celebration of life that honours the Creator and is at the heart of every community member.

“There is hand drumming and two soloists sing an intertwining melody. About one-third of the choir goes out into the audience and they make sounds as animals, birds and the wind. The rest of the choir holds a tone cluster. Part of the choir sets up the chant. Another holds the tone cluster and the others are the forest.”

The choir first performed it at the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts in March. The song was so in tune with nature, it raised the hair on people’s neck and was received with thunderous applause.

The final tune is Here’s to Song, a ballad that sums up the two choirs’ intentions and moves with a wonderful flow and a gorgeous melody to boot, notes Mierau.

“To me summing up being a Canadian in one word would be ‘decency.’ Everything we do is born out of trying to be decent.”

In closing she hopes everyone will join the festivities.

“You’re looking at fun. You’re looking at memorable music. You’re looking at a celebration of who we are.”