Nathaniel Dett Chorale 2009 / 2010 Concert Series

’ÄúA Spirit of unity, rendered in song.’Äù

- The Globe & Mail

Tuesday, December 1, 2009: The halls of the Glenn Gould Studio will echo with the uplifting sounds of The Nathaniel Dett Chorale. Often described as both magical and transformative, the exhilarating Nathaniel Dett Chorale performances, under the direction of its Founder/Artistic Director Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, invite audiences on a 3-part journey through the rich and colourful musical traditions of the African Diaspora. In this, their remarkable 11^th season, the Chorale will once again present a trio of performances in the acoustically dazzling Glenn Gould Studio, in the Canadian Broadcasting Centre, 250 Front Street.

An Indigo Christmas’Ķ In Silent Night

Wednesday, December 16^th and Saturday, December 19^th, 2009 8PM

This season begins with one of the Chorale’Äôs most popular programs. An Indigo Christmas’Ķ In Silent Night features a mix of contemporary and traditional arrangements of carols, spirituals, and African folksongs. In addition to the Chorale’Äôs performances, audiences will be treated to a holiday performance by award winning Jazz pianist / composer Joe Sealy and his long-time collaborator, bassist Paul Novotny. ’ÄúThe program was created to cradle you in a blanket of sound to warm your cool winter night,’Äù comments Blyden-Taylor, ’Äúand to inspire a joyous start to this celebratory season.’Äù

Voices of the Diaspora’Ķ Gullah Voices

Wednesday, February 17^th and Saturday, February 20^th, 2010 8PM

This Black History Month event shines the spotlight on the Gullah people -- African Americans who live in the Low Country region of South Carolina and Georgia. It is a culture alive with the Afro dialect and traditions. Gullah music and spirituals are the "life music" of slavery, and are said to have sustained and encouraged the enslaved peoples through the experience of praise. Special guest, composer and historian, Melaine DeMore will be on hand for this musical presentation which will invoke the rich traditions of the Gullah cross rhythms including sprituals, work songs and ring shouts. ’ÄúDrumming plays a central role in both the song and dance of the Gullah people,’Äù Blyden-Taylor explains. ’ÄúIn the tradition of the call and response we will incorporate rhythmic stick pounding, foot stomping and body percussion to convey the essence of one of America's most authentic forms of music’Äù.

And Still We Sing ’Ķ Steel Singin’Äô

Wednesday, May 26 and Saturday, May, 29, 2010 8 PM

The final concert in the 3-part subscription series welcomes Al Foster and Pan Fantasy for an explosive performance that pays tribute to the unique musical and cultural influences of the Caribbean islands. This festive interpretation of music honouring Trinidadian folk music, and Brainerd Blyden-Taylor’Äôs own roots, is a musical pedigree that continues to infuse the Chorale’Äôs body of work. Nathaniel Dett Chorale’Äôs own Darryl Huggins (Bass) will debut some of his own calypso compositions for this memorable concert event. ’ÄúCalypso music is infused with a poetic and political voice,’Äù says Blyden-Taylor. ’ÄúThe songs tell the story of the people ’Äì and offer significant insight into the heartbeat of the community’Äù.

Tickets for each performance by The Nathaniel Dett Chorale are individually $39.50, and $35.00 Students/Seniors, or subscribe to all 3 performances for $99.00. Tickets are available in person at the Roy Thomson Hall box office, 60 Simcoe St., by calling 416.872.4255 or online at www.roythomson.com.

For more information please visit www.nathanieldettchorale.org.

About THE NATHANIEL DETT CHORALE

One of Canada’Äôs ’Äúnational treasures’Äù, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale has worked hard to bring Afrocentric music to people at home and abroad. This dedication has recently earned them industry recognition as the CAPACOA Touring Artist of the Year 2008-09. This award recognizes performers whose professionalism and cooperative spirit enhance their relationship with presenters, such as cooperation in performance promotion, technical facilitation, contract fulfillment, or service above and beyond contractual agreements.

Named for the celebrated African-Canadian composer, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada's first professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. The Chorale is comprised of classically trained, multi-talented vocalists whose work stretches beyond the traditional repertoire of a classical chamber choir, challenging audiences to broaden their vision to include all genres of music appropriate to the traditions of the African Diaspora. These 21 classically-trained, outstanding vocalists have shared the stage with internationally recognized artists such as Juno Award-winning jazz pianist Joe Sealy, opera star Kathleen Battle, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The Chorale recently had the honour of performing at various ceremonies in Washington on the occasion of President Obama's historic inauguration.

For more information please visit www.nathanieldettchorale.org.

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale’Äôs 2009 / 2010 Concert Season in Toronto An Indigo Christmas’Ķ In Silent Night Wednesday, December 16th and Saturday, December 19th, 2009 8PM *** Voices of the Diaspora’Ķ Gullah Voices Wednesday, February 17th and Saturday, February 20th, 2010 8PM *** And Still We Sing ’Ķ Steel Singin’Äô Wednesday, May 26 and Saturday, May, 29, 2010 8 PM Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front Street West, Toronto Subscribe to all 3 concerts for $99; individual tickets $39.50, students/seniors $35.00 Tickets available in person at the Roy Thomson Hall box office, 60 Simcoe St., by calling 416.872.4255 or online at www.roythomson.com www.nathanieldettchorale.org

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale Commemorates 10th Anniversary Season With Culturally Rich Concert Series

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale

commeMOrateS 10^th anniversary season

Founder, Artistic Director Brainerd Blyden-Taylor

For Immediate Release, Monday, February 9, 2009 - 2009 is a landmark year for Toronto’Äôs Nathaniel Dett Chorale. Their triumphant Washington-based performances during the recent US Presidential Inauguration were heralded as Canada’Äôs gift to the American public ’Äì a sentiment that brought the Chorale congratulations and accolades from coast to coast. On Wednesday, February 25^th and Saturday, February 28^th, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale will celebrate yet another milestone as they commemorate their 10^th Anniversary Season with Voices of the Diaspora, a musical evening which will reunite a host of Chorale members at the the acoustically dazzling Glenn Gould Studio in the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

A powerful program, Voices of the Diaspora pays tribute to Africa’Äôs cultural, artistic and creative impact by featuring favourite R. Nathaniel Dett works alongside several contemporary Afrocentric compositions including the Canadian premiere of ’ÄúThe Angel Spoke" by Robert L. Norris; the Ontario premiere of ’ÄúAfrica’Äù by Brian Tate a work commissioned for the National Youth Choir and containing a combination of Ghanaian and Latin sacred texts; as well as an encore performance of ’ÄúGo Down Death’Äù by Canadian composer Stewart Goodyear.

Named for the celebrated African-Canadian composer, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada's first professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. The Chorale is comprised of classically trained, multi-faceted vocalists whose work stretches beyond the traditional repertoire of a classical chamber choir, challenging audiences to broaden their vision to include all genres of music appropriate to the traditions of the African diaspora. The thrilling 21-voice Chorale is directed by Brainerd Blyden-Taylor and has performed its jubilant repertoire extensively throughout North America, sharing the stage with internationally recognized artists such as Juno Award-winning jazz pianist Joe Sealy, opera star Kathleen Battle, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. During its 10-year history, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale has showcased a remarkable spectrum of talent with alumni that include soprano Measha Bruggergosman, impresario Andrew Craig, and Alana Bridgewater, star of the hit musical We Will Rock You.

Share the Music, an arts and education outreach program presented by the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall with the purpose of enriching the lives of young people through exposure to world-class performers and related educational activities, has purchased 30 tickets for underserved youth to attend The Nathaniel Dett Chorale’Äôs February 28th performance. The young guests will also attend an intimate pre-concert chat by Artistic Director Brainerd -Blyden Taylor.

Tickets for the Glenn Gould Studio series available in person at the Roy Thomson Hall box office, 60 Simcoe St., by calling 416.872.4255 or online at www.roythomson.com.

For more information please visit www.nathanieldettchorale.org.

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale to Perform in Washington at events hosted in celebration of the Presidential Inauguration

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale

to Perform in Washington at events hosted

in celebration of the Presidential Inauguration

Founder, Artistic Director Brainerd Blyden-Taylor

’Äì Canada’Äôs acclaimed The Nathaniel Dett Chorale will be part of one of the most significant events in United States history. The Chorale, Canada’Äôs first professional choir dedicated to performing Afrocentric music of all genres, has been invited by the Embassy of Canada to perform at their Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters on January 20, 2009, as part of an Inauguration Day event hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission.

While in Washington, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is also being honoured with an opportunity to sing at the Smithsonian’Äôs National Museum of the American Indian on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 19, 2009. This 40-minute free concert is part of a three-day festival entitled ’ÄúOut of Many,’Äù a theme derived from Barack Obama’Äôs election night speech in which he followed ’Äúout of many’Äù with ’Äúwe are one,’Äù signifying the overwhelming feeling of unity, celebration, sense of hope and belief in the future that Obama has inspired in the American public and the world at large. This sentiment is in keeping with the theme the inauguration has adopted, ’ÄúA new birth of freedom,’Äù taken from Abraham Lincoln’Äôs Gettysburg Address.

’ÄúWe are profoundly honoured by these invitations,’Äù says The Nathaniel Dett Chorale’Äôs Founder and Artistic Director, Brainerd Blyden-Taylor. ’ÄúThe Nathaniel Dett Chorale has always sought to dissolve barriers of stereotype, to empower and inspire through the unity of music and celebration. We are touched that our performances in Washington are considered to be a tribute from Canada to the American people at this remarkable time in their history.’Äù

The Washington performances are a continuation of The Nathaniel Dett Chorale’Äôs 10^th anniversary season, which began with a tour to the southern United States last fall and a two sold-out Indigo Christmas concerts in December, and will include an upcoming Western Canadian tour taking place during Black History Month. The February concert dates include stops in Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon, and will conclude in Toronto with two performances in its subscription series at the Glenn Gould Studio in the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is supported in part by TD Canada Trust Music, who also provided 11^th hour funding for the Chorale’Äôs Washington journey. Additional support for this tour was provided by the Canada Council for the Arts.

’ÄúWe were thrilled to be able to help make this journey to Washington possible for The Nathaniel Dett Chorale,’Äù said Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Financial Group. ’ÄúTD is a strong supporter of the music scene, from jazz festivals to youth orchestras to outdoor rock concerts, and we’Äôre proud to help groups like The Chorale achieve their goals. This is an exceptional choir and what a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase their talent on one of the most important dates in history.’Äù

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada's first professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. These 21 classically trained, outstanding vocalists have shared the stage with internationally recognized artists such as Juno Award-winning jazz pianist Joe Sealy, opera star Kathleen Battle, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The Nathaniel Dett Chorale's mission is to build bridges of understanding, appreciation and acceptance between communities of people, both Afrocentric and other, through the medium of music. They seek to dissolve the barriers of stereotype, to empower humans in general, and those of African descent in particular.

Tickets for the Glenn Gould Studio series available in person at the Roy Thomson Hall box office, 60 Simcoe St., by calling 416.872.4255 or online at www.roythomson.com.

For more information please visit www.nathanieldettchorale.org.