Harmonia Choir of Ottawa
Harmonia is one of the two host choirs for the MosaiK
Choral Festival. For several years Harmonia hosted a Black History Month
concert, with intergenerational guest choirs and soloists, including the World
Voices Choir (Brookfield High School), Cross Town
Youth
Chorus, Kathy Grant, Cathy Goddard and Vanessa London. Out of that annual
project has come the MosaiK Choral Festival, now involving several local, but
still intergenerational choirs.
Founded in 2003 by its current artistic director Kurt Ala-Kantti, the choir has
carved out a niche in the Ottawa choral community. While still maintaining
a focus on Canadian and local composers the choir takes on an eclectic mix of
repertoire each season. Two years ago included the MosaiK Festival concert
"African Stories" with guest director Scott Leithead, singing John Rutter's
Gloria with the Milford Brass, and a lively performance of Carmina Burana, with
2 pianos and lots of percussion, as well as a performance with the Finnish vocal
sensation Rajaton, and even singing for Kenny Rogers at the National Art Centre.. Previous years have included a Christmas concert with
vocal jazz ensemble "Quintessence", Handel's "Messiah", Faure's "Requiem" with the
Divertimento Orchestra and 2 performances of Brahm's "A German
Requiem", one here, and one in Carnegie Hall, directed by John Rutter. Last
year saw the Men's Chorus performing Brahms
"Alto Rhapsody" with Julie Nesrallah, and the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra,
and this year the Ladies Chorus will join the orchestra for a performance
of Holst's "The Planets" They will ended the season in 2014 with a concert with
the Governor General Foot Guard Band.
This April the choir is pleased to perform with both the Ottawa Chamber
Orchestra on April 18th (Brahms) and the Divertimento Orchestra a week later
with a celebration of Sibelius, including Finlandia.
Kurt Ala-Kantti
is the founding and Artistic Director of Harmonia. Kurt serves as Director of
Music for St. Thomas Anglican Church, Artistic Director of Cross Town Youth Chorus, Music Director for the
Cumberland Community Singers, and Music Director
for Tone Cluster, with which he travelled to Denver Colorado for the Gala
Choruses Festival 2012. Last year also saw him as Artistic Director the the
National Unsion Choral Festival, held here in Ottawa.
With a keen interest in choral performance and excellence, he has been a member
of several local choirs, currently singing professionally with the critically
acclaimed Ottawa Bach Choir and Coro Capriccio.
More about the choir on its website:
www.HarmoniaChoir.com
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