From June 24-26, the Music Theatre Performance Department at Sheridan College is hosting an international conference called Song, Stage and Screen: The Art of Collaboration in Musical Theatre. This is a three-day conference of papers, talks and practical demonstrations is designed to bring together leaders to discuss music theatre practices. I will be participating in the conference by conducting a choir in a unique performance by collaborating with dancers and some really creative animation. Some of you may have seen a this multi-media performance last November with the Music Theatre Performance students in the SCAET theatre. Below is a description of what I am doing:
This 20-minute performance session is the result of creative collaboration between a choral conductor, a choreographer, dancers and an animator in a wonderfully inspired multi-media performance that fuses a live choir, dance and incredible animation. It will feature the choral music of Eric Whitacre including Eric’s musical theatre composition, Bliss from Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings.
Eric Whitacre is one of the most successful artists to integrate music with technology and is considered one of the most popular choral composers of the time. His first album, Light and Gold won a Grammy in 2012 while his second album, Water Night debuted at number 1 on the iTunes and Billboard chart. He is probably best known however, for his ground breaking Virtual Choirs on YouTube by bringing individual voices from around the world together into an online choir.
I am putting together a choir to sing 2 of Eric’s choral pieces for this conference:
Sleep https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhWDCw3Mng and
Note that Bliss is a different version than Eric’s Virtual Choir version.
I put this out to all those in the area interested (and singing friends are welcome too!) to participate in this unique performance opportunity and am hoping you will consider joining.
Rehearsals are flexible but potentially could be regular Monday evenings starting May 30. Please consider participating in this and let me know of interest by emailing me at greg.andrews@sheridancollege.ca.
Many thanks!
Greg Andrews, B.Mus, Mus.M.
Head of the Music Discipline
Music Theatre Performance Program
Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design