This troupe of 50 kids from one of Toronto’s leading performing arts schools, is a combined choir and dance troupe. Their 2008/09 repertoire includes inspirational songs from the popular Broadway musicals “High School Musical”, Hairspray”, “Sound of Music”, “Fiddler On The Roof”, and such pop classics like “Let It Be” and “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”. . The show is an entertaining mix of solo singers and mass choir pieces, plus dancers to add visual excitement. A quality presentation with good costuming.
Wexford students have shared the stage with such notables as Colim Wilkinson in “The Phantom of the Opera”, Michael Burgess in “Man of La Manchia”, Donny Osmond in “Joseph and His techniclour Dreamcaot”, Michael Belt in “Showboat”, and the cast of “Rent
The concept of The Three Waiters involves hoaxng as real waiters before eventually grouping to form three talented opera singers. It’s sophisticated entertainment, yet lots of fun by adding spontaneity, surprise, and comedy. Because of the vast repertoire and experience of the performers, the act can easily be customized to suit the event. After performing at The Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo, The Three Waiters were invited to perform at a special dinner honouring The Three Tenors in Bath, England. The response was overwhelming. At the end of the show our three performers were given a standing ovation by none other than Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras! Here’s how it works…………. Each performer actually works the floor as a waiter for some time before the performance begins. They dress and act the part as the “real” waiters giving no clues of what is to come. The dinner is running smoothly when suddenly one of the waiters bursts into an aria from a well-known opera or song from a popular Broadway musical. Your guests are simutaneiusly stunned by the waiter’s behaviour and intrigued by the fact the waiter sang so well! As the evening progresses, another waiter effects a similar spontaneous rendition of his own – with matching professional aplomb! At this stage, the collective audience realizes that all is not as it seems and they anticipate some progression of the unexpected yet highly enjoyable theatrics. Just as the two waiters satisfy this anticipation by staging an impromtu vocal duet, the audience is then further surprised by a gate crashing third waiter. The three proceed to out-do each other “three tenors” style.
Crowned MTV’s “Top Pop Group”, MOSAIC is a 6 man vocal band taking music to a whole new level – and in ways you might not expect. Merging style with state-of-the-art technology, MOSAIC will leave you scratching your head wondering where the “band” is. Why? MOSAIC uses no instruments. Every sound you hear is produced by the human voice-from the bass lines to the drum grooves to the distortion of the guitar – is being vocally produced.
They’ve shared the stage with such acts as Prince, Stevie Wonder, Marc Broussard, Chris Rock, Tony Bennett, George Wallace and Jay Leno to name a few. Mixing elements of funk, jazz, hip hop and even opera, MOSAIC has created a sound all its own.
In December 2007, after conducting a nationwide search for musical talent, CBS News’ The Early Show named Mosaic “The Next Great A Cappella Group” in the world. In October 2008, Mosaic, with their unique instrument-free sound, was crowned the winner of MTV’s “Top Pop Group”, beating out eight other singing groups, all of which used accompaniment tracks. In April 2009, Mosaic received two CARA Awards including “Best Pop/Rock Album” and “Best Pop/Rock Song”.
This is the choir from “The Blues Brothers 2000” movie where they backed up Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Sam Moore, Paul Shafer, and B.B. King, earning a Grammy nomination for the soundtrack . Another project, where Faith Chorale backed up The Chieftains and Van Morrison, won the Grammy Award for “Best Traditional Folk Song”, along with a nomination for “Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals”. Faith Chorale was the first Canadian gospel act to sign an international recording contract. This dynamic group also won the 1999 JUNO Award for “Best Gospel Album”.
If the inspiration lyrics and emotional voices of the 14 strong multi-cultural choir don’t make an impact on you, the thick funk, hip-hop, and Caribbean influences that juice up Faith Chorale’s jams surely will. Always an uplifting, positive experience! As choir director Sharon Riley explains “Our music is about hope and encouragement. Gospel music is so soothing, it’s a source of strength , and that’s what people who aren’t necessarily religious feel. You can’t leave one of our shows without being touched”.
For an corporate event with a multi-denominational audience, the lyrics sung will be of a motivational nature rather than religious. Costuming will also be urban hip (black pants/skirts with black shirts/blouses) rather than traditional choir gowns.
Created in 1968, the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus is the only permanent children’s opera chorus in Canada established as an independent organization. The CCOC is a training ground for children between 8 and 16 and the Chorus’s total compliment consists of 60 boys and girls.
The CCOC appear in all Canadian Opera productions requiring children, and perform operatic and choral repertoire on stage, television, and radio. They have performed at the American Choral Directors Association convention and also at Disney World. The choir won a National Award for Choral Recording with their performance of Derek Holman’s “Sir Christmas”.