Saskatoon Men’s Chorus Plans Choral Collaborations in 2023-24

Saskatoon Men’s Chorus has been bringing together singers from Saskatoon and surrounding communities for over four decades. This male-voice ensemble prized for its warm sound draws members from both Saskatoon and rural Saskatchewan, presenting two or more concerts a year and frequently singing at community events. We perform a wide variety of repertoire, including sacred, classical, folk and other genres, with pride of place given to the works of Canada’s diverse choral composers.

Our annual Christmas concert has become a loved tradition for our audience. Join us on Sunday, Dec. 10th at 2:30 p.m. for “Silence, Frost and Snow” at Grace Westminster Church. Our program takes its title from a beautiful work by famed Kingston composer Mark Sirett based on three Canadian poems about winter. Joining SMC’s pianist Karen Reynaud is guest cellist Scott McKnight, for whom Sirett has crafted a lyrical cello part.

Additional guests are Heather Wilson on violin, and 17-year-old Saskatoon soprano Nora Rittinger. Rittinger, the winner of many local and provincial music festival scholarships, will sing the traditional carol “I Wonder as I Wander” with the Chorus, as well as other seasonal selections. And no SMC Christmas concert would be complete without some carol-singing from our enthusiastic audience! As in past years SMC will be collecting donations of food for Saskatoon Food Bank at the door.

This Spring’s concert, “Meetin’ Here Tonight,” will put a bounce in your step. Expect quite a range of music on the all-sacred program: Gospel and camp meeting favourites (buoyed by fiddle, banjo and bass) that transport you to the “Little Brown Church in the Dale;” classics such as “Goin’ Home” (arranged by venerable Canadian composer Diane Loomer); the rousing African-American folk song “Ride the Chariot”—and more. We are thrilled to welcome several special guests, including bassist Bruce Wilkinson, the outstanding young baritone Adam Brookman (winner of SMC’s Saskatoon Music Festival scholarships), and the Outlook Men’s Chorus, conducted by Graham Codling. A highlight of the concert will be a mass choir rendition of Dan Forrest’s beautiful hymn, “Lord of the Small.” This concert takes place on Sunday, April 21st at 2:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church (located at the bottom of the Broadway Bridge). A portion of the concert proceeds will go towards future SMC scholarships for emerging tenors, baritones and basses.

We are concluding our 2023-24 Season with a special collaborative event: Saskatoon Men’s Chorus is thrilled to be guests at the Saskatoon Chamber Singers’ year-end concert on Sunday, May 12th at 2:30 p.m. at Knox United Church , combining with the tenors and basses of the SCS for a performance of “Alto Rhapsody” by Johannes Brahms. You won’t want to miss the experience of hearing so many fine male voices under one roof!

SMC is led by Deborah Buck and Assistant Director Lynn Driedger.

Tickets

General Admission is $25 for adults, with no charge for children under 12 years of age.

Tickets are available from a Chorus member, at the door, or by sending a request to inquiries@saskatoonmenschorus.ca

Concerts

Sunday, December 10, 2023, 2:30 p.m.

Grace Westminster Church

Sunday, April 21, 2024, 2:30 p.m.

Zion Lutheran Church at the bottom of the Broadway Bridge, with free parking in the church’s adjacent lot or on the street, as well as an accessible entrance and elevator.

Sunday, May 12, 2024, 2:30 p.m.

Knox United Church

Contact

For more information please send an e-mail to inquiries@saskatoonmenschorus.ca and one of our Directors will get back to you promptly.