Full program notes can be found here.

A note from Liz:

I’d like to warmly welcome you to A Cappella’s 30th Anniversary concert “There and Bach Again”.

Similarly to Adrian (give or take three years), I’ve grown up with this choir. They have always been in my consciousness, and I’ve been in rehearsals with them since I was 2 years old. From audience, to chorister, to soloist, to director, this choir has put a handprint on my musical heart and choral development. And having only very recently taken the helm of conducting (2022), I found an anniversary concert very daunting.

I struggled with what to include in this programme. Anniversary concerts have been done time and again. What could I possibly do to acknowledge the tradition and history of this fabulous choir whose coat tails (Coates Tales?) I’d been hanging onto since I was little, while also doing something innovative that the audience (and choir) hadn’t heard before.

Toying with the idea of a musical journey, I came up with the play on “there and back again” incorporating the pun “Bach again” from Masterpiece (see notes below). The idea of this program is to journey through the history of this choir- acknowledging our favourites from the last 30 years, singing some of our new favourites of the last four years, and to sing brand new music that we feel sets the course of this choir for the years to come.

The “favourites” were voted on by choir popular vote, Jeanette Steeves chose two of her “must haves”, and Meghan helped me whittle down my selection of 40 “non-negotiable-A Cappella-essentials” to the 17 pieces we’ll be performing for you.

I must give my acknowledgements to Jeanette Steeves and Meghan De Jager for setting the foundation of this fine choir. In my first programme notes I said I was standing on the shoulders of giants. It still feels surreal (they let ME be in charge? ME!?), but I hope I am continuing the excellent precedents you both set.

I want to thank Anne Little and Patt Lowry for being fabulous “coworkers” or Co-Conductors in our community. Being a conductor can be really isolating, and they have been nothing but supportive and knowledgeable as I find my footing and my creative voice.

I want to thank my parents for encouraging me at every step of my musical development. Especially when I was a nightmare child who didn’t want to practice piano. Thank you for being my sounding board, support, my chauffeur, and my audience for every concert, recital, and church service. And Mom, thank you for always having supper ready with a glass of wine before rehearsal. You’ve saved many a Bass from a hangry Liz.

Most especially I’d like to thank Adrian Little, my collaborative pianist. He is the most engaging, musical, precise pianist we could ever have hoped to have for our choir. He has a great sense of humour and always knows where my downbeat is (nothing short of miraculous). It’s been a delight working with you. Thanks for not quitting when I asked you to conduct.

And finally a thank you to our devoted audience. Whether this is your first A Cappella concert, or you’ve been at every show since 1994, we appreciate you. It is because of you we can continue performing engaging choral music along the shores of Lake Huron.

A note from Adrian:
My current job title in the A Cappella Chamber Choir is Pianist, a role which I have held for 7 years. However, it is not my first job with the A Cappella Chamber Choir. Previous roles have included: Collaborative Page Handler, Bass Player, Roadie, Child Crying in Audience and Baby Being Passed Around at Rehearsal. I’ve certainly paid my dues and made my way up the corporate ladder; who says company loyalty is a thing of the past?

I am extremely proud to be a part of this choir on its 30th anniversary. As I implied above, my association with this choir goes back to my earliest days and the memories I have could certainly fill more space than I’ve been allotted here (trust me, this is my sixth draft). This group brings me so much joy because of our shared history; however, it brings me just as much joy in the exciting present and promising future. 

As much as I joke about this role being a job, it is really easy for “working pianists” to fall into the habit of treating every opportunity in a cold, clinical way. We take our artistry for granted until we find ourselves putting “can sight-read in 5 flats” alongside “impeccable time-management” on our resume. I have been lucky to have numerous opportunities in our wonderfully musical community that have brought me out of this way of thinking, but none more than A Cappella. It constantly reminds me why I chose to be a musician and why it matters so much. 

Shortly after I joined in 2017, I had a realization: this group always has something to say. We say something by doing justice to great classical works. We say something by setting high expectations within the group. We say something when we select new and challenging repertoire. Not to mention the hours that Liz spends making sure the programming and theming of each concert is on point. It’s a joyful, creative environment and I am always so excited when we are able to bring you in, our audience, to experience that joy with us. 

A big “congratulations” goes to Liz Coates, our director, who has done so much to foster our “joyful, creative environment”. I think we make a pretty great musical team. 

Meghan De Jager, who was director when I came to the choir in 2017, also deserves a shout-out for her immeasurable contribution to the choir in those years. And finally, to Jeanette Steeves, our founder: Thank you for trusting me to play for your “dream choir” back when I was only 17 and contributing so much to my love for music.