A cappella — singing without accompaniment — conjures up the beauty of cathedral singing (cappella means chapel, after all), but also encompasses a wide range of musical styles from around the world.
Island Voices’ upcoming concert will feature an all a cappella program inspired by various types of music, from jazz tunes, lyric ballads, and upbeat dances to Indian ragas, American spirituals, and Indonesian percussion pieces. Stunningly beautiful chordal and polyphonic motets will complement the more driving and rhythmic works to encapsulate the rich array of unaccompanied choral music. The amazing breadth and depth of this a cappella program is designed to capture the imagination of the audience and inspire them to embrace the spirit of pure singing together.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Island Voices is a chamber choir comprising trained choristers from the Comox Valley and Campbell River areas, and is directed by Dr. John Hooper. These singers come from a wide range of backgrounds and professions, from health care and education to business and technology, but are unified in their love for the art form and sharing it in the community. Island Voices will be joined by the River Singers of the Campbell River Children’s Choir under the direction of Jennifer Abbott on Saturday evening, and the Grace Notes women’s choir of Celebration Singers, under the direction of Stephanie Eakle, on Sunday afternoon.
Performances are Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell River United Church (415 Pinecrest Rd.) and Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2:30 p.m. at St. George’s United Church (505 6th St).
Tickets are $25 (adults) and $10 (youth), available at The Music Plant (Campbell River), Blue Heron Books (Comox) and Benjamin Moore House of Colour (Courtenay).