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Quarantones male chorus hosting pair of concerts in the Comox Valley

Comox Valley’s Quarantones male chorus invites you to join them as they “take a plunge” into their Wade in the Water concert series on March 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Weird Church in Cumberland and March 25 at 2:30 p.m. at Comox United Church.
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The Quarantones Male Chorus will be putting on two concerts in the Comox Valley, on March 24 and 25. Photo supplied

Comox Valley’s Quarantones male chorus invites you to join them as they “take a plunge” into their Wade in the Water concert series on March 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Weird Church in Cumberland and March 25 at 2:30 p.m. at Comox United Church.

“Over the past 30 years, I have conducted many outstanding concert choirs, chamber choirs and vocal jazz ensembles. The Quarantones certainly rank near the top of that list,” said choir director Denise Marquette.

The performances feature songs ranging from pop hits Under the Boardwalk and Black Water to folk and roots classics Wade in the Water and Old Man River, to sea shanties Brothers Sing On and High Barbary to the sublime The Stars are with the Voyager. Along with these and other numbers, small groups and solos are designed to add colour and diversity to the program, not to “water it down.”

The concerts also feature guest artist, flautist Jill Russell, multi-instrumentalist and recording artist who has toured extensively in Western Canada and internationally. Russell has a special interest in Brazilian jazz and has been featured on a number of albums including one of her own, and has performed at a number of jazz festivals. She and Quarantones’ accompanist Kelly Thomas will present Suite Irlandaise, a flute/piano duet from Claude Bolling’s Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano.

Starting as a quartet, singing outdoors with social distancing in the summer of 2020, the Quarantones male chorus now features 12 auditioned singers. These men come from a cross-section of musical backgrounds, including musical theatre, rock ‘n’ roll, opera choruses, church and community choirs, folk and roots ensembles, and academia. Four of the singers are themselves current or former choral conductors.

Weird Church and Comox United Church are both known for their excellent acoustics. The unique architecture and ambience of Weird Church, built in 1895 hold special meaning for the Quarantones, who rehearse there weekly. Concert attendees on March 24 will be surrounded by the stunning Nordic-inspired art of Kristina Campbell, on the last night of her month-long display in the Gallery at Weird Church.

Tickets for adults and youth are available at Blue Heron Books in Comox and Laughing Oyster Bookstore in Courtenay. Children 12 and under are free, but must have a ticket to reserve a space.

For more information: quarantonesensemble@gmail.com

Website: quarantonesensemble.com Facebook: facebook.com/quarantonesmalechorus