After months of gathering and singing together, Winnipeg\u2019s Low Voice Collective is set to share their inaugural in downtown Winnipeg this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The concert, titled Queer\u00a0As\u00a0Folk, will, as advertised, feature folk music from a variety of traditions ranging from Irish and Scottish melodies to Canadian folk music from the eastern and northern regions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a lot of fun, a lot of work, a lot of laughing, a lot of chit-chats,\u201d shares conductor Aaron Hutton. \u201cThere\u2019s\u00a0been a lot of collaboration on decisions within the\u00a0music,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0just been\u00a0really positive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Folk music\u00a0representing\u00a0inclusion\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because the Low Voice Collective is an inclusive ensemble intended for gay,\u00a0transitioning\u00a0and non-binary tenors and basses, Hutton wanted to ensure that the repertoire they perform matches the group\u2019s values. \u201cMost of the [tenor and bass choir] catalog is connected to Christianity,\u201d he elaborates.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I have discovered in the catalog of tenor-based choral music is that there\u2019s a lot of great folk music to choose from,\u201d he continues, \u201cand so, that seemed like the obvious choice.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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One of the standout pieces for Hutton will be an arrangement of the James Gordon classic \u201cFrobisher Bay\u201d originally shared by Vancouver\u2019s Chor Leoni Men\u2019s Choir. \u201cIt\u00a0was actually a piece that I heard in my research that made me want to conduct a low voice choir,\u201d he says. \u201cI hope\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0going to be a highlight because it certainly was an inspiration of mine in the early planning of this ensemble.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Guest artist adding flare to debut\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Low Voice\u00a0Collective will be joined for their debut performance by prominent Winnipeg drag artist Lady Muse, who\u00a0will be adding folk stylings of artists like\u00a0Janis Joplin to the mixture of Queer\u00a0As\u00a0Folk. \u201cShe is a terrific performer in the city who is a very skilled musician in her own right,\u201d shares Hutton.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a really interesting component to see someone looking so fabulous and then sing in a range that\u2019s similar to mine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lady Muse\u2019s performance will\u00a0underscore the inclusivity that the Low Voice Collective\u00a0is championing into its next chapter. \u201cIt\u2019s a diverse group, a gender-diverse group of people,\u201d says Hutton, \u201cand Lady Muse is part of that. The art of drag is kind of\u00a0gender-bending.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Winnipeg\u2019s Low Voice Collective will take the stage at Club 200 on Garry Street in downtown Winnipeg at 7 p.m. on March 29. Admission is\u00a0free for all\u00a0patrons. More\u00a0information\u00a0can be found on the group\u2019s social media pages.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n