After six months of rehearsal and fellowship,\u00a0Winnipeg Upper Voices will be sharing their annual concert this weekend in River Heights. Titled\u00a0The Circle Never\u00a0Ends,\u00a0the choir will share a mixture of pieces ranging from Joni Mitchell to Quebecois composer Marie-Claire Saindon.<\/p>\n
The concert\u2019s title reflects the underlying mission behind the choir: a place for people to gather and sing together in an accepting space\u00a0with new friends.\u00a0The group meets for one rehearsal a month for a full day and shares a potluck meal together.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just really feels good in the\u00a0room,\u00a0and it just builds the community,\u201d says conductor Katy Harmer of the\u00a0choir\u2019s\u00a0welcoming atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Building an accessible choir\u00a0experience\u00a0<\/p>\n
Founded in 2019, Winnipeg Upper Voices manage to perform one concert before the COVID-19 public health lockdowns forced them into hibernation. The time away gave Harmer and the choir time to consider their priorities as a group.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we came back, we were realizing that weekly rehearsals\u00a0[are]\u00a0sometimes really challenging,\u201d Harmer says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group\u2019s switch to a monthly rehearsal schedule has been an element of hospitality that has allowed the group to expand\u00a0its ranks year over year, with members ranging\u00a0from former high school singers to first-time choristers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0always so great to see them come in at the beginning of the season and be like, \u2018I don\u2019t know about this, it\u2019s been a while,\u2019 or \u2018I don\u2019t know really know what I\u2019m doing,\u2019\u201d says Harmer. \u201cBut then,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0just like, \u2018OK, trust the process.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0all in this together.\u2019 And by the end of the season,\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0singing just perfectly with everybody all together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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An expanding circle performs this weekend\u00a0<\/p>\n
The metaphor of Winnipeg Upper Voices\u2019 2026 concert is an ever-growing, ever-welcoming ensemble that the audience will be invited into in turn.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOften, we were rehearsing in circles,\u201d says Harmer of the concert. \u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0a great way\u00a0to rehearse a choir is just to sit in a circle… you can see across to each other, can interact with each other across and you can hear\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0going around the circle.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A big part of the concert\u2019s musical offerings will be round songs and canons, a\u00a0genre that allows for simple singing to blend\u00a0into complex-sounding arrangements. Since the group only gathers once a month, Harmer says the onus is placed more on the singers to ensure that their lines are ready to place\u00a0within the ensemble\u2019s texture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can tell when people have put in the effort for sure because they just sing with more confidence,\u201d says Harmer, adding that the group is also more compelled to contribute because of the close-knit nature of the community. \u201cThat ownership of the music and of\u00a0the\u00a0process\u00a0is really interesting.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Circle Never Ends will be performed\u00a0at St. Andrew\u2019s River Heights United Church at 7:30 p.m. on April 18.\u00a0Tickets are available at the door. More information can be found on the choir\u2019s social media pages.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n