Unplugged and powerful 
Sunday, May 1 at 3:00P.M.

 

Pax Christi Chorale joins The Menno Singers of Kitchener-Waterloo for a lush choral experience, featuring awesome double choir repertoire by Schutz, Rheinberger, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and the newer sounds of Murray Schafer, Stephanie Martin, Healey Willan and Randall Thompson.

Tickets: $40 regular, $35 seniors, $25 students

 

 

Advance ticket sales are now closed - tickets will be available at the door.
Box office at Grace Church on-the-Hill will open at 2:00p.m. on Sunday.
Cash or cheque only for tickets bought at the door. 

 

This concert is also being performed on Saturday, April 30 in Kitchener. 
Please purchase tickets directly from the Menno Singers 

 

About the programme

Two choirs. Two seasoned Artistic Directors. Two significant anniversaries. One powerful concert,

 Prepare yourself for a lush choral experience, featuring stunning double choir repertoire by Schütz, Rheinberger, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and the newer sounds of R. Murray Schafer, Stephanie Martin, Healey Willan and Randall Thompson. 

“It’s such gorgeous music. Rheinberger and Brahms were contemporaries. But where Brahms expresses his Romantic emotions with just a bit of intellectual reserve, Rheinberger wears his heart on his sleeve.” Peter Nikiforuk, Director, Menno Singers

The two choirs have a long history of collaboration and have held several joint concerts over the years. Both have roots in the Mennonite community. Each is committed to chorale excellence and has impressed audiences with their rich warm sounds, imaginative programming and performances full of passion, conviction and heart.  

“It has been exciting to have that massive sound to work with, melding as a group, breathing together and blending our sounds. It has been a wonderful fellowship.” Stephanie Martin, Artistic Director, Pax Christi Chorale

Pax Christi Chorale is based in Toronto. This concert anticipates our upcoming 30^th anniversary season. The choir began in 1987, inspired by the success of a choir assembled for the Toronto celebration of the 1986 Bicentennial of Mennonites in Canada. That choir was led by Robert Loewen, who became Pax Christi Chorale’s founding conductor.  Several of the original 35 singers are still in the choir today. As a choir it has become a Toronto favourite. Award-winning conductor and composer Stephanie Martin is their accomplished artistic director. 

Menno Singers is based in Kitchener-Waterloo. This concert concludes their successful 60^th anniversary season. The choir was founded by Abner Martin in 1955 around a core of Rockway Mennonite High School students and graduates. At the Menno Singers anniversary concert this past fall Abner conducted a piece and reflected on this early history, 60 years after he directed the inaugural concert! Abner happens to be father to Stephanie, adding to the connections between the two choirs. Menno Singers is directed by sought after organ recitalist, clinician and conductor Peter Nikiforuk, director of music at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener. 

Put these two choirs together, and you have powerful choral magic – 140 voices unplugged! 

 ‘Music without singability and beauty of sound has no legitimacy ... Music is basically an outpouring of joy, and even in pain knows no pessimism.’ Josef Rheinberger

   Read about Rheinberger's Mass in E Flat Major

   Listen to Rheinberger's Mass in E Flat