Kingstonist: The Isabel Voices prepare for international tour

by Kathryn Vilela, published by the Kingstonist on January 7, 2025. To see the original article click here.

In only their second year as The Isabel Voices, the talented Kingston-based choir’s large ensemble is eagerly preparing for a rare opportunity this coming June.

“We’re really excited to be heading off to the United Kingdom, to Cambridge,” said Darrell Christie, Artistic Director for The Isabel Voices. “We’ve been given an opportunity to participate in an incredible performance, taking place in Ely Cathedral, which is one of the most truly iconic places to sing in Europe, if not the world. It is just the most magnificent venue to sing in and host a concert.”

The Isabel Voices will collaborate with composer Dan Forrest and with other choral ensembles from the UK, spending several days in rehearsals before presenting the European premiere of Forrest’s expansive and inspiring new oratorio, CREATION. Joining forces with other choirs as a powerful mass chorus of 125 singers will be a highlight of the concert, but The Isabel Voices has also been invited to showcase their own groups’s sound. “Not only were we absolutely honoured to be invited to be a part of this amazing concert,” Christie enthused, “we’ve been asked to open the concert on our own as The Isabel Voices with a performance of the breath of life.”

Another sweeping and emotional multi-movement piece by Forrest, the breath of life was the centrepiece of the very first concert that The Isabel Voices performed, back on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Just weeks later, The Isabel Voices was contacted by an organization called Vox Anima London. “It seems you’ve got something really wonderful going on there at the Isabel Bader Centre,” they wrote, beginning a correspondence across continents that led to the confirmation of this tour opportunity.

Christie said that while he certainly realized that this group of singers had something truly extraordinary right from the start, he was still astonished to have that same affirmation echoed back so quickly from choral music experts abroad. “When you put something out into the world, I think you’re never quite sure who will see it, who will listen to it or stumble upon it. But folks watched the livestream recording of our first show, and the next thing we knew, we were being invited to be part of this CREATION project. It was incredibly special that we were invited to be part of this project after just our very first concert.”

Although heading over to Ely Cathedral for this epic performance is most likely out of the cards for the majority of the choir’s fans and families, Kingston music lovers will have a chance to hear the new oratorio even in advance of their British counterparts. “Before we head to the UK to sing Dan Forrest’s CREATION,” Christie said, “we decided to do our own rendition for audiences here. We’re going to be performing the Canadian premiere on Sunday, February 2, at 2:30 pm here at The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. It’s a glorious piece! We have just finished our first rehearsal, and we’re already so very excited about this music.”

In addition to preparing and rehearsing the music, organizing and financing an international tour of this scale is quite an undertaking, he added. “As you can imagine, taking a choir all the way across the pond is no small feat, so we’ve been organizing a number of different fundraising activities to be able to help choir members take this incredible trip. Later this month, we’re holding a Gala Wine Dinner, which is being put on by our very generous friends at Olivea.”

Taking inspiration from the food of northern Italy, the five-course fixed menu includes culinary delights such as beet-filled casoncelli with brown butter and sheep’s cheese, and osso buco served with saffron risotto. Each course is paired with a perfect accompanying wine, with tasting notes guided by wine expert Rob Elvy. “It’ll be a beautiful evening of delicious food, expertly paired wines, and some incredible music from The Isabel Voices,” said Christie. “We’ll have talented performers doing some solo work, some duets, some small groups, all kinds of different styles, from jazz to classical to musical theatre. I think it will be a really, really delicious and fun evening.”

Christie emphasized that everything The Isabel Voices does is in an effort to celebrate both music and community. “We love to sing, we love to make music. But even more than that, we love singing for other people. That is why we do what we do - we want to share the joy of music with others.”

If you would like to partake in some of that joy, music, and maybe even some Italian food and wine, The Isabel Voices would love to share it with you! Hear them perform CREATION at 2:30 pm on Sunday, February 2, 2025, with in-person and livestream ticket prices ranging from $15-30. Tickets are also available for the Gala Wine Dinner fundraiser, featuring five courses of Olivea’s fine dining (or perhaps put more appropriately: “la cucina raffinata”), guided wine pairings, and live entertainment for $250 per person.

Christie offered his thanks to everyone who has been supporting The Isabel Voices and following their journey - both musically and now physically across the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just incredible that we’re heading out on our first tour, and hopefully it’ll be the first of many!”