Island Soul Choir

ISLAND SOUL CHOIR Shout Hallelujah

Sunday, November 25th 3:00 pm

It’s that time of year again to get your flu shot. It’s also time to get your “booster shot” of Island Soul Choir’s music to boost your immune system with inspiration, celebration, love and hope. Indeed the choir’s Shout Hallelujah is a bold and poignant reminder that we all have something to celebrate and be thankful for, despite the tragedies and challenges in the world today.

Island Soul Choir is pleased to welcome Celebration Singers from the Comox Valley as their guest for this concert. Celebration Singers is an adult mixed-voice community choir of 90-plus singers, which together with the women’s ensemble Grace Notes and the men’s ensemble Men of Notes, form The Celebration Singers Choirs. Their conductor, Jennifer Forsland, is a dynamic, irrepressible spirit who inspires both choir and audience members alike with her joy and enthusiasm. The choir is accompanied on the piano by the very talented Sean Mooney. Now in their 25th season, Celebration Singers has gained a reputation for singing beautifully blended harmonies and performing a wide-ranging repertoire: their classical pieces, ballads, pop, folk, gospel, and contemporary selections make every performance a memorable and joyful experience. They believe in singing to touch the spirit, and foster a sense of joy and sharing with their community.

Still in the works, Ms. Mundy and Ms. Forsland are planning to bring the two choirs together on the stage for a joint finale. With roughly 200 voices, it will undoubtedly be an impressive, stirring experience.

NanGo Grannies are again partnering with Island Soul Choir on concert day, selling homemade crafts and baked goods in the theatre lobby before the concert and during intermission; if there are any baked goods remaining, they will also be sold by the plate at the end of the concert. It’s a great opportunity to find unique gifts for the upcoming holiday season. Proceeds raised will be used to support The Stephen Lewis Foundation to help grandmothers in 15 sub-Saharan Africa countries raise their grandchildren who have been orphaned by AIDS.

Island Soul Choir is a community choir in its purest sense. The choir welcomes anyone who wants to sing. Members don’t need to have any prior choir experience; they may not even know how to read music. They come from all over Vancouver Island, from Victoria to Port Hardy to Bamfield, as well as Gabriola, Salt Spring and Quadra Islands. Their repertoire covers gospel, spirituals, world music, blues, pop, soul, R&B… basically any type of music that touches, moves or inspires the soul. With 135 members and many of them experienced singers, there’s definitely safety in numbers for newcomers to find their singing voice.

Given that Ms. Mundy lives in Vancouver, Island Soul Choir rehearsals are scheduled only five times per session, about a month apart, unlike traditional choirs that rehearse weekly. Now in its twelfth year, the choir continues to be hugely popular in spite of (or maybe more due to) this unorthodox rehearsal format.

Phenomenal! We’ll absolutely be back for another concert… So exhuberant!… Loved being part of the uplifting energy… We just loved it!… Thanks for such a lovely show… The singers are so enthusiastic!… Very uplifting!… Makes you want to join… Really fun to watch… Always great… Fantastic!

Adults: $25 / eyeGo (students grade 8 to 12) and children 12 and under: $5