|
To Perform In Washington At Events Hosted
In Celebration Of The Presidential Inauguration
Founder, Artistic Director Brainerd Blyden-Taylor
Canada’s acclaimed The Nathaniel Dett Chorale will be part of
one of the most significant events in United States history. The
Chorale, Canada’s first professional choir dedicated to performing
Afrocentric music of all genres, has been invited by the Embassy
of Canada to perform at their Pennsylvania
Avenue headquarters on January 20, 2009, as
part of an Inauguration Day event hosted by the Canadian Tourism
Commission.
While in Washington, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is also being honoured
with an opportunity to sing at the Smithsonian’s National Museum
of the American Indian on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January
19, 2009. This 40-minute free concert is part of a three-day festival
entitled "Out of Many," a theme derived from Barack Obama’s election
night speech in which he followed "out of many" with "we are one,"
signifying the overwhelming feeling of unity, celebration, sense
of hope and belief in the future that Obama has inspired in the
American public and the world at large. This sentiment is in keeping
with the theme the inauguration has adopted, "A new birth of freedom,"
taken from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
"We are profoundly honoured by these invitations," says The Nathaniel
Dett Chorale’s Founder and Artistic Director, Brainerd Blyden-Taylor.
"The Nathaniel Dett Chorale has always sought to dissolve barriers
of stereotype, to empower and inspire through the unity of music
and celebration. We are touched that our performances in Washington
are considered to be a tribute from Canada to the American people
at this remarkable time in their history."
The Washington performances are a continuation of The Nathaniel
Dett Chorale’s 10th anniversary season, which began with
a tour to the southern United States last fall and a two sold-out
Indigo Christmas concerts in December, and will include an upcoming
Western Canadian tour taking place during Black History Month. The
February concert dates include stops in Alberta, British Columbia
and the Yukon, and will conclude in Toronto with two performances
in its subscription series at the Glenn Gould Studio in the Canadian
Broadcasting Centre.
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is supported in part by TD Canada Trust
Music, who also provided 11th hour funding for the Chorale’s
Washington journey. Additional support for this tour was provided
by the Canada Council for the Arts.
"We were thrilled to be able to help make this journey to Washington
possible for The Nathaniel Dett Chorale," said Frank McKenna, Deputy
Chair, TD Bank Financial Group. "TD is a strong supporter of the
music scene, from jazz festivals to youth orchestras to outdoor
rock concerts, and we’re proud to help groups like The Chorale achieve
their goals. This is an exceptional choir and what a fantastic opportunity
for them to showcase their talent on one of the most important dates
in history."
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada's first professional choral
group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical,
spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. These 21 classically trained,
outstanding vocalists have shared the stage with internationally
recognized artists such as Juno Award-winning jazz pianist Joe Sealy,
opera star Kathleen Battle, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
The Nathaniel Dett Chorale's mission is to build bridges of understanding,
appreciation and acceptance between communities of people, both
Afrocentric and other, through the medium of music. They seek to
dissolve the barriers of stereotype, to empower humans in general,
and those of African descent in particular.
Tickets for the Glenn Gould Studio series available in person at
the Roy Thomson Hall box office, 60 Simcoe St., by calling 416.872.4255
or online at
www.roythomson.com.
|
|
