NEW ROCK SINGERS CHOIR TO BELT OUT ‘LEGENDS OF CANADIAN MUSIC’ IN GRAVENHURST AND BRACEBRIDGE ON ‘REAL LONG WEEKEND’
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
MUSKOKA — Call it Karaoke on steroids or shower power — times 80 voices.
Rock on! Canada strong. Canada first. They are Canadians!
A mighty new 80-voice choir that looms as large on stage as the audience their singing for hits the local boards next weekend for a really rockin’ good time.
The Rock Singers present their second season back-to-back performances Friday and Saturday May 23-24 (the real Long Weekend) at 7:30 p.m. at the Gravenhurst Trinity United Church and Rene Caisse Theatre.
“Get ready for a night where maple meets music,” says a rockin’ good release. “Canadian Music. Muskoka energy!”
Legends of Canadian Music come alive with the unforgettable sounds of more than five decades of celebrated Canadian musical genius.
“We have a lot of fun,” says Linda Exell who with her husband Terry, are among the driving forces behind the Huntsville-based group of Muskoka-wide singers who came together last year and after 13 weeks rehearsing performed their first sold-out concert at the Algonquin Theatre where they received a “standing ovation” for Don’t Stop Believin’ based on the Journey super hit.
The singers, songwriters and musicians continue a long local tradition of great choral music — but with a bit more oomph, bite and structural sound to their amazing vibratos.
“They’re all songs familiar to the audience. All famous Canadians,” Exell told me today. “The audiences will be pleasantly pleased.”
Classic Canadian rock anthems that aren’t just mouldy oldies. They’ll pop your ears off.
They include names like Bruce Cockburn, Joni Mitchell, Blue Rodeo, The Guess Who, Our Lady Peace, Bryan Adams and many more you’ll have to attend to hear and which will be sure to have you clapping your hands, stomping your feet and beaming with Canadian pride.
Under the direction of Alana Nuedling and accompanied by well known Huntsville musician Sean Cotton and his band.
Nuedling, an educator, music teacher and director, is taking the choir to new vocal heights with a little more musical direction that stretches the vocal chords beyond merely memorizing the lyrics to reading the ink on the pages.
“It’s a good cross-over this season,” she tells me after last year’s first 13-week rehearsal season and Huntsville show.
And with the two shows this season the director says she and the choir are coming together nicely and “understanding” where each is at.
That’s a large undertaking with 10 bass singers, 26 tenors, 40 altos and 19 sopranos to weave in to one sound February to May.
Especially when you’re aiming for seven-part harmony and on some songs its just two-, three- and four-parts. Or even just in unison sometimes, says Nuedling.
They’re backed up by band director Cotton on lead guitar, Mike Lopez on bass, George Axon guitar, Frank Berg-keyboard, Ross Willard drums and Greg Shantz violin. There’s even a banjo player in there somewhere for a one song.
Follow the Rock Singers on Facebook or email [email protected] for more info.
- Tickets for the Gravenhurst show on Friday May 23 at the Gravenhurst United Church can be purchased by emailing [email protected] and are $30.
- Tickets for the Bracebridge show Saturday May 24 are available at theatremuskoka.ca and are $40.
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