If it’s a rich and colourful community of voices and musical fusion you’re looking for in a club at Carleton, look no further than the Carleton University Choir, which as existed for more than a decade.
Members of the Carleton student body, faculty and staff, as well as local vocal enthusiasts, come together each Wednesday night in the music department at the top of Loeb to share a mutual passion for music.
The 60-some voices have been led for four years by Montreal’s Jean-Sabastien Allaire, a seasoned vet among musical academics.
Since leading the choir, Allaire has added a personal touch to the performances by featuring a different theme for each show. Their recent concert, entitled Lovescapes, illustrated all elements of the love experience.
As both a student and more recently a professor at Concordia University in Montreal, Allaire has a thick history of musical education and a career as a vocalist.
“Everyone contributes somehow to the musical community for the best result,” Allaire said. “It’s great to have all those eager and hungry singers who just can’t wait to see me wave my arms.”
A booming bass voice in the last row of the choir, generally standing alongside singers more than twice – and sometimes three times – his age, third-year political science undergraduate Aaron Brook said he has learned a lot from his choral experiences.
“It’s very, very harmonious,” he said. “It feels like you’re the only person there, though you can feel the energy of everyone around you [while Allaire is conducting]. . . . It’s also great to have been able to read music in German, French or Latin.”
The choir’s next performance is on Nov. 21 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in downtown Ottawa. The show, entitled Advent Cantatas, will be showcasing a selection of works from Germany’s timeless musician and composer, Johann Sebastian Bach.