Annabelle Chvostek is a Juno-nominated singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose musical achievements range from folk to jazz to indie-pop. She has composed music for dance and film, arranged and conducted choral performances, and was once a member of The Wailin’ Jennys.
Annabelle has been a guest artist at Echo’s Winter 2013, Earth Hour 2015, and Fall 2016 concerts, and provided passionate and creative leadership as our ongoing artist-in-residence from 2016 to 2018. She led our singing of MILCK’s “I Can’t Keep Quiet” at City Hall as part of the global women’s #Can’tKeepQuiet passionate refusal to remain silent in the face of oppression. She led us in a vigorous singing of the Canadian classic “Barrett’s Privateers” in 2015, and has continued to share her gifts as a guest performer in Echo’s fundraising events, and to participate in our Pandemica online performances.
Tahirih Vejdani was the Assistant Artistic Director and Conductor with Echo Women’s Choir for the 2019/2020 season. She brought us an abundance of skill, experience, enthusiasm, and new music, and we thoroughly enjoyed working with her.
Tahirih is an actor, singer, music educator, choir conductor, and composer. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Regina with a double major in Vocal Performance and Music History.
As a conductor and music educator, she conducts the Regent Park School of Music choirs in Regent Park and Jane and Finch, and has led the Nai Childrens Choir, Toronto World Unity Choir, Florivox Women’s Choir and Univox Choir. Over the years, Tahirih has sung professionally with The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Elmer Iseler Singers, Sing! Festival Singers, the Black Creek Festival Chorus, and is a resident musician at First Unitarian. Tahirih teaches an ensemble singing course at the Center for Indigenous Theatre and is also a private voice teacher.
When she is not teaching or leading choirs, Tahirih works as an actor having performed at various theatres across Canada including the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, The Globe Theatre, Shakespeare in the Ruff, Factory Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, and Driftwood Theatre. Her current creative ventures have led her to playing the mandolin and merlin.
Greetings Gardeners! It doesn’t look like it right now, but Spring is just around the corner. For our annual Spring fundraiser this year Echo is offering bulbs for sale through Florissa Flowers. These are premium perennial bulbs to be planted this Spring for a glorious Summer bounty. Some of the bulbs are suitable for container planting. There are 14 bulb varieties available. You can find the site here: https://florissafundraising.com/echo/
We all need a boost of beauty, bright colours and joy in our lives and communities. Please tell your family, friends, and neighbours. They need a boost, too!
The flower fundraiser sale ends Tuesday April 20th. You purchase the bulbs directly on the site – click on the link. Payment by credit card. 50% of all sales from the fundraiser go directly to Echo.
There are two delivery options:
Free delivery – bulbs will be sent to an Echo location for “Blueberry” type distribution/pick up, end of April, details, date and time tba.
or
Bulbs can be delivered directly to your home starting at a $10.00 fee
Echo was delighted to welcome back Alberta singer-songwriter-storyteller Maria Dunn for a Zoom choral workshop. A staple of the Canadian folk scene, with strong roots in social justice, Dunn uses her music to tell stories of working life, social struggle, and the power of community. The workshop was open to all and we were pleased to welcome guests from across the country!
Echo Spring Session 2is in process. We begin Session 3 on March 30. You are welcome to join us!
Details: Spring Session 3, begins on Tuesday, March 30, 7-8:30pm on Zoom(Mar. 30, Apr. 6, 13, 20, 27) This 5 week session includes a workshops with special guest tba, break-out sectionals, socials and a virtual recordings of our favourite song!
Fees: The Spring Sessions are longer but we have kept the fees the same to make singing accessible for all. You have a few options here: Sessions – $40 ea. (includes workshop) Payment can be made through e-trans using: [email protected] Question: ‘What makes us happy?” Answer: singing Or by cheque (Anne can give you the mailing address: [email protected] Workshop only – $15 Open to everyone! Free to current session members. Tickets available here soon.
Echo has a sliding scale policy up and down. Like most non-profit arts organizations we are struggling, but doing our best during these Pandemic times. We encourage you to pay what you can.
Let Anne know if you would like to join us. We look forward to hearing from you! [email protected] For more information about Echo check out our New Website! Designed by Tim Wainwright! www.echochoir.ca
What have we been up to?
Echo celebrated the completion of it’s Fall Session Mini-Series with a robust sing-along and outdoor carolling! We are greatly enjoying the spring sessions in progress on Zoom for our Spring Mini-Session Series featuring fabulous workshops, sectionals, social time and virtual recordings. We’ve just finished Better Times Will Come by Janis Ian, Echo’s 6th Pandemica, 2nd Wave Singers video! Echo is learning new ways to do what we love to do, on-line, which is to sing together in community.
Donations Singing together is what we do best! Echo like most non-profit arts organizations is struggling during these challenging Pandemic times but still maintain our sliding scale policy to allow inclusivity for all members. If you would like to support Echo with a monthly or one time donation: Echo Canada Helps
