News

Holy Trinity Stained Glass Gala Fundraiser,Oct. 4, 6-10pm 

Special Letter to Echo from Ian the organizer
Echo Cameo Singing Opportunity. Meeting time tba
Promo link fundraiser dinner, entertainment, silent auction and ticket purchase:  https://holytrinity.to/stained-glass-gala/
Note: Echo singers and other members are welcome to purchase fundraising tickets to this event, in addition to the singing/musical support, but are not otherwise obliged to do so and can leave after the performance. 
Echo singers can certainly also encourage their friends to support the fund-raising as they’re able to do so (buying tickets and making auction bids), in support of our lovely rehearsal space.


Echo is grateful for the ongoing support of the Toronto Arts Council.

Market St. Music Event – We had an excellent sing at the St.Lawrence Market. “Good group, very spirited, and we attracted a good audience!” Photo Video
Faith Nolan will perform the first half 5-6pm.
Echo and Special Guest Annabelle Chvostek will be performing 6-7pm
Where: Market St. pedestrian section is between Front and Esplanade, near the St Lawrence Market MAP

Photo: Kind Stranger

Echo is grateful for the ongoing support of the Toronto Arts Council.

Hello Echo Singers, Alumnae and friends,

We have 3 events to tell you about.

1) Join us! Echo Women’s Choir

You’re invited to sing with a welcoming singing community in a beautiful historic building.

Echo’s Fall Season begins Sept. 2, 7-9pm
Holy Trinity Church, by the Eaton Centre, accessible south doors.
19 Trinity Square, Dundas Subway Station MAP
Paid parking under Bell Trinity Square, entrance on the east side of Bay, north of Queen.

Our first rehearsal will be an informal introduction to who we are and what we do.
We will get started with some fun vocal techniques to open up our voices after the summer break.

Now in our 35th year, Echo is an inclusive, non-audition community choir, a group of harmonizing women of all ages. We are open to all women who can make the weekly rehearsal commitment. The ability to read music is helpful but not required.

Echo loves to sing traditional folk music from around the world, celebrating all the cultural traditions that are alive and vibrant in our city. We sing original Canadian compositions, diverse spiritual music, socially conscious music about women, peace and environmental justice. We aim for musical excellence and passionate expression. We are social-justice oriented.

Rehearsals will be held on Tuesdays and the occasional Saturday. (See schedule below.) We will have a workshop, open rehearsal, orientation for new members, sectionals, break-end singing, and more! We will be learning and finessing new songs in preparation for our Winter Concert, Dec. 7, at Holy Trinity.

Season Fees are $200. (Sept. 2 – Dec. 7)
We make singing accessible to all through sliding scale membership fees.
We also accept donations through Canadahelps

Please contact Anne if you would like to join us or have questions:
info.echo@gmail.com

2) Singalong Potluck Social, Everyone is welcome!
Sunday, August 24, 3-4:30pm Bring some potluck snacks for a picnic.

Dufferin Grove Park – Dufferin St. & Sylvan Ave.  https://goo.gl/maps/wB1GiZebY3n75FxP7 
Find us at the Clubhouse building, northwest corner of the park by the rink.

We’ll be singing some Echo’s old favourites, a few new ones and Annabelle’s River movement (2nd one in the suite of Waterways) in preparation for the Market Street Music Gig, Sept. 12, Echo and Special Guests!

3) Market Street Music, Sept. 12, Echo and Special Guests: Annabelle Chvostek & Emma So Whitla
Friday, Sept. 12, 5-7 pm 
Market St, near the St Lawrence Market
Meeting times and places in detail tba

___________

Echo Fall Schedule 2025 at Church of the Holy Trinity

Saturday Workshop 10-12:30pm tba 

Outreach Events
August 24, Potluck Singalong Dufferin Grove Park
September 12, Market St. Music Gig

September  *all Tuesdays 7-9pm

Tues. 2 soft start with tea & snacks  

Tues. 9 Orientation for new members

Tues. 16 Open Rehearsal & Welcome Tea

Tues. 23

Tues. 30

October 

Tues.  7

Tues. 14

Tues. 21

Tues. 28

November

Tues. 4

Tues. 11

Tues. 18

Tues. 25

December

Tues. 2

Sat. Dec. 6, Dress Rehearsal, 10-2pm (attendance essential)

Sun. Dec. 7, Concert 7:30pm (arrival 6pm)

Echo Spring Concert Photo by David Lister

Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave. Toronto MAP

You’re invited to join us for a fabulous night of music 
with Jug Band Fusion/Modern Folk special guests 
Milty Thirsty Jug Benders, Echo and more!

Tickets $30. can be purchased at the door or: Purchase Tickets here

Fabulous Silent Auction, free snacks, cash bar.
All proceeds support Echo, a non-profit community choir and registered charity.

  
Details:
Milty Thirsty Jug Benders

Tony Allen is a keystone in Canada’s Old Time and Folk Music community.  
As a member of the Backstabbers, The Good Right Arm Stringband, Kitgut,
and most recently touring with Meredith Moon and forming his newest project,
The New Dominion Skifflers, he has kept old time fiddle music alive
and relevant since the mid 1990’s.
 The most important facet of making music for Tony is building community, mentoring young musicians, and encouraging interpretation and innovation.

Max Kelly is an accomplished musician with extensive experience performing across North America, both as a solo artist and with various musical groups.  He has toured with Bread and Puppet Theatre and Great Small Works based out of NYC.  Max co-founded the Montreal Sacred Harp Choir, and holds a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of Toronto. He is currently completing a Masters in Social Work. 

Sam Bailey’s musical projects include orchestra member of Gifford’s Circus (2016 – 2020), as a pit musician for the Ian McKellen touring pantomime production of Mother Goose (2022-23), member of Milty’s Thirsty Jug Benders (2012 – present) and as song writer of the original music project Sam Bailey and The. 

Máchari (Alan Gasser, Bie Engelen Michelangelo Iaffaldano) sings the ancient folk music and church music of Georgia. They have sung together for many years and have frequently traveled to Georgia to study the various styles and techniques of the national music, which is listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Photo credit: Tim Wainwright

A new season of singing has begun at Echo, but it’s not too late to join us!

Want to sing and make friends? Echo might be the perfect fit for you! If you’re a woman in Toronto, you’re invited to come try us out. 
Join us for an open rehearsal is Jan 28, at  Church of the Holy Trinity (an accessible space) from 7 – 9pm
19 Trinity Square by the Eaton Centre (Dundas Subway)
Enter through south accessible doors.
$5 evening parking under Bell Trinity Square, entrance on the east side of Bay, north of Queen.
   

 Contact administrator Anne if you’d like to join us – info.echo@gmail.com 

(Photo: Echo sings backing vocals at the Toronto Jazz Festival in 2019, for the luminous Amanda Martinez. Pic: Tom Ros.)

Our fall season begins on January 14, 2025
at Holy Trinity Church, by the Eaton Centre, accessible south doors.
19 Trinity Square, Dundas Subway Station Map

Now in our 34th year, Echo is a community choir open to all women who can make the rehearsal commitment. Echo loves singing folk music from around the world, celebrating all the cultural traditions that are alive and vibrant in our city. We are social-justice oriented, audition-free, and anyone can join!

Rehearsals will be on Tuesdays and the occasional Saturday.
We’ll have a workshop, open rehearsal, orientation for new members, sectionals, break-end singing and more!

Season Fees are $200. (Jan. – May Spring Concert) 
We strive to make singing accessible for everyone.
Echo has a sliding scale policy. 

Contact Anne know if you’re interested in joining.
 info.echo@gmail.com

Photo: David Lister

Join us for a season of singing with Echo on Tuesday
January 14, 7-9pm 2025 at Holy Trinity Church MAP & Directions
19 Trinity Square, Toronto at Dundas Subway, beside the Eaton Centre. 
(accessible south/side door) $5 evening parking under Bell Trinity Square, entrance on the east side of Bay, north of Queen.

Rehearsals are on Tuesdays and the occasional Saturday. See season schedule bottom.
Activities include an open rehearsal/welcome tea (Jan. 28), orientation for new
members, sectionals, break-end singing, a workshop, May concert and singing at grassroots
community events throughout the year!

Echo established in 1991 is a group of harmonizing women of all
ages and from all backgrounds directed by Alan Gasser and Katie White.
We are non-auditioned. The ability to read music is helpful but not required.
We are accessible to all through both sliding scale
membership fees and concert tickets.

What we sing: traditional folk songs from around the world, original Canadian
compositions, diverse spiritual music, socially conscious music about women, peace,
environmental justice with musical excellence and passionate expression.

Season Fees are $200. (Jan. – May.)
echotransfer3@gmail.com automated (please note spring dues)
We strive to make singing accessible for everyone.
Echo has a sliding scale policy. We also accepts donations through
CanadaHelps

If you would like to sing with us or have questions
contact Anne: info.echo@gmail.com
www.echochoir.ca 
photo: David Lister, Winter Concert 2024

Echo Spring Schedule 2025

*All at Church of the Holy Trinity

January   

Tues. 14   *all Tuesdays 7-9pmarrive 6:30pm?

Tues. 21   Orientation for new members

Tues. 28   Open Rehearsal & Welcome Tea

February

Tues. 4  

Tues. 11 

Tues. 18
Tues. 25

March none on March 11, for March Break

Tues. 4 

Thurs. 6 Echo Spring Fundraiser at the Tranzac Club 

Tues. 18  

Tues. 25

 April

Tues. 1

Tues. 8 

Tues. 15

Tues. 22

Tues. 29

some Saturday tba 10am – 12pm

May

Sat. 3, Dress Rehearsal, 10-2pm (Attendance is Essential to sing in the concert) 

Sun. 4, Spring Concert 3pm arrive at 1pm