History and Highlights

2024

Harbour Voices! St. John’s Newfoundland
International Festival of Collective Singing Traditions
Invited Guest Choir to the inaugural Festival

2023

International Choral Kathaumixw, Powell River British Columbia
Kathaumixw “Choir of the World” Award
First Place: Children’s Choir competition
First Place: Folk and Cultural Traditions competition
Second Place: Contemporary competition

2022

Saskatoon Opera presents Bizet’s Carmen
Our Apprentice choir performs as street children in Bizet’s Carmen.
World Premiere of “Once Upon a Pond”
Commissioned mini-opera from Peter Tiefenbach. It’s all about ducks, platypuses and friendship

2021

“Sing Choirs of Angels”
Online Christmas concert, available December 20, 2021 to January 2, 2022

2020

“Comfort and Joy 2020”
Christmas YouTube video – click here to view.

2019

Commission and Premiere of “Don’t Laugh at Me”
Don’t Laugh at Me, arr. Peter Tiefenbach
“Cantare” choir added to the SCC family
“Cantare” is an adult treble choir comprised of SCC alumni.
Performance tour of Eastern Canada
Toronto Treble Festival with Zimfira Poloz and Henry Leck co-conductors
Two concerts at the invitational Indian River Festival in Prince Edward Island
Two concerts with Aella Choir from Ottawa in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia

2018

World Premiere of “It’s Just Greek to Me”
Commissioned mini-opera from Peter Tiefenbach
Saskatoon Opera’s production of Puccini’s La Bohème
Apprentice choir performs as street children
Songs of the Land
Joint concert and workshop with the Canadian Chamber Choir and the Kamala Youth Choir
uSing uSask Choral Festival, University of Saskatchewan
Preparatory and Apprentice choirs participate

2017-2018

Welcome Home!
The Saskatoon Children’s Choir sponsored a refugee family from Eritrea for a year.

2017

Musica Eterna Roma and Ravenna Festival, Italy
Second Place (Children’s Choirs)
Fourth Place (Gospel)
Performance tour of Italy
Performances in Pompeii, Naples, Rome and Ravenna
uSing uSask Choral Festival, University of Saskatchewan
All three choirs participate

2016

Where Peace Begins, SCC 20th Anniversary Concert and Reunion

Welcome Home Concert with Jeffrey Straker
Fundraising concert to support our “Welcome Home” Initiative to sponsor a refugee family to Saskatoon

True North: The Canadian Songbook CD Recording
Participation with Eleanor McCain on her CD, featuring 13 orchestras from around Canada and other well-known Canadian performers.

Choral Tapestry
Joint concert with the Vancouver Chamber Singers

2015

Grand Prix of Nations and the 2nd European Choir Games, Magdeburg, Germany
Gold Medal (Children’s Choirs)
Gold Medal (Folklore)
Performance tour of Germany
Performances in Cologne Cathedral, Hanover, Magdeburg and Leipzig

2014

Saskatoon Opera’s presentation of Mozart’s Magic Flute
Members of the Concert choir perform as spirits in Magic Flute.

Chorfest 2014, Regina
Concert Choir

2013

67th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Northern Wales
Second Place (Children’s Folk Choir)
Second Place (Cultural Showcase)
Performance tour of Ireland and England
Concerts in Greystones, Dublin, Corwen, Kenilworth and London

Bizet’s Opera Carmen
Apprentice Choir performed as street children in Bizet’s opera Carmen, a production of the Saskatoon Opera.

2012

Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils
“Stars for Saskatchewan” Concert Series performances in Estevan and Yorkton

Commission and World Premiere in memory of Mary Anne Kowal
Deep Peace, Healing Light by Leonard Ens

Inspired by the Bard
Concert Choir performs with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Mayor and City Council Swearing-In Ceremony
Preparatory Choir

United in Song Choral Festival: Prince Albert
Apprentice Choir

2011

Sing Africa!
Performance tour and humanitarian project

Certificate of Appreciation
Canadian Lutheran World Relief “In recognition of SCC service to those in need around the world.”

Documentaries
The choir was accompanied to South Africa by a four-member CBC crew, resulting in award winning radio and television documentaries. Shauna Powers, Christopher Haynes, Benoit Ferradini and Denis Grenier.

Marysburg Summer Festival of the Arts
Concert Choir performs as guest artists

Performance with the Nylons
Apprentice Choir

Meewasin “Plant A Tree” Ceremony, with the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Preparatory Choir

2010

Olympic Torch Relay
Performance

Power of Song
Concert Choir performs with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Arvo Pärt’s Our Garden

Podium 2010 Saskatoon
National Convention of the Association of Canadian Choral Communities
World Premiere of curling mini opera Strangers in the House, composed by Peter Tiefenbach, Mark McCondach and Phoebe Voigts

CBC Broadcast
Strangers in the House
Shawna Powers, producer; Christopher Haynes, recording engineer

CD Release
Cantus Populi

Moose Jaw Kinsmen Festival
Apprentice Choir

Canticles of Light
Apprentice Choir performs with the Saskatoon Chamber Singers

2009

Summa Cum Laude Festival, Vienna, Austria
First Place (treble choirs)
Summa Cum Laude Award of the City of Vienna

Performance Tour
Austria and Czech Republic

Yellow Fish Road Recording Project
Apprentice Choir

2008

World Premiere, Filming Project and DVD Release
Flying Colours, by Stephen Hatfield
Regina, Saskatchewan

Canadian Chamber Choir
Joint concert and workshops
Apprentice and Concert Choirs

2007

Festival 500 Sharing the Voices
St. John’s Newfoundland

Still We Rise! Project
In support of the global fight against HIV and AIDS

Commission and Premiere
Yo Te Nombro Libertad, arr. Peter Tiefenbach

Marysburg Summer Festival of the Arts
Concert Choir performs as guest artists

Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils Concert Tour
Concert Choir performs as guest artists in Yorkton

2006

Opera Brundibár
Winnipeg

2005

Songbridge Project
Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China

Commission
Out of the Stars, by Peter Tiefenbach

Opera Brundibár
Saskatoon and Regina
CBC Radio broadcast (Shauna Powers, producer and Christopher Haynes, sound engineer) received the National CBC Award for best documentary in 2005.

CD Release
On Prairie Wings

Marysburg Summer Festival of the Arts
Concert Choir performs as guest artists

Lieutenant Governor’s Centennial Gala, with guests of honour, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
Apprentice Choir

Performance with the Barenaked Ladies
Preparatory Choir

2004

International Kathaumixw, Powell River, British Columbia
Second Place (Children’s Choir)
Second Place (Folk)
Elmer Iseler Award for performance of Canadian work

2003

National Leslie Bell Award for Choir
Awarded by the Canadian Music Educators Association

Youth Choir Festival
Participated in “United in Song” Youth Choir Festival, Regina, Saskatchewan

2002

For Sake of Life Project (Year Two)
In support of the international campaign to ban land mines

European Peace Tour
France and Spain
Canadian/American Peace Gardens

Recording and CBC Radio Broadcast
Fields Interrupted 

Festival Internacional de Musica de Cantonigros, Spain
First Place (Children’s Choir)
Fourth Place (Folk)

2001

Unifest, University of Sskatchewan
Isabelle Mills Award (Apprentice Choir)

For Sake of Life Project (Year One)
In support of the international campaign to ban land mines

2000

International Kathaumixw, Powell River, British Columbia
First Place (folk)
Elmer Iseler Award for performance of a Canadian work

1996-2000: Founding of the Saskatoon Children’s Choir

Unifest, University of Saskatchewan
Isabelle Mills Award (Concert Choir)

Canada Day 1998
Represented Saskatchewan in Unisong Festival, National Arts Centre, Ottawa

Youth Choir Festivals
Participated in youth choir festivals in Moose Jaw and North Battleford

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