Classical music: a trio of performers give us something to sing about.

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Vancouver Chamber Choir All-Arvo Pärt Program

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When: October 28 at 11 a.m. M., October 29 at 7:30 p.m. M.

Where: Pacific Spirit United Church, 2195 West 45th Ave.

Tickets and information: vancouverchamberchoir.com

intimate music: Bridge of dreams

When: October 22 (sold out) and October 24, 7:30 pm

Where: San Felipe Anglican Church, 3737 West 27th Ave.

Tickets and information: musicaintima.org

Vancouver Bach Choir

When: October 23, 7:30 pm

Where: Orpheum Theater, 601 Smithe St.

Tickets and information: vancouverbachchoir.com

The big musical news this fall is getting back to the concert hall.

For choirs hardest hit by the practical demands of pandemic life, having something to sing about is especially enjoyable. After the terrible lesson in how life-affirming group singing can become a wide-spread event, as it happened south of the border in Skagit County, Washington, the choirs had to take extra care.

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Now, at last, it’s time to get back to playing and enjoying choral music with three major October events featuring quality repertoire, classic and modern, from the great Bach Choir to the, well, intimate, intimate music, plus something special from the Vancouver Chamber. Chorus.

Let’s start with the VCC and performances of an Arvo Pärt program at Pacific Spirit United Church. The contemporary Estonian maestro wowed the world with his Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten in 1977 and now, at age 86, he is recognized as one of the notable musical creators of our era. His style is almost instantly recognizable, drawing fans of the contemporary and the traditional alike.

Under the baton of artistic director Kari Turunen, the chamber choir will offer an excellent selection of Pärt’s choral works ranging from a motet written in 1976 to works written in the early years of this century. The ensemble’s original plan was to host the show on October 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Pacific Spirit United Church, but that performance sold out almost immediately, so there will be an additional matinee concert at 11 a.m. on October 28. , also in United Church of the Spirit of the Pacific.

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One week before, intimate music offers a live presentation of its first show of the season, Bridge of Dreams, on October 24 at 7:30 pm at St. Philip’s Anglican Church (its October 22 presentation is sold out). Although intimate music can and does sing music from all eras of the choral repertoire, its particular strength is enthusiasm and commitment to contemporary vocal music, often from Canadian composers.

Working with organist Christina Hutten and cellist Rebecca Wenham, the ensemble plans to offer “music that blurs the lines between dreams and reality,” including selections by Tawnie Olson and Jocelyn Morlock, in addition to other contemporary works by Britta Byström, Jonathan Dove. , Ann Boyd and David. Lang. Olson will be working with Leslie Uyeda and the ensemble on a larger project this season, a new mentoring program for pre-professional songwriters. Applications for participants are due November 1 and the program will run from January to April.

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On October 23 at 7:30 pm, the Vancouver Bach Choir , the dean of Vancouver choirs, returns to The Orpheum for a Mozart program, including the indescribably wonderful motet Ave Verum Corpus and the Requiem, the latter performed with a full complement of soloists and members of the Opera Orchestra of Vancouver.

The return of the Bach Choir to the concert hall highlights the importance of quality programming and the inestimable power of classical music in difficult times. “Given all the events of the last 18 months around the world and here at home, we felt the Requiem was the ideal piece to release this season,” says musical director Leslie Dala. “We look forward to making music together in person and sharing this incredible masterpiece that we hope will bring comfort and renewed hope to our listeners.”

The three organizers are taking a return to live performances very seriously, with reduced seating at events and other prudent security measures. They also plan to offer streaming options for those not yet ready to go out to the in-person presentations.

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