More than 180 performers will get together to deliver a monumental performance of Orff’s iconic Carmina Burana. Performances take place May 30 and May 31 at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Oakville.
The concert will bring together Masterworks of Oakville with guest choirs Georgetown Bach Chorale, Bach Elgar Choir (Hamilton), and Oakville Choir for Children and Youth, along with a full orchestra. Soloists including Oakville native Clodagh Earls, soprano, GRAMMY Award-winning baritone Kevin McMillan, and tenor Chris Fischer.
The program also features two choral works by Johannes Brahms.
“This is an especially exciting performance for us,” says Masterworks of Oakville Artistic Director Charles Demuynck in a statement.
“I’m so excited that we’re performing Carmina Burana again! Masterworks performed it 15 years ago, and at that time we paired it with Poulenc’s Gloria and a new orchestral piece (Alerion) that I wrote. This time we’re performing two works by Brahms. Song of Destiny is on a similar poetic theme as the famous first movement of Carmina Burana — the Wheel of Fortune, which lifts us up and throws us down by turns.
“Particularly exciting is the collaborative participation of Bach Elgar Choir, Georgetown Bach Chorale, and Oakville Choir for Children and Youth. There will be at least 180 performers. We are honoured to perform with Canadian superstar baritone Kevin McMillan, who won a GRAMMY Award singing this same piece with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. Our other wonderful soloists are Chris Fischer, tenor, and Oakville’s own Clodagh Earls.”
Masterworks of Oakville Chorus & Orchestra
Masterworks of Oakville was founded in 2005 by Charles Demuynck and Joyce Sitarski, together with a group of dedicated volunteers at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Oakvillek. Today the auditioned choir includes more than 75 singers.
The choir is dedication to classical choral singing, and has performed many of the landmark works of the repertoire, such as Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Brahms’ German Requiem, Verdi Requiem, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
The Masterworks Orchestra is a fluid group whose instrumentation is flexible. The ensemble mostofte plays with the Oakville Masterworks choir, but has on occasion performed on its own. It’s a largely volunteer orchestra with some professional members and paid string principals.
Charles Demuynck
Charles Demuynck earned degrees in conducting from the University of Toronto and Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, and a doctorate from the Hartt School, University of Hartford, Connecticut.
He conducted extensively across North America and in Europe before becoming Music Director of the Oakville Chamber Orchestra in 1994. Charles has also worked with Orchestra London, Mississauga Symphony, Oshawa-Durham Symphony, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, Etobicoke Philharmonic, Prince George Symphony, National Academy Orchestra, Royal Conservatory New Music Ensemble, Lethbridge Symphony, North York Concert Orchestra, Philharmonie des Jeunes d’Ottawa-Carleton, Brampton Symphony Orchestra, City Centre Musical Productions, Knoxville Symphony, Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, and Hartford Symphony.
In addition to conducting, Demuynck is a composer whose music has been performed across North America.
Concert Details
- Find concert details and tickets for Masterworks of Oakville & friends Carmina Burana [HERE].
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