{"id":112200,"date":"2025-02-26T15:34:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T20:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=112200"},"modified":"2025-02-26T15:34:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T20:34:24","slug":"interview-mississauga-chamber-singers-artistic-director-mervin-fick-talks-choir-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/02\/26\/interview-mississauga-chamber-singers-artistic-director-mervin-fick-talks-choir-community\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Mississauga Chamber Singers Artistic Director Mervin Fick Talks About Choir & Community"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Mervin
Mervin W. Fick conducts the Mississauga Chamber Singers in December 2024 (Photo courtesy of MCS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Mississauga Chamber Singers are a community-based choir with high standards. They\u2019re devoted to classical repertoire, as well as supporting emerging artists and strengthening their ties with the community.<\/p>\n

Artistic Director Mervin Fick is a graduate of the University of Toronto (MusBac) and the Royal Conservatory (ARCT \u2014 Performance and Teacher). He has a 35 year career in choral directing, with an extensive repertoire and programming experience.<\/p>\n

LvT spoke to him about the choir and the evolution of its role in the community.<\/p>\n

Mississauga Chamber Singers Artistic Director Mervin W. Fick: The Interview<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe MCS went through two evolution states,\u201d says Mervin Fick.<\/p>\n

The original Mississauga Choral Society boasted a choir of 80+ members. That model was sustained for a few years, he notes, including a performance during the opening season of the Mississauga\u2019s iconic Living Arts Centre in late 1990s.<\/p>\n

Over time, as he relates, the large choir just wasn\u2019t sustainable in the city. It was around that period at the turn of this century that he was invited to become the choir\u2019s Artistic Director. He and the organization were looking for new directions. Mervin recalls meeting legendary Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion at a fundraising event. Her advice was something like \u201cIf the people of Mississauga can\u2019t find you, you have to find them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concept of exploring outreach more deeply sparked a new way of thinking in terms of audience development. A very large choir is a less flexible ensemble, and not suited for the many smaller stages in the city.<\/p>\n

The once large choir and its mandate were divided into three streams: the traditional ticketed concerts, concerts for senior\u2019s communities, and concerts for school kids.<\/p>\n

Working with a chamber choir changes the dynamics and interaction of the voices, as he explains. It opens up the possibility for each singer\u2019s contribution to be more involved. \u201cThey\u2019re personally colouring the lines more intimately or more complexly,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

A New Direction \u2014 And New Name<\/h3>\n

Along with the new direction came a new name.<\/p>\n

For a time, the organization was known simply as MCS Choral Society. Advised by a consultant that \u201cchoral\u201d wasn\u2019t a word that contemporary audiences connected with, it then became MCS Chorus.<\/p>\n

However, another artist management firm suggested that letter-based names aren\u2019t as effective or memorable as a more specific moniker. \u201cNow it\u2019s Mississauga Chamber Singers.\u201d<\/p>\n

With strong support from the City of Mississauga, the choir performs 20+ concerts per years \u2014 including concerts performed at 18 schools and five senior\u2019s homes. Part of the strategy is to offer live music to those public organizations at various times of the year. As he points out, many musical guests tend to favour Christmas and other holidays when it comes to senior\u2019s home visits.<\/p>\n

\u201cI developed a program for the senior\u2019s residences to help us all celebrate Canada Day,\u201d he says. The choir will perform the program during the weeks leading up to Canada Day, a time when many musical organizations are on summer hiatus.<\/p>\n

Fick had already been working in the field of arts administration for some time when he took over MCS. He understood that organizational change was necessary for a number of reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that we had to do something for new generation audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cites the inclusion of contemporary repertoire like Ottawa composer James K. Wright\u2019s A Gallery of Song: Spirit of the Land, a work that sets to music poetry written by young writers inspired by the Group of Seven artists and their work. When such works are performed for audiences of school children, it\u2019s not about emphasizing the idea of \u201cclassical\u201d music. \u201cIt\u2019s just live music,\u201d Fick says. In some cases, it\u2019s the only real live music experience many of the young listeners have had.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also about sending a message. \u201cSinging in a choir is cool.\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Mississauga
Mississauga Chamber Singers community outreach to senior\u2019s homes & schools (Photo courtesy of MCS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Concert<\/h3>\n

MCS\u2019s upcoming concert on March 1 includes two pieces: Mozart\u2019s Solemn Vespers de Confessore, and Haydn\u2019s Paukenmesse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to say in Mississauga that classical music can be in your entertainment menu.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that in mind, the Mississauga Chamber Singers have established an annual \u201cMozart in March\u201d tradition. Every five years or so, it involves the Requiem. This year, it\u2019s his Vespers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Vespers is actually quite famous,\u201d he says, noting it\u2019s often heard in an instrumental transcription rather than the original soprano solo with chorus. \u201cIt\u2019s one of these graceful […] melodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

The piece, with text drawn from the Psalms, varies in mood throughout, but ends on a celebratory note.<\/p>\n

Along with Mozart himself, Fick says he wanted audiences to know more about the people Mozart influenced \u2014 like Haydn. The Paukenmesse, or Missa in tempore belli (Mass in time of war), was composed as one of a group of six masses written by Haydn for the Esterh\u00e1zy family between 1796 and 1802. The last of these, H.22\/14, was completed shortly before ill health took away Haydn\u2019s ability to compose.<\/p>\n

During this period, the Austrians, along with the rest of western Europe, were at war. \u201cThis one is in a time when Austria is being surrounded by people who would like to go to war.\u201d Fick didn\u2019t necessarily want to emphasize that aspect, particularly because of the work\u2019s musical character.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s mostly sunny, vigorous and dynamic, and optimistic,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the sentiment he wanted to convey during these times of instability \u2014 the movement from reflection to renewed hope. As he points out, the longevity of the compositions is already a message.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth of these pieces, just like great works of art, they transcend \u2014 they\u2019ve lasted longer \u2014 than their original church function,\u201d he notes, just as they might admire the painting of a Renaissance Madonna in an art museum without feeling its spiritual message.<\/p>\n

The concert also features soloists Mary Jane Egan (soprano), Rachel Miller (alto), Benjamin Done (tenor), and Bradley Christensen (bass).<\/p>\n

Coming Up…<\/h3>\n

After the March 1 concert, the MCS season continues with a performance of Haydn\u2019s Creation on April 26. Fick will also be conducting Haydn\u2019s Creation the following day (April 27) with the Toronto Beach Chorale at St. Anne\u2019s Anglican Church in Toronto.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s looking forward to the work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole purpose of that is to do it with the really large orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n