After The Rain – The Etobicoke Centennial Choir
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Virtuoso Toronto guitarist Anton Apostolov and his Balkania Ensemble join Etobicoke Centennial Choir for an exciting collaborative performance of four of his innovative world music compositions.
After the Rain, Barefoot Dance, Guardian Angel and Mystic Mountain.
The choral arrangements were composed by Henry Renglich, Music Director of the Etobicoke Centennial Choir. Anton Apostolov composes original works for guitar and world music compositions that fuse elements of Bulgarian folk music, Flamenco, Latin music and jazz. His unique ability to combine the complex rhythmical structures of his native Bulgarian folk music with diverse jazz and global music influences makes for a unique and memorable musical experience.
The accomplished professional musicians of the Balkania Ensemble perform with instruments from various cultural traditions (Balkan, Iranian, Indian and Latin). The unique sound they create is beautiful and mesmerizing. The performance will incorporate a multimedia projection developed by Toronto fine artist Liam Jones. He and fellow artist Jacek Karlowski (a member of the band) will display original artwork
inspired by this music.
The choir will also perform Morton Lauridsen’s exquisite Les chansons des roses, a five-song cycle set to French poems by the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke , which contemplate the beauty of a rose. Lauridsen translates the poet’s words into radiant polyphonic music of great beauty, power
and spiritual depth. An enchanting selection of flower-themed songs by the choir and soloists will complete this colourful concert bouquet. Soprano Gabrielle Turgeon and alto Erin Ronningen will perform Leo Delibes’ Sous le dôme épais, the famous Flower Duet from Lakme. Baritone Lawrence Shirkie will
perform Les Roses by Gabriel Fauré. A vocal quartet will perform There is a Paradise on
Earth by Robert Pearsall.
Doors open at 6:00 pm for our Spring Marketplace, offering baked goods and artisan crafts.