Churchill Falls Choral Symposium 2015
In 2015, the Bruneau Center for Excellence in Choral Music (BCECM) sponsored the first of ten diverse projects supporting choral vitality throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Funded through the Community Project Grants program, the Churchill Falls Choral Symposium held in February 2015 was well aligned with the BCECM's mission to foster the positive impact of singing in choral communities.
Churchill Falls is a small community in Labrador, home to 600 people. Local music teacher Kerri MacPhee organized the symposium, inviting St. John's-based choral director Kellie Walsh (Shallaway Youth Choir, Lady Cove Women's Choir) and music teachers Michelle Chippett and Jennifer Hart to work with local choirs. Hosted by the Eric G. Lambert School, the symposium reached students and adults and featured 20 different rehearsals and workshops within 48 hours.
Following rehearsals, singers gave a final concert at the Donald Gordon Centre. The concert was a grand success, with family, friends, and local supporters packing the venue as the northern community gathered to share in this special choral music experience.