Acoustic Harvest presents Kongero, an a capella quartet from Sweden, March 23, at 8 p.m., at St. Nicholas Anglican Church, 1512 Kingston Rd.
I had never heard of this group so I went to the website kongero.se, found the page where I could listen to some recordings…and was magically transported into another, ethereal world of a capella bliss! The four young women who make up Kongero got together in 2005 and have since become one of Sweden’s most popular singing groups. Their music bear absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to that other famous Swedish band…you know, the one that had a musical based on its many hits. The voices of Kongero blend together in a rare combination of northern – almost Celtic – harmonic structure, and experimental vocalese. Melodies twist and bend around the tonic, one voice will establish a rhythm while the other three play off it, all four voices slide from one chord to another, resolving finally into a beautiful ending that will make you want to spontaneously applaud.
Kongero has recorded two CDs: 2008’s Om Mikaelidagen (On Michaelmas Day) and 2011’s Bakvända världen (Topsy Turvy World), and you can listen to selections from both at the website kongero.se.
Tickets to Kongero are $22 for adults, and $20 for seniors, and are available at the door or by calling 416-264-2235. For more info visit acousticharvest.ca.
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The Toronto Beach Chorale, under the direction of renowned conductor Mervin Fick, presents its third concert of the season, Good Friday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m., at Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd. The Chorale will be joined by a 20-piece orchestra to perform Mozart’s Requiem, along with Salieri’s Coronation Te Deum.
Soloists for this performance are Eve Rachel McLeod, soprano; Chelsea Säuer, mezzo-soprano; Ryan Harper, tenor; and Geoffrey Sirett, bass. Mozart’s Requiem has been described as “glorious and celestial,” and is one of the standards of Classical vocal music.
Antonio Salieri was often portrayed as a jealous rival of Mozart, but in truth was an influence on the master. For this performance of the Coronation Te Deum, a professional actor will be reading dramatic monologues from Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, the play on which the movie was based.
Tickets for this concert are $25 for adults, $12.50 for young people 7 to 18, with kids under 7 free. They are available by cash only at the door, or go to torontobeachchorale.com to order online.
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Kingston Road United Church presents a special Choral Concert by the Avon Lake Chorale, March 22, at 7:30 p.m., at the church, 975 Kingston Rd. The Avon Lake Chorale, under the direction of William G. Zuckey, is a prestigious choir from Avon Lake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. It has performed in both the US and Britain.
On the program for this evening’s performance are a number of interesting choral pieces, including Pachelbel’s Magnificat; Rachmaninoff’s Bogoroditse Devo; and Mozart’s Confutatis Lacrymosa. Piano accompaniement will be by Mary Jones.
Tickets to the Avon Lake Chorale are $20 for adults, $10 for students, with kids 12 and under free. They can be purchased at the door or through 416-699-6091. For more information visit www.kruc.ca.
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