Opening Day Recordings

A marvelous compendium of traditional and comtemporary Canadian songs...

"Elmer Iseler was for this century and the world of choral music both the star and morning sun." --Robert Shaw

THE ELMER ISELER SINGERS

The ELMER ISELER SINGERS perform over 100 concerts annually throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe. The ensemble has won critical acclaim for its performances at the Edinburgh Festival, London's Royal Albert Hall and New York's Carnegie Hall, and is noted for its wide interpretive range, with a reper- toire spanning 500 years of choral music. The choir has frequently been involved in radio and television broadcasts and a wide variety of recording projects. The Singers participated in the international celebrations marking the 400th anniver- sary of Palestrina's death with a special recording of the composer's most cele- brated choral works. Other recent releas- es include "Gloria" (a collection of French choral masterpieces) and a self- titled CD with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra featuring four majornew works for chorus and orchestra by Canadian composers.

Sopranos:
Donna Colley, Jamie Ray, Rosanna Senatore, Kathleen Tapp-Mock, Rebecca Whelan, Ann Wright

Altos:
Carolyn Kirby, Andrea Ludwig, Alison Roy,
Christine Stelmacovich

Tenors:
Donald Bartle, Patrick Huang, Stephen Powell,
Edward Wiens

Basses:
Dennis Caines, Peter Fisher, David Havery, Alexander Jozefacki, David King, Nelson Lohnes

ELMER ISELER (1927 - 1998)

SINCE FOUNDING THE FESTIVAL SINGERS, Canada's first professional choir, in 1954, ELMER ISELER has established himself as an international musical celebrity and Canada's pre-eminent choral conductor. A recipient of the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario and the Silver medal of Paris, he has enjoyed the patronage of composers Benjamin Britten, Aaron Copland, Harry Freedman, Ruth Watson Henderson, Zoltan Kodaly, Harry Somers, Igor Stravinsky and Healey Willan. With the Elmer Iseler Singers, founded in 1979, he continued his path as a pioneer in the develop- ment of Canadian choral performance.

The 1994/95 season marked his 30th season as Artistic Director of the 190-voice Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, one of Canada's most prestigious musical organisations. Failing health prevented Dr. Iseler from completing this recording project as planned. With his aid and approval, the remaining sessions were directed by Howard Cable and Lydia Adams. Elmer Iseler was never to conduct again.