Celebrating the start of their 98th season, the Winnipeg Boys’ Choir (WBC) presents “Peace, Joy and Love” – a choral concert sharing in the gifts of the season.
Though this marks their first formal concert, it has been a busy year already for the Winnipeg Boys’ Choir. The past few weeks have seen them performing alongside Dead of Winter in “Celebrating the Carol,” joining Little Opera Company for their “Traditional Christmas Concert” and serving as guest artists in the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir’s 100th anniversary festive offering – just days before the WBC's own concert.
“We’ve been busy and blessed to be so busy,” says artistic director Carolyn Boyes.
Made up of treble-voices (led by Boyes, along with co-conductor Albert Bergen) and changed-voice singers (the latter directed by Spencer Duncanson), the Winnipeg Boys’ Choir is an auditioned group dedicated to quality music making and vocal training between the ages of 10 and 18.
“It’s definitely been fantastic getting back to performing,” says current WBC member Michael Prokipchuk. At the age of 18, Prokipchuk is considered a senior member of the WBC, having joined when he was 10.
“When you’re younger and you’re in the treble group, you look up to the senior group,” says Prokipchuk. “It’s really nice to now be part of that older group in the choir and being part of the leaders and the change.”
As part of the concert, the WBC also welcomes back an alumni choir to join them in performance.
“It’s a wonderful mix (of voices),” says Boyes of the nearly 20 singers in the alumni choir, ranging in age from singers who graduated from the WBC last season to those in their late 80s.
“There is this camaraderie and this immediate community and brotherhood that I see happen,” says Boyes. “I imagine the 7-year-olds in the group right now looking up at an 80-year-old gentleman and realizing ‘this is something I can do all of my life.’”
Featuring festive favourites and new musical offerings, Peace, Joy and Love takes places Tuesday, December 13 at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 7.
Tickets $15 cash at the door, or available through Eventbrite.