MANDATE
To make music together and to nurture our creative endeavours in a supporting environment; to invite musicians to perform in Heliconian concerts thus creating new artistic connections; to recruit new members through musical outreach; to become involved as much as possible in other Club events; to contribute financially to the Club through events convened by the Music Section and through members’ concerts and rentals.
MEMBERSHIP
Our members include performing musicians (vocalists and instrumentalists in all categories), composers, conductors, private studio teachers, teachers in public/private/post-secondary education, arts administrators, singer-songwriters, arrangers, etc. in all types of musical genres.
ABOUT SECTION MEETINGS
Under normal circumstances, we hold four of our meetings per season at the Club, usually two to three weeks preceding a concert. Additionally, two more social meetings are held at members’ homes in January and June. During COVID-19, our meetings are held using Zoom, following our normal pattern of the first Friday of the month from 12 to 2 pm. When we are able to meet in person, we share some light refreshments and save some time for musical news and performance at the end.
SECTION ACTIVITIES
Our annual Concert Series consists of four concerts. This is a subscription series planned by a Concert Committee with input from members at Section meetings. Concerts are programmed on a variety of themes, convened and performed by members, with occasional guests. Members also perform or have compositions performed at Club events (President’s Reception, Gifts of the Muses, Christmas Dinner, etc.).
Our annual Music Salon, which is open to the public, features a speaker who may be a Club member or an invited guest. The Mary Rezza concert takes place in April and features students from members’ private studios. Opportunities for collaborating across Club sections are provided by our new tradition, Heliconians at Play, as well as other inter-sectional events such as Ekphrasis. The Hall is also frequently used by members to hold their own recitals, productions, events.
ANNUAL MUSICIAN-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
The Musician-in-Residence program is a symbiotic one. The resident musician is expected to contribute in some way to the life of the Music Section and the rest of the Club and, in turn, the Music Section will offer unique opportunities to the musician that will be meaningful and invigorating. The residency is for one year.
CURRENT CO-CHAIRS
Rita Greer and Maria Soulis
Maria Soulis began her operatic career as a resident singer with the Regensburg Opera in Germany, branching out as a freelance artist in theatres throughout Europe and returning to Canada to sing with Pacific Opera Victoria, Tapestry Opera, Against the Grain Theatre, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Aradia Ensemble, with whom she recorded the JUNO nominated CD, ‘Vivaldi Sacred Music – Volume 4. An avid recitalist, Maria has an extensive song repertoire spanning five languages and with guitarist William Beauvais and violinist Joyce Lai, perform as the Maria Soulis Trio. Maria is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music in piano and composition, /The pandemic lockdowns were an opportunity to revisit her roots, and she is again composing and performing as a pianist. www.mariasoulis.com
To make music together and to nurture our creative endeavours in a supporting environment; to invite musicians to perform in Heliconian concerts thus creating new artistic connections; to recruit new members through musical outreach; to become involved as much as possible in other Club events; to contribute financially to the Club through events convened by the Music Section and through members’ concerts and rentals.
MEMBERSHIP
Our members include performing musicians (vocalists and instrumentalists in all categories), composers, conductors, private studio teachers, teachers in public/private/post-secondary education, arts administrators, singer-songwriters, arrangers, etc. in all types of musical genres.
ABOUT SECTION MEETINGS
Under normal circumstances, we hold four of our meetings per season at the Club, usually two to three weeks preceding a concert. Additionally, two more social meetings are held at members’ homes in January and June. During COVID-19, our meetings are held using Zoom, following our normal pattern of the first Friday of the month from 12 to 2 pm. When we are able to meet in person, we share some light refreshments and save some time for musical news and performance at the end.
SECTION ACTIVITIES
Our annual Concert Series consists of four concerts. This is a subscription series planned by a Concert Committee with input from members at Section meetings. Concerts are programmed on a variety of themes, convened and performed by members, with occasional guests. Members also perform or have compositions performed at Club events (President’s Reception, Gifts of the Muses, Christmas Dinner, etc.).
Our annual Music Salon, which is open to the public, features a speaker who may be a Club member or an invited guest. The Mary Rezza concert takes place in April and features students from members’ private studios. Opportunities for collaborating across Club sections are provided by our new tradition, Heliconians at Play, as well as other inter-sectional events such as Ekphrasis. The Hall is also frequently used by members to hold their own recitals, productions, events.
ANNUAL MUSICIAN-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
The Musician-in-Residence program is a symbiotic one. The resident musician is expected to contribute in some way to the life of the Music Section and the rest of the Club and, in turn, the Music Section will offer unique opportunities to the musician that will be meaningful and invigorating. The residency is for one year.
CURRENT CO-CHAIRS
Rita Greer and Maria Soulis
Maria Soulis began her operatic career as a resident singer with the Regensburg Opera in Germany, branching out as a freelance artist in theatres throughout Europe and returning to Canada to sing with Pacific Opera Victoria, Tapestry Opera, Against the Grain Theatre, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Aradia Ensemble, with whom she recorded the JUNO nominated CD, ‘Vivaldi Sacred Music – Volume 4. An avid recitalist, Maria has an extensive song repertoire spanning five languages and with guitarist William Beauvais and violinist Joyce Lai, perform as the Maria Soulis Trio. Maria is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music in piano and composition, /The pandemic lockdowns were an opportunity to revisit her roots, and she is again composing and performing as a pianist. www.mariasoulis.com
