Les Ms. - The Road to Carnegie
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Les Ms. Women's Choir , a community choir based in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, has been given the unprecedented opportunity to travel to New York City to participate in a 3-day residency of rehearsals and clinics under the baton of Dr. Nancy Menk, culminating in performance by massed choirs, of Magnificat – Music for Women’s Voices on the DCINY Concert Series. A limited number of ensembles have been invited to this concert, which is in recognition of International Women's Day and is planned to take place on Sunday, March 17, 2019 in Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. Les Ms. was invited in recognition of our dedication to musical excellence, and due to the high quality of our musical achievement
The details of the invitation are posted on our website and can be viewed here .
Who are we? Les Ms. has just under 40 members and 2019 will be our 20th Anniversary. We are a registered charity and through our music have raised almost $150,000 for The Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation Patient and Family Support Fund, which helps patients and families with travel and housing costs incurred because of their treatment. This is through collaboration with other choirs and musicians in the community in our annual Les Ms. and Friends Sing for Care concerts. We have also used our concerts to raise money and donations for food banks, historical societies, disaster relief, choral scholars, and others through our engaging concerts.
Our Choral Director, Dr. Valerie Long, a native of Gander, is a sought after director, educator, clinician and adjudicator in her own right. Her academic background includes degrees in Music and Music Education from Memorial University in Newfoundland, and a Master’s of Music in Choral Music Education and PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Long is the director and accompanist of 2 other 100+ voiced choirs in St. John's, Holy Heart of Mary Alumnae Choir and Let's Make a Choir and her indomitable spirit, and dedication have garnered her a number of awards .
So why are we, a group usually raising money for others, asking for money for ourselves? The cost of the Residency, at today's exchange rate, is $1000CDN per person, and beyond the reach of most of our members, particularly when combined with the travel costs. But this experience will lift the choir to a whole new level. We will be instructed in this most challenging repertoire, by a director with the experience of Dr. Menk, to perform with international women's voices, with a professional full orchestra; and all of this on the stage of Carnegie Hall. To be able to bring that experience, and the techniques that are learned, back to our home community will be such an honour.
As you can imagine, transporting and housing almost 40 women, from the easternmost point of North America to New York City will be an immense cost. We are presently investigating those and the numbers will be in an update as they become available.
We have already had such support from our community and our friends and family. It will take a Village to get us there, but we have the most wonderful Village in all of you. We are immensely grateful for anything you are able to give.
Find us on the Web , Facebook or Twitter
The details of the invitation are posted on our website and can be viewed here .
Who are we? Les Ms. has just under 40 members and 2019 will be our 20th Anniversary. We are a registered charity and through our music have raised almost $150,000 for The Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation Patient and Family Support Fund, which helps patients and families with travel and housing costs incurred because of their treatment. This is through collaboration with other choirs and musicians in the community in our annual Les Ms. and Friends Sing for Care concerts. We have also used our concerts to raise money and donations for food banks, historical societies, disaster relief, choral scholars, and others through our engaging concerts.
Our Choral Director, Dr. Valerie Long, a native of Gander, is a sought after director, educator, clinician and adjudicator in her own right. Her academic background includes degrees in Music and Music Education from Memorial University in Newfoundland, and a Master’s of Music in Choral Music Education and PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Long is the director and accompanist of 2 other 100+ voiced choirs in St. John's, Holy Heart of Mary Alumnae Choir and Let's Make a Choir and her indomitable spirit, and dedication have garnered her a number of awards .
So why are we, a group usually raising money for others, asking for money for ourselves? The cost of the Residency, at today's exchange rate, is $1000CDN per person, and beyond the reach of most of our members, particularly when combined with the travel costs. But this experience will lift the choir to a whole new level. We will be instructed in this most challenging repertoire, by a director with the experience of Dr. Menk, to perform with international women's voices, with a professional full orchestra; and all of this on the stage of Carnegie Hall. To be able to bring that experience, and the techniques that are learned, back to our home community will be such an honour.
As you can imagine, transporting and housing almost 40 women, from the easternmost point of North America to New York City will be an immense cost. We are presently investigating those and the numbers will be in an update as they become available.
We have already had such support from our community and our friends and family. It will take a Village to get us there, but we have the most wonderful Village in all of you. We are immensely grateful for anything you are able to give.
Find us on the Web , Facebook or TwitterOrganizer
Monika Behr
Organizer
St. John's North, NL
