Didge ya ever want to join the band?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/11/2010 (5790 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DIDGE YA ever want to play the didgeridoo? Well, Camerata Nova wants to grant your wish. The 14-voice a capella vocal ensemble is offering the ultimate in audience participation — a chance to own, learn and perform on the ancient Australian aboriginal wind instrument in its upcoming Christmas concert.

On Sunday, Nov. 28, at its presentation called Nova Nouvelet, volunteers will get a mini-lesson on the didgeridoo (didge, for short). They will then play in a didgeridoo choir in Noël Nouvelet in the second half of the show.

“Al Schroeder makes the didgeridoos out of PVC pipe,” said vivacious director Ross Brownlee. “They are cut to the right length to get the proper pitch.”

For a modest charge of $15, would-be didge players receive their own instrument to keep. Tenor Michael Thompson, an accomplished didge player, will instruct his pupils in the basics of playing this deep-sounding, resonant instrument. Brownlee says Camerata already has some willing volunteers, including David Northcott of Winnipeg Harvest, so if you want to prove that Winnipeg’s got talent by joining in yourself, call 918-4547 or email info@cameratanova.com to get in on the fun.

This is just one feature of the 14-year tradition of non-traditional programming that has earned Camerata Nova a large and dedicated following in the city. And, smart marketer that it is, it listens to its audience and offers them what it knows they will appreciate.

“We have many French supporters and we want to appeal to them,” said Brownlee of Camerata’s audience base. He and artistic director Andrew Balfour chose to focus on early French music, including French carols.

“But,” Brownlee hastened to add, “We aren’t doing only French music. We are also doing an eight-part work by Palestrina (Hodie Christus natus est) that truly embodies a joyful spirit. You can imagine bells ringing and candles burning. It really bounces; it’s very rhythmic. And we’re doing three versions of Ave Maria — one by Verdelot, one by Josquin des Prez and one by Guerrero.”

The program will include some contemporary seasonal music as well, including a carol by Abbie Betinis of New Music Festival fame, called Be Like the Bird. The story behind this is fascinating. Betinis’s family has been carrying on a carol-composing tradition since 1922 when her great-grandfather began to write original Christmas carols every year. He sent them to family and friends. The family has kept this going through the generations. Be Like the Bird was composed in 2009.

No Camerata Nova concert would be complete without music by artistic director and resident composer Andrew Balfour. And while he has handed the baton over to Brownlee for this concert, his influence remains strong. He joins the singing ranks and contributes one original work and three arrangements to the Nov. 28 concert. Rosa Mystica was performed this year by the Halifax Camerata and has been sung by many other groups.

Also returning for Christmas are Reinhard Jucknat on crystal bowl and Al Schroeder doing overtone singing. It’s difficult to describe the sound and atmosphere produced by the crystal bowl. Drawing a mallet around the outside of the bowl sends humming vibrations through the room, emanating meditative and soothing ambiance.

Overtone singing is a vocal technique allowing the singer to produce more than one pitch at a time. Resonant and almost mystical, when combined with the crystal bowl, it is highly organic and many people believe it to have healing properties.

But talking with Brownlee, it’s all about fun. “This will be a light-hearted concert,” he said. “You never know what you’re going to get with Camerata Nova.”

The concert is at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church at the corner of Wardlaw and Nassau. It begins at 3 p.m., which should leave football fans just enough time to get home for the Grey Cup kickoff.

In the spirit of Christmas, admission is free of charge, but audience members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for Winnipeg Harvest. There will also be an opportunity to make cash donations at the door. See www.cameratanova.com for more information.

gwenda.nemerofsky@shaw.ca