Making musical magic

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This article was published 21/10/2022 (1149 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s magic in the air when this group gets together.

Incantatem, a group of singers that performs a cappella music from sci-fi and fantasy books, movies, and video games, will perform Harry Potter 2 on Nov. 18 and 19 at John Black Memorial United Church (898 Henderson Hwy.).

“We did Harry Potter 1, which did music from books one to four, around November 2019 or January 2020,” Sara Jane Schmidt, the group’s musical director, said. Despite a longer-than-planned hiatus, owing to COVID-19, the group is back and ready to pick up where it left off, with music from books five to seven. “We have four or five voice actors who will be joining us, so we have readings scripted to go with the songs to give us a bit of a narrative. We’ll have sets and props and prizes, some food at the two intermissions. It’s a full on fun evening.”

Incantatem was formed sometime around 2014, with Schmidt joining and taking reigns as musical director in 2017.

The group takes its name straight from the world of Harry Potter, while offering a play on its Latin origins.

“Cantata, in Latin, is to sing,” Schmidt explained “Priori Incantatem is a magic spell in Harry Potter, also known as the ‘Reverse Spell’.”

While it started as a small group of sci-fi and fantasy fans who loved to sing, membership has grown to 24 members from across Winnipeg, including Schmidt and an assistant director. Officially, Schmidt noted, the group is ministry of the Hearth Church, which is a group whose mission is “to serve the geeks, the misfits, and outcasts.”

“I think we’re a pretty unique gang,” Schmidt added.

The group practices each Monday from September to June and typically performs one big concert per year, along with a few smaller engagements. And while most of the members have some sort of musical background, be it high school band, choir, or familiarity with an instrument, that’s not a requirement.

“Typically, it’s people who have these fandoms and who like to sing,” Schmidt said. “Maybe they’ve heard of us through a LARP group or D&D or have come to the concerts. They’re interested in this genre and like this music. You do have to get in by audition.”

“ If you want Beethoven, maybe this isn’t for you…

In the end, though, it’s all about having a good time.

“Our main focus is having a lot of fun,” Schmidt said. “We do our best to pursue the musical excellence that we can. But if you come, you’re going to have a good time if you are at all interested in this kind of thing. If you want Beethoven, maybe this isn’t for you. Bring your kids and grandkids, the kids who are reading Harry Potter now. We guarantee you’ll have a good time.”

For tickets, or more information, visit facebook.com/IncantatemSingers