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PRISMA celebrates Canada 150

Willingdon Beach concert to feature combined orchestra and choir
PRISMA
FESTIVAL PREPARATION: 150-Plus Voices Choir members Alex Guo, 11, [left] and Lee Coulter rehearse for PRISMA on the Beach. The special choir brings singers of various ages together. David Brindle photo

A choir of 230 people have signed up to sing out over Willingdon Beach with Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy’s Festival Orchestra at PRISMA on the Beach on Wednesday, June 14.

The concert celebrates Canada 150 and its feature song, “This Is My Home,” was chosen for its special relationship to the country, province and Powell River. Composed by Robert Buckley for the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 86 in Vancouver, it has been a standard at many Canada Day celebrations ever since.

“This Is My Home” is familiar to some of the 150-Plus Voices Choir members who will be performing.

“I think I sang this song at Expo 86,” said choir member April Dimond, who is participating along with her daughter. “A whole group went down from Powell River and we were all about 16 years old; we sang at the opening with [International Choral Kathaumixw co-founder] Don James.”

150-Plus Voices Choir conductor Paul Cummings has heard a similar story about Powell River’s connection to the song.

“Don James brought down a choir to Expo 86 and they were involved in some big ceremony; it might even have been part of the opening,” said Cummings. “There are some people singing in this choir who said ‘I’m pretty sure, but not 100 per cent, because it’s been so long.’”

Cummings and PRISMA artistic director Arthur Arnold came up with the idea for adding some choral involvement into the symphony music festival.

“We thought it would be great and a good opportunity to do something at the more casual PRISMA on the Beach,” said Cummings.

Arnold and Cummings were exchanging thoughts about the music when Cummings came upon a piece he was working on with BC Chor Fest Seniors Choir. Arnold and Cummings eventually realized they were working off the same page.

“I received the music, looked it over, went online and realized it had an optional orchestral accompaniment,” said Cummings, “so I emailed Arthur and said ‘What do you think of this?’ He emailed back and said, ‘I just bought the music.’”

At rehearsal on Thursday, June 8, Cummings said some choir members were seeing the music for the first time, while others were singing for the first time.

Elly Dimond, 14, said she has not been singing in choirs recently, but did when she was younger.

“Paul Cummings asked my mom if she wanted to do it and my mom asked me,” said Elly. “I said, ‘Sure, why not?’”

Arnold said bringing voices of the choir together with the orchestra will be amazing.

“If there’s any piece that works for a crowd it’s this piece,” said Arnold. “You get it together in an hour. It’s a very rewarding piece because it’s very accessible; the audience will like it. Immediately, you’re drawn into it. You get hints of ‘O Canada.’ It’s fabulous.”

PRISMA, City of Powell River and Tla’amin Nation are jointly presenting PRISMA on the Beach as an official Canada 150 event.

In a break from tradition, the emcee for the free concert features a comedian. PRISMA on the Beach has been hosted by community leaders on previous occasions but this year Canadian comic, activist and CBC Radio One performer Charles Demers will act as master of ceremonies.

Crowd favourite Fraser Blues Flying Formation Team will also perform a flyby and aerial maneuvers during the concert, which begins at 5:30 pm.

For more information about PRISMA, go to prismafestival.com.