The Roots of Choral Music in Brantford

Brantford has a rich choral tradition going right back to its early days. Starting with the Brantford Choral Union of the 1860's, right up to today with the Grand River Chorus and the Brantford Children’s Chorus, choral music has always been a force on our music scene. Often sparked by new arrivals to local churches in our area, groups as diverse as the Brantford Male Chorus (1901 - 05), the Schubert Choir (1906 – 1941), the Canadian Choir (1928-45), and Brant Men of Song (1960 - today) have contributed greatly to the artistic life of this community.

Private companies also showed leadership by sponsoring their own choirs, such as the Universal Cooler Ladies Choir, which won a gold medal in 1949 in a competition in Chicago, and the Cockshutt Male Choir, sponsored by the Cockshutt Plow Company, which was active for 25 years. Both choirs were led by Frank Holton. Massey-Harris, Verity and Waterous also sponsored local choirs.

Brantford choirs performed in many venues in Canada and the United States, as well as in Blackpool, England where the Canadian Choir placed 4th out of 23 choirs in an international competition in 1930. This choir, founded by Frederick Lord, has had its amazing story retold in local newspapers, the Brantford Expositor and the former weekly, the Brant News.

The Brant Men of Song is the longest running choir in the history of Brantford. It was founded in 1960 with Frank Holton as its first conductor. In 1996, Scott Millward, took over as Director of the Brant Men of Song. In 1997 he also assumed the leadership of the Belle “A” Dears, a women’s choir, and today the two choirs plan their concerts together, combining to present some mixed voice pieces at each concert.

Founded by James Brown in 1986, the Tudor Singers, a mixed voice, chamber choir presenting a repertoire of fine Baroque and Renaissance choral music in the Brantford area for more than a decade, was for many years directed by Alvin Spaxman. Some years after the Tudor Singers organization was dissolved, its library of music was donated to the Grand River Chorus. Alvin Spaxman was the founding President of the Grand River Chorus.

As the Grand River Chorus enters its tenth season, it can draw strength, encouragement and inspiration from the past as it exemplifies the enthusiasm and appreciation for fine choral music.

Tenth Season Launch Party

On Sunday October 5th the Grand River Chorus held a season launch party to begin this special year of celebration. It all happened in the main lobby of the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in downtown Brantford. About 125 people came to enjoy the occasion and kick off our tenth season. Pat Lenz and her amazing Tenth Anniversary Planning Committee worked very hard to make the day a great success.













Natalie and Andy Michalchuk test out the reception area before people start arriving






Volunteers had worked hard to make the place look festive.

Anne-Marie MacDairmid, the choir accompanist since it was founded, was present to help with the launch













A cake cutting ceremony formally launched the season. This included all choristers present who had been with the chorus since it was founded, and was led by president David Neumann and the Chair of the tenth Anniversary Committee, Patricia Lenz.













Three people were recognized for their contributions to the board of directors. Board member Pat Eyzenga congratulates past secretary Joyce Morris, former president Alex Morris, and retiring board member Pat Lenz.


Andy Blackwood and Jane Duncan welcome guests Murray Charters and his wife Diane

Displays representing past concerts and activities were enjoyed by all.

Many people showed up to enjoy the occasion.













The committee had arranged for a special tenth anniversary year logo, and items for people to buy as souvenirs of this special year.













Special guests welcomed by artistic director Richard Cunningham were MPP Dave Levac, and the president and conductor of the Brantford Symphony Orchestra.













To add to the occasion, Richard Cunningham led the choir in performing a few numbers.













President David Neumann and Tenth Anniversary Committee Chair, Pat Lenz pose with artistic director Richard Cunningham following his outline of the upcoming season. Richard also engaged everyone in a fun contest.

Looking back at past concert seasons

Research on past seasons of the Grand River Chorus was done by chorister, Heather Franklin.
The Grand River Chorus was founded by Robert Phillips and Carol Anne Feldstein in early 1999.
Conductor and Maestro Robert Phillips
Our very first public concert was presented at the Sanderson Centre:
May 14, 1999 - Mozart Requiem was the main feature. We opened with some Coronation Anthems by Handel,. The very first sound our audience heard was the powerful opening of Zadok the Priest by Handel.

Season One: 1999 - 2000
December 10, 1999 - Handel’s Messiah
April 14, 2000 - Brahm’s Requiem (in German) NOTE: A representative from the German Consulate in Toronto was an honoured guest on this occasion
June 16, 2000 - A tribute to Gilbert and Sullivan

Season Two: 2000 – 2001
October 13, 2000 - Andrew Lloyd Webber featuring Carol Anne Feldstein and Kevin Bradshaw
December 8, 2000 - Handel’s Messiah
March 18, 2001 – Requiem by Gariel Fauré (and Cantique de Jean Racine)
May 25, 2001 – Gospel Glory

Season Three: 2001 - 2002
November 11, 2001 – Lest We Forget
December 7, 2001 – Handel’s Messiah
March 1, 2002 – Missa Gaia (Composer, Paul Haley, participated)
June 7, 2002 - The Count of Luxembourg

Season Four: 2002 - 2003
November 17, 2002 - Sing Me A Waltz
January 12, 2003 – Bach by Candlelight
April 5, 2003 – Mendelssohn’s Elijah

Season Five: 2003 – 2004 (Robert Phillips’ last season)
November 16, 2003 – A Celebration of Canadian Composers
November 30, 2003 – Sing along Messiah (the beginning of a tradition)
February 15, 2004 – An Afternoon with Joseph Haydn
May 2, 2004 – Magnificent Mozart (Last concert with Rob Phillips as Conductor; we did the Mozart Requiem, the feature work from our very first concert.)

Our first season with Richard Cunningham, Artistic Director.
Season Six: 2004 – 2005
November 14, 2004 - In Remembrance
December 19, 2004 – Handel’s Messiah
March 6, 2005 – Reach for the Brass Rings
May 15, 2005 – Victoriana and Edwardiana

Season Seven: 2005 – 2006
October 30, 2005 – A Carnival of Animals
December 2, 2005 - Sing Along Messiah
April 2, 2006 – The Passion According to St John (Bach)
June 4, 2006 – The Magic of Mozart (250th Mozart anniversary)

Season Eight – 2006 – 2007
October 15, 2006 – All Night Vigil, Sergei Rachmaninoff (in Church Slovanic)
December 23, 2006 – Messiah
February 11, 2007 – Love is a Many Splendored Thing
May 6, 2007 - Great Masses (Wm Byrd, Arvo Pärt, Charles Gounod)

Season Nine: 2007 – 2008 (a season of firsts)
December 1, 2007 – A Grand Christmas (concert to launch our first CD)
December 22, 2007 – Sing Along Messiah
April 13, 2008 – The Creation, by Haydn; our first partnership concert with the Brantford Symphony Orchestra)
June 6, 2008 – Double Choir Splendour – first concert in Norfolk
June 8, 2008 – Double Choir Splendour (Brantford)

2008-09: Our Milestone Year

photo courtesy of Takacs Studios, Brantford












We intend to mark the milestone of our tenth season with a year-long celebration. Our Tenth Anniversary Committee, led by Pat Lenz, has planned for a number of events and activities throughout the year. Three highlights are the Season Launch in October, the Tenth Anniversary Gala concert in April, and the dinner following our last concert on June 14th.

The Grand River Chorus, an auditioned, mixed-voice choir founded in Brantford in 1999, now numbers over seventy singers. This season we offer four magnificent concerts, the highlight being the performance in April 2009 of Saul, a major oratorio by George Frideric Handel. It will mark the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the choir’s first public concert – the performance of the Coronation Anthems by Handel and the Mozart Requiem in May 1999. April 2009, will mark the 250th anniversary of Handel’s last attendance at the performance of one of his own oratorios, and of his death a few days later on April 14, 1759.

We hope that many past members of the chorus will join us throughout the year, but most especially at this final concert and dinner. We invite them to join us on stage to sing some of the pieces. If you have any comments or information about this special year, please e-mail us at grandriverchorus@rogers.com. We welcome your involvement.

David Neumann, President