Powell River Host Choirs

The Powell River Academy Choirs welcome choral friends from around the world during the International Choral Kathaumixw. The Powell River Academy of Music choral program is flourishing with performing choirs at all levels and encompassing all musical periods from Gregorian chant to 20th Century avant garde music, from the classics to folk to vocal jazz. The Academy vocal ensembles include: The Apprentice Choir (Caroline Hoekstra, conductor), Powell River Girls’ Choir ( Ildiko Kelly, conductor), Powell River Boys’ Choir, Academy Singers (Walter Martella, conductor), Powell River Youth Choir (Paul Cummings, conductor) and Academy Chamber Choir (Don James, conductor).

Beginning with a young boys choir in 1975, the Academy Choirs have reached out to the world through concert tours, recordings, radio and television broadcasts sharing their music with enthusiastic audiences. The choirs have been guests at several important music, cultural and political events including the “Celebration for Peace” as guest of the City of Hiroshima and UNESCO, the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations San Francisco, USA), Europa Cantat (Strasbourg, France 1985, Vittoria, Spain 1991, Herning, Denmark 1994, Linz, Austria 1997, Arnum, Netherlands 2000, Barcelona, Spain, 1993, Festival Internacional de Choros (Isla de Margarita, Venezuela), International Sympaatti (Espoo, Finland), Golden Gate International Children’s Choir Festival (USA and the Eisteddfod (Wales).

Academy Choirs have won many prestigious awards including first and second prizes in the CBC National Amateur Choir Competition in Children’s Contemporary Music and Youth Choir categories, the Golden Gate International Children’s Choir Festival and have been finalists in the European Broadcast Corporation’s “Let the People Sing” competition. Choirs from the Academy have sung with important orchestras and conductors in Canada, Europe and Asia. Their concert tours have included eighteen countries. The Academy Choirs have been important ambassadors for Powell River.

Academy Chamber Choir
Don James, conductor

The Academy Chamber Choir consists of thirty - six singers from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions. It is an amateur choir that, since its inception in 1994, has developed into one of Canada’s dynamic chamber choirs. The choir specializes in a cappella music from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and regularly commissions new works by Canadian composers. Under the direction of Don James, the Academy Chamber Choir has toured in Venezuela, the Czech Republic, Canada, Mexico, Spain and France.

Chor Musica
Don James, Conductor

Chor Musica is male voice community choir comprised of 40 singers sponsored by Pacific Coastal Airlines. Formed in 1998 by Pacifica Papers (Powell River Division) the choir provides an opportunity for men to explore and perform a variety of music written for the male choir. In their short history the choir has become popular with its audience. In 2007, the choir performed at the 3rd International Male Voice Festival in Cornwall, England. The choir is conducted by Don James with the assistance of Richard Olfert, piano and vocal coach Walter Martella.

Don James

Don James, CM is founder and music director of the Powell River Academy of Music, the International Choral Kathaumixw and the Symphony & Opera Academy of the Pacific. While completing his studies in orchestral conducting at the University of Washington, his work in opera led to an intense interest in vocal music. Under his direction, Academy choirs have been awarded prizes and recognition from the Canadian and European Broadcasting Corporations and have been heard in concert and on radio and television in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Recently Mr. James was named Canada’s representative to the International Choir Olympic Council. In 1990, Mr. James was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for his distinguished service to choral music.

Powell River Boys Choir
Walter Martella, conductor

Beginning with young boys in 1975, the Powell River Boys Choir under the direction of Don James reached out to the world through concert tours, recordings, radio and television broadcasts sharing their music with enthusiastic audiences. The Powell River Boys Choir has sang at the XIV International Society of Music Education conference in Warsaw, Poland, the International Eisteddfod (Wales) and have toured in Germany, Poland, Austria, England, Canada, Mexico and the USA.

Powell River Boys Choir has won many prestigious awards including first and second prizes in the CBC National Amateur Choir Competition in Children’s Choir and Contemporary Music categories and have been finalist in the European Broadcast Corporation’s “Let the People Sing” competition.

In 1993 Walter Martella became conductor of the Powell River Boys Choir and has continued the excellent traditions of the choir.

Walter Martella, conductor

A charter member of the Powell River Boys Choir, has returned to his hometown of Powell River to conduct choirs, teach music and to continue his performing carreer. A graduate of the University of Victoria, Mr. Martella furthered his conducting studies with Don James and Dr. Elmer Iseler. Mr. Martella is an accomplished trumpet soloist and jazz pianist. As well as conducting the Powell River Boys Choir and Academy Singers he also is the conductor the Powell River Chorus and the Powell River Community Band.

 

 

Powell River Girls Choir
Ildiko Kelly, conductor

The Powell River Girls Choir was formed in 1977 as a 'sister choir" to the now famous Powell River Boys Choir. The choir offered training in music reading, stage deportment and choral performance. It wasn't long until the choir was performing concerts and touring. In 1978 the choir joined the boys for their first LP recording. Since then, many singers have developed their choral skills and continued singing inadvanced choirs in the program.

Ildiko Kelly fell in love with Powell River (and her husband) while participating in Kathaumixw on two occasions with two different Hungarian choirs. Ms Kelly received her early training in Hungary and after immigrating to Canada continued her music studies at Malaspina University College and the Toronto Conservatory of Music in Canada. In addition to conducting the Powell River Girls Choir, Ildiko teaches piano, voice and early childhood music at the Powell River Academy of Music. As well as her solo performances Ildiko sings in the Academy Chamber Choir.

 

 

 

Academy Singers
Walter Martella, conductor

The Academy Singers began as an opportunity of advanced singers in the Boys & Girls choirs to perform repertoire with orchestra and contemporary music not usually sung by young choirs. They have been guests at several important music, cultural and political events including the “Celebration for Peace” as guest of the City of Hiroshima and UNESCO, the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations San Francisco, USA), Europa Cantat (Strasbourg), International Sympaati (Espoo, Finland) and the Golden Gate International Children’s Choir Festival (USA) The Academy Singers have been important ambassadors for Powell River.

Walter Martella, conductor

A charter member of the Powell River Boys Choir, has returned to his hometown of Powell River to conduct choirs, teach music and to continue his performing carreer. A graduate of the University of Victoria, Mr. Martella furthered his conducting studies with Don James and Dr. Elmer Iseler. Mr. Martella is an accomplished trumpet soloist and jazz pianist. As well as conducting the Powell River Boys Choir and Academy Singers he also is the conductor the Powell River Chorus and the Powell River Community Band.

 

Powell River Youth Choir
Paul Cummings, conductor

The Powell River Youth Choir is a thirty voice mixed choir with members ranging in age from 15 to 18. The choir specializes in a cappella music from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and regularly commissions new works by Canadian composers. The Powell River Youth Choir frequently collaborates with soloists, instrumentalists and other choirs in the performance of major choral works. The choir is conducted by Paul Cummings.

The choir has won prizes in the CBC National Amateur Choir Competition and in international, regional and provincial festivals. The Powell River Youth Choir has given concerts in North America, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Finland, Russia, Denmark, France and Italy singing in major festivals and concert halls. Their concert tours have included Europa Cantats in Strasburg, France 1985, Vittoria, Spain 1991, Herning, Denmark 1994, Linz, Austria 1997, Arnum, Netherlands 2000, Barcelona, Spain, 2003 and in 2005 Singing Week in Bent Belgium.

Paul Cummings

Is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and Western Washington University where he received his Master of Music in choral conducting. Mr. Cummings teaches vocal and instrumental music at Brooks Secondary School and the Powell River Academy of Music. He is an accomplished instrumentalist and singer and has been the director of the highly successful BC Vocal Jazz Festival. In 1995 Mr. Cummings received the Outstanding Music Educators Award from the British Columbia Music Educators Association.