Georgetown Bach Chorale

Enjoy these soundbites of the choir and orchestra from previous seasons:

Ron Greidanus plays Mozart-Piano Concerto 23 (1st Movement) with Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra on YouTube:

This past season was musically wonderful! The GBC had the opportunity to sing Widor’s Mass for 3 choirs, Men’s choir and two organs, together with Master Works of Oakville and the Bach Elgar Choir of Hamilton. This is a rarely performed work that deserves much more performance time! These three groups also had the exciting opportunity to sing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with The Hamilton Philharmonic in its season closing.

We enjoyed this collaboration so much that on October 19 the three choirs will again perform together, this time in Georgetown. Full details for this extravaganza are included in the brochure.

As some of you are aware, my harpsichord was devoured by flames at St. Anne’s Anglican church in Toronto in June, just hours before I was to perform a concerto. A new instrument is already being built, and for now I have the honour of borrowing Stephanie Martin’s harpsichord from York University until my new Flemish Double is ready.

What I have learned from the devastating loss of my very expensive custom-made instrument is that nothing in life is guaranteed. However, the musical community is strong – a GoFundMe account was set up by a fellow musician, and it has raised about $15,000 towards the new harpsichord. This reminds me how important it is to make music and to pay it forward every chance I get.

Come and enjoy the GBC season and lets make music together!

Season Brochure

Handel’s Messiah: The Most Exciting Performance Ever
” … I heard a performance of Handel’s Messiah last weekend that was by far the most exciting I have ever heard. … the interpretations of tempos and styles were terrific, and the performance was technically among the best I have ever heard. [much quicker tempos for some sections, and much more staccato than many people would expect, but all well-researched by the conductor]

The conductor/harpsichordist is Ron Greidanus. He was raised just north of Clinton and despite his late start in music, he developed a terrific reputation for his knowledge and talent.
The “orchestra” for this performance of Messiah is 2 violins, a viola, a cello, a bass, a baroque (valveless) trumpet which was played extremely well, and tympani (in addition to Ron on the harpsichord).
Most of the time during the performance, I was smiling and saying (to myself, I hope) “Yes!” “

John Palmer – former conductor of the Blyth Festival Orchestra

“It was amazing to hear the ‘chamber’ version (of the Messiah)… everyone there was just having a good time hearing all the marvelous music going on around them. It sure gave John and I a new outlook on the stuffy performances that we have endured in the past! I came because it was (Ron) performing and I knew it wouldn’t be bad, but little did I know what a huge effect it would have. And John came (because) I asked him to…with reservations. So you’ve won over the two of us… I’ll never be able to sit through a BIG performance of it again, now that I know how good it can be! Congratulations!”

Lucy