The Hart House Singers is a non-auditioned choir at the University of Toronto that provides an opportunity for first-time and experienced singers to share in the joy of choral singing, to learn the art of song, to have fun, and to sing culturally and historically diverse repertoire.
Dec 31-2017
The Hart House Singers is a non-auditioned choir at the University of Toronto that provides an opportunity for first-time and experienced singers to share in the joy of choral singing, to learn the art of song, and to sing historically and culturally diverse repertoire. Typically, the choir performs music from around the world in its summer or fall terms, and one of the great choral works in the winter term. The Hart House Singers has performed at Toronto’s “Nuit blanche,” and in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Holst’s The Planets with the Hart House Orchestra. In the past few seasons, we have performed such famous choral works as Bruckner’s Mass in e minor, Dvorak’s Mass in D and Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, and Beethoven's Mass in C with orchestras made of students and recent graduates from the Faculty of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Music, and local professionals.
DAVID ARNOT-JOHNSTON has directed many vocal and instrumental groups, including at Canada's National Ballet School and Tafelmusik's Baroque Summer Institute at the University of Toronto. He completed the graduate program in early music at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, The Netherlands, and holds a Masters degree in music history and performance from the University of Toronto.
As a tenor soloist, David has performed with several early and contemporary ensembles, including Tafelmusik, the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, Opera Atelier, Dancemakers, Utrecht Barok Consort, La Capriola of Amsterdam, Utrecht Bach Society, Ottawa Choral Society, and The Toronto Consort. He has sung as a soloist under Sigiswald Kuijken, Andrew Parrott, William Christie, and with Emma Kirkby in works by Mozart, Handel, Bach, Lully, and Monteverdi.
David has recorded as a soloist and ensemble performer on the Naxos, CBC, Marquis, RCA/BMG, and Analekta labels with the Aradia Ensemble, Tafelmusik Orchestra, Toronto Consort, Canadian Brass, and the Theatre of Early Music. A dedicated instructor of music, David directed the music education program at the National Ballet School for ten years. He has been conductor of the Hart House Singers since 2003.
CONRAD GOLD, holds a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music from McGill University. He undertook additional keyboard performance studies in Italy. Mr. Gold also serves as the accompanist for the Brampton Festival Singers, and has collaborated with the Tallis Choir and the Cantabile Chamber Singers of Toronto, and the Laudate Dominum Choir of Chatham. Currently living in Toronto, Mr. Gold plays organ regularly at Lorne Park Baptist Church in Mississauga, St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto, and several other Toronto area churches. His other musical activities include playing organ recitals and teaching piano.
Due to concerns about COVID-19 Pandemic the Singers functions will be limited and different check the Join Us section periodically for details and for updates on Winter 2022 (last update December 31st, 2021).
The tentative repertoire for Winter 2022 is as follows:
Music Files (midi practice files): On Google Drive
Hello Hart House Singers: Some annoucements:
Hart House Singers and prospective members:
Hello, Hart House Singers and those who would like to join us! Here are some announcements
concerning the upcoming winter term, 2022 (keep checking back here for more updates as information becomes available):
Update for Hart House Singers, as at Jan. 30th, 2022:
WINTER TERM STARTS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7!
Announcement of Jan. 29/2022
Dear Hart House Singers and those who would like to join us:
We have learned that the university will allow us to rehearse in-person again during the winter-spring term, starting Monday, Feb. 7. Here are more details:
Repertoire:
(Fall 2021) Here is a list of pieces with Youtube links:
We studied these last year (2020-2021), but no one could hear the other singers while we rehearsed on-line; now you will be able to hear the others. (You do not need to know these pieces to join us this year.) All pieces will be provided in both hard copy and digital download formats, probably free of charge (tbc).
Registration:
For details for Winter 2022 see above. Please contact us if you wish to join our rehearsal either virtually or in person (space permitting).
Fees:
Fees for Winter 2022 are free if you are a student but it is necessary to register. For regular non-students (aged 30-64) fees are $25 and for senior non-students 65 and over and non-students 29 and under fees are $15. Fees for Winter 2022 are still to be decided.
Again pay fees on-line at the Universiy of Toronto Recreation website at https://recreation.utoronto.ca/Membership/Index and follow the link for Hart House Club - Singers. The first two rehearsals of the term are open and no payment of fee is required to attend.
Questions? Please ask through our Facebook page.
| Notes | Fall Sept-Nov 2020 | Winter Jan-Mar 2021 | Summer May-July 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Rehearsal Date | Monday Sept. 14, 7:30 pm | Monday, Jan. 11, 7:30 pm | TBA |
| Concert | No concert. | No concert planned. | No concert planned at this time. |
| Membership Fee* | Special virtual choir fee. See announcement above. | Virtual choir fee, see above. | TBA |
| Proof of payment of Singers club fee (must be ready by next rehearsal) | Everyone | Everyone | Everyone |
| REGISTRATION BY EMAIL (waiting list only) |
Opens Sept. 9 | Opens Jan. 5 | Opens May 31st |
| REPERTOIRE | See Repertoire section. | See Repertoire section. | See Repertoire section. |
| REHEARSALS | Mondays, 7:30-9:00 PM | Mondays, 7:30-9:00 PM | TBA |
*Cash, debit or credit card are all acceptable forms of payment. **To join the Singers, you must provide proof that you have paid the club fee for the term or covering year. Even if you were a member of the Singers last term, you are still required to register for this term! Registration will be granted on a first come, first served basis. Note: If you are a soprano or alto, come especially early! Spots in the choir for these voices tend to fill up quickly. There is no audition. Singers of all levels are welcome to join!
We no longer collect music deposits.
