BC Choral Federation presents The Swingles – March 21, 2019

5-time Grammy® winners will perform at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver

“The vocal and choral world has changed considerably in the last 50 years… But The Swingles have managed to hold onto their distinctive niche and continue to thrive.” – CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

 

CONCERT DETAILS

DATE: Thursday, March 21, 2019
TIME: 8 PM
VENUE: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts –– Chan Shun Concert Hall
COST: $30 / $42 / $56 / $68

TICKETS: Available online now! Reserved seating. We expect this concert to sell out, so act fast for best selection!

For more than half a century, The Swingles have pushed the boundaries of vocal music. The seven young singers that make up today’s London-based group are driven by the same innovative spirit that has defined the five-time Grammy® winners since they first made waves in the 1960s. At a time when a cappella music is more popular than ever, The Swingles are recognised as masters of their craft.

“This group has always been way ahead of its time, bringing a cappella music to larger and more diverse audiences,” says BC Choral Federation executive director, Willi Zwozdesky. “Members have come and gone over the years, but The Swingles remain as vital as ever. The BCCF is thrilled to present them in Vancouver in the beautiful acoustics of the Chan Centre.”

In 1963, American-born Ward Swingle first assembled a group of Parisian session singers to sing Bach’s keyboard music. The resulting album, Jazz Sebastian Bach, launched the Swingle Singers to fame. Since then, they have won five Grammy® awards and made more than 50 recordings, with a repertoire that has grown to include a huge variety of music, including new original songs. They have also appeared on numerous film and TV soundtracks, including Sex and the City, Milk, Grey’s Anatomy and Glee. In 2017, they co-wrote and performed a song for the end credits of Alexander Payne’s film Downsizing.

Released in March 2017, The Swingles’ latest project is Folklore, a diverse collection of folk music from around the world, inspired by their international travels and featuring collaborations with traditional artists. With creative arrangements that transport these well-loved songs into the group’s unique and rich sound world, the results are powerful and surprising.

This is the program that BCCF vice president Paul Cummings happened to hear when he attended a series of Swingles concerts last July during the Europa Cantat festival in Tallin, Estonia. The wheels were already in motion for The Swingles’ engagement with the BCCF at that time, but watching them live with dozens of his students only served to validate what an excellent choice that was.

“These vocal pioneers perform the widest variety of music I’ve ever heard….from Bach to Basie, classical to swing, 50-year-old arrangements to cutting edge contemporary compositions. There is truly something for everyone,” says Cummings. “Their selections utilizing live vocal looping technology were brilliant as well, and even inspired me to purchase a loop station for my high school music program. My students and I loved every aspect of The Swingles’ performance in Estonia last summer. Now we’re die-hard fans who will be first in line for their show in Vancouver.”

PROMOTIONAL TOOLS

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