BCCF World Chorfest 2018: Meet the Guest Artists
Adult & Massed Choir
Mebrat “Mimi” Beyene – Vocals
Mebrat “Mimi” Beyene is a singer, teacher, community developer, and a mom known for her passion, energy, and soul. Originally from Montreal, she has been involved in community music-making for most of her life and values the importance of accessible music-making opportunities for everyone. Mimi is Executive Director at WISH Drop-In Centre Society; a DTES organization that provides resources and a safe haven for vulnerable women engaged in street-based, survival sex work. She is a founding member of the East Van a cappella quartet, What It Is!,is a featured soloist in Brian Tate’s City Soul Choir and was a popular and vibrant early childhood music teacher at Westside Music Together.
Tom Arntzen – Piano
As an established artist in Vancouver, Tom wears many hats: vocalist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, producer, musical director, teacher, and actor. He can sing and play any style of music, and often does. Tom was music leader for the 2013 Grey Cup gala and played again in 2014. He has accompanied Jack Jones at River Rock Show Theatre and worked extensively with Grammy winner Dave Pierce. Tom’s film credits include the Showtime movie, “Reefer Madness” and work as vocal coach to Will Ferrell in the movie “Elf”. Tom also has credits directing musical theatre. As a session musician, he has created TV and radio jingles for Canadian and foreign markets. As a theatre performer, Tom starred in the Playhouse production of “Gunmetal Blues”. Tom is a featured sideman in many Lower Mainland musical acts, and is leader or co-leader of many bands. He currently teaches K-7 Music at St. Augustine School in Vancouver.
“A very good singer.” –Tom Jones
Brent Gubbels – Acoustic & Electric Bass
Brent Gubbels has been a Vancouver based professional musician and teacher for many years. In that time he’s worked with a diverse group of local musicians and ensembles including Van Django, the Hard Rubber Orchestra, Gypsalero, Rumba Calzada, John Reischman, the Vince Mai Project, Dal Richards, Lee Aaron, Dee Daniels as well as Stuart Maclean and Bob McGrath. As a member of the Oscar Lopez trio he has performed pops concerts with the symphony orchestras of Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon. He has toured North America and Europe extensively and played a variety of international jazz and folk festivals. He’s also been regularly featured in groups performing at the Vancouver Jazz festival, and at folk festivals in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg. Brent can be heard on recordings by Gypsalero, Juno nominees Susan Crowe, Compadres and the Hard Rubber Orchestra as well as Juno winners James Keelaghan and Oscar Lopez.
Craig Scott – Drums & Percussion
Craig Scott is an accomplished drummer, and vibraphone player. His drumming credits include concert and club dates with such Canadian jazz luminaries as Tommy Banks, Oliver Gannon, Ian McDougall, Hugh Fraser, Campbell Ryga, PJ Perry, Brad Turner, and the Alan Matheson Septet and Nonet as well as a host of international artists, including Randy Bachman, Dianna Krall, Dee Daniels, Joan Rivers and many others. He has extensive recording experience in television, film, radio and video games. As a session player, he has played on countless local independent jazz albums and has played drums on the video game Monsters Inc., and on the music software Band-In-A-Box. Craig bolds both BMus (UBC ’96) and BEd (UBC ’98) degrees and he teaches at both Vancouver Community College and Capilano University. In addition, he occasionally writes for Modern Drummer, and Percussive Notes magazines.
Richmond Chorus – Host Choir
Founded in 1986, the Richmond Orchestra and Chorus Association is a not-for-profit charitable organization that is dedicated to increasing the awareness and appreciation of a rich variety of music from classical to modern in Richmond and beyond. After more than 30 years, the Richmond Orchestra and Chorus remains dedicated to musical excellence, building connections through audience engagement and nurturing musical talent in both young and old.
The Richmond Orchestra and Chorus Association is powered by a vision of promoting a culture of creativity in Richmond. The organization also has a strong commitment to providing community service through a concert community partnership program, an elementary school outreach program, as well as performing benefit concerts throughout the year.
Choirs represented by singers in the Chorfest Adult Choir:
Aura Chamber Choir, Aurora Celebration Choir, Aviva, Brockhouse Singers, Buncha Divas, Campbell River Singers, CapriCCio, Chalice Choir – First Unitarian Church of Victoria, Choral Connections, City Soul Choir, Coro Cantare Choir, Coro Galiano, Crescent Choir, Crescent Woman’s Choir, De Coro (Coastal Sound), De Coro Coastal Sound Music Academy, Delta Choral Society, First Unitarian Church of Victoria, Freedom Gospel Choir, Gilmore Park United, Helena Choir, Inspirito, Island Bel Canto Singers, Joy of Life, Kamloops Choristers, Kamloops Happy Choristers, Kerrisdale Music Makers Senior Choir, Kuimba, Laura Lang’s Sing City, Lions Gate Chorus, Lynn Valley Voices, Music Makers, Orpheus/Vivaldi, Peachland Variety Singers, PG Cantata Singers, Phrase-ology, Prince George Cantata Singers, Quadra Singers, Rhythm & Roots/Chalice, Richmond Singers, Richmond Orchestra & Chorus, Sage Sound Singers, Saturna Singers, Shuswap Men’s Chorus, Sing City, St. Andrews Wesley Sanctuary Choir, St. Hilda’s Anglican, Suncoast Phoenix & Inspirito, Suncoast Phoenix Community Choir, The Chalice Choir, Vancouver Chinese Baptist Church Women Choir, Vancouver Island Chamber Choir, Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir, Vernon Community Singers, West End Chamber Choir
Children’s Choir
Toby Aldren – Accompanist
Toby Aldren is proud to be the accompanist for Richmond Chorus (since 2002) and for Vox Lumina of the North Shore Unitarian Church (since 2004). Also, in recent years, he has been sailing BC Ferries to serve as the pianist for Saturna Singers on Saturna Island and for Sarona Mynhardt’s newly-formed Inspirito Vocal Ensemble in Gibsons. Toby enjoys teaching piano and theory to students of all ages in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood of Vancouver. Besides music, Toby’s other passion is astrology. In 2014, he earned the Diploma from London’s Faculty Of Astrological Studies and is now their Distance Learning Tutor for students in several countries. He offers astrological chart readings in person and online, and runs astrology classes and workshops regularly. Go to vancouverastrology.com for more details.
Richmond Youth Honour Choir – Host Choir
The Richmond Youth Honour Choir RYHC features some of the best young singers of the city and the Metro Vancouver area and just finished celebrating its 15th season in tandem with celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday. Over the past 15 years the organization has grown from a single choir to 3 divisions. They have gone from performing twice a year locally in Richmond to 12 or more performances a season including collaborations with other musical groups and choirs as well as participating in festivals and even touring internationally. Their repertoire includes a wide variety of musical styles, from Bach to Broadway and “everything in between”. Performances for the Emperor of Japan and during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver mark some of the choir’s most memorable performances. Their theme for the 2017-18 season is “The Beat Goes On!” and will be the kick off to their African Tour this July.
Children’s Choirfest Participating Choirs:
Fraser Valley Children’s Chorus, Okanagan Children’s Choir, Richmond Youth Honour Choir, White Rock Elementary School Choir