Registration is now open for BCCF Seniors’ Chorfest – April 9 & 10, 2025 in White Rock
Registration is now open for “Colours of Spring”, the BCCF Seniors’ Chorfest 2025. Mark your calendars for April 9-10, and plan to join us in beautiful White Rock, B.C.
This special event will take place at White Rock Baptist Church (WRBC), hosted by Vancouver’s EnChor Choir. We welcome passionate choristers to unite for this event, which offers a day and a half of wonderful music, choral activities, and time to socialize. Choirs (or partial choirs) can register as groups, but please note that individuals can also participate on their own!
Our clinician is well-known Canadian conductor, composer and arranger Erica Phare-Bergh, with accompanist Anita Comba.
Please keep reading for much more information!
Your BCCF SENIORS’ CHORFEST 2025 REGISTRATION Includes:
- All Rehearsals with Clinician Erica Phare-Bergh
- Welcome social reception at WRBC
- Coffee, treats
- Access to rehearsal tracks for downloading/streaming
- Concert performance
A catered lunch can be purchased for an additional fee.
All BCCF Seniors’ Chorfest participants are required to purchase or renew an existing BCCF Individual Membership.
Registrants should make their own arrangements for accommodations asap. A list of suggestions can be found further down on this page.
BCCF GST# R113813083
SENIORS’ CHORFEST FEES
Regular Registration: $120.00 (including GST)
Host Choir/BCCF Board of Directors: $75.00 (including GST)
BCCF Individual Membership: $40.00 (Purchase or renewal is required for all Chorfest participants)
Repertoire Pack: $20.00 (including GST and shipping)
Needed for individual registrants; not needed for those who are part of a choir group.
Catered Lunch: $25.00 (including GST)
An optional add-on for your convenience – ideal if you prefer not to leave the venue.
Additional Concert Ticket: $25.00 (including GST and shipping)
An optional add-on for your convenience – ideal for friends and family.
As the church is situated within a residential area and does not have quick access to outside food services, and due to limited time constraints during the daily schedule, we are strongly suggesting that singers participate in the catered lunch option. We will do our best to provide various food options (vegetarian, etc.). Note that the basic registration fee covers the cost of a reception at the end of Day 1 and various coffee breaks throughout the two days.
Please CLICK HERE to register conveniently and securely online. We process payment via JotForm using PayPal or Credit Card.
For assistance, please contact Barb Cave or Nancy Wolchok, our Seniors’ Chorfest 2025 Registrars, at seniorschorfest@bcchoralfed.com.
A welcome from our BCCF Seniors’ Chorfest 2025 Host Choir
BCCF SENIORS’ CHORFEST REPERTOIRE
If you have been encouraged to register as part of a choir group (i.e. EnChor, Kent Street Choristers, etc.) your choir will purchase the music in bulk and distribute it to you. If you are registering independently as an individual/unaffiliated singer, you will need to purchase a music packet and shipping. This is available as an add-on at the time of registration.
Access to Rehearsal tracks part-by-part to aid you in learning your music will be provided to you in the welcome email.
Nitohtamok Askîy (Listen to the Land) – Sherryl Sewepagaham (2:20)
Published edition: Silent Dawn catalogue # SD2303 SATB
Sherryl Sewepagahm’s beautiful and haunting Nitohtamok Askîy (Listen to the Land) was inspired by a Northern Alberta vista. “Cree beliefs teach that the Cree people are chosen to be the caretakers of the sacred land. It is important to know the land and our relationship to it so we can better understand how to share and care for it,” Sherryl writes. The strong drum beat represents the lands natural rhythm.
Nitohtamok Askîy (Listen to the Land) was first debuted in February 2019 by the University of Saskatchewan’s Greystone Singers, directed by Dr. Jennifer Lang. This is a powerful way to begin a concert about spring, new life and caring for the land.
Here is the translation of the Cree text:
Listen to the Land
We must take care of it together
It teaches us many things
Ce mois de mai – Clément Janequin (1:30)
Manuscript edition* by Erica Phare-Bergh (available from the BCCF) SATB, unaccompanied
*Available for download on the password-protected page with the pronunciation guide
First published in 1529, by editor Pierre Attaignant in his anthology entitled Trente et une chansons musicales a quatre parties (Thirty-one Musical Songs in Four Parts), Ce mois de mai is a spring song about young love.
Mountain, Sea and Sky – Joanna Schwarz, arr. Larry Nickel (4:22)
Published edition Cypress Choral Music catalogue # CP 1071 SATB
This song perfectly depicts West Coast wildlife and BC’s majestic landscape. Joanna Schwarz’s lyrics describe nature’s paradise as it speaks of eagles, salmon, singing rivers, and the beauty of Howe Sound and Mount Garabaldi. This song hearkens back to Nitohtamok Askîy (Listen to the Land) as we reflect upon the beauty of creation that surrounds us.
Winter Awakening – Robbie Smith, arr. Erica Phare-Bergh (4:05)
Published edition Cypress Choral Music catalogue # CP 1961 SATB
Robbie Smith was a prolific and gifted Nova Scotian songwriter who died too young. His colleague, Kathleen Glauser (Naming the Twins) has done a herculean job getting his music out to choirs to perform and audiences to enjoy. This arrangement was one that she commissioned through Choral Canada. I chose to arrange this song from among his many works as I love the imagery, its Celtic feel and the hope that new life brings in spring.
Here Comes the Sun – George Harrison, arr. Erica Phare-Bergh (2:45)
Published edition SheetMusicPlus Digital Download SKU: A0.1563144 SATB
Released in 1969 on the Abbey Road album, Here Comes the Sun was written during a tough time in Harrison’s career. He wrote the song at the country house of his friend Eric Clapton, where Harrison had chosen to play truant for the day to avoid attending a meeting at the Beatles’ Apple Corps organisation. The lyrics reflect his relief at the arrival of spring (after a particularly cold winter) and the temporary respite he was experiencing from the band’s business affairs. You can hear the influences of East Indian music in the rhythms. It was also one of the first songs to be recorded using a Moog synthesizer.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Wednesday, April 9 – rehearsals and social reception
| 12:00 PM | Registration desk opens, pick up your welcome package, enjoy coffee and treats |
| 12:45 PM | Welcome messages |
| 1:00 PM | Rehearsal |
| 2:30 PM | Coffee break |
| 3:00 PM | Rehearsal |
| 4:30 PM | Welcome Social reception at WRBC (appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages) |
| 5:30 PM | Open evening (see below for restaurant options) |
Thursday, April 10 – rehearsals and concert
| 8:00 AM | Coffee and treats |
| 8:30 AM | Rehearsal |
| 10:00 AM | Coffee break |
| 10:30 AM | Rehearsal |
| 12:00 PM | Catered lunch at WRBC |
| 1:15 PM | Rehearsal |
| 2:15 PM | Dress rehearsal (Individual and mass choir and staging) |
| 3:30 PM | Free time, dinner on your own (see below for restaurant options) |
| 6:00 PM | Call time and warmup |
| 6:30 PM | Doors open |
| 7:00 PM | Concert |
THE VENUE
White Rock Baptist Church (WRBC), 1657-140th Street, Surrey, will be our home base for both days of Seniors’ Chorfest and will host all rehearsals, performance, meals and social events. The church has excellent facilities for a large group and the space we’ll be using has good accessibility for any participants with mobility issues. There is ample parking space for private vehicles and buses.
This location provides easy access for groups travelling from the island or the interior, without the need to navigate busy traffic within Vancouver. We highly recommend making ferry reservations asap if you are travelling from the island.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Hotel rates are currently being confirmed and rates will be updated here as they are available.
Official event hotels:
| Best Western King George Inn & Suites | 8033 King George Boulevard, Surrey |
| Best Western Plus Langley Inn | 5978 Glover Rd, Langley |
Other recommended hotels:
| Ramada by Wyndham Surrey/Langley | 19225 Hwy 10 (56th Ave), Surrey |
| Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton | 19500 Langley Bypass, Surrey |
| Best Western Peace Arch | 2293 King George Boulevard |
RESTAURANT OPTIONS
We highly recommend checking into restaurant options that can accommodate your group and booking ahead of time, particularly for concert day when there is limited time between rehearsals and concert. You may also find other restaurant options near your hotel.
Here are some suggestions we can offer:
Semiahmoo Mall area: approx. 3 km from White Rock Baptist church
- Brown’s Social House – 1601 152nd St. Surrey
- Sapporo Kitchen – 1625 152nd St. Surrey
- White Spot – 1681 152nd St. Surrey
- Hang Lee Wok – in Semiahmoo Mall – closes at 6pm (could do take out)
Southpoint Mall area: approx. 5 km from White Rock Baptist Church
- Cactus Club Café – 15079 32nd Ave Surrey – Southpoint Mall
- Milestones – 3085 152nd St. Surrey
- The Keg Steakhouse + Bar – 15180 32nd Ave Diversion, Surrey
Ocean Park: approx. 2.5 km from White Rock Baptist Church
- Morrison’s Café – 12855 16th Ave, Surrey
King George Blvd: approx. 5 km from White Rock Baptist Church
- Roadhouse Grill – 1791 King George Blvd, Surrey
White Rock (Marine Drive) area: approx. 3 km from White Rock Baptist church (note: limited parking)
- Uli’s Restaurant – 15023 Marine Drive, White Rock
- Moby Dick Restaurant – 15479 Marine Drive, White Rock
- Cosmos Greek Restaurant – 14871 Marine Drive, White Rock
- The Boathouse Restaurant – 14925 Marine Drive, White Rock
- Washington Ave Grill – 15782 Marine Drive, White Rock
CLINICIAN
Erica Phare-Bergh has her M. Mus. in Choral Conducting from McGill University. A native of Montreal, she directed numerous choirs there from 1988-2010, including the Vanier College Choirs and the McGill Conservatory Choirs. She married and moved to Calgary in 2010, where she directed the choirs at William Aberhart High School, as well as Westwinds Green Choir, Savridi Singers and taught Music and French with the Calgary Board of Education. She is in demand as an adjudicator and presenter and was the guest conductor for the 10th Anniversary of the CBC-McGill Youth Gala.
HOST CHOIR
