Luminous Voices
Fire-Flowers (2023)
“It is our hope that these musical works on death and renewal of Johannes Brahms and contemporary composer Zachary Wadsworth bring solace and comfort to listeners.”
– Timothy Shantz, Artistic Director
Luminous Voices, andrew balfour
Ispiciwin (2023)
Luminous Voices has released a new album, Ispiciwin (“journey” in Cree), a collection of pieces by mostly Canadian composers from Turtle Island. The fifth album from the esteemed ensemble and their third on Leaf Music combines choral music sung in Cree and represents a promising stepping stone on the path to reconciliation. Ispiciwin represents personal and collective reflection by the composers, singers, instrumentalists and directors, culminating in an album that represents many unique compositional voices and styles.
Ispiciwin is a unique project that brings together many strands of Indigenous and non-Indigenous identity, a sentiment that attracted Winnipeg and Cree composer Andrew Balfour, who said, “Working with Luminous Voices and Timothy Shantz, along with artists Jessica McMann and Walter MacDonald White Bear, is a dream collaboration that results in a closer understanding of truth-telling and storytelling from an Indigenous perspective.”
Luminous Voices, ARTEM VEDEL
ARTEM VEDEL: TWELVE SACRED CHORAL CONCERTI & DIVINE LITURGY OF sT. jOHN cHRYSOSTOM (2021)
Luminous Voices releases a recording of Ukrainian choral concertos of Artem Vedel. Vedel, together with Maksym Berezovsky and Dmytro Bortniansky, is considered one of Ukraine's 'Golden Three' composers of the 18th century. In August 2014, thanks to the generosity of the Ukraine Millennium Foundation, we performed all 12 of Vedel's choral concerti in both Edmonton and Calgary, before recording them in studio.
Luminous Voices, Peter-Anthony Togni
Sea Dreams (2020)
On July 17, 2020, we release Sea Dreams – our third full-length album under the artistic direction of Timothy Shantz. Recorded at the Bell Concert Hall at Mount Royal University, Sea Dreams was composed by Peter-Anthony Togni and features guest artists: Jeff Reilly, bass clarinet/ Katie Partridge, soprano / Oliver Munar, tenor / Sarah Hahn-Scinocco & Sarah MacDonald, flute.
Sea Dreams reflects the relationship between the ocean and the sea as a life metaphor, with its implicit suggestion of journeying, inward emotions and ever uncertainties. A continuation of Togni’s recent works, in which choral writing is blended seamlessly with unusual accompanying instrumental support. The framing movements of the work draw on texts from T.S. Elliot’s Four Quartets, with the middle movement employing the words of the Marian hymn “Alma Redemptoris Mater”.
THE FAR WEST (2016) - SOLD OUT
Zachary Wadsworth's The Far West is a powerful cantata that addresses the AIDS crisis through music and poetry of Tim Dlugos, who died of the disease in 1990 at the age of 40 while studying to become a priest. Through this work, Luminous Voices honours those affected by HIV/AIDS, past, present and future. Featuring Canadian-American tenor Lawrence Wiliford and the Luminous Voices Chamber Orchestra.
The Far West is the winner of the 2016 Choral Canada award for Outstanding Choral Composition AND the winner of the 2018 National Choral Award for Outstanding Choral Recording by Choral Canada.
The CD also includes two other works by Wadsworth: Come to the Road (2013), which was commissioned by Cornell University on the occasion of its 145 commencement ceremonies; and Up-Hill (2016) for SATB choir and soprano solo, which was commissioned by, and dedicated to, Timothy Shantz and Luminous Voices.
MENDELSSOHN'S TE DEUM (2015) - SOLD OUT
Winner of the 2016 Choral Canada award for Outstanding Choral Recording.
Written when Mendelssohn was 17 years old, the Te Deum is lesser known than many of his works, but features elaborate counterpoint (up to 16 parts at times) and grand character. Features Neil Cockburn on organ., and a variety of soloists from within the ensemble.
The CD also includes Mendelssohn's famous unaccompanied motet Denn er hat seinen Engel befohlen über dir, and two part songs by Franz Schubert, whose music was an influence on Mendelssohn. Both art songs feature Cheryl Emery on piano, while the Ständchen features Patricia Thompson, mezzo-soprano.
This recording was supported, in part, through a grant from the Rozsa Foundation.