Music
Halifax Music Co-op shares the spotlight with aerial acrobats
Choir songs, spoken word poetry and acrobatics take the stage at Murmur 2016
caption
Aiyana Graham performing aerial acrobatics on silks during spoke word.The Halifax Music Co-op’s (HMC) Big Choir is ending its fall season Tuesday with the sound of 30 voices singing in harmony, spoken word poetry and aerial acrobatics.
caption
Aiyana Graham performing aerial acrobatics on silks.HMC choir director Tessa Short said this is the first time the choir has collaborated with acrobats.
“It makes it more immersive because when you go to a choir performance, you sit there and watch them sing,” she said. “But their art is for your ears and not necessarily for your eyes.”
caption
The Murmur 2016 program.The two-night performance called Murmur 2016 is being held at the HMC on Barrington Street.
Monday night’s performance featured Aiyana Graham’s acrobatic silks act. Acrobats Ryan Gray and Dawn Shepherd were set to perform on Tuesday.
caption
Graham holds a pose for the crowd on Monday night.Graham said she has been practising aerial acrobatics for five years.
“The art just comes naturally to me,” she said. “I love it.”
As members of the choir preformed a spoken word show, Graham swung from yards of purple fabric that hung from a rigging point on the ceiling.
“The acrobats are catering their art to what the music says to them,” said Short.
caption
Short conducts the HMC Big Choir as the crowd watches.Short said the HMC Big Choir recently finished another concert and had only three weeks to prepare five pieces of music for this event, but they learned quickly.
caption
A colourful painted wall in the HMC space.Choir member Emily Hart praised the group’s energy.
“They just throw music at us and say ‘do it’ and then we do,” she said.
After moving to Halifax in January, Hart joined the HMC choir as a way to get out and meet people.
“This particular organization was very welcoming,” she said. “As a newcomer to the city, that was a pretty refreshing thing to experience.”
caption
Richard Townsend accompanies the HMC singers.The HMC accepts singers and musicians of all skill levels and auditions are conducted for placement purposes only. Piano accompanist Richard Townsend has been with the HMC for a year and a half.
Townsend said he is proud of the progress the choir has made, as many of the members this term have never sung in a choir.
“Everyone here is so enthusiastic about the music they are singing and learning,” he said.
A
Ali Robertson