Unisong 2010 Schedule
14th ANNUAL FREE UNISONG PATRIOTIC CHORAL CONCERTS JUNE 28-JULY 4

Youth and adult choirs from across Canada perform FREE  3 times on Canada Day at the National Arts Centre Plus other Concerts as listed below:                                                   

June 29, 12-1:30pm        National Arts Centre Foyer Main Stage
                                          All the choirs listed below for June 29 perform individually

June 29, 8:00pm              Rideau Park United Church, 2203 Alta Vista at Cunningham
                                          Medicine Hat College Girls Choir (AB)
                                          Harbour View Choral Ensemble (NB)

June 29, 8:00pm             St-Paul’s Presbyterian Church, 971 Woodroffe at Queensway 
                                         Menihek High School Choir (NL),
                                         Choeur Neil-Michaud (NB)
    

June 29, 8:00pm             Parkdale United Church, 429 Parkdale off Queensway N.
                                         St-Patrick’s Elementary School Choir (BC)
                                         Colorado Children’s Chorale Festival Singers


June 30, 8:00pm             Parkdale United Church, 429 Parkdale off Queensway N.
                                         Signal Hill Alumni Choir (Trinidad and Tobago)


July 1, 9:30-10:00am    National Arts Centre Foyer Main Stage
                                         Signal Hill Alumni Choir, (Trinidad and Tobago)

July 1, 10-11:00am       National Arts Centre Southam Hall
Unisong Massed Choral Concert, all the above June 29 choirs plus the Ottawa Children’s Choir, Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, and Fanshawe Chorus London and Fagan Singers                       
Conductor: Gerald Fagan


July 1, 2-2:30pm            National Arts Centre Foyer Main Stage
                                         Signal Hill Alumni Choir (Trinidad and Tobago) 

   
July 1, 2:30-4:00pm      National Arts Centre Southam Hall
Unisong Massed Choir as at 10 am  and National Arts Centre Orchestra,  Conductors: Gerald Fagan  and Pinchas Zukerman
                                       
July 1, 7-7:30pm            National Arts Centre Foyer Main Stage
                                         Signal Hill Alumni Choir (Trinidad and Tobago)                                     

July 1, 7:30-9pm            National Arts Centre Southam Hall
Unisong Massed Choir as at 10am and the National Arts Centre Orchestra
Conductors: Gerald Fagan and Pinchas Zukerman

July 2, 7:30pm                Knox Presbyterean Church, 120 Lisgar Street
                                         Harbour View Choral Ensemble

July 4, 10-11:00am       Rideau Park United Church,2203 Alta Vista at Cunningham
                                        Signal Hill Alumni Choir (Trinidad and Tobago)


Unisong, a patriotic choral festival created by Lois and Don Harper, is in its 14th year. At least one choir from each province( and sometimes the territories) comes to Ottawa as a proud representative of their city, region and province. Over the years, Unisong has brought 191 groups, over 5000 singers, to our Nations Capital.  After spending 5 days together, rehearsing, sightseeing and performing, they return home as musical ambassadors of a United Canada. Through their concerts, these choirs demonstrate vividly that Canada works best when Canadians work together. After this festival is over it often happens that choirs from different parts of Canada like each other and set up choral exchanges between themselves. All these contacts result in people who might never otherwise come to Ottawa in their life time, gaining a new respect for their National Capital, their federal government and for their “Home and Native Land”
For further information or photos contact Don Harper at (613) 234-3360, (613) 762-0865 (Mobile) or abc@mkitravel.com


All the arrangements for these choirs and the festival are made by Lois and Don Harper and the staff at Arts Bureau for the Continents, an MKI Travel Company, 2121 Carling Ave, Suite 202A, Office Level, Ottawa K2A 1H2  

Unisong logo

General Information About Unisong
ELIGIBILITY: The interactive non-competitive Festival invites Canadian children’s, teen, youth, and adult choirs and youth orchestras to represent their province a massed concerts in celebration of Canada Day in Ottawa, the nation’s capital. Groups will be asked to submit their proposed repertoire.

ADMISSION: Participation in Unisong is by invitation only. Interested groups must complete the Entry Form and send it together with required supporting materials to the Festival Headquarters. Contact us for availability.

ACCEPTANCE: Acceptance of participants is based on a demonstration recording and is subject to approval by the Unisong artistic committee. Groups will be notified of their approval after having confirmed their interest and receipt of the $500 deposit. This deposit is non-refundable other than if the group is not selected as a representative from their home province. If accepted, the deposit is credited to the choir’s account.

TRANSPORTATION: Buses will be arranged for transportation between Festival Events. Flights, coaches or other transportation to Ottawa from your home location can be arranged for an additional cost.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEALS: The festival package price includes hotel accommodations for 4 nights, plus 2 meals per day beginning with dinner on June 28th and ending with breakfast on July 2nd. Groups choosing to stay with local hosts (subject to request and availability) will have the cost of the festival package reduced accordingly. If you have a large group you may want to pre-arrange bagged lunches. These are subject to additional cost and must be requested a minimum of 1 week prior to the Festival.

HOSPITALITY: A local host will be assigned for each group to accompany them throughout their stay in Ottawa and make it as pleasant as possible.

SIGHTSEEING: Opportunities will be offered during the Festival for groups to visit local attractions such as museums and to visit areas of interest within the region. Entrance costs are not included, but are nominal.

PRE OR POST FESTIVAL TOURS: Groups are welcome to request quotes for staying in Ottawa / the Outaouais area for additional days or to ðvisit other parts of Canada before or after their Festival trip.

PARTICIPATION: Choristers are expected to have all pieces of music as well prepared and memorized prior to arrival at the Festival as possible as there is no time for learning here, only time for “polishing” with the approximate 400 young musicians we expect to attend. Groups will be expected to perform in the Festival's concerts as assigned. Participation in a Sunday morning church service is an optional component of the Festival and can be arranged upon request.
Unisong performance 2

 “The organization was superb; everything ran smoothly according to the schedule from the buses to the rehearsal and concert times, as well as to all the attractions.”