Our first concert in Ottawa

Written by Charles Stolte, Tenor in Pro Coro Canada

It’s hard to say if there was more sweat or more music made the night of our first tour concert, which was at Saint Matthew’s Anglican Church in Ottawa. It was uncertain after we concluded our final magical work, The Nightingale, if our audience was enraptured or suffering heat exhaustion, but all was made clear when the capacity audience got to their feet to give us an extended ovation. And when the conductor is beaming at the end of a concert, all thoughts of discomfort evaporate instantly. Pro Coro Canada is a fabulous choir with a tremendous conductor [and joined by an unbelievable recorder player, Vincent Lauzer], and we certainly showed that tonight.

We have been working hard for a short time on a good deal of challenging music and it felt good to have performed it so well. Last night, after travelling all day, we engaged in a three-hour rehearsal and enjoyed a slightly shorter rehearsal before tonight’s concert. The density of our preparations did not necessarily breed confidence since performing is completely different from practicing, but tonight’s satisfying first tour performance gives us confidence and energy for the rest of our tour. Of course, we will keep polishing so that we continue to improve through our Ontario performances in Toronto, Owen Sound and, finally, Elora.

We were refreshed earlier today by a free morning to enjoy the wonderful sights and activities in our nation’s capital, many of which are within walking distance of our accommodation at the University of Ottawa residences. Some choristers visited museums, some walked the Rideau Canal and saw the famous locks at work, some walked the grounds of Parliament Hill and some just chilled in their rooms.  And, in keeping with the ultimate bureaucracy present in our nation’s capital, perhaps the most important activity through our stay in Ottawa was the twice-daily visit to the Ministry of Coffee.