Hexaphone presents ''Eostre: Spirit of Light''

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Saturday, March 20th, 2010
8:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Hexaphone, Victoria’s six-member a capella vocal ensemble, presents “Eostre: Spirit of Light”. Eostre was the medieval heathen goddess of light or dawn, representing the re-birth of life and nature after the harsh winter months, an appropriate celebration for the vernal equinox that occurs on March 20.

The programme will feature the premiere of “Motet: Death will find me” by Rodney Sharman commissioned by Hexaphone (with financial assistance from the B.C. Arts Council). “More Shakespeare Songs” by Finnish composer Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, works of Estonian composer Cyrillus Kreek, the engaging “Six Fire Songs” of American Morten Lauridsen, and lighter arrangements of tunes by the Beatles and Billy Joel will round out the program. Rodney Sharman is currently Composer-in-Residence with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. He is a graduate of the University of Victoria School of Music, the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany, and received a PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Hexaphone is: Carolyn Howe (soprano), Arlene Overman (alto), John Doughty (tenor), Michael Zastre (tenor), Nicholas Fairbank (baritone), and Paul Boughen (bass). Hexaphone was formed in 2002 with the goal of performing diverse styles of vocal music, one voice to a part. Called "Canada's only professional vocal sextet," (Colin Miles, Canadian Music Centre) it has become a highlight of Victoria's choral scene, singing music of many styles and periods, with a particular focus on new Canadian works. Hexaphone is regularly invited to perform at arts events, including the Victoria Symphony's New Currents Festival, the Voice++ Festival, and the New Music In New Places concert series sponsored by the Canadian Music Centre. In 2008, Hexaphone was chosen to premiere Five Songs for BC, a new work commissioned by the Canadian Music Centre celebrating BC's 150th anniversary.

“Thanks…for the wonderful performance of Canadian music. … this was a highlight of our year and we commend your musicality and your fresh programming.” (Janet Leffek, BC Registered Music Teachers Association)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact Mary Scobie 250- 477-2773 mscobie@shaw.ca or visit our website www.hexaphone.org for more details, sound clips, and a downloadable press kit.