Nathaniel Dett Chorale Celebrates 10 Years of Music

Nathaniel Dett Chorale Celebrates 10 Years of Music

The Hon. Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture, Attends Event

Toronto ’Äì The halls of the Glenn Gould Studio were echoing with the joyful sounds of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, one of Canada’Äôs most renowned musical groups, for the celebration of its 10^th Anniversary year. The February 25^th concert, entitled ’ÄúVoices of a Diaspora ... Dett to Africa’Äù, marked the close of Black History Month and was a powerful combination of favourite R. Nathaniel Dett compositions and exciting contemporary Afrocentric premiˆ®res.

Joining the friends and supporters of the Chorale, was the Hon. Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture. The Minister spoke about Ontario’Äôs vibrant arts community and also noted how the Chorale is using a three-year, $280,500 grant received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation last year.

’ÄúThe Nathaniel Dett Chorale has worked hard to bring Afrocentric music to the people of this province. Ontario is delighted to help them expand their work in raising awareness and instilling pride in African heritage,’Äù said Culture Minister Aileen Carroll.

The funds are helping to continue to build on the Chorale’Äôs organizational capacity by expanding on outreach initiatives helping high school students and youth to learn about Afrocentric music. It will also allow the Chorale to engage more volunteers to help build on this program and to further expand website and technological capabilities.

’ÄúWe are very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their ongoing support,’Äù says Brainerd Blyden-Taylor, the founder, Artistic Director and conductor of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. ’ÄúWith this assistance we will be able to continue to empower a new generation of singers to demonstrate leadership and mentorship in their home schools, and to seek unity through music and celebration’Äù.

The 10^th Anniversary of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale is proving to be a memorable one. On January 20^th, the Chorale performed at the invitation of the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC to help commemorate the inauguration of US President, Barack Obama. The group was also asked to sing at the Smithsonian’Äôs National Museum of the American Indian Out of Many festival concert on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 19^th.

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada's first professional chamber choir dedicated to the creation and performance of Afrocentric music of all styles. Mr. Blyden-Taylor founded the chorale in response to a musical void in Canada; there had never before been a professional ensemble dedicated to the dissemination of Afrocentric choral music.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For over 25 years, the Foundation has supported the growth and vitality of communities across the province. OTF continues to strengthen the capacity of the volunteer sector through investments in community-based initiatives. For more information, please visit www.trilliumfoundation.org.