For those interested in the contemporary, Giovanna Marini and her vocal quartet will be performing her own cantata entitled Si bémol and other innovative works as part of a benefit concert for “La Chanterie”, a youth vocal ensemble in Quartier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. The concert forms part of Espaces émergents, a festival providing a window onto emerging cultures in Montréal (October 7).

Later in the month, the Grand Choeur de Montréal presents Rutter’s Requiem alongside Pierre Mercure’s Cantate pour une joie under the direction of Martin Dagenais (October 27).

In November, Musica Orbium, the solidly blended 50 voice ensemble directed by Patrick Wedd, performs Arvo Pärt’s Berliner Messe, Magnificat and Solfeggio in conjunction with the Fauré Requiem (November 11).

The choral season opens at McGill with performances from McGill Chamber Singers and University Chorus (November 13), and the McGill Concert Choir and Women’s Chorale (November 27), led by Robert Ingari, and McGill’s newest addition to the choral department, Bostonian organist, conductor and award-winning composer, Julian Wachner.

Peter Schubert’s Viva Voce opens their season of engaging, commentated and interactive concerts with The Art of the Fugue, featuring music from the likes of Brahms, Gould, Eisler and Bach intermixed with insights into the workings and delights of imitation (November 28).

For a taste of the baroque, Dagenais’ Choeur Melodium perform Händel’s Dixit Dominus and the Pergolesi Stabat Mater, featuring soprano Meredith Hall and countertenor Daniel Taylor (November 23 and 25).

The Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal tour Montreal under the auspices of CACUM to perform a selection of Händel’s italian language cantatas (October • , 6, 17, 19 and November 13), and in the midst of the holiday season stage a performance of the Bach Magnificat, as well as works by Vivaldi, Telemann and Charpentier (December 16).

In our next issue, we’ll look at the holiday choral season.