This holiday season Dead of Winter is taking to the live stage with a free concert. Join us as we present Celebrating the Carol, performing time-honoured carols and early music, echoes our very first founding event 25 years ago. In 2021, it’s an invitation to journey with us out of our COVID-19 cocoons to enjoy our first safe, live performance in almost two years.
We continue to have fun collaborating with top Manitoba choral composers including Scott Reimer, Daniel Wiebe and Michael McKay. Rounding out the repertoire will be divine music by di Lasso, Gabrieli, Schubert, Mueller and Wishart. Bring your kids, your vocal chords and something for Manitoba Harvest! See below for our COVID-19 protocols.
CELEBRATING THE CAROL
Saturday, November 27, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.
AND
Sunday, November 28, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
Crescent Fort Rouge United Church (525 Wardlaw Avenue)
Curated by John Wiens, Andrew Balfour, Mel Braun, Vic Pankratz
Conducted by John Wiens
Reserve your tickets today to guarantee entry!
ABOUT JOHN WIENS
A dynamic conductor hailed for “awe-inspiring” (Winnipeg Free Press) performances, John Wiens has cemented his reputation as one of Canada’s finest chamber choir conductors. He performs across Canada each season, and is at home in current, ancient, and romantic repertoire. He is known as an innovative programmer who is always ready to push the boundaries of what a concert can be to explore new ways of experiencing music.
John has appeared on stages across the world, pursuing an innovative path as a programmer known for an uncommonly wide repertoire. John’s inquisitiveness and love of investigation often results in the performance of new music, and music from before 1700. His conducting career has ranged from Belgium (University Chorus for L’Université Catholique de Louvain) to Morocco (Ensemble Voca Me) to Montreal (St. Matthias Anglican Church, Westmount) and Winnipeg (Polycoro, Camerata Nova).
Born into a musical family in small–town Manitoba, John aspired to be a musician from an early age. He studied violin at the age of four, and sang in choirs throughout his childhood. He holds degrees in Violin, Voice, and Conducting, from CMU, McGill, and the University of Sherbrooke respectively. He has studied privately with Paul van Nevel, (director of the Huelgas Ensemble), Christopher Jackson (SMAM), Andrew Megill (University of Illinois), Konstantin Krechler, and Donna Grescoe.
John is constantly expanding his knowledge of music ancient and modern. He has conducted the premiers of works by Andrew Balfour, Norbert Palej, T. Pat Carrabré, Neil Weisenthel, and Isaiah Ceccarelli, and regularly programs repertoire by many of Canada’s leading composers including Anna Sokolovic, Mychael Danna, Vivian Fung, Nicolas Gilbert, and Oleksa Lozowchuk.
When not performing, John is in more and more demand as a clinician, adjudicator, and juror, participating in these activities as often as his busy schedule will allow. He is honored to work with and support new talent. He loves spending his spare time with his wife and sons in the kitchen or outdoors, and he is an avid fencer.
YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY
We are so looking forward to performing for you again – as safely as possible. For our concerts on November 27 & 28 – Celebrating the Carol – we are:
– Selling tickets to approx. 33% capacity
– Requiring all patrons, choristers, volunteers, and staff to be fully vaccinated
– Requiring all patrons and choristers, volunteers, and staff to remain masked throughout the entire concert
