Elaine Quilichini

Review: Founder and Conductor Elaine Quilichini's excellent Calgary Girls Chorus-Viva, for singers in grades two to six, present their debut CD of 21 songs, and it's touching and impressive from the first tune, the title tune by Timothy Strang. Spiritual music like "Once in Royal David's City," "I See the Love of God in Every River" by David Ouchterlony, Handel's "Dear Lord and Savior" and "Hand me down my silver trumpet;" upbeat songs like "Welcome Carol," "The Song of the Music Makers," "We Will Sing for Joy," Eric Thiman's "The Skylark," Thomas Dunhill's "April's a Lovely Lady" and Franz Schubert's "The Trout;" children's music like "The Owl and the Pussycat," "Badgers and Hedgehogs" and "Hey Diddle Diddle," and folk tunes like "Marie's Wedding, "The Bonny Blue-Eyed Sailor" and "The Man from Okerboker" all contribute to this feel-good, enjoyable collection.

Songlist: A Question To A Child's Question, Welcome Carol, Winds Through The Olive Trees, Oce In Royal David's City, I See The Lovee Of God In Every River, Dear Lord And Savior, The Dream Seller, The Song Of The Music Makers, We Will Sing For Joy, Arcady, The Skylark, April's A Lovely Lady, The Trout (Die Forelle), Marie's Wedding, The Owl And The Pussycat, The Bonnie Blue Eyed Sailor, Badgers And HedgeHogs, Hey Diddle Diddle, The Man From Okerboker, Hand Me Down My Siler Trumpet, Cool Under Fire

Review: Elaine Quilichini directs the elite "Brava," finest of 5 performing choirs within the CGC, in this dramatically beautiful Christmas collection, accompanied by pianos, percussion, violin and cello. This CD was recorded in 2003, after which the Choir performed in the Choral Peace Concert at Carnegie Hall in NYC. 23 songs, beginning with 7 by Salvator Mundi "Make We Merry," "Mirabile Mysterium," "Be we Merry in this Feast," "Lullay," "Susani," "Christie, Redemptor Omnium," and the lively, joyous "Welcome Yule." Other favorites are "Mary's Cradle Song," El Cant des Ocells," the French songs "Venez, divin Messie," "Il est ne, le divin enfant," "Dans cette etable" and "On ne creaint plus dans l'univers," "The Holly and The Ivy," "A Carol of Peace," "Bashana Habah'ah" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." A sweet, memorable collection that will fill you and yours with joy and Christmas spirit! Complete lyrics on the nice liner notes.

Songlist: Make We merry, Mirabile Mysterium, Be we Merry in this Feast, Lullaby, Susanni, Christe, Redemptor Omnium, Welcome, Yule, Ave maria, Mary's Cradle Song, Canco a la Verge, El Cant des Ocells, Lullaby, Venez, divin Messie, Il est ne le divin Enfant, Dans cette etable, On ne craint plus dans lunivers, In Dulci Jubilo, The Holly and The Ivy, Away in a Manger, A Carol of Peace, Bashana Habah'ah, Blessing, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Review: The Calgary Girls Choir presents a unique musical gift to its audiences everywhere. Recorded by Brava, the main performing, recording and touring ensemble of the Calgary Girls Choir, Christmas Creche is the first of many promising accomplishments by these talented singers.

Songlist: Je Ne L'O Se Dire, Come Let Us All This Day, Schafe Konnen Sicher Weiden, Jesu Meme Freude, The Lord Is My Shepherd, Guten Abend, Velvet Shoes, A Litany, Os Justi, Rise Up My Love, And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears, Angels Are Everywhere, The Blooming Bright Star Of Belle Isle, She's Like The Swallow, Shule Agra, The Drinaun Donn, Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye!, I Am In Love I Dare Not Own It, O Can Ye Sew Cushions?, Vem Kan Segla Forutan Vind?, Are You Sleeping, Brother John?, Niska Banja, Old Macdoodle Had A Band, Feel Good, When I Sing

Review: The award-winning Calgary Girls Choir, formed of students attending the Canadian Choral Music School and members of the Calgary community, includes girls and young women from 5 to 19 years old. "Collection" is a lively group of 25 songs, from the masters (Bach's "Come Let Us All This Day," "Schafe Konnen Sicher Weiden" and "Jesu Meine Freude;" Schubert's "The Lord Is My Shepherd" and Brahms' "Guten Abend"), and contemporary composers (Randall Thompson's "Velvet Shoes," Eleanor Daley's "Os Justi" and "Rise Up My Love," and Daniel Pinkham's "Angels are Everywhere") to folk tunes (Canadian folksong "She's Like the Swallow," "The Blooming Bright Star of Belle Isle," the Irish folktunes "Shule Agra" and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye!", and the Appalachian folktune "I Am In Love, I Dare Not Own It"), gospel ("Feel Good") and even jazz ("When I Sing"). A lovely, mostly lightly accompanied Collection by the spirited, talented CGC.

Songlist: Je Ne L'O Se Dire, Come Let Us All This Day, Schafe Konnen, Jesu Meine Freude, The Lord Is My Shepherd, Guten Abend, Velvet Shoes, A litany, Os Justi, Rise Up my Love, And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears, Angels Are Everywhere, The Blooming Bright Star Of Belle Isle, She's Like The Swallow / Three Irish Songs, Shule Agra, The Drinaun Donn, Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye!, I Am In Love, I Dare Not Own It, O can Ye Sew Cushions?, Vem Kan Segla Forutan Vind?, Are You Sleeping, Brother John?, Niska banja, Old MacDoodle Had A Band, Feel Good, When I Sing

Review: Conductor Elaine Quilichini leads her talented singers in a lightly accompanied, spirited Christmas collection. The selection of 20 songs begins with the 8-parts of Derek Holman's eclectic masterpiece, "Sir Christemas," and continues in the same vein with David Willcocks' dissonant "Psalm 150," Eric Thiman's dreamy "Spindrift," a pair by Bach, "Wir eilen mit schwachen" and "Domine Deus," a moody pair by Imant Raminsh, "Psalm 23" and "Vestigia," and the moving "Bashana Habah'ah" by Nurit Hirsh. A lovely, very different Christmas collection by one of Canada's great girls choirs!

Songlist: ir Christemas, Psalm 150, Spindrift, The Green Bushes, The Blackbird, Domine Deus, Wir Eilen Mit Schwachen, If Ye Love Me, Psalm 23, Vestigia, Bashana Habah'ah, MAry's Cradle Song, On Christmas Morn

Review: Artistic Director Elaine Quilichini founded the Calgary Girls Choir in 1995, an award-winning community choir known for its outstanding performance of a wide variety of musical styles and challenging repertoire. The Choir offers five programs for girls and young women, of which two, "Allegra," a preparatory choir for girls ages 6 to 11 years, and "Brava," winner of many provincial and national music awards. 15 Christmas songs, all accompanied by light piano, beginning with the title cut, a medley of the "7 Joys," including "This Is The Truth," "Din, Don! Merrily on High," "Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine," "Patapan," "Fum, fum, fum!" and others; Schubert's "Ave Maria," "Once In Royal David's City," the Czech folksong "Zither Carol," "Al Shlosha D'Varim," the lovely "Candles, Candles," "The Carol of the Rose," "Apple-Tree Wassail," and standard carols "Fa La, La, La, La" and "Silent Night," "A Celtic Blessing" and others. A lovely Christmas winner from one of Canada's most talented and beloved children's choirs. 

Songlist: The Joy of Love: This is the truth, The Joy of Bells: Din don! merrily on high, The Joy of Mary: Joseph dearest, Joseph mine, The Joy of Children: Patapan, The Joy of the New Year: New Year Song, The Joy of Dance: Fum, fum, fum, The Joy of Song: God bless the master of this house, Ave Maria, The little road to Bethlehem, Once in Royal David's City, The Little Jesus Came to Town, Zither Carol, Candles, Candles, Al Shlosha D'Varim, The Carol of the Rose, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, Carols of French Canada, Apple-Tree Wassail, Fa, la, La, La, La, Silent Night, A Celtic Blessing