As we approach the Christmas season, four of Calgary’s oil patch choirs gather to present a MASS ENERGY Choral concert. Now in its sixth season, this wonderful annual concert will feature four corporate choirs – ConocoPhillips, Repsol, Suncor and TransCanada.
Each choir presents a short program and then they all come together on stage for a MASS ENERGY finale. Don’t miss this beautiful concert which begins the Christmas season of concerts for the ProArts@Noon Concert Series.
The ConocoPhillips Choir is one of the oldest of the oil patch choirs, starting around 40 years ago! The choir’s members include employees and retirees of various companies, from amateur to trained singers! They can be found entertaining morning and lunchtime listeners in the +15 in Gulf Canada two weeks before Christmas! Once again, the ConocoPhillips Choir is led by John Morgan, who is the Artistic Director of Kantorei, the Vocal Director of the Young Canadians, and much more!
The Repsol Choir is in its 14th year and performs under the direction of musician, composer & musicologist Bruce Petherick, accompanied by local artist Ron Proctor at the piano. This four-part choir performs in the spring and during the Christmas season and takes the role of company ambassador seriously, performing at various downtown and community venues. Highlights for the Repsol Choir include having released a full-length CD “Wreath of Carols”, a fundraiser for the United Way of Calgary and recorded under the name of Talisman Energy Choir, as well as the annual “Feel the Energy” mass energy choir concert. This corporate choir continues to challenge itself with more complex pieces, mixing contemporary favourites with classical compositions, and having a lot of fun along the way!
The Suncor Energy Choir is a group of employees and interested outsiders who enjoy singing on a regular basis. It was formed in 1973 as the Pacific Choir then renamed the Petro-Canada Chorale in 1978 and finally became the Suncor Energy Choir in 2009. The choir performs primarily in the downtown core at charity functions and senior citizen homes. Our repertoire covers a wide range of music including folk, jazz, classical & popular. Instruction & guidance is provided by our director, Susan Woodward and the choir is open to everyone who enjoys singing. We meet every Wednesday in room 17E in the Suncor Energy Centre from 11:45 am to 1:00 pm.
TransCanada in Harmony – Christmas Choir
The TransCanada in Harmony (TCiH) choir was formed in the spring of 2009 and consists of core and contract employees as well as retirees. Soon after forming we had the opportunity to recruit Karen Nell-Bennett who took on the direction of the choir in January 2010 and accompanist Michael Coburn joined us the following year. We are motivated by the improved musicianship and repertory we have achieved under Karen’s coaching. Performances include our twice yearly (Summer & Christmas themed) lobby performances in buildings in and around the TransCanada Tower. We have participated in Choral Fest and have performed for TC Employee Forums, United Way Kick Offs, the employee Stampede Breakfast and senior’s centres. As the new kids on the block TCiH is excited to be joining the Mass Energy Choir and expanding our experiences and outreach into our downtown community.
