By Maisha Hasan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
“We knew we had given the performance of a lifetime.”
After performing on the world’s biggest choir stage, with tears brimming in their eyes and dressed in various hues of blue, Myriad Ensemble walked away from the World Choir Games with two gold medals, in Adult Choirs of Equal Voices, and Folklore and Indigenous Music with Accompaniment.
For Myriad’s Artistic Director Elise Naccarato, the wins weren’t expected, but definitely appreciated, and encapsulated how it felt to be performing at such a grand level.
“We laid everything out on that stage; there was nothing more that we could have done. The singers laugh at me because I say it was electric, but it really was. That was such an electrifying moment…the fact that the result was a gold medal felt representative of what we believed we had done,” Naccarato said.
Naccarato is the founder as well as artistic director of the Burlington-based choir and has been integral to the group’s success, from its inception to its send-off to Sweden for World Choir Games a month ago. More than 160 choirs and around 8,500 singers from over 40 countries and regions came together for the Games.
Before leaving, Naccarato noticed the group had a greater desire to show up for one another than to win. Now that both have been fulfilled, she couldn’t be prouder.
“What they showed me was that at the heart of artistic excellence and innovation is our benchmark for what we want to strive for artistically. At the heart of it all is human connection,” Naccarato said. “They validated for me that that connection and understanding and kindness and care is at the heart of it all. Because without that foundation, excellence can’t thrive. And it’s a feeling that is honestly challenging to put into words because it’s just that. It’s a feeling.”
Naccarato emphasized the universality of the choir experience.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you do, your background, your age, how you grew up. There’s a shared humanity. Choral singing brings people together in that way,” Naccarato said.
More than performing, showing up for one another came in the little moments – the ones that seem small compared to the excitement of performing, but hold just as much importance. The first night of their trip to Sweden (they had arrived in Helsingborg days before the competition), they witnessed a beautiful sunset together.
Then, of course, there was the usual soundcheck and rehearsal, but condensed to around ten to fifteen minutes, given there were more than 100 other choirs.
While a slightly longer rehearsal might have been nice, constant practice wouldn’t be good for anyone.
“[I told them] I was giving them free time Saturday morning. I think they were shocked, because it was out of character…I really think that was the reason why we had such a good competition the next day. I was amazed. [The choir] really embraced the experience,” Naccarato said.
The trip proved to be one of the greatest lessons Naccarato would learn in her role as artistic director, where she had to learn how “to let go and take cues of all sorts.”
“It’s a gut feeling, when to let go and when to say ‘we need to make a change,’” Naccarato said.
There were a lot of expectations the team had to let go of, including some of their ideas about “excellence,” despite it being one of Myriad Ensemble’s key pillars.
“I was struggling with the word ‘excellence.’ ‘Excellence’ is only defined by what we believe it to be…[and] when you go to the World Choir Games, you really see that excellence varies. What I think is excellent is different from what conductor number 300 thinks is excellent,” Naccarato said.
She continued, noting the connection between artistic excellence and community: “Artistic excellence and community do coexist; they must coexist. Because community brings a level of cohesion that allows for the team to strive to whatever the conductor’s version of excellence is. And that was the commonality across [all teams],” Naccarato said.
Now that they’ve brought back two gold medals to Burlington, it would be impossible not to recognize the tremendous support the city has given them to get to where they are.
“It took a community to get us to Sweden. We were financially unburdened because of the financial support from the community, all the people that came to our fundraising concert, who donated to our big fundraising campaign,” Naccarato said.
“Those gold medals belong to every single person who has [helped us].”
Arts and culture, Naccarato believes, have the ability to benefit everyone, giving people the ability to transcend the everyday.
“For a very brief moment in time, we focus on something that has meaning beyond ourselves,” she said.
The arts have changed Naccarato’s life for the better, and she thinks the same is true for many others. Opportunities abound, regardless of innate talent.
“If you like to dance, you don’t have to be a dancer. You can go to a dance show. If you like choral music, you should come to a choir concert,” Naccarato said.
As for their next adventure, Naccarato and the rest of the Myriad team may have some ideas.
“[The singers] would love to compete again. It was just a very bonding experience. What a great way to see the world through the eyes of choral music. Our next big thing is that we’ve started our season; we’re proud to be on the Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s 15th anniversary season,” Naccarato said.
They will also continue to focus on female and Canadian composers.
“In the spring, we’ll be doing also a massive Canadian premiere of a work by the female composer, Jocelyn Hagen, called ‘Creation.’ It is really about the creation of humanity, as seen through the eyes of women,” Naccarato said.
And of course, Myriad hopes to return to the international stage in two years.
For more information on Myriad Ensemble’s upcoming events, ticket sales, how to join and more, visit their website.
