- Tenebrae -

the tradition continues !!

SMCS Alumni Newsletter

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS of SONG

66 Bond Street, Toronto, M5B 1X2 416-393-5518

SEPTEMBER, 2012 Volume 1, No. 3

Included in this newsletter:

The Principal’s Message

Homecoming Weekend

Gala News

SMCS Alumni Helping Others

Congratulations

Upcoming Concerts

In Memoriam SAVE the DATE

for future publications

If you have any information that you would like to have included in future newsletters to share with classmates and

other alumni please send it by email to barbara.grise@tcdsb.org or call 416-393-5518 ext. 6043

Principal’s Message

September 2012

Dear Alumni,

In our Diamond Jubilee year, during which we celebrate the 75th

anniversary of the school’s founding, we are

making a special effort to reach out to all those who have ever attended the Choir School and inviting them to

reconnect with their alma mater - we are inviting you to ‘come home’. We now have an Office of Alumni Affairs and

we are fortunate to have Barbara Grisé in that role. Over the past year, she has been issuing these alumni newsletters

which have attracted the attention of friends we haven’t heard from for a while. If you know of a classmate who might

be interested in getting on the mailing list, just let us know. With the support of a group of alumni, Barb has been

planning a special ‘homecoming’ event on October 20th

, the day after the school’s Founders Day Concert. What better

way to reconnect than to come back to Bond Street, sing at mass, break bread together and entertain one other once

again. As well as having a wonderful time, your example will serve as an inspiration for the boys who attend the school

today. Monsignor Ronan would be moved to know that the school he started 75 years ago, would have such an impact

on so many. We look forward to seeing many of you at the homecoming. If you can’t make it but would like to visit the

school again, you are always welcome to drop in and say hello.

Barry White

Principal

FALL 2012 OUR FOUNDER

Monsignor John Edward Ronan 1894-1962

September marks the beginning of the 75th anniversary of the opening of the

Cathedral Choir School in 1937.

October 15, 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Monsignor John Edward Ronan’s death.

Sunday, October 14th the 12:00 noon Mass will be sung by the choir comprised of any alumnus who wishes to sing

in St. James Church in Colgan, Ontario, Monsignor Ronan’s birthplace.

All are welcome and encouraged to come and sing.

Also on October 15, 2012 all of the students here at the Choir School will participate in a

Founder’s Day Mass in the Cathedral at 2:30 PM

All are welcome.

HOMECOMING WEEKEND

Friday, October 19th

Plan to attend the Founders Day Concert featuring the Elementary, Junior, Tenor-Bass and Senior Choirs when they present

‘From Courts on High’

St. Michael’s Cathedral 7:30 PM

featuring some of the favorites from Monsignor Ronan and Monsignor Armstrong

Saturday, October 20th

Come and celebrate in song with your fellow alumni by singing at the

5:00 pm Mass in the Cathedral

conducted by Harry Hodson and Paul Townshend

with rehearsal beginning at 4:00 pm

Join with classmates and former teachers!! over drinks and dinner.

After dinner anyone who wishes could perform at the Jam Night.

If you have not already done so, please take a few moments to fill out the form below and send it to barbara.grise@tcdsb.org so that we will have some idea of

the numbers for music for the Mass, catering and those entertaining. Thank you.

HOMECOMING

Saturday, October 20th

Name _______________________________ Class of ________ Address _______________________________ City ___________ Phone __________________ Cell _____________ Email address _______________________________ I am interested in participating

□ 5:00 PM Mass _______________________________

□ Dinner _______________________________

Evening Entertainment - Social and Jamming

□ Being a part of _______________________________

□ Just enjoying _______________________________

Please encourage any of your friends to come and enjoy this special event with classmates

GALA NEWS

- Gala Concert at Roy Thomson Hall - January 21, 2013

Get ready for a memorable evening of great entertainment from some of the alumni and friends.

Tickets to this GALA CONCERT, dinner and pre and after parties will be available in early October

SMCS ALUMNI HELPING OTHERS

If any one of you could help the present students find jobs please contact Mrs. Melatti-Zanette at alexandria.melatti-zanette@tcdsb.org at the Choir School.

We could post the opportunity on our bulletin board. Also, for any time of year a mentorship possibility in any field would be welcome.

CONGRATULATIONS

First, we must congratulate Walter Ross, I think our oldest “choir boy” on the occasion of his 89th birthday on September 6th.

Walter will join us at ‘Homecoming’ to share his stories.

Jordan de Souza: Ottawa Choral Society picks new musical director

The Ottawa Choral Society has a new artistic director. Montreal-based Jordan de Souza ’06 was recently selected after a

lengthy search … De Souza is 24 and, despite his youth, is "on the fast track to becoming one of Canada's most visionary

and exciting music directors," the OCS says. His resumé includes conducting credits from across the country. He is also a

keyboardist with a particular preference for the music of the Baroque period and the standard operatic and oratorio canon,

according to the news release… Scion of a musical family in Mississauga - his mother was a concert pianist in India and

most of his six brothers are musicians - de Souza attended St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto. from The Ottawa Citizen July 28,

2012

Richard Ross’76 is an Executive in Residence for the Schulich Global Mining Management specialization at the Schulich School of Business at York University responsible for creating and implementing a suite of internationally focused academic programs that combine management education and the metals and mining sector.

Excerpts from The Toronto Star – September 7, 2012

“But just as interesting, in its own way, is a new mining MBA that’s being launched at the Schulich School of Business

this fall.”

“Sixty per cent of the world’s mining companies are listed on the TSX – it’s huge,” said Richard Ross, the Executive

in Residence for Schulich’s Global Mining Management Program and former chairman and CEO of Inmet Mining

Corporation. With more than 1600 companies listed, mining is one of the TSX’s most important industries. “In the

financial sector, many of the best jobs are mining jobs and it was the mining industry that went to Schulich to ask for

help educating a new kind of miner.”

“[The mining] industry has recognized for some time now that it needed to change the way it did business,” said Ross.

“It needed to change its performance and it also believed that this was not just about PR, it had to demonstrate the fact

that it was changing.” “It is about the people,” said Ross. “Mining companies go into areas where there are no jobs.

They create something out of nothing – they create communities, they create opportunity. You can’t have hundreds, if

not thousands, of employees as a CEO and not care about them. That’s part of what makes a company successful –

you have to be genuinely caring about your people – and, to me, that’s what sets the successful companies apart from

the not so successful companies.”

Alumni at ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’

Stewart Goodyear ’98 Celebrated alumnus Stewart Goodyear presented a pop-up concert in front of The Royal Conservatory on July 24, performing Beethoven's Piano Sonata in F Minor, op. 57, no. 23, "Appassionata," 3rd movement. The event was part of Play Me, I’m Yours, an initiative that brought 41 pianos to locations across Toronto.

To watch this video go to The Royal Conservatory - Stewart Goodyear Pop-up Concert

Jason de Souza ’98 is also on you tube and can be found at Street Piano Toronto - a la Isla del Encanto

The following article is copied from the St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto Alumni magazine

featuring Michael Cowan ’09 now president of the Student Union. Michael was sent to a conference in

New York in May.

Upcoming Concerts

The Vancouver Opera Company presents

Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème

conducted by Leslie Dala ’89 starring Stephen Hegedus ’98

at THE QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE

Hamilton Street at Georgia Street Vancouver, BC

The Canadian Opera Company presents Michael Schade ’84 in Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus

at the Four Seasons Centre, Toronto in October, 2012

Tallis Choir under the direction of staff member Peter Mahon including some of the Choir School Alumni

presents Bach & The Romantics

Saturday, October 13, 2012 St. Patrick's Church

141 McCaul St. (north of Dundas) 7:30pm

The Choir of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montreal

presents Choral Evensong

Sunday,October 14, 2012 at 4:00 p.m Jordan de Souza ’06, Conductor;

Jonathan Oldengarm, Organist.

This concert features the world premiere of John Burge’s composition dedicated to William O’Meara Saturday, November 3, 2012 – 8:00 PM

Metropolitan United Church Queen and Church Streets

The concert is sponso red by Gordon Mansell ’75 of Organix

Toronto Choral Society conducted by Geoffrey Butler ’84 with William O’Meara, St. Michael’s Cathedral Organist, present

‘The Best of the Season’ Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 7:30 p.m.

Eastminster United Church (310 Danforth Ave. – one block west of Chester Station) Join them for a selection of the very best of our winter concerts in celebration of the release of our new CD.

Brantford Symphony Orchestra conducted by Philip Sarabura ’77 will present

‘Christmas Favorites, Once More’ featuring the Alumni Choir on Sunday, December 9, 2012 - 7:30 PM

at the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in Brantford

Calgary Opera is excited to present ‘What Brought Us Here’ – A New Community Opera based on a separate journeys of three exceptional individuals from Bosnia, Sudan and Iran.

Joe Angelo ’97 is the tenor featured in this new opera

The Aurora Performing Arts Group will be presenting ‘Kiss Me Kate’ featuring Doug Tranquada in February, 2013.

LOST BOYS

We are trying to get in touch with as many of the former students as possible. If you know the whereabouts of anyone who wishes to receive the newsletter

please forward an address or an email contact to me. Thank you.

IN MEMORIAM Our sympathy to all the Codrington’s - David ’78, Michael ’80, and Jim ’82 on the death of their mother Dora, July 23, 2012. And also to the family of Helen Donovan, mother of Gary Donovan ’73 and mother-in-law of Pat Power ’73 who died on August 15, 2012

Choirs of alumni conducted by Paul Townshend ’75 certainly made each of these Masses a wonderful celebration. A huge thank you to all who participated.

Sincere sympathy to Mike Coburn ’74 on the death of his mother Helen Margaret on July 10, 2012.

Thank you to Rob Thomas ’91 and Doug Tranquada ’73 and the alumni who sang at the celebration of her life. To the family of Lorraine Mothersill, mother of Kerry ’71 and the late Dan Mothersill ’69 on her death on July 21, 2012. To George’80 and Tom ’82 on the death of their father Hugo Steinke on August 5, 2012. To John Anderton ’78 on the sudden death of his sister Joyce Pietrangelo on August 26, 2012.

SAVE the DATE Sunday, December 2, 2012, 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm - Seraphim Choir - at the Distillery District Christmas Market.

Thursday, December 6, 2012 - The Mistletones - in the Concert Hall at York University

Saturday, December 8, 2012 – St. Bonaventure’s Parish Christmas Concert

Tuesday, December 11, 2012 - The Mistletones - Concert at the Glenn Gould Studio

Saturday, December 15, 2012 - 7:30 pm - St. Michael’s Choir School Annual Christmas Concert - Massey Hall

Sunday, December 16, 2012 - 3:00 pm - St. Michael’s Choir School Annual Christmas Concert - Massey Hall

Friday, December 21, 2012 - Victoria Scholars - Blessed Sacrament Church - 8:00 pm

Sunday, December 23, 2012 - Victoria Scholars - Our Lady of Sorrows Church - 7:30 pm