The Hart House Singers is a non-auditioned choir at the University of Toronto that provides an opportunity for first-time and experienced singers to share in the joy of choral singing, to learn the art of song, to have fun, and to sing culturally and historically diverse repertoire.
The Hart House Singers is a non-auditioned choir at the University of Toronto that provides an opportunity for first-time and experienced singers to share in the joy of choral singing, to learn the art of song, and to sing historically and culturally diverse repertoire. Typically, the choir performs music from around the world in its summer or fall terms, and one of the great choral works in the winter term. The Hart House Singers has performed at Toronto’s “Nuit blanche,” and in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Holst’s The Planets with the Hart House Orchestra. In the past few seasons, we have performed such famous choral works as Bruckner’s Mass in E minor, Dvorak’s Mass in D and Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, and Beethoven's Mass in C with orchestras made of students and recent graduates from the Faculty of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Music, and local professionals.
DAVID ARNOT-JOHNSTON has directed many vocal and instrumental groups, including at Canada's National Ballet School and Tafelmusik's Baroque Summer Institute at the University of Toronto. He completed the graduate program in early music at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, The Netherlands, and holds a Masters degree in music history and performance from the University of Toronto.
As a tenor soloist, David has performed with several early and contemporary ensembles, including Tafelmusik, the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, Opera Atelier, Dancemakers, Utrecht Barok Consort, La Capriola of Amsterdam, Utrecht Bach Society, Ottawa Choral Society, and The Toronto Consort. He has sung as a soloist under Sigiswald Kuijken, Andrew Parrott, William Christie, and with Emma Kirkby in works by Mozart, Handel, Bach, Lully, and Monteverdi.
David has recorded as a soloist and ensemble performer on the Naxos, CBC, Marquis, RCA/BMG, and Analekta labels with the Aradia Ensemble, Tafelmusik Orchestra, Toronto Consort, Canadian Brass, and the Theatre of Early Music. A dedicated instructor of music, David directed the music education program at the National Ballet School for ten years. He has been conductor of the Hart House Singers since 2003.
CONRAD GOLD, holds a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music from McGill University. He undertook additional keyboard performance studies in Italy. Mr. Gold also serves as the accompanist for the Brampton Festival Singers, and has collaborated with the Tallis Choir and the Cantabile Chamber Singers of Toronto, and the Laudate Dominum Choir of Chatham. Currently living in Toronto, Mr. Gold plays organ regularly at Lorne Park Baptist Church in Mississauga, St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto, and several other Toronto area churches. His other musical activities include playing organ recitals and teaching piano.
On November 20, we performed an afternoon concert with HMCS York Band. It was a resounding success, with the Great Hall filled to capacity! We are now preparing for our winter term concert on Saturday, March 25 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. We will sing Beethoven's glorious Symphony 9 with a full orchestra. Here is the planned repertoire:
Update for Hart House Singers, as of December 22nd, 2022:
Hello Hart House Singers and those who may like to join us for the
2023 winter term!
Our first rehearsal in the winter term of 2023 will be on Monday, January 9, 7:45-9:30 pm, in the beautiful Great Hall of Hart House.
Here is more information:
You may pay fees either at the Hart House Hub (front desk) or on-line on the Hart House website at https://harthouse.ca/clubs/singers and follow the link for Hart House Club - Singers. The first two rehearsals of the term are open and no payment of fee is required to attend. If you have problems with the recreation site contact Hart House Hub.
Anyone who wishes to join the Hart House Singers now has both an ANNUAL and a TERM payment option. The annual option represents the least overall cost. The term options allow participants to have flexibility and to manage their registration costs differently if they wish. If you have paid a registration fee for either the fall (2022) or winter (2023) term, you are already covered for Summer fees and do not need to pay a fee for the Summer (2023) term.
The fee structure for the Hart House Singers is as follows:
| Student/Member* | Non-Member | Under 29 & Over 65 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE | Free | $245 | $165 |
| TERM REGISTRATION FEE | Free | $120 | $90 |
*“Student” means any student who has paid ancillary fees as part of their academic program; "member” refers to those who also have a full Hart House fitness centre membership.
| Term Details | Fall Sept-Nov 2022 | Winter Jan-Mar 2023 | Summer May-July 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Rehearsal Date | Monday Sept. 14, 7:45 pm | Monday, Jan. 9, 7:45 pm | TBA |
| Concert | Sunday, Nov. 20, 4:30pm | Saturday, March 25, 7:30 pm | TBA |
| Membership Fee* | Normal fees, see above. | Normal fees, see above. | TBA |
| Proof of payment of Singers club fee (must be ready by next rehearsal) | Everyone | Everyone | Everyone |
|
REGISTRATION BY EMAIL (waiting list only) |
Opens Sept. 12 | Opens Jan. 9 | TBA |
| REPERTOIRE | See Repertoire section. | See Repertoire section. | TBA |
| REHEARSALS | Mondays, 7:45-9:30 PM | Mondays, 7:45-9:30 PM | TBA |
*Cash, debit or credit card are all acceptable forms of payment.
**To join the Singers, you must provide proof that you have paid the
club fee for the term or covering year. Even if you were a member of
the Singers last term, you are still required to register for this
term! Registration will be granted on a first come, first served
basis.
Note: If you are a soprano or alto, come especially early! Spots in
the choir for these voices tend to fill up quickly. There is no
audition. Singers of all levels are welcome to join!
In order to have an orchestra for our March 2023 concert, we need to
fundraise! Please consider giving any amount you can afford by going to
this site:
https://engage.utoronto.ca/site/SPageServer?pagename=donate#/fund/536 .
Even $10 or $20 is very helpful. Larger donations are also welcome!
