A Joyful Noise: The Kokopelli Choir Association

I never fail to be moved at a Kokopelli Choir Association concert.

Whether the choristers are singing traditional African songs, gospel, or contemporary compositions, the four Kokopelli choirs deliver a passionate performance. In addition to the namesake Kokopelli choir, Oran, Shumayela, and Kikimasu round out the Edmonton-based youth and young adult choral ensemble.

The choirs hold you spellbound as they integrate movement and occasional use of instruments with their powerful vocal arrangements. At times, the choristers leave the stage and surround the audience in a cocoon of harmony. It is an experience like no other.

Attend Kokopelli’s next concert and experience singing for the pure joy of it.

Go for Gold in Calgary

For those of you watching the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and thinking how cool it would be to try some of the more daring winter sports, I have a tip for you. You can live your Olympic dream at the venues from the 1988 Olympics in Calgary.

Canada Olympic Park, site of the 1988 bobsleigh and luge events, offers the public a chance to experience the course that many Olympic athletes compete and train on.

For an insanely adventurous experience, try the luge. A skilled luge athlete will teach you the finer points of propelling yourself down an icy track and then let you give it a try.

If you prefer someone else to be in the driver’s seat, hop in the bobsleigh. A professional driver will pilot you down the course at speeds of up to 120 km/hr.

Icons of the Prairies

The news that a historic grain elevator in Fleming, Saskatchewan was destroyed by fire this week made me wonder if Alberta has any iconic wooden grain elevators still around.

We do. And here is a list of communities with restored grain elevators that are now museums and/or are open for people to explore:

• Acadia Valley
• Alberta Central Railway Museum (near Wetaskiwin)
• Andrew
• Big Valley
• Heritage Park in Calgary
• Castor
• Heritage Acres Farm Museum (near Pincher Creek)
• Leduc
• Lougheed - Iron Creek Museum
• Mayerthorpe
• Meeting Creek
• Nanton - Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center
• Paradise Valley (near Wainwright) Climb Through Time Museum
• Radway
• Rowley
• Scandia
• St. Albert
• Stettler
• Spruce Grove
• Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (near Edmonton)

Read the CBC news story about the Fleming, SK elevator.

Big Things are Popping up all Over Alberta

Roadside attractions are the giant cocktail swizzlesticks of travel tales. Use them to stir up conversation (“I peeked out of the T-Rex’s jaws just in time to see Bob disappear”) and as pokers to deflate your rival’s one-upmanship stories (“Look my sausage is 12.2-metres tall, yours is a cocktail weenie.”) Throw in having your photo taken with a giant gun-toting Pinto bean and how could you NOT want to check out Alberta’s weirdest roadside attractions? From Weapons of Mass Construction by Mike Ross.

I agree whole-heartedly. What’s not to love about these big and bold statements of a town’s community spirit? Grab your sense of adventure and explore the wacky side of small town Alberta.

Some of my favourites:

• Beaver (Beaverlodge) What’s not to love about a 3000 pound beaver?
• Golf Tee (Trochu) Trochu’s my home town. I’m a tad biased.
• Pysanka (Vegreville) So pretty… and turns in the wind like a weather vane.
• Sundial (Lloydminster) Wonderful simplicity. It reminds me a little of Stonehenge.

Check out the following links for more unique and oversized attractions:
Big Things
Large Canadian Roadside Attractions
Kalyna Country Western Canada’s Roadside Attractions Capital

Tickle the Ivories at Cantos

How many museums do you know of that let you get within an arm’s length of the items on display let alone touch them?

At the Cantos Music Foundation in Calgary you can do more than just visually appreciate the keyboard collection from a distance. You can observe the inner workings of the instruments up close, listen to your talented guide play the keyboards and even play them yourself.

See
The craftsmanship of many of the older pieces in the collection is not found in keyboards made today. Wood inlay, mother of pearl, intricate carving, and real tortoiseshell and ivory keys are examples of old-world artistry. Two of the oldest keyboards, the 1560 Virginal and 1679 Couchet Harpsichord, have painted scenes on the underside of the lids.

Some of the more technological items have clear exterior cases so you can see the inner mechanisms of the instruments. The clear casing of the Robb Wave organ lets you see the six-cylinder car engine that the organ was constructed from.

Sometimes you won’t believe what you’re seeing. On the transposing piano the entire row of keys slides sideways. Who knew pianos could do that?

Hear
Cantos showcases the evolution of keyboards and you can hear the diversity. The difference in sound from the string-like notes of a Baroque harpsichord to the techno beats of 80s dance music synthesizers is amazing.

You’ll recognize the sound of the Mellotron M 400 featured in The Beatles’ song Strawberry Fields Forever and the distinctive sound of the Theremin often used to make sound effects for 1950s sci-fi movies.

Play
The most remarkable thing about Cantos is the opportunity to play many of the instruments on display. Broadway aficionados will appreciate the rich sounds of the Rhapsody in Blue grand piano honouring George Gershwin and lovers of old-school blues will go wild over the Hammond B3 organ. You can’t pass up the chance to touch a piece of history by playing the 1875 Hammer dulcimer or the1876 Steinway grand.

Sensory Explosion

Of all the items in the collection, the Kimball theatre organ best combines all the sensory elements of the Cantos experience into one delightful package. Feel the rush of air from the pipes. Hear the astounding range of sounds that the organ can make including tweeting birds. See the xylophones and cymbals move as the keys are played.

Experience Music
By allowing visitors to explore the collection through sight, sound and touch, Cantos provides a tangible connection to the experience of music.

You can connect with Cantos through drop-in tours, private tours, and customized tours.