Funding the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus
By Stephania Romaniuk
Of all the professional orchestras nationwide, only two have choruses that rehearse and perform the full season’s choral repertoire in-house — one of them proudly being your Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Donations to the Chorus allow for the Orchestra to program challenging vocal repertoire; commission important choral pieces by living composers; secure a dedicated Chorus Director, Assistant Director, Administrator, and section leads; and equip and provide professional development for its members. This level of structural support allows for the kind of continuous improvement that this season saw the Chorus undertake one of the most important and demanding pieces in the repertoire — Verdi’s Requiem. It is a test of vocal endurance and technique, requires the heightened emotional commitment and drama of an opera, and could only have been programmed knowing the Chorus was vocally and artistically ready.
In 2010, donors Ellen and Allen Borak founded the Borak Forte program, a donation fund specifically dedicated to the needs of the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus. Until the end of this season, this fund will bear their last name in recognition of their visionary support, which they will then transition to other areas of need for the organization. In supporting the Chorus, the Boraks have been driven by the conviction that great choral works with orchestra deserve to be heard, that they must be performed at the highest level, and that there is every reason they can be performed right here in Calgary. Milestones over that time have included commissions such as Jeffrey Ryan and Suzanne Steele’s deeply moving Afghanistan: Requiem for a Generation and John Estacio’s High Flight for the Chorus’ 60th anniversary, memorable performances of major works like Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, and collaborations with guest conductors and vocalists who regularly comment that they were impressed to find an orchestral chorus of such calibre in Calgary. Ellen would know: she has sung with the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus for 30 seasons.
“As a chorister, there’s a great deal of personal value in being able to transmit these musical stories,” she shares. “But with the Forte program, I take a great deal of pride in everyone around me who is also doing their very best and putting it out there.”
She also admits enjoying when audience members share their surprise at the performance they’ve just heard. “I’ll call it the ‘wow’ factor where they come out into the lobby and say, ‘Oh, that was astoundingly good.’ I think the words and music reawaken emotions and touch them in a new way.”
At a time when many choirs have struggled to rebound in numbers since the pandemic, the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus has grown exponentially. “There’s been a huge uptick in the number of people wanting to join the Chorus,” shares Allen, “and much younger people wanting to join, which I think is a very positive sign.”
Since 2021, its numbers have increased to the point that interested and qualified vocalists have been capped simply because of rehearsal capacity constraints. The Chorus often attracts individuals who sang in youth choirs or undertook serious professional vocal study but went on to pursue careers in other fields. Music-making remains a special joy and an earnest artistic pursuit for the choristers, and every Wednesday evening you will find them rehearsing for one of the five to seven performances they give with the Orchestra each season.
For over 15 years, the Boraks have contributed to the sustainability and growth of the Chorus, both as financial supporters and advocates for the rightful place of the Chorus within the organization.
“Support like theirs has ensured stability and growth,” says Chorus Administrator Katt Hryciw. “When the Chorus is part of the organization, like with the Calgary Philharmonic, it gives it a purpose and a home.”
What most people don’t realize, however, is that even with philanthropic support the costs for the Chorus to train, rehearse, and perform still outweigh contributed revenue. Director of Development Chris Petrik believes that broadening the reach of the Chorus Forte program will signal an important opportunity for others to support this vital area of the organization.
“This type of support can’t be shouldered by one or two people alone; it truly takes a community to make it possible,” he says. “The needs always outweigh the contributions we receive, and we are looking for more individuals who believe in this vision to support the remarkable work of the Chorus going forward.”
In many ways, the impact of supporting the Chorus can be seen immediately: the scores each chorister holds, the confidence of soloists, section leads, and the Chorus Director as they stand to perform, and the sound of 162 passionate vocalists resonating up to the rafters of the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Each of these needs represents an opportunity to give back, and, for choral lovers across Calgary, a way to make your voice heard — forte!
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