NEW FOR 2022! The Connections Series aims to be a space for learning about the many forms of community-based group singing in the Greater Toronto Area through sharing together, rather than performing. The committee sought applications from groups that see their work as community-engaged, social impact-driven, and/or that represent a specific cultural or social community through either their music or their group membership.  We understand “group singing” to encompass the many and varied ways that people choose to gather to sing together, including but not limited to choirs, improvisational practices, popular and/or culturally-specific vocal genres, and groups that sing for reasons related to community-building, therapy, advocacy, and cultural expression and transmission.
 
Each Connections Series event will be an “open rehearsal” between two different groups. During a 90-minute session, paired groups and their leaders will introduce each other to what they do regularly in their rehearsals or meetings.

PODIUM 2022 Delegates are welcome to attend. 
Thursday May 19, 6-7pm - Courtyard Marriott Hotel 
Gather Round Singers
~connect with~
University of Toronto Scarborough Concert Choir 
Focus on participatory and community singing.

Saturday May 21, 2:30-4pm - Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 
Babel
~connect with~
Kaleidoscope Chinese Performing Arts Association Choir 
Focus on Chinese language and culture.

Monday May 23, 10:30-11:30am - Courtyard Marriott Hotel
Toronto Northern Lights
~connect with~
​Winnipeg Boys' Choir 
Focus on men’s and boy’s choir practices for all ages.
Application Archive
PODIUM 2022 Connections Series
Application for Participating Choral Ensembles and/or Singing Groups
 
The PODIUM 2022 Conference Planning Committee invites applications from singing groups within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to participate in a new event series: the Connections Series. 
 
The Connections Series aims to be a space for learning about the many forms of community-based group singing in the GTA through sharing together, rather than performing. We particularly welcome applications from groups that see their work as community-engaged, social impact-driven, and/or that represent a specific cultural or social community through either their music or their group membership.  We understand "group singing" to encompass the many and varied ways that people choose to gather to sing together, including but not limited to choirs, improvisational practices, popular and/or culturally-specific vocal genres, and groups that sing for reasons related to community-building, therapy, advocacy, and cultural expression and transmission.
 
Each Connections Series event will be an “open rehearsal” between two different groups. During a 90-minute session, paired groups and their leaders will introduce each other to what they do regularly in their rehearsals or meetings through, for example:
  • teaching each other a piece or song; 
  • exploring ways of singing, rehearsing, moving, or performing that are important to their group; 
  • having group leaders or members speak about their experiences with the group;
  • other ways of singing and sharing together.
 
Three Connections Series events will be offered at a conference venue as part of Podium 2022, and will be open to conference attendees to observe (and perhaps to sing along too!).

Important Dates
  • February 7, 2022: Connections Series Applications to Participate opens
  • March 24, 2022: Connections Series Applications to Participate closes
  • Early April 2022: Invitations to participate sent out. 
 
We welcome the chance to speak to you before submitting an application to answer any questions about the Connections Series, group eligibility, and application process. Please contact Christina Bell, Podium 2022 Project Manager, at podium@choralcanada.org
Who should apply?
  • We encourage applications from all groups who identify with the aims of the Connections Series described above. 
  • The 2022 Connections Series is open specifically to GTA-based groups, in order to best highlight musical groups in our conference host city. 
    • The GTA is defined as the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York.
  • Group leaders and members do not need to be members of Choral Canada, and if chosen to participate will not be required to register for the conference.
How will participating groups be chosen?
  • We welcome all applications. However, limitations of time and space in the conference currently limit the Connections Series to 6 total participating groups (3 Connections Series events with 2 groups each).
  • A six-member panel of artists from the GTA with experience in community-engaged group singing will review all applications.
  • Based on applications submitted (see “What do I submit?” below), the panel will select and pair together six groups and invite them to participate in the 2022 Connections Series. 
  • The panel will give preference to groups that have not participated in past Choral Canada or Podium events, as well as group singing practices that have been under-represented in previous PODIUM events. The panel will aim to balance and represent different group singing practices both within the Connections Series and across the conference programming. 
What happens if we are chosen?
  • Group leaders will need to be available at least 1 month before the conference to plan their Connections Series session together with the leader(s) of the other group they are paired with.
  • All participating group members will need to be available for their Connections Series event at the conference venue (Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Toronto) to be scheduled on one day between May 19-23 in either the morning or afternoon. 
    • The Planning Committee will be in touch with selected groups to discuss how groups’ availability aligns with the conference schedule. 
  • Members of the Planning Committee will consult during this process and are open to different possible formats each Connections Series event might take. 
 
Connections Series events are currently scheduled to take 90 minutes, involving:
  • approximately 35 minutes for each group to share; 
  • a closing 20 minutes for questions or reflections from participants and delegates. 
 
In addition, Choral Canada will work with each group’s leadership to arrange and/or financially support Connections Series groups to travel to and from the conference venue. It is understood that Choral Canada, Choirs Ontario, and the PODIUM 2022 Planning Committee assume no additional financial responsibility for chosen presenters. ​
What do I submit?
The Application Form for the Connections Series will ask you for the following:

  • Your Group Name
  • Group Leader name(s)
  • Contact Information
    •  Email
    • Telephone (optional)
  • Primary Location (address or name of community/neighbourhood where you regularly meet or draw members from)
  • Approximate number of singers in the group. (The Podium Planning Committee may need to limit the number of participants due to COVID-19 capacity restrictions). 
  • Help us get to know you by describing your group singing practice. This may include, but is not limited to:
    • How long you have been singing together
    • How often you meet
    • Who is in your group (ages and/or demographics of participants)
    • How your group is organized and led
    • What music you sing
    • What language(s) do you rehearse in
    • How you have developed your work (may include teachers/mentors/culture bearers who inform your work, professional development undertaken, other groups or leaders whom you learn from)
    • Past events or accomplishments 
    • Recognition within your own artistic and/or cultural communities 
    • (300 words) 
  • Tell us about your group leadership. This may include, but is not limited to:
    • Group leader(s) name(s)
    • Musical/artistic/cultural background 
    • Musical/cultural/community leadership principles that inform your work
    • Training, mentorship, or professional development undertaken
    • (200 words)
  • Describe what you and your group would share in the Connections Series, including how this would connect with the conference theme of Reimagine, Rebuild, Reconnect (see the FAQ for more details). This may include, but is not limited to: 
    • Specific songs, pieces, or genres
    • Singing or movement techniques
    • Rehearsal or engagement techniques
    • Reflections from singers and leaders
    • Research or artistic outcomes of past projects
    • (200 words) 
  • Describe what your group would hope to learn from your Connections Series participation. This will help us pair you with another participating group. This may include but is not limited to:
    • Musical genres of interest
    • Rehearsal/singing/engagement styles or techniques
    • Group demographics (would you like to be paired with a similar or different group) 
    • 150 words max.
  • Supplementary materials:
    • Audio and Video Recordings 
      • Please upload 1-3 audio and/or video files that showcase the work of your group to a file or video sharing service (Youtube, Google Drive, Dropbox etc.) and include the sharing link(s) below.
      • 1 of these should be a recent in-person video of your regular rehearsal or group meeting, showing your process of musically working together. The committee will consider other relevant videos if recent in-person footage is unavailable, for pandemic or other reasons. (suggested 10 minutes maximum per video or audio file)
      • Provide a brief contextual description of each AV submission. 
  • Share with us about making your group feel comfortable and welcomed to participate. This might include specific date or time requests, venue concerns, concerns about group pairings, accessibility requests, and other special needs. 
  • Has your group been featured in a Choral Canada or Podium event before: YES or NO 
​Click here to access the Application Form.
Why this new event series?
The Connections Series aims to highlight group practices that have been under-represented in previous PODIUM events. We particularly welcome expressions of interest from groups that locate their singing practice as community-based or community-engaged, and/or that represent a specific cultural singing practice through either their chosen music or their group membership. 
 
As well, we recognize that some singing groups may view participation, rather than performance, as the principal outcome of their work together, and aim to create a space that acknowledges and honours the process of singing together in any and all of its forms of expression.
 
The language of “group singing” is used throughout this call to acknowledge that some groups that sing together may not self-identify as a choir, or may gather to sing together for purposes other than those often associated with choral practices, including but not limited to community-building, therapeutic reasons, advocacy, and cultural expression and transmission. ​
What about COVID-19?
Participating groups will be required to abide by both the province’s and the conference’s COVID-19 policies as applicable at the time of the conference. The anticipated mode of delivery of the conference is in-person, and participating singers and presenters should be comfortable delivering their presentation in person. Although unlikely, the PODIUM 2022 organizers may be required to limit the number of participants in each Connections Series choir/singing group in order to accommodate room occupancy capacity limits at our venue. More details about current health and safety protocols can be found in the COVID-19 section of this website.

Click here to read PODIUM 2022'S COVID-19 statement.

APPLY TODAY!

CLICK THE ICON BELOW TO ACCESS THE APPLICATION FORM