04/27/2026
The Hart House Singers will hold a summer session again this year. Here are details:
1) Rehearsals: Rehearsals are held Wednesday evenings, 7:30-9:30 pm, in one of the large rooms at Hart House, from May 20th until June 24. The performance is on Sunday, July 5. There is no rehearsal on Wed., July 1, as this is Canada Day (a holiday). Please check at the reception desk for the notice of the location of each rehearsal when you arrive at Hart House. (Most of the rehearsals will be in the Music Room, on the second floor, west side, overlooking the sports field. Please note: locations can change at the last minute, so it's good to always check at the reception desk on the main floor.)
2) Open Rehearsals: The first two rehearsals of Wed., May 20 and May 27 are "open rehearsals" - you may attend both or either of these rehearsals and sing with us (for free), see if you like the repertoire and choir, and decide later if you'd like to stay for the term. If you choose to stay for the summer term, you must register and pay your membership fee before the third rehearsal of June 3. (See below for information on how to register and the membership fees.)
3) Dress rehearsal is on Thursday, July 2
4) Performance is on Sunday, July 5, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
5) Repertoire:
a) Repertoire is still being organized. The theme of the concert is "Songs My Father Taught Me." (Last summer, we performed "Songs My Mother Taught Me", which was very well received.)
b) Members are encouraged to give suggestions to the conductor, who will look for or make an arrangement of your suggestions, if possible.
c) Songs or instrumental pieces can be music your father or grandfather loved, in any language. (We can bend the rules and include mothers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles!)
c) If you play an instrument well, please tell the conductor.
d) Please email your suggestions, if you have any, to the conductor at [email protected]
e) Here are some suggestions and pieces that have already been sent to the conductor (or which the conductor has chosen): NOTE: We "test" the pieces during the first few rehearsals, and choose which we like best. Several more pieces will be added soon.
i) Amazing Grace (arr. Ron Small or Richard Proulx) (Sorry - I can't find a good Youtube recording of the version we have.)
ii) One Hand, One Heart (Bernstein, from West Side Story):
https://youtu.be/i5Mi6-AiXI4?si=DvEpDSCyspL0fhZk&t=84
iii) My Lord What A Morning (spiritual); an arrangement similar to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3FixTWmCQ8&list=RDV3FixTWmCQ8&start_radio=1
iv) Nothin' Gonna Stumble My Feet (spiritual): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSSRP2cdy7o&list=RDWSSRP2cdy7o&start_radio=1
v) Scarborough Fair / Canticle (Simon & Garfunkel): We have a choral arrangement of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jj4s9I-53g&list=RD-Jj4s9I-53g&start_radio=1
vi) Bach: a choral arrangement made by the conductor of this piece by Bach:
https://youtu.be/a0n99OopdpA?si=-9TyxJRSm9t74Ar6&t=215
vii) Bach chorale (with instrument accompaniment arranged by the conductor):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fcosDOncAo&list=RD-fcosDOncAo&start_radio=1
viii) Jerusalem (words by William Blake):
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=h6HRgmZmY8E&list=RDh6HRgmZmY8E&start_radio=1
ix) There will also be pieces sung in Mandarin accompanied by the guzheng, played by Sylvia Zhu, who performed beautifully with us last year.
x) Again, more pieces will be added and "tested" soon.
6) Learning Music at Home: Audio / rehearsal files of most of the songs will be posted so that you can learn the music at home.
7) Members: Anyone of university age or older may join the Hart House Singers. You may be a UofT student or you may be a non-UofT student.
8 ) Sight-reading Skill Level: There is a wide range of sight-reading skills in our membership. We have members who are new to sight-reading music notation, and those who are skilled at reading music. It is helpful if you understand the value of notes and rests.
9) Registration: Registration may be made in person at the main reception desk at Hart House. There is also a link to register online (though this works best if you have a UofT student number). Here is the link (look for "Singers - summer registration" on the webpage):
https://www.harthouseregistration.ca/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=8c4dc827-8c2b-452d-ab15-67566309255f&semesterId=26efa3ac-9ef0-4b52-a391-66c619d739c1
10) Fees:
A reminder: The first two rehearsals (May 20 and 27) are "open (free) rehearsals." You may come, see if you like the music, but you must decide by the third rehearsal of June 3 if you'd like to join for the term and pay the membership fee.
a) $5 for UofT students in the past academic year (Sept.-May) who register before May 21 or for UofT students who are enrolled in summer courses. If you find you do not like the repertoire and wish to stop your membership, you may get a refund.
b) $45 if you are not a student and you are 29 or under / 65 or older, or a recent graduate of UofT (i.e.: you graduated sometime in the past 12 months.)
c) $60 if you are not a student, not a recent graduate of UofT, and your age is between and including 30 to 64.
