Zimfira Poloz, musical director of the Hamilton Children’s Choir, recently spoke with David Fawcett about last November’s trip to China. What is remarkable about this story is the comment made by Poloz, “I hope that someone will recognize the value of the choirs and sponsor them because I think every child, regardless of their means, should be able to join if they want.”
The HCC won the November 2012 competition, held at the Guangzhou Opera House.
“We had just arrived and the kids were so tired they wanted to lie down and sleep on the floor. It was a unique event and sold out so quickly they made the dress rehearsal a performance. Otherwise, people from the other choirs, who had come so far, wouldn’t get to hear it.”
The Hamilton Children’s Choir is internationally renown. One look on their website will tell you why this is so.
International shows:
- Festival 500 in St. John’s, Newfoundland (2005)
- Spain where they won the ‘Audience Choice’ Award and 2nd Prize at the Tolosa Choral Competition (2006); CBC National Radio Choral Competition. First place for Amateur Choirs in the Children’s Category & for Best Canadian Performance by Youth (2008)
- Cantabile Grand Prize Award at CBC National Radio Gala Competition in Montreal, Quebec (2008)
- Songbridge Choral Festival in Szczecin, Poland (2008)
- Sweden’s “Let the Future Sing” 70th Choral Festival
- Grand Prize Winners of the Loto-Quebec World Choral Singing Competition in Montreal, Quebec (2009)
- 1st place via satellite from Glenn Gould Studio in the “Let the People Sing” Euroradio Choral Competition – Children’s Category (2009) staged by the European Broadcasting Union in Oslo, Norway
Regional shows:
- Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
- Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
- Bach Elgar Choir
- Toronto Northern Lights
- Chorus Niagara
- High Park Choirs and the Canadian Male Orpheus Male Choir
- Choirs & Organ Concert at Roy Thomson Hall
- With Celine Dion at the Juno Awards at Hamilton Place
- Haida Celebration
- Ontario Sings
- Hamilton TiCats games
- With Metric, a popular Indie Rock Band, on CBC’s The HOUR 2009 Holiday Special
Remarked one ardent choir supporter in The Spectator recently, “How is it we have heard so little about the Hamilton Children’s Choir when the rest of the world thinks of it as famous?”
Good, good question!
To read David Fawcett’s interview with Zimfira Poloz go here.
