Music

As Music Minister, Neil Weisensel oversees the many facets of Canadian Memorial's musical life. One of Neil's primary goals is to encourage music-lovers in the community to be a part of the exciting and varied Music Program. Whether you enjoy singing gospel, rock, medieval chant, or Mozart, if you play an instrument, or just like to sing as part of the congregation, there will be some aspect of Canadian Memorial's rich music program to entice you.

Choir

The 30-voice Chancel Choir provides music for Sunday morning services, special services and other events. Individually, the choir's members are also active in other performing groups, and range in training from highly trained vocal professionals to singers who have never studied and do not read music. The choir is always open to new people who are interested in singing. Contact Neil Weisensel for details.

The choir’s mission is to be leaders in worship through music. We perform a wide variety of music from many styles, traditions and eras. Gospel and World music figure prominently in our morning services, as well as unaccompanied vocal works of the Renaissance masters (Palestrina, Tallis, Monteverdi), through music of the Baroque (Bach, Handel, Purcell, Vivaldi), Classical (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven), Romantic (Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner), and 20th century (Rutter, Willan, Britten).

We also perform contemporary sacred compositions and arrangements, including new music by Minister of Music Neil Weisensel and other composers in the community, including Dr. Peter Matthers and Rachel Landrecht. For special events, Christmas and Easter services, and festivals, the choir also presents works with chamber orchestra.

Worship Band

We have another ensemble that regularly performs Sunday mornings to enhance the musical offering, the Worship Band. Our new hymnbook, More Voices, includes contemporary music from around the world, including new compositions by Minister of Music Neil Weisensel. The wide variety of music in this new book ranges from pop and rock music to ethnic music from Africa, Asia and Australia.

In order to more fully support this multiplicity of musical styles, we created our Worship Band, which consists of drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, saxophone, keyboards and piano. If you play an instrument and are interested in possibly playing with this ensemble, please contact Neil Weisensel.

Special Events

We regularly produce special musical events with other choirs, soloists and guest ensembles, who have in the past included the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, the Peace Centre Brass, the Peace Centre Chamber Orchestra, and the Peace-in-the-City Band. Our main musical events for the church year are Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Remembrance Day.

We are gifted with a large choir including a number of highly accomplish vocal artists who enrich our Sunday service with solos, and also perform at concerts presented in the church. For more information on upcoming events check out our home page.

Instruments

Canadian Memorial is blessed to have a wide array of high-quality instruments to enrich its Music Program.

Organ:

A 35-rank Casavant pipe organ, with three manuals, has tremendous power as well as a delicate side. One of the "top ten" organs in the city, it was built in 1928 by Casavant Freres of Quebec, North America's premiere organ builder, and renovated in 1960 by Hill, Norman & Beard of London, England. Be it to support the choir and congregation during Sunday service, as a concert instrument, or to sweep newlyweds out of the church on a joyful tide of music, the organ at Canadian Memorial has the versatility for any concert, memorial, wedding, or service.

Pianos:

Canadian Memorial has 4 pianos - two in the Centre for Peace and two in the church. The main instrument, a baby grand piano (Kawai) provides music for Sunday services, weddings, concerts and recitals. Praised by concert pianists, it has a full, warm tone and fills the church beautifully.

Harpsichord:

The church is also very fortunate to have a single manual harpsichord, with 2 ranks (8' and 4') and a 4 and one-half octave range. Perfect for Baroque and pre-Baroque repertoire, either solo, or to accompany the choir or soloists, the instrument was built in Vancouver in 1980 by Sabathil & Sons.

Bell Choir:

A 3 and one-half octave bell choir completes the church's array of musical instruments. These bells have a mellow, sonorous tone, and are extremely effective in a choral setting. We use them to add variety to our Music Program.