The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

29 Artscene Festival finalists · FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2009 ERIC RIEHL / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER ENEMY FIRE: Students from T. A. Blakelock who are involved with the play Enemy of the Privy are travelling to Kingston this week for the Sears Ontario High School Drama Festival finals. Annually, the festival attracts approximately 12,000 students and their teachers, representing more than 300 schools across Ontario. Choir and orchestra unite for ensemble's all-Italian concert By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The chorus and orchestra of the Oakville Chamber Ensemble is joining forces for a concert that will be magnificent, according to Stéphane Potvin, artistic director. The May 23 event, called Magnificat, will feature the professional 16-member chorus and six-member orchestra together. "Having the two components of the group together is always a lot of fun because I find the singers feed off the orchestra and the orchestra feed off the singers," Potvin said. "When we've done these joint concerts before, there's this dynamic that comes out. The balance between the two groups is fantastic." The concert has an all-Italian program, with Giacomo Puccini's Credo in G, Antonio Vivaldi's Magnificat, Tomás Luis de Victoria's Regina caeli laetare and Alma Redemptoris, Claudio Monteverdi's Lamento D'Arriane: Lascia and Giovanni Gastoldi's Balettti. together," Potvin said. " The program kind of came together by This is the second season for the Oakville accident," said Potvin. "I had the Vivaldi Chamber Ensemble. Potvin said the 2009that I wanted to do for awhile and one day I 10 lineup will be announced at the May 23 was cleaning my bookshelf and I found the concert. score for the Puccini. I thought that would "The season is going to stay the same in work well, and that is where the impetus terms of format, with five concerts," he said. started." "But the orchestra will Potvin said some of the be expanded, with a works are lesser-known, but "The whole program is trumpet and a few their beauty will resonate oboes for some of the great music, it's well written concerts. There will be with the audience. a concert of love songs "The whole program is and very passionate." by Brahms for great music, it's well written Valentine's Day. We're and very passionate," he Stéphane Potvin Artistic director starting to explore difsaid. ferent things. I think it Magnificat is the fifth and will be a fun season." final concert of the ensemTicket sales gradually increased throughble's 2008-09 season. The previous four concerts included two orchestral and two out the season, with about 100 to 150 peochoral concerts. This is the first time they ple coming out per concert. "We had a slow start to the season, and are joining forces this season. "They are very good singers and very I'm not sure why that was, but then every good players, so it is nice to bring them concert, it keeps going up," said Potvin. "With a new group, it takes time to build an audience, but we're happy with the numbers so far." The Oakville Chamber Ensemble is running the You Deserve a Night Out contest in conjunction with its final concert of the season. One lucky couple will win dinner for two at Thyme Restaurant in downtown Oakville and a pair of tickets to the concert. Enter now to win by e-mailing your entry to info@oakville-ensemble.ca. Valid entries must include: name, daytime telephone, email address and why you deserve to win (between 30 and 50 words). The contest winner will be notified on Friday, May 22 by e-mail or phone. Oakville Chamber Ensemble presents Magnificat on Saturday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Simon's Anglican Church, 1450 Litchfield Rd. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $15 for seniors/students and $5 for children 15 and under. Tickets are available at the door or online at www.oakville-ensemble.ca.