Emerald Echoes brings an evening of song to McMaster

The McMaster Choirs hosted Emerald Echoes, a fundraising concert to support their upcoming travels to compete in at the international Cork Choral Festival

On Jan. 31, 2025, McMaster Choirs held a benefit concert titled Emerald Echoes to fund their upcoming journey to Cork, Ireland for the 70th International Cork Choral Festival. The McMaster Choirs have been accepted to take part in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition at the Cork Festival on May 3, 2025.

McMaster Choirs consists of around 120 members, including students, faculty and alumni. The organization is divided into two groups and has members from a variety of fields, including music, engineering and science.

Anja Kane, president of McMaster Choirs, explained the choir's structure.

"We have two separate choirs. We have our mixed chorus, which is SATB [soprano, alto, tenor, bass] voices and then a treble chorus which is just sopranos and altos," said Kane. As president, Kane coordinates the executive team and manages the group's administration, including fundraising and social events.

Emerald Echoes featured 21 performances, which included group members from both choirs, as well as solo and small group acts. The setlist spanned the genres of classical, jazz, musical theater and contemporary pop and even featured original compositions by choir members.

Rehearsals for the concert began with auditions where interested choir members submitted video recordings. The final setlist was shaped by these submissions.

"They auditioned with whatever song they wanted to do and we put them in order. The first half was more geared toward classical, musical theater and then the second half was more contemporary pop," said Kane.

Kane detailed the intensive preparation required for such a varied concert. "We had brought back repertoire from last semester, which we haven't sung since November and we rehearsed it . . . a week and a half ago," said Kane.

In addition to the musical performances, Emerald Echoes had a silent auction as part of its fundraising efforts. Items were donated by local businesses, with about 32 items in total worth over $1,300.

"[We were] sending probably 20 of our choristers just out into Hamilton and they went door to door, knocking on businesses on Locke Street and in Westdale and in Dundas and Ancaster and just asking for donations," said Kane.

Kane emphasized that these funds are essential for supporting the choir’s international trip. "Honestly, raising funds is so, so incredibly instrumental to this trip as you can imagine. It's truly a once in a lifetime experience to go on this trip, especially for a lot of our choristers," said Kane.

The choirs' projected fundraising goal is $10,000. "I think from the concert alone we raised probably close to 5,000," said Kane.

The cost of the trip is estimated at $178,000 for 80 participants, with each chorister expected to contribute around $2,100. "Our hope is that we surpass our fundraising [goal] and then we're able to kind of refund choristers some of that money, so that it ends up being a little bit less than that. But you know, we'll see where we end up, I'm still optimistic," said Kane.

Kane also reflected on the highlights of the evening. "I really liked singing with the whole group, as both choirs,” said Kane. She also enjoyed the small group performances, which were arranged by choir members themselves. "It's something really special to watch people organize their own small groups and see what kind of music they like to perform," said Kane.

Looking ahead, McMaster Choirs has more fundraising efforts planned for the trip, including a spring concert in April, a karaoke fundraiser in March and an ongoing donation page through iFund McMaster. As they’ve made great progress, Kane remains confident that the choir will meet its $10,000 fundraising goal.

The event not only raised vital funds for the choir’s trip to Cork but also provided an opportunity to celebrate the talent and enthusiasm of its members. As they continue their fundraising efforts, McMaster Choirs is eagerly looking ahead to competing at the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition. You can stay informed about the choirs' upcoming events and trip through their Instagram page.