About A Cappella Plus

A Cappella Plus has been offering an exciting mix of sacred and secular choral music in and around Nanaimo and central Vancouver Island for twenty-eight years. Apart from performing over 50 concerts of their own, other highlights include the opening of  the Shakespeare Plus Festival in the ‘80s, Summer Spice, a NAFTA conference at Malaspina University College, the Opening of the Port Theatre, and a performance on board The World residential luxury liner when it dropped anchor in Nanaimo Harbour in June 2003.  In 2000 and 2005 A Cappella Plus performed its 20^th and 25^th anniversary concerts in the Port Theatre. 

A Cappella Plus’ repertoire has included everything from the renaissance to the present, from larger choral works with Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra, to simple folk songs as well as art songs, spirituals and contemporary pop/jazz and classical pieces. Originally a self directed group of eight, the group grew to a directed group of twelve to sixteen members. Rosemary Lindsay took over as the choir director in the fall of 2003.  Under her guidance and encouragement, they ‘took to the recording studio’ and in the fall of 2006 they produced their first CD, “As Time Goes By”. 

History

The choir began in 1980 with a group of singers from Nanaimo's Malaspina Community Choir. (Then Malaspina College Choir)  This group would meet after the main choir rehearsal to sing madrigals and
a cappella part songs; material they enjoyed but did not get a chance to sing in the large choir.  Over a period of time this group stabilised at eight singers, who would occasionally sing at choir functions.  In 1983 several opportunities to sing in public presented themselves, and the Nanaimo A Cappella Singers was born.  Over the next several years, the choir developed an ever more eclectic repertoire, and became a well known presence on Nanaimo's musical scene. 

In 1990 the group expanded to twelve singers, and one of the original members, Bruce Farquharson, became the first Director.  The new singers included some vocal jazz enthusiasts, so once again the repertoire expanded.  The choir had occasionally performed with a variety of accompanists, and with the introduction of jazz pieces this happened more often.  One frequent contributor even remarked that he needed a T-shirt saying "I play Bass for the A Cappella Singers"  With new singers, a new director, added repertoire, and more accompanied works, came the inspiration for a new name, A Cappella Plus!  Over the next dozen years, the choir continued to grow musically, and in numbers, between 14 and sixteen singers. 

In 2003, at the end of the spring season, Bruce Farquharson retired as Director.  Rosemary Lindsay took up the reins and has led the choir on and up since then.  In May, 2005, she presided over the choir's twenty-fifth anniversary celebration, "Something to Celebrate", at Nanaimo's Port Theatre, which saw the return of many choir alumni, and a madrigal sung by the original eight members.  The repertoire for this concert became the seed of a new idea, and a little over a year later bore fruit as A Cappella Plus released its first CD.

In twenty-eight years there have been many changes for the choir to deal with, but the essential qualities of the choir have remained constant: love of the music, camaraderie, dedication to doing their best, and a desire to spread the enjoyment of choral music as far as possible.

Rosemary Lindsay holds a degree in Music with a major in voice from UBC. Always an avid chorister, she was a founding member of Phoenix, A Chamber Choir (directed by Cortland Hultberg), notable for its prestigious wins in national and international choral competitions. She was invited to sing with Elektra, Vancouver's premier women's choir and toured with Jon Washburn's Vancouver Chamber Choir as well as singing many seasons with the Vancouver Cantata Singers.

Leaving the big city behind in 1991 meant a move from the soprano section to the podium, and for twelve years, Rosemary honed her skills as a conductor, sharing her knowledge of excellence in choral singing with adult and children's choirs in her rural community.