45th annual Stars for Saskatchewan concert series

The Swift Current Allied Arts Council is marking its 45th anniversary and “Celebrating 45 Years of Bringing the Arts to You” as part of the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils. The Council is pleased that the 2013-2014 Stars for Saskatchewan series opener will be world renowned tenor Ronan Tynan on Sept. 26.

Ronan Tynan is truly a modern day “Renaissance Man.” Introduced to international audiences as a member of the Irish Tenors, Tynan quickly became known for his unique voice and irresistible appeal. He is also a popular solo artist, has appeared on opera stages, and sings at intermission for professional sporting events.

The second performance of the series brings Connie Kaldor back to Swift Current on Oct. 16.

“Just when you think you've got it all figured out, something roars in and it turns you about.” Connie Kaldor writes this and more about the unexpected twists and turns of life and love. She could well be writing about her personal artistic complexities. Music pundits have tried to define the essence of the prairie-born acoustic performer for over two decades, but even the most eloquent have fallen short of perfection.

Fifty years of tradition. 50 years of virtuosity. 50 years of Canada’s Ukrainian Shumka Dancers! Celebrate Shumka’s dance tradition in a whirlwind of colour, power and grace featuring 40 dancers in retrospective and all-new works and two Hopaks highlighting Shumka’s unique style and energy in the third performance of the series on Nov. 16. Don’t miss Shumka at 50 the evolution of tradition the evolution of dance.

The fourth performance of the series is Quartetto Gelato on Dec. 2. Classical in intent and eclectic by design, the Canadian ensemble boasts the mastery of eight instruments and the bonus of an operatic tenor. Their concert will once again travel the musical world celebrating classical masterworks, operatic arias, and the sizzling energy of tangos, and gypsy and folk songs, all with a healthy dash of humour.

The Elmer Iseler Singers will be the fifth performance of the series on Feb. 7, 2014. The Elmer Iseler Singers is a twenty-voice professional chamber choir based in Toronto. The group is one of Canada’s most illustrious professional choral ensembles. Known for the unique beauty of their sound, the Elmer Iseler Singers bring to life exciting repertoire that spans 500 years of great choral music.

Academy Award winner Buffy Sainte-Marie’s audacious attitude to life on and off the stage has inspired people around the world for over four decades. As one of the most spellbinding artists of our time, Buffy Sainte-Marie gracefully combines a high energy stage presence with cerebral songs that tell powerful stories. This rare and primal blend is a welcome joy to festivals and concert halls around the world and she will be the sixth performance of the series on March 6, 2014. (Read More)