Music will be mostly SA with some SSA repertoire, chosen by the guest conductor. The program is designed to be fun, accessible, but also challenging, to encourage the singers to higher levels of music making than what they normally get in a school choir setting.

Singers are expected to learn their music on their own, with help from their music teachers. Singers will be provided with online practice recordings to help them learn their parts. Notes, words and rhythms should be in place before the regional rehearsal. All music and materials will be delivered to the conductors of the selected singers by February 10, 2012.

March 3 or 4, 2012: Regional Rehearsals
All singers must attend a mandatory regional rehearsal in their area on this weekend. Exact locations and times to be determined after registrations have been received.

March 30 to April 1, 2012: Final Weekend in Halifax
The final rehearsal session will be led by the guest conductor Jonathan Willcocks, culminating in a final concert Sunday afternoon. See website for sample schedule.

Guest Conductor, Jonathan Willcocks

Jonathan Willcocks was born in Worcester, England, in 1953 and after early musical training as a boy chorister at King's College, Cambridge he took an Honours degree in Music from Cambridge University where he held a choral scholarship at Trinity College. Jonathan is currently conductor and musical director of the Portsmouth Choral Union, the Chichester Singers, and the professional chamber orchestra Southern Pro Musica, and freelance conducting engagements in recent seasons have taken him to many parts of the world including USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, and most of the European countries, as well as the United Kingdom. Throughout his career, Jonathan has maintained a strong interest in music education, most recently as Director of the Junior Academy, Royal Academy of Music in London, who awarded him an Hon RAM degree in recognition of his work in the development of talented young musicians. His extensive choral and orchestral conducting experience results in many invitations to take choral workshops and adjudicate competitions and festivals and to act as a Consultant to leading Music Education establishments. As a composer, Jonathan's published music includes major choral works, works for children's choir, many shorter pieces (including anthems and secular choral music), and instrumental works.