Elmer Iseler Singers Perform World Premiere of 'Om Saha Nāvavatu' By Timothy Corlis

The performance is on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 4:00 pm EDT.

By: Sep. 27, 2022
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Elmer Iseler Singers Perform World Premiere of 'Om Saha Nāvavatu' By Timothy Corlis

Toronto's Elmer Iseler Singers and Artistic Director & Conductor Lydia Adams launch their 44th concert series with a stunning choral music program inspired by the reflective journeys of composers and poets seeking the heart and soul of beauty. The performance, titled Walk and Touch Peace, takes place at Eglinton St. George's United Church on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 4:00 pm.

The concert-without intermission-includes Sun on Water by Hussein Janmohamed (Kenya/Canada), Melodia by Myroslav Skoryk (Ukraine) and Long Road by Eriks Ešenvalds (Latvia). The Elmer Iseler Singers then lend their ethereal voices to the music of Timothy Corlis in the world premiere of an exquisite new choral composition that incorporates sound-healing instruments from around the world. "Om Saha Nāvavatu is a profound, spiritual work that cannot be categorized. It is a unique, immersive piece that transcends genres and categories. It is a balm for the soul", notes Lydia Adams.

Timothy Corlis's music is universal and holds an appeal to audiences that don't necessarily identify with contemporary music, much like the music of the late John Tavener. Om Saha Nāvavatu (may we all be protected and blessed) is a meditational sound journey, a 40-minute choral voyage. A soothing, calming soundscape, Om Saha Nāvavatu is an invitation to let go of anger, prejudice and negativity to embrace pluralism and peace, allowing the mind to meander and feel suspended in time. The introspective, transformative work is inspired by Vedic texts and the poetry of Hindu and Buddhist Spiritual Masters. "Om Saha Nāvavatu is really a call for peace and hope in the world," comments composer Timothy Corlis.

"Music touches a chord at a place that needs healing", adds Corlis. "Our world is in turmoil; between a long pandemic and wars raging to the climate crisis and political unrest, our souls need mending. Om Saha Nāvavatu is not a concert piece; it is a musical offering, a restorative experience filled with serenity."

Described as "a composer of great depth and passion, not to mention a pristine, polished craft" (Wholenote), British-Columbia composer Timothy Corlis views music as a strong power for social change, an important aspect of community life. The Juno-nominated composer holds degrees in in Physics, Anthropology, Social and Political Thought as well as Composition. His works have been performed in Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Russia, Japan, and more recently at Carnegie Hall in New York and in France.

The JUNO Award winning Elmer Iseler Singers, under the leadership of Artistic Director Lydia Adams, is one of Canada's leading choral ensembles. Based in Toronto, the professional chamber choir has built an international reputation for excellence through its concerts, broadcasts and more than fifty acclaimed recordings, and has garnered many accolades-including a GRAMMY Award nomination. The 20-voice ensemble regularly commissions and performs new works, appearing at major festivals and touring nationally. Founded by the late Dr. Elmer Iseler in 1979, the Elmer Iseler Singers frequently offers educational outreach programs with schools, choirs and conductors, and consistently contributes to the development of emerging choral artists in Canada.

This commission and performance of Om Saha Nāvavatu are funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.




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