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" M u s i c to make your ears s i n g ! " is the promise of North V a n c o u v e r ' s L a u d a t e Singers. I m a g i n e s o a r i n g s o p r a n o lines, b a s s n o t e s t h a t r u m b l e i n t o y o u r bones, b r e a t h t a k i n g h a r m o n i e s , a n d s o n g t h a t is electric a n d vibrantly rhythmic, h a u n t i n g a n d dolcissimo. The music of Kaario, assisted by pianist, m a n a g e r a n d ex-choir alto Mary McKinney, has attracted a highly trained a n d c a p a b l e coterie of singers to make up the 2 5 - v o i c e c h a m b e r e n s e m b l e . A c r o s s the ranks the musicians agree: they are there to challenge themselves a n d push the envelope of the f o r m , a n d to enjoy a n d s h a r e t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i v e m a g i c that the h u m a n voice in its perfection a n d innovative multiplicity engenders. For soprano Susan Larkin, w h o has sung w i t h the choir since its inception, the smaller choir size means that each voice really makes a difference. L a u d a t e ' s p e r f o r m a n c e by 16 singers of A n t o n i o C a l d a r a ' s 16-part Crucifixus is a stunning e x a m p l e of c o m b i n e d individual strengths. L a u d a t e S i n g e r s -- " t h e most b e a u t i f u l m u s i c f r o m the a g e s " -- i s a n a n t i d o t e t o t h e f a s t p a c e a n d h y p e of our d i g i t a l , p o s t - m o d e r n life. It's an i n v i t a t i o n to s t e e p o n e ' s self in p a t h o s a n d joy, to " l i s t e n " with one's whole body, and to be touched emotionally in mysterious ways. N o w e n t e r i n g t h e i r n i n t h s e a s o n , L a u d a t e S i n g e r s is t h e d r e a m - i n progress of artistic director a n d c o n d u c t o r Lars Kaario to develop o n e of the best c h o i r s in t h e w o r l d . A l r e a d y t h e c h o i r is w e l l r e p u t e d in C a n a d a , w i t h t h r e e years o f C a n a d a C o u n c i l c o n t i n u o u s f u n d i n g t o their credit. The c h o i r rehearses a n d performs its m a i n concert series o n t h e N o r t h Shore, a n d r o u g h l y m o u n t a i n o u s side of Burrard Inlet. half its m e m b e r s live o n the A h a n d f u l of C a p i l a n o C o l l e g e students, w h o a f f e c t i o n a t e l y joke that they " j u s t c a n ' t get e n o u g h of Lars," contribute to the vocal mix. But make no mistake, they have to have the " r i g h t stuff" a n d the motivation to m a t c h their m o r e m u s i c a l l y m a t u r e c o l l e a g u e s . Larkin, t r a i n e d in voice at UBC, has soloed with Greater Vancouver Historical Performance Society, a n d six-year choir m e m b e r Catherine Crouch, also a s o p r a n o , is a n early m u s i c s p e c i a l i s t , w h o r e c e n t l y s a n g in recital Lars Kaario, w h o has lived most of his life in N o r t h Vancouver, d i d his post-secondary music studies at nearby U B C a n d Western W a s h i n g t o n University. Mr. K a a r i o has b e e n t h e m u s i c d i r e c t o r at St. A n d r e w ' s United Church near Lonsdale for over 20 years, a n d a major force on the music faculty at C a p i l a n o C o l l e g e for 17 years. Though he directs three choral groups at the c o l l e g e -- t h e 130-voice Festival Chorus, the 60-woman Cecilia Ensemble, and the 4 0 - v o i c e , a d v a n c e d choir, w i t h h a r p s i c h o r d i s t Doreen Oke. C r o u c h describes Kaario as " c u t t i n g e d g e ; " this is one of the draws for her. She cites Voices, Sax andSyn, a program in w h i c h 80 per cent of the w o r k s w e r e c o m m i s s i o n s by local composers for t w o saxophones, synthesizer a n d voice. A c c o r d i n g to K a a r i o , c o m m i s s i o n i n g new works is a l w a y s "very challenging, but very e x c i t i n g " because " y o u ' r e letting composers 'go for It.'" For the u p c o m i n g M a r c h concert, he has c o m m i s s i o n e d new w o r k s f r o m Q u é b é c o i s o r g a n i s t Denis B é d a r d , M o s h e D e n b u r g of C a p i l a n o College S i n g e r s -- h i s desire to w o r k at a higher level w a s the genesis of Laudate Singers. November | December