Short stuff
Starfield, the Christian band headlined by Winnipeggers Tim and Jon Neufeld, was nominated best Contemporary Christian/Gospel album of the year at the 2009 Juno Awards for their album I Will Go. Downhere won the category at the awards March 29 in Vancouver.
—www.junoawards.ca
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The Sound in the Lands 09 music festival will premiere four commissioned music compositions at Conrad Grebel University College, June 4–8. The Menno Singers will present an a capella choral work Sun, Rain, Wind, composed by Alice Parker to text by Jean Janzen, and Elegy (Waiting) by Janet Peachey with text by Cheryl Denise. Ontario composer and Rockway alumnus Jeff Enns wrote and scored a choral work for the Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Choir. Finally, Ontario composer Joanne Bender composed a chamber piece, Triologue, for violin, cello, and piano.
—www.grebel.uwaterloo.ca/soundinlands
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The Pacific Mennonite Children’s Choir celebrated 30 years of promoting the choral tradition in B.C.’s Fraser Valley with a special anniversary concert May 9 at Bethel Mennonite Church. Over the years, the choir has travelled the globe, including this summer’s trip to Kiev, Ukraine, to sing with the Kiev Symphony and chorus, and to help with the work of Music Mission Kiev. Currently under the leadership of Wes and Kim Janzen, the choir has 64 children ages 8–16.
—PMCC
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Mennonite Church Canada is taking more steps toward “greening” their 2009 convention, to be held at the University of Saskatoon in June. In previous years, delegates were asked to bring their own coffee mugs or drink bottles to reduce consumption of disposables, however, this year disposable cups will not be available at all. Instead, volunteers will sell thrift shop drinkware to those who forgot to bring their own.
—Canadian Mennonite
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Climate consultants ICF International and anti-virus firm McAfee found that the 62 trillion spam emails sent each year produce emissions of more than 17 million tons of CO2 by users searching for and deleting spam. McAfee said the day McColo, a web hosting firm with ties to spammers, was taken offline the drop in energy use was equivalent to taking 2.2 million cars off the road.
—BBC News
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Winner of the 2009 Juno award for roots and traditional group of the year, Chic Gamine is a 5-member band including Alexa Dirks (second from right), member at Jubilee Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. As a student at MB Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg, a music teacher recommended Dirks to Jon Buller’s Hear the Music band, which later led to the invitation to join Chic Gamine. Dirks drew on her faith for the three songs she contributed to the group’s CD, and her gospel song “Shake Off Your Worries” is a tribute to her Mennonite grandmother.
—Canadian Mennonite
—www.junoawards.ca
______________________________________________________________________
The Sound in the Lands 09 music festival will premiere four commissioned music compositions at Conrad Grebel University College, June 4–8. The Menno Singers will present an a capella choral work Sun, Rain, Wind, composed by Alice Parker to text by Jean Janzen, and Elegy (Waiting) by Janet Peachey with text by Cheryl Denise. Ontario composer and Rockway alumnus Jeff Enns wrote and scored a choral work for the Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Choir. Finally, Ontario composer Joanne Bender composed a chamber piece, Triologue, for violin, cello, and piano.
—www.grebel.uwaterloo.ca/soundinlands
______________________________________________________________________
The Pacific Mennonite Children’s Choir celebrated 30 years of promoting the choral tradition in B.C.’s Fraser Valley with a special anniversary concert May 9 at Bethel Mennonite Church. Over the years, the choir has travelled the globe, including this summer’s trip to Kiev, Ukraine, to sing with the Kiev Symphony and chorus, and to help with the work of Music Mission Kiev. Currently under the leadership of Wes and Kim Janzen, the choir has 64 children ages 8–16.
—PMCC
______________________________________________________________________
Mennonite Church Canada is taking more steps toward “greening” their 2009 convention, to be held at the University of Saskatoon in June. In previous years, delegates were asked to bring their own coffee mugs or drink bottles to reduce consumption of disposables, however, this year disposable cups will not be available at all. Instead, volunteers will sell thrift shop drinkware to those who forgot to bring their own.
—Canadian Mennonite
______________________________________________________________________
Climate consultants ICF International and anti-virus firm McAfee found that the 62 trillion spam emails sent each year produce emissions of more than 17 million tons of CO2 by users searching for and deleting spam. McAfee said the day McColo, a web hosting firm with ties to spammers, was taken offline the drop in energy use was equivalent to taking 2.2 million cars off the road.
—BBC News
______________________________________________________________________
Winner of the 2009 Juno award for roots and traditional group of the year, Chic Gamine is a 5-member band including Alexa Dirks (second from right), member at Jubilee Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. As a student at MB Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg, a music teacher recommended Dirks to Jon Buller’s Hear the Music band, which later led to the invitation to join Chic Gamine. Dirks drew on her faith for the three songs she contributed to the group’s CD, and her gospel song “Shake Off Your Worries” is a tribute to her Mennonite grandmother.
—Canadian Mennonite
