The future of Canadian choral singing is onstage in New Westminster this weekend.
Chor Leoni Men's Choir is presenting a special concert by its MYVoice participants.
Knights and Troubadours takes to the stage at Queens Avenue United Church, 7: 30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.
The concert brings together the 90 singers currently taking part in the MYVoice program - a special introduction to choral singing for boys and young men aged 12 to 20.
They rehearse in three locations - New Westminster, Langley and Vancouver - under the direction of Carrie Tennant, Hussein Janmohamed and Kevin Zakresky.
The three groups will be performing on their own, as a massed choir and in a special finale with Chor Leoni. Chor Leoni will also open the show.
The concert explores all things chivalrous, with a mix of classical and popular songs as well as show tunes. Included will be a couple of numbers from Camelot, plus favourites from medieval spoofs like Robin Hood: Men in Tights, as well as Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail.
"We're not just knights," said John Galvani, one of the MYVoice participants. "We're singing, dancing and prancing knights. There's a big difference."
Many of the boys in MYVoice have continued on singing in school and community choirs because of their experience with the program.
"We've started something really special here," Tennant said. "MYVoice is a chance for young men to try singing for the first time. Once they realize how much they enjoy it, they will continue for the rest of their lives."
Luke McAndless-Davis, a New Westminster teen who took part in 2011, agreed.
"MYVoice changed my life," he said. "I'm in two of my school choirs and Coastal Sound Youth Choir now. I never knew how good I could get at singing."
The concert is family-friendly and social media-friendly - Facebooking, blogging and tweeting are welcome. (The Twitter hashtag is #MYVoice.)
Queens Avenue United Church is at 529 Queens Ave.
Tickets are $15 regular and for seniors, or $10 for students with GO cards. They're available online at chorleoni.org or by phone at Brown Paper Tickets, 1-800-838-3006.
