On Sunday March 17th, an all-female voice ensemble will present an hour of choral music at St. Thomas' Anglican Church. The ensemble will be formed of soprani and alti from Montreal. Some of the singers will be returning for a third season of Music at St. Thomas', and others will be new to Belleville. The programme will take the listener on a journey through the history of choral music, starting with plainchant and ending with a contemporary work. It will include great works of sacred music from various traditions and countries. “Classical sacred music is something organic that has evolved tremendously over time,” explains Francine Nguyen-Savaria. “It was influenced by history, change in dogmas, changes in tradition... We tried to create tableaux representing various periods of the history of classical sacred music. There will be some plainchant, works by Renaissance composers, Romantic works, modern works, and we will finish with a work by a living composer... not us, this time around, though!”
 
The chamber choir will perform the first part—the older works—a capella, and then move to the organ loft for works requiring organ accompaniment. 
 
The concert will start at 4:30 PM. A reception will follow during which light refreshments will be served. Admission is by donation.

Join Kingston Frontenac Public Library and Georgina Riel for a community talking circle where participants will discuss the past, present and future of Indigenous communities in the Kingston-Frontenac region. This event is part of the City of Kingston's Engage for Change initiative that aims to strengthen the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. Please email questions you may want to discuss at the event to the email address below.

Where: Rideau Heights Community Centre, 85 MacCauley Street, Large Hall Room

When:  Friday, September 28, 9 - 4 p.m. (lunch is provided)

Space is limited to 20 participants (ages 13 and up).

Register for free online at https://www.kfpl.ca/programs-and-events/2018-09-28/engage-for-change-talking-circle or by phone.

Registration closes on Tuesday, September 11.

Contact: Jacob Miller jmiller@kfpl.ca 
613-549-8888, ext. 3522

On Sunday February 17th, the Canadian Guitar Quartet will present an original programme showcasing the versatility of the classical guitar at St. Thomas' Anglican Church.
 
Since its debut in 1999, the Canadian Guitar Quartet has toured extensively in North and South America, from one standing ovation to the next, establishing a reputation as one of the finest guitar ensembles in the world. The CGQ has appeared with orchestra across Canada, and has recorded three critically acclaimed CDs. The quartet has been broadcast on both CBC and Radio-Canada, has had a special performance feature on Bravo! Television, was featured in the webcast at Chicago’s Northwestern University, on CBC’s overseas networks, and in various international magazines. The mix of dynamic original music and classical masterpieces make a CGQ concert an unforgettable experience.
 
The concert will start at 4:30 PM. A reception will follow during which light refreshments will be served. Admission is by donation.

Matthieu Latreille will give a pipe organ solo recital at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in Belleville on Sunday afternoon, January 20th. The programme will feature works by Mendelssohn, Reger, Merkel and Bach, including the famous chorale prelude “An Wasserflüssen Babylon” employing the double pedal technique.
 
Matthieu Latreille and his wife, Francine Nguyen-Savaria, have been music directors at St. Thomas’ Anglican church since January 2014. The pipe organ of St. Thomas' Anglican Church is one of the finest in the area. The instrument was built by Gabriel Kney in 1977, to replace the large Casavant organ that had been destroyed with the church by fire in 1975. The instrument of 19 ranks (about 1,000 pipes) has 14 stops and its action is entirely mechanical. A live projection on a screen will allow the audience to see the organist performing.
 
The concert will start at 4:30 PM. A reception will follow during which light refreshments will be served. Admission is by donation.

The Choirs of St. Thomas' Anglican Church, Belleville, will be presenting “Carols by Candlelight,” a Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols on Sunday afternoon, December 16th. The service will be presented in the traditional style of King's College, Cambridge. The Junior and Senior choirs, conducted and accompanied by music directors Matthieu Latreille & Francine Nguyen-Savaria, will present Christmas carols and anthems. The congregation is also invited to join in singing some all-time favourites.
 
The event will start at 4:30 PM. A reception will follow during which light refreshments will be served. Admission is by donation.

On November 18th, trumpeter Travis Mendel from Ottawa and organist Denis Gagné from Montreal will offer a “valves and pipes” concert. Travis Mandel is Principal Trumpet of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and Cathedral Brass, and a member of the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces. Born and raised in the National Capital Region, he began the trumpet at age 14. Travis has appeared in concert with many orchestras in Eastern Canada, including the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, and l’Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau. He has played with a variety of military bands, but his proudest moments came as member of the Band of the Governor General's Foot Guards, a band he served with until 2016.
 
From Montreal, organist Denis Gagné completed his studies at the Montreal Conservatory of Music. Denis was organist for twelve years at the Sanctuaire du Saint-Sacrement in Montreal. He is currently organist for the parish of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Montreal, and co-organist for the Italian parish Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel. Denis Gagné is an active performer on the Canadian and French scenes. He takes pride in making Canadian music known abroad. Travis and Denis' concert will indeed feature several Canadian works.
 
The concert will start at 4:30 PM. A reception will follow during which light refreshments will be served. Admission is by donation.

Bargains galore at the Senior Citizens' Drop-In Centre 42 Renfrew St., Pembroke ON 2 - day Annual Giant Garage Sale.  Friday September 7 from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.  AND Saturday September 8 from 8 a.m. - 12 noon.  COME OUT AND SEE!! ! Everything must go!!! So much to list!!! So much to see such as: Cross Country skis, dishes, gently used clothing, book, 2 love seats, and much, MUCH MORE!!!!!!  All proceeds to Senior Citizens' Drop-In Centre.  Donations are being accepted up to and including Thursday September 6.  

On Sunday August 26th, at 9 PM, St. Thomas' Anglican Church will offer a chanted office of Compline. 

Inherited from the Medieval monastic tradition, Compline is a quiet and contemplative service, and the music setting is mainly composed of various chants. “As its name implies, compline (completorium) is the canonical hour which ‘completes’ and brings the day to its close. The office owes much of its present form to St. Benedict.” It is—with matins (morning prayer) and vespers (evening prayer)—an office which is still sung in many churches and cathedrals. 

Music directors Matthieu Latreille and Francine Nguyen-Savaria had the opportunity to attend offices of compline during their years in Los Angeles, and also at Selwyn College in Cambridge (UK). They have wanted to offer this experience in the Quinte area for a few years already. 

"It is a beautiful, serene office," says Francine. "One can participate simply by listening and allowing the music to take us elsewhere. My personal experience of Compline is one of a service when we are free for a while from anxieties and the demands of the world around us. That it is the last office of the day is very suiting." 

This late, candlelit service will be chanted by a female voice ensemble, formed specially for this event. The music will include plainchant, and two motets by Orlande de Lassus. 

Free-will offering.
 

The first September talk in the KFPL Live monthly speakers’ series is titled Astana: Architecture, Myth & Destiny.  The presenter, Dr. Frank Albo, comes to KFPL courtesy of the Templum Fidelis Masonic Lodge in Bath.  

Dr. Albo is an architectural historian and an expert on secret societies, with graduate degrees in ancient near Eastern languages, Western esotericism and the history of art.  He was featured in the 2007 book The Hermetic Code: Unlocking One of Manitoba’s Greatest Secrets, which showcased Masonic symbols in the Manitoba Legislative Building.  His approach to architecture, landscape, and design seeks to transform public spaces into interactive journeys of discovery which elevate the mind and promote a sense of wonder. 

In his 2017 book Astana: Architecture, Myth & Destiny he explains how the extraordinary buildings in the planned city of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, encode Illuminati and Masonic symbolism.  In this presentation he will provide clues to the "Astana Challenge."  The first person or group to decipher the exact wording of the message hidden in Dr. Albo’s book will win an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation valued at $30,000 to Astana, called the "world’s most bizarre capital city."

This presentation will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 15, at the Calvin Park branch.  It is open to all adults and teens, but seating is limited. There is no admission charge. To avoid disappointment, please register in advance. 

Register at events.kfpl.ca (or by phone at 613-549-8888) as of 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 1.

Let's Do Lunch! is an event you won't want to miss and is continuing its annual tradition of showcasing local eateries, who will be generously providing bite-size portions of their delicious fare for ticket holders to sample.  We enthusiastically invite you to join us for this culinary event, hosted by the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce in support of the United Way.  Tuesday, September 18, 2018 from 11:30 am to 1 pm. at the Cobourg Lions Community Centre, 157 Elgin St. E, Cobourg.  Tickets are $15 in Advance and $20 at the Door.  To purchase tickets, contact the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce 905-372-5831, www.nccofc.ca or Northumberland United Way at 905-372-6955, www.mynuw.org.