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WITH THE FIRST CANADIAN CONTINGENT

With the First Canadian Contingent, published in 1915, is rich with text and photographs describing the First Contingent of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The entire book, made available free through the Open Library, may be viewed online here.

 

Want to know more?

If you are interested in finding out more about the North Lakeshore Chorus and/or joining it, please contact Michael Korn at michaelkorn@sympatico.ca.

 

 

A Brief History of North Lakeshore Chorus

Performing concerts in historic Ontario church venues since 2012, the North Lakeshore Chorus was not named as such until 2014. A
SATB Community Choir drawing from experienced singers from the greater Toronto, Kingston and Cobourg regions, all on the north
shore of Lake Ontario, choir members first sang together in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Concerts
followed in 2013 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation on June 2nd, 1953.

After a successful concert series in June of 2014, which paid tribute to the soldiers of the First Contingent of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and the 100th Anniversary of the start of the Great War on August 4th, 1914, the choir embarked on a highly successful 10-day tour of the Maritimes in August. This was the catalyst for tours to England, France and Belgium in 2015 to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of the deployment of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on the European Continent in 1915, and to Newfoundland in 2016 to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of the horrific losses suffered by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at the Battle of Beaumont Hamel on July 1st, 1916.

2017 saw concerts in Kingston, Cobourg, Whitby and Wellington to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Confederation on July 1st, 1867, as well as a choral tribute in Wellington to honour the memory of Pte. Thomas Clifford Wilson, who was killed at the Battle of
Passchendaele on November 4th, 1917, and had grown up on the farm in which the Producer Michael Korn now lives.

2018 saw choir members traveling to England, France, Belgium, Germany and Scotland on a two week tour to mark the 100th
anniversary of the end of the Great War. There were also two concerts in Ottawa on November 10th; one at the Canadian War
Museum and the other at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral. Many singers also attended the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the
National War Memorial.

Members of the choir travelled to Italy in June, 2019 to pay tribute to the Canadians who took part in the Italian Campaign from 1943 – 1945. It was a very memorable and moving experience. The choir also presented a series of three Ontario concerts in September in Cobourg, Scarborough and Picton to pay tribute to the 80th Anniversary of the Royal Visit to Canada in 1939 and the 80th Anniversary of the start of the Second World War on September 10th, 1939.

Sadly, Covid resulted in the cancellation of a planned trip to The Netherlands, France and Belgium in 2020 and any further concerts
until the end of 2022, when the choir paid tribute to the life and reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Cobourg and Toronto.
November 2023 saw the choir sing a tribute concert in Picton in honour of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and the 80th
anniversary of their deployment in Italy in July 1943. A few weeks later choir members were asked to sing at Bellefest in Belleville,
Ontario.

2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy France and the assault by Canadian soldiers on Juno
Beach on June 6th, 1944. Choir members are excited about plans for an 11 day tour to northern France, Belgium and the Channel
Islands at the end of June with Heather Christiansen as Music Director, Tom Dietzel, Accompanist and Garret Rodgers, Piper. Choir
members will also present a D-Day tribute concert in Cobourg on June 8th.

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