The Richard Eaton Singers
As a symphonic chorus, the 150-voice Richard Eaton Singers (RES) has played a leading role in Edmonton's cultural community for over five decades. Founded in 1951 by Richard S. Eaton, the first Chair of the Department of Music at the University of Alberta, the choir was originally named the University Singers. In its early years, the choir drew its membership largely from the university community, including alumni of the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus.
From the beginning, RES (named in memory of its founder following his death in 1968) has had strong, though unofficial, ties to the university, and its music directors have been U of A faculty members. Since Eaton's death, RES has been conducted by Alexandra M. Munn, Larry D. Cook and, since 1981, by Leonard Ratzlaff.
RES produces its own concerts, and is a frequent guest of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The choir has an extensive repertoire of works from the choral/orchestral canon. It regularly commissions and premières new works by Canadian composers. Imant Raminsh's Veni, Sancte Spiritus was given its first performance in 1992. Mark Sirett's In Praise of Music, the title work of the choir's first CD, was performed in 2002.
In spring 2004, the choir premièred the newly commissioned Sepulcher of Life by Toronto composer Christos Hatzis, in joint performances with the Vancouver Bach Choir in both Edmonton and Vancouver.
RES has toured in Canada and Europe, and in the summer of 2003 travelled and performed in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. In St. John's, RES participated by invitation in a week-long international choral festival, Festival 500. It performed excerpts from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana under the direction of the celebrated American conductor and singer, Bobby McFerrin, and also sang under Toronto choir director and guest conductor Brainerd Blyden-Taylor.
In October 2003, RES was awarded the inaugural Music Alberta Orpheus Award in the organization category, for distinguished contributions to Alberta's cultural community over its 52 years of existence.
