Day ONE: Fox and Rocks!
It is the beginning of another exciting journey for our Cantiga and Cantare ensembles as they begin their 2026 South East Alberta Performance Tour!
Over the next four days, our choristers will get the opportunity to sing for schoolchildren across Alberta south east of Calgary, and get to take in some of Alberta’s most iconic and historic locations.
Starting our morning with a Gathering Song by Sherryl Sewepagaham
This is our second year of touring with Cantiga and Cantare together! Following the map and itinerary of Cantiga’s tour structure while benefiting from the leadership and skills in our Cantare ensemble!
This year’s tour route bases out of beautiful Medicine Hat and includes stops in some of our favourite tour spots. Follow along on this blog day-by-day as we experience the sights and sounds of our home province… We can’t wait to show you more!
School Tour - Part 1
While our annual AB tour follows one of three routes, the first day tends to begin the same: Performing in local Alberta elementary schools, sharing the gift of singing with as many young people as possible!
We want to say a HUGE thank you to Prairie Waters Elementary School and Rainbow Creek Elementary School for being our Thursday morning hosts, and being such attentive and inviting audience members for our choristers.
Our touring ensemble performed their full tour set at each location, it was so nice to hear each of our school audiences sing with us! These short 30-40 min performances give our singers the chance to perform a short program with repetitions, allowing them to continue to hone their performance craft with more and more familiar music!
Monk Miles: Saving Our Voices
Shotout to our Cantare’s who’s MONK MILES had to be focused on MATH ASSIGNMENTS
One VERY unfortunate reality of traveling with a big group is that there are few forms of travel that do not involve talking over loud engines for prolonged periods of time - this can be a voice killer for singers on tour!
Dating back to our Ireland Tour in 2002 during our residency with the monks at Glenstal Abbey, we’ve had a tradition of designating certain legs of the journey as MONK MILES where we keep to quiet activities rather than loud conversation so we can maintain our instruments throughout a busy day.
We find LOTS of other activities to enjoy the travel time together.
This is a GREAT time to say a huge THANK YOU to our bussing provider for this trip: South Forty Transportation, and to our amazing driver Matt Cochrane!
Blackfoot Crossing
The historic site of the signing of Treaty Seven, Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is an icon of the resilience and regeneration of the Blackfoot People’s language and way of life. It is a teacher, a guide, a visionary and a brother. It builds relationships with its community and the other Blackfoot Nations. It honours Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and it connects the community, especially youth, to the past, present and future of the Blackfoot. To others, Blackfoot Crossing is inspiring and educational. Everyone who visits leaves a changed and better person. The site is of National and International historical and archaeological significance. It is a designated national Heritage Site and a recommended UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After being shown a series of short films about the history of the region and its roots to the Siksika Nation, we participated in the “Foxes and Rock” program, led by Senior Interpreter Grant Many Heads, designed to provide an enhanced cross-cultural understanding of Blackfoot culture. We learned about the origins of the name for the town of Okotoks and its Blackfoot word 'óóhkotok - referring to the glacial erratic, or BIG ROCK, in the Alberta plains. This was a very moving presentation for our choristers, and we could see them all taking fierce notes through the entire presentation! Grant told stories through stones - histories of the land visible in earth and rock.
As a part of the program, we each got to select a rock to paint, and some of our choristers chose to leave their rocks behind in the BCHP’s newly planted tree garden. We wonder how many rocks will have joined them by the time we are here next!
BONUS E-BOOK:
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park has published a free-to-download ebook, Stories of the Siksika, to educate people about Siksika history, culture, and traditions.
“The stories of the Siksika are many. They have been passed down through the centuries from one generation to the next. Our long history is also an oral tradition that is interwoven with the land, plants, birds, and animals, especially iinii — the buffalo. To understand our history, you must first understand our stories.” - Stories of the Siksika
Settling In: Our First Night in Medicine Hat
After a long day of bus rides and activities, our bus arrived at our hotel in Medicine Hat, and we were ready for a swim!
MEANWHILE, Our Tour Coordinator Katie MacDonald, and Medical Coordinator Dr Niki Panich journeyed into Medicine Hat to complete an essential task: LAUNDRY
Each day, we wash and dry our tour uniform to be ready for the next day helping to keep our group looking sharp at all times.
Living Together on Tour 101:
Keeping the room tidy is a TEAM effort, and a group necessity. Nobody wants to be the messy roommate that makes it hard for others!
Tours can get slowed down by the “in-between” time, we all help the tour move along by moving quickly between meals, our rooms, and the tour bus. Punctuality, as always, is pertinent.
SOMEBODY has to be the one to wake up first - What’s your room’s system for making sure that’s fair?
A FRESH tour uniform for a fresh day tomorrow!
