Press Releases: Amadeus Choir - toronto choir singing classical and choral music in a concert setting

The amazing, consistent, creative Cassandra Luftspring, 16, of Unionville, has – for the seventh consecutive year – won first place in the Amadeus International Christmas and Chanukah Song Writing Competition. Her winning musical competition, Chanukah Prayer for Peace, will be performed by Canada’s famed Amadeus Choir, under the direction of Lydia Adams, on Saturday night, Dec. 18 at George Weston Hall in the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

Cassandra, or Cassie as she calls herself, describes her winning composition as “an a capella (no instrumental accompaniment) choral piece in seven-part vocal harmony. There are two high soprano parts; two alto parts; one tenor part, one baritone part and one bass part.” She musically defines this work as being “slow and lyrical. It is mostly major-key but the bridge goes into a relative minor key.”

She describes the text theme as taking place “after the Chanukah battles have been won. It states how our people were brave to liberate the Temple. With the holy oil, we light the Chanukah candles. But the mood is not happy. It is more poignant. Now it’s time to talk peace. We hope that our children will live in a better world.”

In the past six years, Cassandra was notified of her first-place win earlier than was the case this year. “I was extremely nervous. They called home while I was in school. My dad told me.”

This repeat victory is only one of many triumphs in Cassandra’s musical career.

“I have played piano since I was 6. I studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music up until Grade 10. I have studied voice since the age of 9, and I currently study voice under Patricia Harton-McCord, as well as musical theory and harmony.” She sang in the children’s choir for Ruth Fazal’s epic Oratorio Terezin, which was reviewed last year in the Jewish Tribune.

Under the direction of Jean Ashworth-Bartle, Cassandra performs and has toured extensively with The Toronto Children’s Chorus, where she is one of three Head Choristers; one of the Choral Scholars and is Leader of the Independent Sight Singers. One achievement she cherishes is being one of 20 choristers selected to sing Gustav Mahler’s 8th Symphony conducted by Sir Simon Rattle at Royal Albert Hall, London. The Toronto Children’s Chorus was the only choir chosen from North America by Sir Simon Rattle to take part in the recording – to be released soon – of this symphony which is considered to be one of Mahler’s most challenging and rewarding works.

Cassandra has composed many other pieces that have been performed by students at her previous schools and choirs such as Chorus Canadiana, who presented her song Our Canada at the International Children’s Choral Festival in the Czech Republic during the summer of 2001.

Her first commission, a choral work in seven-part harmony with piano accompaniment, called Up to Jerusalem, had its world premiere at Toronto’s Isobel Bader Theatre in May 2003 by the Lachan Choir under the direction of Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner. Another song, The Choristers, written for unison voice, piano and cello, will be premiered by the Toronto Children’s Chorus at a concert honouring Jewish composers, Feb.27, at Temple Sinai.

Currently, Cassandra attends Grade 11 at Arts York, Unionville High.

She has done much volunteer work in the Jewish community, including assisting Chaplains Lori and Ernie Gershon in providing High Holiday services for the residents of the Baycrest Terrace for the past three years. She has also performed solo and with a group of choristers for seniors’ residences and for organizations including B’nai Brith, the Red Cross and Bloorview.

“It is thrilling to hear my work performed,” she declared. Based on her illustrious track record, she will experience these thrills many times in the future.