Choral Debut of Toronto Valour Ensemble Released
The debut choral album from a hand-picked ensemble takes the listener through the range of emotions felt by soldiers (and their families and friends) during the era of The Great War fought a century ago by many nations, featuring both popular and original compositions, including Danny Boy and In Flanders Fields.
Toronto, Canada, September 7, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Recorded at the West Toronto Masonic Temple in Toronto, in July 2015, the debut album titled Sacrifice and Solace has been released, effective immediately, on CD Baby. The songs, composed by Dr Sharbel Dalal, were sung by The Toronto Valour Ensemble and conducted by Lynn McMurray. There are eleven poignant songs on the album which are intended to take the listener through a powerful journey, one that is taken from an era one hundred years ago.
From 1914 to 1918 many nations were engulfed in a conflict that cost millions their lives, which was later referred to as The First World War, The Great War and ‘The War To End War’ (taken from an article published by H.G. Wells in 1914). At the outset, with German forces sweeping through Belgium en route to France, Britain declared war and in the process brought along to the fight her Commonwealth Nations: Canada, India, Australia and New Zealand, augmenting other forces gathering along the Western Front.
"We truly hope students from schools coast to coast and around the world will produce videos for each of the songs, or just one, and submit them to us, to help promote awareness of the sacrifices the men made a century ago," says Graeme Boyce, Executive Producer, Sacrifice and Solace,
Graeme Boyce, Executive Producer
Sacrifice and Solace, as a project, was conceived November 2014 at an annual Remembrance Day ceremony held at The Beaches Lodge in Toronto and launched six months later with the final selection of the album’s songs and the eight members from among many who would ultimately comprise The Toronto Valour Ensemble. “The album honours the memory of those who sacrificed so much during those years,” says Executive Producer Graeme Boyce, “and reminds people today around the world the true horror of war and what is needed to win.”