welcome to Jonah!

This is Marie Anderson. I am the musical director of Jonah, a musical-dramatic work by R. Murray Schafer. I have been part of a number of Murray Schafer productions and have found each work has been a transformative experience for me personally. As a musician you are challenged to read notation that looks more like a graphic image than a traditional musical score. Lines and images swirl across the page punctuated with words. Without any verbal explanation, the reader somehow understands that the music begins at the top of the page and moves downward, gathering momentum as it goes. Page 9 in the score is an example of Schafer's unusual score.It is shown on this blog right next to our poster. We began rehearsing this page last week in rehearsal. It is amazing how quickly these images come to life on the page.

The Chorus Is The Main Character!

Something that I love about this telling of the Jonah story is that the role of God is played by everyone—men, women, children—everyone is part of the Voice of God. The chorus is sometimes in traditional soprano, alto, tenor, bass formation: singing four-part harmony reminiscent of a hymn that you would sing in a church service. In one scene, the chorus is the voice of a child. Sometimes the chorus is chanting speech in rhythm. Acting like a Greek chorus, they move the plot forward, telling the story as we watch it unfold on stage. There is a scene where the chorus sings psalm verses in Gregorian chant style. The chorus expresses a range of emotion from rage to mercy. Jonah is motivated, supported and cajoled by the chorus. This is wonderful for someone who has always wanted a major role in a play. We are so fortunate at Sydenham Street United Church to have the sanctuary space with its balconies, aisles and incredible acoustics. In this beginning rehearsal period, our director, Sarah Gibson Bray is exploring creative ways to use the chorus and the space.

An Opportunity To Perform

There are two scenes where we need many voices and bodies. One of these scenes is the storm scene represented at the top of the page. If you would like to be involved in Jonah but can't commit to a full rehearsal schedule, come and join us for this scene. For more information, call Marie Anderson at or email m.annendale@gmail.com. Enthusiasm and openness to creative sound and movement are more important than musical experience. This is an intergenerational play and so there are parts for children and