A Hive of Honeybees

This is a momentous season in many ways!  Ensemble Laude is larger and more vibrant than ever before with 50 singers, an Assistant Director, Composer-in-Residence and Administrator! This year in addition to our regular concerts we also have been invited to perform at the international Choralies festival in France.  We are busy as bees!

You might question the bee reference but in many ways we are like a hive of honey bees!  Honey bees are exclusively female except for a few males they keep around just in case!  As well in Laude, although we love our mates to bits, we are all women – it is a women-run organization from the board down to all the singers.  (We must not forget the men we have had on the board such as Ian Bullen who has been such a support through the years!)  As well, a honey bee hive has its Queen!  And we undoubtedly have our queen as well – the one and only Elizabeth MacIsaac.  When you open a hive of bees and are looking for the Queen Bee, she is easiest to find by what is called a daisy pattern – she will be in the middle of a circle of attendants and adorers!  Well, this is also a good way to find our beloved Artistic Director after a concert – she will be in the center of a circle of admirers!

As well, in a hive, all the bees have their various jobs they carry out for the good of the hive – some of course, go out and forage for nectar, but others clean the hive, build honeycomb, care for the brood, regulate the temperature, or guard the entrance.  Same in Ensemble Laude!  We all have our tasks that keep our group going strong – some help with fundraising, others with programme notes, publicity,or concert production!.  And of course, our main task that we do for our own joy and that of our listeners is we gather musical nectar from the most beautiful flowers we can find and refine it into honey which we share with audiences at our performances.

Just imagine sweet golden honey flowing out and enveloping the room and you will have described an Ensemble Laude concert!

Have you ever imagined you could braid sunshine? Ensemble Laude’s blend of voices seems to hold that magic in their soundscape. Their contemplative music will take you on an instant holiday in your mind, leaving you relaxed and refreshed.” Arthur Claxton, audience member