Calgary choir celebrates 70th anniversary with 'extravaganza'

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Calgary’s longest-running vocal ensemble is celebrating seven decades of bringing popular music to the masses.

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Calgary choir celebrates 70th anniversary with 'extravaganza' Back to video

Started in 1952, Revv52 is a pop and rock music choir that, in the past, has performed songs from groups as varied as Supertramp, The Eagles, Tragically Hip, Pink Floyd, Britney Spears, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Fountains of Wayne, ACDC, U2, Joe Cocker and Hozier.

For its anniversary celebration – World on a String, an Orchestral Rock & Pop Extravaganza – the 52-member choir has made new arrangments of songs and will be accompanied by a 20-piece symphonic orchestra, along with its own five-member band. Tickets for the shows Jan. 26 to 28 are $22 to $70 and are available at revv52.com/shows.

For the anniversary concerts, the choir is making a return to its home stage at the Bella Concert Hall at Mount Royal University after a three-year absence. Although held off stages due to the pandemic, the choir has kept busy. It produced two streaming albums, multiple music videos and had a streaming concert which increased its reach to the U.K., Germany, Australia and the Philippines.

A new conductor, John Morgan, joined the choir in mid-2019. He formerly worked with the Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede and Mount Royal Conservatory’s Kantorei.

Formed as the Calgary Choral Society to perform in honour of the Queen’s coronation in 1953, it reinvented itself many times over the years. The last big change came 10 years ago when it rebranded as Revv52 and began to sing contemporary pop songs in up to eight-part harmony. The group includes more than 50 singers of all backgrounds and ages and it has twice performed in New York City at Carnegie Hall.