Watch “Why Can’t We” on video – Canadian Chamber Choir

Jun 09, 2021

Watch “Why Can’t We” on video

Watch the Tune Up & Sing Out Virtual Chorus and the Canadian Chamber Choir perform “Why Can’t We” by Naming the Twins and composed by the late Robbie Smith.

This past April, we joined forces with the Nova Scotia Choral Federation and the Robbie Songs Project for a series of workshops. Known as Tune Up & Sing Out, this program brought together choristers from across Canada to freshen up their vocal technique and to participate in a virtual choir performance.

“Why Can’t We” was written and originally performed by Naming the Twins, a folk duo consisting of Kathleen Glauser and the late Robbie Smith. Since his passing, Kathleen has spearheaded the Robbie Songs Project, an effort to memorialize Robbie Smith’s music through the creation of new choral arrangements of his work. This led to the creation of Donna Rhodenizer’s arrangement of “Why Can’t We”.

To learn more about the Robbie Songs Project, visit the Naming the Twins website.

Text credit: Nova Scotia Choral Federation

A founding member of the Canadian Chamber Choir and its Artistic Director since 2003, Dr. Julia Davids has led the ensemble on concert and workshop tours of every province, and conducted four recordings including their Juno-nominated 2015 release, Sacred Reflections. Born in London, Ontario, she grew up singing in the Amabile Youth Singers, the Ontario Youth Choir, and the National Youth Choir, for whom she was the first Apprentice Conductor. She is currently the Stephen J. Hendrickson Professor and Director of Choral Activities at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of choral conductors and committed to giving emerging and established Canadian composers a forum for their work. Read More

Dr. Joel Tranquilla is a conductor and music educator noted for his versatile musicianship and creative programming. Associate Conductor of the Canadian Chamber Choir since 2015, Joel also recently returned home to the Maritimes to assume the positions of Artistic Director of the Halifax Camerata Singers and Chorus Master of Symphony Nova Scotia. Formative choral experiences include touring with the American Boychoir as a boy soprano and singing as a member of the Nova Scotia and National Youth Choirs. He holds degrees from Mount Allison University, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University where his doctoral research was in the area of Canadian choral-orchestral works. Read More