Hexaphone, Victoria’s six-member a cappella ensemble, presents “Set the Table for Six”, a vocal buffet on the themes of food and friendship. Savour the succulence of French chansons by Gombert and Lassus, a love song to a Mashed Potato, and the lively Epicure of Derek Holman. Complete the feast with Luengen’s Mésange, a setting of Coltraine’s Naïma, Handmade Proverbs of Takemitsu, a Grain of Sand by Larry Nickel, and more. Let Hexaphone satisfy your appetite for delectable singing!

Hexaphone is Victoria’s sole six-member a cappella vocal group. In fact, it’s the only professional-level a cappella sextet in Canada. (Or at least, that’s what a director from the Canadian Music Centre maintained.) Paul Boughen, a Victoria physician and Hexaphone’s bass singer, is leery of making such an absolute claim. “I think we can claim to be the only steadily performing vocal sextet in Canada,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know of any others.”

In the music world, vocal groups that specialize in a cappella — singing unaccompanied by musical instruments — are not very common. A few pop a cappella groups, such as the Nylons and Naturally 7, have become well known. Of late, the style has become popular enough to have spawned an NBC reality show, The Sing-Off. In the classical world, the most famous a cappella act is the long-running King’s Singers, a sextet that became an international sensation and performed on The Johnny Carson Show.

Hexaphone has yet to match the King’s Singers’ fame. But the group, now in its 10th season, has enjoyed its share of success. Hexaphone has premièred works by such notable Canadian composers as Rodney Sharman and Linda Catlin. They’ve performed for the Victoria Symphony’s New Currents Festival of Music and the Voice++ Festival at Open Space. In 2008, Hexaphone was selected to give the premier performance of B.C. 150 Project: Five Songs for British Columbia, commissioned by the Canadian Music Centre to celebrate the 150th birthday of the colony of British Columbia.

The members all have extensive classical vocal training, something that’s reflected in their precise, tonally balanced sound. Boughen, who oversees the ensemble’s vocal arrangements, started off his musical life hoping to become a professional pianist. He’s sung with many groups, including the CapriCCio Vocal Ensemble as both a chorister and a soloist. Hexaphone appeals to him because, in many respects, it demands more of singers than a choir. In a large ensemble, it’s possible to disappear within the crowd. Not so in a small group, in which each voice is clearly audible.

“The group is really about solo singers who are joining together to do group work. It’s more chamber work than choir work,” Boughen said. Each week the members of Hexaphone rehearse in a church. When gigs loom, that steps up to twice a week. They do not use microphones. “It’s incredible. We make a lot of noise for six people. If we want to, we can fill a hall quite readily.”

Regular singing is said to exercise muscles in the upper body and improve the efficiency of the cardiovascular system. As a family-practice doctor, Boughen is well aware of the side benefits of his hobby. “It’s a healthy pursuit. You have to be in good shape to sing properly,” he said.

“One of the highlights of my week is to sing for two hours, rehearsing. It’s relaxing. It’s invigorating. It’s all of those things.”

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

Hexaphone, Victoria’s six-member a cappella vocal ensemble, presents “Hex and the City”, an upbeat urban mix of music. With its vibrant blend of voices Hexaphone will spin a program of classical, folk and jazz – an exploration of variety and style. Listen to Tin Pan Alley selections of Cole Porter, German romantic poetry set by Johannes Brahms, delightful Shakespeare Songs of Jaako Mäntyjärvi, Limericks composed by Nicholas Fairbank, and much more. This is a concert with something for everyone – all sung with verve and flare.

Hexuberance
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 2pm
St. Michael and All Angels Church, Chemainus
www.chemainusclassicalconcerts.ca

Hex and the City
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 8pm
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Victoria

Spring concert
Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 8pm
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Victoria

Hexaphone has planned two concerts for the new year — a January concert, to be performed in Victoria and Chemainus, and a concert in April (or May) in Victoria. Stay tuned for the exact dates. Hexaphone has been accepted for the International Choral Kathaumixw to be held July 3-7, 2012 in Powell River, BC. For details visit www.kathaumixw.org

Applicants must be confident with a wide range of styles and challenging repertoire, one voice per part. Singers must also be willing to commit to a consistent, regular rehearsal schedule. A music degree, or equivalent experience is an asset. Please contact Paul 250-479-2773 for audition times and repertoire. We look forward to singing with you!