Stand by the water and close your eyes; listen. Is there a drum-like pulse in the sound of the city? A single voice raising its melody to the stars? Or a noisy fury blaring out a cacophony of frustrations and dreams?

Maada’ookii Songlines, at the 2019 Luminato Festival, is a massive choral event with 200 singers from 11 diverse choirs, 4 soloists, and an Indigenous ensemble braiding their songs, styles, voices and cultures, set against Toronto’s breathtaking waterfront.

The Bruised Years Choir has been working hard this year – starting off with singing the national anthem at the first Toronto City Council meeting of the new session in the fall, a record number of performances around the city, and the upcoming Maada’ookii Songlines performance on June 23, their second year in a row performing as part of the Luminato Festival! We’re grateful to the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund for their support in making this the Choir’s most successful season to date. To celebrate, join us on Thursday, June 27 from 7-8 PM to finish off their season and hear all their greatest hits. This FREE event is sure to lift your spirits.

“[T]he most heartfelt choir performance I have ever heard. Their lived experiences shine through their voices as they sing…”
-Samantha Summers, Musings

About the Bruised Years Choir
Established in January 2016, Workman Arts’ Bruised Years Choir is a year-round opportunity for artists living with mental health and/or addiction issues. The Choir is led by award-winning artist and producer Jim LeFrancois and musical collaborator Rob Joy. The Choir meets every Monday, to work round-the-piano on contemporary selections which lend themselves to group vocal arrangements. The Choir has a vast repertoire of innovative, re-arranged popular songs, many of which explore themes of madness and hope.

What began as a 6-week course with seven participants has since grown to become a season-long initiative which engages more than fifty members over the course of the year. The Bruisers have been invited to perform at events such as the Inaugural Meeting of the new Toronto City Council, Out the Window for the 2018 Luminato Festival, Royal Ontario Museum, Invictus Games, Lodge on Queen Fundraiser, Hot Docs, Patrick Conner Awards, CAMH’s Phase Three Ground-Breaking Ceremony and more. The Choir is currently preparing for its upcoming appearance in the Luminato Festival’s Maadaookii Songlines in June.

Image: Bruised Years Choir, photo by Julie Riemersma