High school singers fly to Norway to perform with world-renowned composer Ola Gjeilo

NORWAY – Two Wellington County teens were among 39 local chamber choir students representing Canada on stage in Oslo, Norway earlier this month. 

The students in Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute’s (GCVI) chamber choir  were invited to sing in the Music of Ola Gjeilo Festival from June 3 to 8. 

Gjeilo is a pianist and world-renowned contemporary choral composer.

The 39 teens from GCVI were the only high school students performing in the festival, joined by singers from Norway, the U.S., Italy and Ireland to perform Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass on stage at the Oslo Konserthus. 

Music teacher Lane Osborne said the experience was a “true testament to the power of music in bringing people together, from every type of background imaginable, to strive towards the goal of performing this music to the best of our ability as one. It is the essence of being a musician, and a standing ovation very well deserved.” 

Lane said her choristers “never bat an eye when it comes to being there for long rehearsals that can be gruelling and tedious (we clocked about 50 hours outside of school time for this one alone).” She added, “They are so dedicated and deserving of all their success.” 

Brodie Gariepy from Fergus and Tuuli Quilley from Elora were among the students to make the trip. They told the Advertiser it’s incredible how much they did during their five days in Norway. 

Not only did they rehearse and perform with a group of international musicians, but they checked out museums and art galleries; took a fjord boat cruise; explored Oslo; went to iconic parks; visited historic buildings, castles, an Olympic ski jump and a Viking village; and played volleyball and dodgeball with local kids. 

Quilley and Gariepy gushed about the things they learned that stretched well beyond the musical aspects.

“Shout-out to Ms. Osborne and Mr. Guthro,” Quilley said of the teachers who organized the trip, noting they overcame a lot of challenges “to make sure we had the best time.” 

“They always figure out how to pull it together so everything works out,” Gariepy said. 

Osborne is “out of this world,” Quilley said. “I don’t think anyone has a choir teacher as good as her – we hit the jackpot.”  

The students both said the opportunity strengthened their relationships with their peers in the high school choir.   

Taking a trip to Europe on top of exams wasn’t an easy endeavour, but both students say they would do it again in a heartbeat. 

They said getting to meet Gjeilo was a highlight and they were impressed by his humility. 

Gariepy asked Gjeilo how he composes such impressive pieces, and the composer said, “‘I just sit and play until something sounds good and I write that down ... then I piece it together.’” 

“He’s so down to earth, and funny,” Gariepy said. “He just does it (composes) because he loves it.”

Quilley said the rehearsals were a big adjustment as she’s used to singing with about 50 students, not hundreds of singers from all over the world. 

Days after getting home, Quilley was already itching to return to Norway, and said she’s been telling her family she’d like to plan another trip to Europe.  

She appreciated the opportunity to learn from the more experienced singers by her side, and exchanged contact information with some of the other choristers.  

And she felt comforted by being part of the larger group  and the confidence of those around her – “it’s not about you as a singular person.”

Gariepy said Gjeilo pointed out how impressive it was that all these singers who’d never met before could perform together after just three rehearsals.

Sunrise Mass is a big, complicated piece to learn, Gariepy said, but “Ms. Osborne prepared us very, very well.” 

He said, “She looked at it for the first time in December,” and within six months had prepared the students to sing it on an international stage. 

And when it came time for the final performance  at the Oslo Koncerthus on June 7, “It was the most powerful sound I’ve ever heard,” Gariepy said. 

As for the trip overall, Quilley rates Norway “100 out of 10.”