Elmer Iseler Singers Atlantic tour stops in Cape Breton

Join us for a rare choral convergence.

For one night only, the Cape Breton Chorale and the Men of the Deeps will host the Elmer Iseler Singers, directed by Glace Bay’s own Lydia Adams. Choral Gold will take place on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Church in Sydney. Tickets are $30 and available through capebretonchorale.com, by calling 902-270-2591, or at the door.

The Cape Breton Chorale, directed by Emma Francis and accompanied by Paula Jane Francis, will kickoff our 53rd season with a very special joint performance with two of our closest musical friends.

The Elmer Iseler Singers, led by artistic director Lydia Adams since 1998, mark their 48th concert season in 2026-27. This esteemed, 20-voice professional ensemble, founded by Dr. Elmer Iseler in 1979, boasts a rich legacy of captivating audiences locally, nationally and globally with their exquisite choral performances. With a focus on Canadian composers, the Juno Award-winning group has earned acclaim for their diverse repertoire and collaborations with renowned musical partners. Committed to nurturing talent, they actively support emerging singers, conductors, and composers through workshops and scholarships, embodying their dedication to artistic excellence and community engagement. You may still have goose bumps from their last visit in March 2023. If you’ve been kicking yourself for missing that event, here’s another opportunity. And this time we’re involving our good friends, the Men of the Deeps.

As North America’s only coal miners chorus, the Men of the Deeps, led by Stephen Muise, need no introduction. The group is celebrating their 60th anniversary with upcoming performances around the Maritimes and across Canada. Their iconic performances share the stories of those who worked in the mines beneath Cape Breton Island, and the communities who shaped them. We are honoured to once again share the stage with these Cape Breton legends.

Choral singing is a vital part of Nova Scotia’s rich musical history. The Men of the Deeps are not the only ones with a milestone anniversary in the 2026-27 season. The Nova Scotia Choral Federation (NSCF) is celebrating it’s 50th season supporting and promoting the art of choral music in the province. The Cape Breton Chorale has been a long-standing member of the NSCF. Lydia Adams has been a clinician, guest-conductor and guest accompanist for the NSCF on many occasions. In many ways, our upcoming concert, Choral Gold, is the embodiment of the Nova Scotia Choral Society’s mandate to ‘reflect the province’s rich cultural tapestry and the traditions of singing that are deeply embedded within its history.’

Choral Gold, will take you on a musical journey of new and old favourites. The first half of the program, performed by the Elmer Iseler Singers, celebrates the Earth and includes works by a number of living Canadian composers including, Stephanie Martin, Eleanor Daley, and Hussein Janmohamed. You’ll want to close your eyes and listen to the interplay of poetry and music.

Following a brief intermission, the Cape Breton Chorale will join the Elmer Iseler Singers to present the world premiere of The Celtic Heart, arranged by Stuart Calvert. As an internationally celebrated, orchestrator and arranger, Glace Bay’s Stuart Calvert has never forgotten his roots. The Celtic Heart, an arrangement of four traditional Scottish folk songs, is an adaptation from the work he composed for the 2026 BBC Last Night at the Proms. From the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, to St. Marguerite Bourgeoys in Sydney, Stuart’s arrangements remain true to the simplicity of traditional songs while weaving a rich tapestry of vocal harmony and piano accompaniment. We hope that you enjoy listening to this work as much as we’ve enjoyed learning it.

The concert will continue with familiar songs from Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, arranged by Stuart Calvert and Lydia Adams. Finally, the Men of The Deeps will take to the stage and bring down the rafters. You will leave feeling uplifted and inspired by the incredible reach of our homegrown music and musicians. As you walk out of the church, enveloped in the warm glow of an evening of choral music, look up. There, weather permitting, you will see a nearly full hunter’s moon, that same Grandmother Moon that the Elmer Iselers sang about earlier in the evening. While you observe, call to mind the final lines of Mi’kmaq poet, Mary Louise Martin, lines that speak to the power of both the moon, and choral music.

She looks into and beyond my soul,
Her round face of translucent beauty and light,
Quiet powers speak out in her name… We’lalin

• The Elmer Iseler Singers, Lydia Adams, artistic director & conductor, Shawn Grenke, piano/organ
• Cape Breton Chorale, directed by Emma Francis and accompanied by Paula Jane Francis
• The Men of the Deeps, directed by Stephen Muise
• Upcoming event: Elmer Iseler Singers Atlantic Tour, Choral Gold
• Where/When: St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish, 40 Cabot St., Sydney; Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.
• Tickets: $30 available online at capebretonchorale.com, by calling 902-270-2591, or at the door. Please note that online and phone tickets close at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 22.
• Follow us on Facebook @cbchrorale and Instagram @capebretonchoralecb