The four female voices that make up Quartette are coming back to Oliver as part of their holiday tour.
In years past, Quartette performances have been enjoyed at Medici’s Gelateria, but to accommodate popular demand, they’re moving into a bigger shell and playing at the Frank Venables Theatre.
Quartette first launched in 1993, when CBC gave four talented female vocalists an opportunity to collaborate for what was supposed to be a single performance as part of a showcase of Canadian women songwriters.
“But after our one show, we decided that since we were all harmony singers, why not sing on each other’s material, get a band behind it?” said band member Cindy Church. “It took on a life of its own and here we are 23 years later.”
The other three members are Caitlin Hanford, Gwen Swick and Sylvia Tyson.
In their infancy, the four musicians, who were already seasoned songwriters, collaborated all of their greatest hits.
“In the beginning we just brought songs that we’d written that would lend themselves to harmony singing,” she said.
Despite having grown up in Bible Hill, NS and having Church as a last name, she said her musical influences didn’t come from places of worship, but rather from being surrounded by the maritime music of Nova Scotia.
“Music is a big part of people’s lives here,” she said, adding that she came from a musical family.
“I grew up singing, we were always having family parties with lots of fiddling. And my brother and I could just sing. If he would sing lead I would sing harmony and vice-versa. But I never thought in a million years as a kid I’d one day be doing it for a living.”
In their family home, Church’s dad even built a rumpus room for family dances. “It was a real traditional Maritime experience.”
Church said the holiday season is the busiest time of the year for Quartette, which is largely due to the popularity of their two Christmas albums, It’s Christmas! and I See a Star.
“It’s a lovely show with beautiful singing and beautiful songs,” she said. “We’re four mature women and we have a fantastic three piece band that travels with us as well.”
When asked how Quartette’s live music differs from their recorded albums, Church said it’s much more intimate in person.
“You get to see everyone’s personalities and there’s camaraderie,” she said. “There’s something about getting to go out in your own community and visiting with people for a unique experience.”
And at the end of the show, concert-goers are invited to meet the band during a CD signing.
A Quartette Christmas happens at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Frank Venables, Medici’s and the Coffee House. Tickets for reserved seating cost $45 each through the box office or online at venablestheatre.ca.
By Dan Walton
