Based in the unceded traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First
Nations, Chor Leoni is a men's choir working to share the joys of choral music throughout the
Lower Mainland. On November 11th, the choir performed its The Song Will Remain concert as
part of a Remembrance Day performance to commemorate the losses suffered throughout the
wars.

The solemn event took place in St. Andrew’s Wesley-United Church. As the ambient lights were
set poppy red, the sense of solemnity and reverence was immediately clear. Throughout the
performance, the lyrics focused on the darkness of war and the gravity of what was done in the
preservation of rights and freedoms. The soft piano accompaniment throughout the show helped
maintain the quiet theme and reverence of the day. When a John Buxton Sonnet was read aloud,
the cathedral was transformed into the grave recollections of a returning soldier. The church
seemed captured by the reverence of the choir, and we collectively were called on to observe and
respect the heroism of the past.

As the night continued, the perspective of a soldier reminiscing at the end of their life rang
through the space. The words settled in our minds and reaffirmed the idea of an ultimate sacrifice
made for the sake of others. Next, the choir's instrumentalists stepped forward to play accordion
and guitar as their peers sang exultations of the fraternity of a regiment. From within the choir, a
lone voice plays the part of a march crier; the choir sings “what a waste, army dreamers,”
bringing to mind the perspective of the surviving family and friends.

At one point, the choir was joined by a Santour as they sang the salutations of a fallen soldier.
The controlled power of their voices conveyed the sadness of the surviving soldiers while
reconciling that they would be reconnected in death. As they continued, their voices conjured
both the scenes of the war as written by the soldiers themselves and the heartache of the families
whose loved ones did not return.

When Wendell Berry’s ‘Enemies’ poem was read aloud, the audience and I were transported by
the vision of the enemy needed to fight a war. Yet the realization that the other side was looking
at you the same way landed with the devastating effect intended. After the poem's conclusion,
the silence was pierced by a lone voice drawing the weight of sorrow before the whole choir
added their voices in chorus.

Jan Richardson’s “Welcoming Blessing” told the sensation of relinquishing control to the sways
of time and the powers greater than our own. As the poem continues, the audience is drawn
along to feel how soldiers learn to accept all that they have seen and done. As the poem comes to
its end, we experience a sense of closure, and we ponder the words shared.

As the piano paints a solemn scene, the choir sings of the harm that war wreaks on all, regardless
of their participation in the carnage. It moves then to call on humanity to fix what has been
broken. As the song ends, the choir begins a wordless annunciation before transferring to words
of joy. They sing of the elation of a bird that has been set free after confinement and sorrow. We,
the audience, are called on to share the sense of relief felt as the song concludes and the end of
the performance draws near.

Soon, a lone trumpeter plays The Last Post. An eerie silence settles in the cathedral as the final
notes fade away. Before the performance has fully closed, we sit in silence and let the weight of
Remembrance Day wash over us. The final theme helps us resolve it all by conveying love and
care shared by all. The audience is invited to share the repeated line of “Boundless and Infinite“
as the choir moves to a soft motif of an earthly bed and eternal sleep. Through this, the Chor
Leoni choir closes the night and concludes its performance. Though the performance was not
meant to shake or disturb, it was impossible not to feel touched by the shared moment we had
experienced.