Uncategorized

Do you want to attend Sunday morning services or Jazz Vespers but can’t get there?  Check here to locate a ride-share volunteer who passes through your area. The volunteers have provided contact information and their travel routes.

If you have questions please email LocationTaskForce@victoriaunitarian.ca

7 pm to 8 pm in the Sanctuary – a cappella perfect 5-part harmony by Natasha Penfield, Jilaine Orton, Ryan Narciso, Kenji Lee and Taylor Caswell. This vocal quintet with its percussive accents and infectious swing defines jazz in the traditions of Manhattan Transfer, Pentatonix and Lambert Hendrix and Ross. With and the spiritual musings of Reverend Shana.

Fifth Street is a vocal quintet based in Victoria. Its five members met at the University of Victoria’s School of Music and formed the group out of a desire to make music together and continue growing as artists. Inspired by a cappella powerhouses such as Pentatonix, The Real Group and M-Pact, Fifth Street combines the worlds of pop, jazz and R&B in five-part harmony.

By donation and greatly appreciated.

Natasha Penfield’s vocal versatility is thanks to her passion across musical genres – as well as her years of study in musical theatre, classical, and contemporary music. A soprano, with high notes described as “ethereal”, she rounds off the top harmonies in Fifth Street.

Both a professional vocalist and music educator, Jilaine Orton’s alto voice brings a unique warmth to Fifth Street’s sound. She spearheads the quintet’s educational clinics, where her expertise as a performer and teacher shines as an invaluable asset to the ensemble.

Ryan Narciso is a singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist whose Youtube cover songs have garnered millions of views. Having performed around the world with award-winning musicians such as Tori Kelly and Jed Madela, he now lends his talents to Fifth Street as the quintet’s tenor.

In addition to performing as Fifth Street’s beatboxer, Kenji Lee also frequently sings with the quintet as a baritone and bass. Kenji is a prolific arranger who finds inspiration in fusing current popular music with both jazz and electronic dance.

Trained as a vocalist, pianist and bassist from childhood, Taylor Caswell was influenced by a variety of musical styles including pop, jazz, and musical theatre. He now sings as Fifth Street’s bass while occasionally arranging for the group.

Enjoy jazz with a splash of spiritual inspiration in venues with exquisite sound and setting. These hour-long evening services are a unique blend of jazz and spirituality. Each service brings together live music from popular local jazz musicians, a brief meaningful message, and a little of the history of the music performed. 

Send an email after 9 a.m. Sunday to obtain the entry code.

Then join us online at 10:15 a.m. for the Sunday worship service.

Do you have an idea for doing things differently in our church community: a new program or service or a new way of doing an existing program?

In memory of his wife, Ruth, Ted Humphreys has generously funded the Ruth Humphreys Innovations Fund. Once a year the fund trustees call for proposals that provide opportunities and new ideas that would add value to our congregational life.

A total of $10,000 per year is available to be allocated among successful applicants.

Click here for further information and funding application forms available here or from the church office.  DEADLINE is January 2020.

You can contact any of the trustees with your questions or email innovationsfund@victoriaunitarian.ca.

Al Hoffman, John Tiffany, Betty Sherwood, Lynne Bonner, Lorna Anthony, Rev. Shana (ex officio).

We look forward to hearing from you!

Fifth Street Quintet’s five members met at the University of Victoria’s School of Music and formed the group out of a desire to make music together and continue growing as artists. They were inspired by a cappella powerhouses such as Pentatonix, The Real Group and M-Pact, Fifth Street combines the worlds of pop, jazz and R&B in five-part harmony.

Soprano Natasha Penfield can hit the high notes described as “ethereal.” She rounds off the top harmonies in Fifth Street’s vocal versatility thanks to her passion across musical genres – as well as her years of study in musical theatre, classical, and contemporary music. .

Alto Jilaine Orton is both a professional vocalist and music educator, whose voice brings a unique warmth to Fifth Street’s sound. She spearheads the quintet’s educational clinics, where her expertise as a performer and teacher shines as an invaluable asset to the ensemble.

Tenor Ryan Narciso has performed around the world with award-winning musicians such as Tori Kelly and Jed Madela. As a singer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist his Youtube cover songs have garnered millions of views.

Kenji Lee performs as Fifth Street’s beatboxer and also frequently sings with the quintet as a baritone and bass. Kenji is a prolific arranger who finds inspiration in fusing current popular music with both jazz and electronic dance.

Bass Taylor Caswell trained as a vocalist, pianist and bassist from childhood Influenced by a variety of musical styles including pop, jazz, and musical theatre he occasionally does arranging for the group.

Neighbourhood Group leaders, by points per capita:

1. Royal Oak East        67
2. James Bay                45
3. Royal Oak West        42
4. Gordon Head           38
5. Oak Bay                    30
6. Grand Central           24
7. Esquimalt                23
8. Far Out                     16
9. Nearby                      5

Important change in Neighbourhood Group scoring

In working with Max Serpa in developing the EcoGames website, Max convinced us that the fairest way to calculate the Neighbourhood Group (NG) scores is to divide the total points won by the team by the number of EcoGames players on the team. Previously we divided the total by the total population of the entire NG, whether they were EcoGames participants or not. This has resulted in some changes in the Neighbourhood Group leaderboard.

What are the EcoGames? Click here for details.

Signup for the EcoGames

The church office will be closed on Monday, January 27. Regular office hours resume Tuesday.

Normal office hours are Monday to Thursday 11 am to 4 pm. Closed Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Ryan Oliver is a Juno-nominated, Victoria-based, saxophonist who honed his craft on Canada’s west coast before moving to Amsterdam, Toronto and New York. Since returning to Vancouver Island, he has maintained a busy schedule as one of Canada’s most in-demand saxophonists. His most recent recording, “Strive” features legendary jazz drummer Victor Lewis. Oliver has toured Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Europe and the United States with the legendary eclectic jazz group, The Shuffle Demons. He is also a member of Juno award winning blues/rock performer Derek Miller’s group. The band has traveled throughout North America, including performances at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, the Aboriginal Achievement Awards (broadcast on CTV), and Toronto’s Dundas Square. https://www.ryanoliver.ca

Ryan is featured in the horn section on “Derek Miller and Double Trouble,” featuring Stevie Ray Vaughn’s heralded rhythm section Double Trouble and musical icon Willie Nelson. The recording was nominated for a Juno in 2011. He has received numerous Canada Council and Toronto and Ontario Arts Council grants for touring, recording and education and was nominated for the 2013 Prix De Jazz for the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Ryan holds a Masters degree in music from Rutgers University, where he led the undergraduate big band, and has taught saxophone and ensemble clinics at universities throughout the world for over 20 years. He currently teaches saxophone to students throughout Vancouver Island and instructs student and adult jazz combos in Victoria. Oliver has worked as an adjudicator for the Fraser MacPherson Scholarship (which he also received in 1998) and the Victoria and Powell River Jazz Festivals. In 2017, Oliver took over as the Executive Director for the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre (CYMC), Canada’s longest running music camp.

Mark Crawford has an extensive background in producing, directing, and editing films, understands the full spectrum of the production process, and knows how to best help the story with his music. He currently lives in Longmont, Colorado, where he composes from a home studio, enjoys the glorious outdoors, and works on projects with his wife and producing partner, Larissa Rhodes. Mark is an Emmy-nominated composer, director, and producer who has traveled the world making films and absorbing cultures. His music and video work have been included in programs featured on National Geographic California Academy of Science, Harvard Kennedy School Fast Company, and additional music for the award-winning feature documentaries Chasing Coral (2017) and Chasing Ice (2012). http://markcrawfordmusic.com/#home

Born in Ottawa, Nick Maclean has quickly become one of the most in demand 20-something piano players in Toronto’s bustling jazz scene. Nick received his Bachelors of Music from Humber College in 2013, having studied with David Restivo, Bernie Senensky and Nancy Walker. He then went on to do a Masters in Jazz Performance at the University of Toronto researching synthesizer pedagogy while studying under David Occhipinti, Andrew Downing, Chris Donnelly and David Braid. Braid in particular had an enormous influence on how Maclean approaches playing and composing. From Miles & Hancock to Weather Report & Snarky Puppy, Maclean’s musical influences are diverse.

Nick leads the hard-swinging NYC-style jazz ensemble the Nick Maclean Quartet. Formed in 2016, Maclean’s foursome delivers jazz between the two poles of thoughtful introspection and powerhouse conveyance, taking influences from Herbie Hancock’s primordial 1960’s Blue Note era recordings, while paying tribute to some of the greatest improvisers in jazz history.

The group released their debut album Rites of Ascension in October, 2017, and won three ‘Gold’ Global Music Awards in the ‘jazz’, ‘band’, and ‘album’ categories, and was featured as one of the Global Music Awards’ “Top 5 Albums of Spring 2018.”