Mass Appeal 2016

Winnipeg’s inaugural Mass Appeal took place over the first 2 weeks of September 2016 with four concerts held in different publicly accessible spaces around the city.  In total, some 200 people ranging from high school students to retirees, and from the seasoned professional to the very amateur, took part as musicians while hundreds more gathered to watch and listen.  Participants were primarily from Winnipeg but musicians came from other communities including Brandon, Thompson, Portage La Prairie, and Landmark to take part.

On September 1 a choir assembled under the dome at Union Station where under the direction of Ben Campbell, its members sang a selection of music ranging from Bach to The Weakerthans.

On September 7 at The Cube in Old Market Square, Todd Martin led an impromptu brass band through New Orleans style arrangements of everything from Richard Strauss to The Eurythmics.

September 10 was a sunny Saturday morning at the St Norbert Farmers Market, where Patti Kusterok directed an ensemble of fiddlers that jogged and reeled through a repertoire reflecting the diversity of Canada from coast to coast to coast.

September 15 saw the closing concert took place under the fading daylight at Oodena Celebration Circle with Kate Ferris leading an enormous crowd of ukuleles through a collection of folk and pop songs.

The inaugural Mass Appeal was a tremendous success, and we’re working on improving and expanding it for 2017.  See below for photos and video of the 2016 events!

Mass Appeal Ukuleles directed by Kate Ferris at Oodena Celebration Circle, September 15 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Brass Band directed by Todd Martin at The Cube, September 8 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Ukuleles directed by Kate Ferris at Oodena Celebration Circle, September 15 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Ukuleles directed by Kate Ferris at Oodena Celebration Circle, September 15 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Brass Band directed by Todd Martin at The Cube, September 8 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Fiddles directed by Patti Kusterok at St. Norbert Farmers’ Market, September 10 2016. Photo by Kristen Sawatzky.

Mass Appeal Ukuleles directed by Kate Ferris at Oodena Celebration Circle, September 15 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Choir directed by Ben Campbell at Union Station, September 1 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Brass Band directed by Todd Martin at The Cube, September 8 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Choir directed by Ben Campbell at Union Station, September 1 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Choir directed by Ben Campbell at Union Station, September 1 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Fiddles directed by Patti Kusterok at St. Norbert Farmers’ Market, September 10 2016. Photo by Kristen Sawatzky.

Mass Appeal Brass Band directed by Todd Martin at The Cube, September 8 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Choir directed by Ben Campbell at Union Station, September 1 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Fiddles directed by Patti Kusterok at St. Norbert Farmers’ Market, September 10 2016. Photo by Kristen Sawatzky.

Mass Appeal Choir directed by Ben Campbell at Union Station, September 1 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.

Mass Appeal Fiddles directed by Patti Kusterok at St. Norbert Farmers’ Market, September 10 2016. Photo by Kristen Sawatzky.

Mass Appeal Fiddles directed by Patti Kusterok at St. Norbert Farmers’ Market, September 10 2016. Photo by Kristen Sawatzky.

Mass Appeal Brass Band directed by Todd Martin at The Cube, September 8 2016. Photo by Matt Duboff.