Wash Me Throughly

Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir was founded in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by Director Nick Halley in 2010. The choir is modeled on the great Anglican tradition of men and boys church choirs. While Canada was once rich with such choirs, Capella Regalis is one of only a handful of men and boys choirs in Canada today.

The choir sings Choral Evensong every Tuesday of the academic term at 5:00 p.m. in the University of King’s College Chapel, Halifax. The choir also performs concerts throughout Nova Scotia and beyond in a busy September – June season. Past concerts include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the University of King’s Chapel Choir, Carmina Burana with the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra and the King’s Chorus, Benjamin Britten’s Saint Nicolas and the Paul Winter Consort’s Missa Gaia/Earth Mass with the King’s Chorus, annual spring tour programmes of sacred and secular repertoire, and the popular annual Christmas concert, To Bethlehem with King’s. In addition to services and concerts, the boys of Capella Regalis enjoy a summer choir camp in the last week of August and other musically- and socially-enriching outings and experiences. The choir is a free programme open to any boy who passes an audition.

The journey to adulthood for boys is a challenge that has garnered the interest of researchers, educators, philanthropists, and social critics over the last few decades. A men and boys choir, with its built-in system of mentorship, is uniquely capable of addressing the issues of leadership, focus, and inspiration that so many boys face at this stage in their lives. Then of course there is the result of this experience: access to some of the most incredible music mankind has had to offer over the last eight centuries. Through Evensong services, the boys learn and perform a fresh slate of this music every week.

Please visit www.capellaregalis.com for more information.

Founder and Director Nick Halley is also the Assistant Director of the acclaimed University of King’s College Chapel Choir in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and he is the founder and Director of The King’s Chorus, a choral society for students, faculty, staff, and other members of the University of King's College and Dalhousie University communities in Halifax. Halley was for one year (2013-14) the Host of CBC’s Choral Concert, a national, weekly radio show in Canada exploring all facets of choral music. In 2012, Nick was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contribution to Canada and Nova Scotia through the arts.

As a jazz drummer and world percussionist, Nick performs and records internationally with a wide range of musicians, including the world-renowned James Taylor, David McGuinness, Revenge of the Folk Singers, Concerto Caledonia, the Chris Norman Ensemble, various Paul Halley ensembles, Suzie LeBlanc, Theresa Thomason, Trio Diomira with Dinuk Wijeratne and Joseph Petric, and occasionally the Nick Halley Band. The recording Barnum Hill features Nick and his ensemble playing some of his original compositions. You can learn more about Nick at www.nickhalley.com.