The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e s d a y D e c e m b e r 11, 2002 - C7 Choral Society to perform work Photography exhibit makes visitors re-examine memories commissioned especially for choir (Continued from page C8) but I couldn't put my finger on why," she said, "So I picked up my camera." Holding her camera and docu menting her world is how Dobson says she understands both her sur roundings and her own emotions. Her camera caught glimpses of fields of mud with lot numbers in front of them, an army of tall, skinny houses, preceded by small er white garages, in the back ground. And she was intrigued by the fences that are often put up before the houses begin to take shape. She compared them to a doubleedged sword: ``you protect your self from intruders and you fence yourself in." And here is where the park will go. When she was taking a picture of mud and concrete with a sign stating that the area will be a play ground, Dobson remembered the bombed out cities such as Dresden that she visited while living in Germany. There are craters in the ground and a terrifying lack of nature. The mud will be grassed over though, and trees will be trans planted in the hills, and eventually they'll grow strong enough that they'll no longer need metal stakes to hold them up through the win ters. A plastic, padded playground will rise in what was once the mid dle of a forest or a farmer's field. Your daughter will get her first kiss from a boy here, during a spir ited game of kissing tag. Dobson also documents the fight between man and nature in her photographs, and she says she's optimistic about it, believing that developments do eventually reach symbiosis with nature. For example, here is your old couch. It used to sit in your base ment but you got rid of it once your children left the nest. You put the couch on your front lawn to be picked up by the garbage man. You haven't thought about your couch since then. Your couch ended up in this photograph. Your neighbour's teenage child took the couch from your front lawn and, with a little help from his friends, carried it to the nearby forest. With the same friends who helped him carry the couch, the neighbour's kid spent the bulk of that `summer on the couch, an umbrella of lush leaves shading him from the summer sun. He drank warm beer and peach schnapps on that couch with his friends, the drink pilfered from a parent's liquor cabinet or procured by an of-age sibling. When school started up again, and as the weather changed; your neighbour's kid and all his friends, forgot about the couch, though remembered the good times spent there, and the leaves turned orange and fell. In the essay that accompanies the show, curator of contemporary art Mamie Fleming described this scene by writing "an abandoned sofa is further re-upholstered by falling leaves." That is the underlying theme of the show. Dobson said it in her talk and several of the photographs on the wall also say it. The pristine, virtually nature-free subdivisions that we create will always, no mat ter how often the grass is cut or how often you have weed-killing chemicals dumped on your prop erty, be reclaimed by nature in some sense. Dobson summed it up perfectly when she said, "I wonder if we own the property, or if we're just borrowing it for a while." The same can be said of your own memories. Dobson has bor rowed them for a while, and she has mounted them and made a show of them, but they are still yours, and they are worth re examining. Sprawl will help you do that. Sprawl runs until Jan. 19. Dobson's work can also be seen on her Web site, www.susandobson.com. By Liz Campbell SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER J. Bev Stainton -- artistic director of the Oakville Choral Society -- is excited, because this weekend they will be per forming a work specially com missioned for the choir. This is unusual. In general, commissioning a work is not within the financial realm of a small amateur choir. But this came about through a close personal friendship with the composer, Bill Westcott, assis tant professor of music at York University where he teaches Ragtime piano, keyboard har mony and music theory. With lyricist William W hitla, Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar of York University, Westcott has com posed The Beasts at the Manger , a new work being presented for the first time at the choir's annual Christmas concert. It's W estcott's first fulllength work for orchestra and chorus. Whitla has also written a comic-opera history of the Church of the Holy Trinity in downtown Toronto entitled, Trinity, Infinity or the Curate' s Curse. The eight-part musical poem will be performed by the choir, accompanied by a 22piece orchestra of professional musicians under the direction of Concert M aster Sasha Weinstangel. The eight poems bear titles like New Guest at the Stable, My Giant Eyes, The Donkey' s Song, The Camel's Song and The Braying Chorus. For the latter, the choir mem bers actually choose animal roles and "bark, moo like cows, whistle like birds and baa like sheep," says Stainton. "It's delightful." The Oakville Choral Society has been performing for 42 years. Composed entire ly of amateurs who have a pas sion for music, the society presents two concerts annual ly, at Christmas and in the spring. The choir has a large repertoire of the world's best and most loved music, includ ing pieces from the masters of classical to modem day showtunes and pops. Stainton has been the artis tic director and conductor for 23 years, and enjoys his role immensely. As with the rest of the choir, music is a hobby and a joy for him. "We have a really good time together," he says. "If you can't make rehearsals fun. then w hat's the point?" But h e's quick to add, "They really are a remarkable choir. They've never missed a cue." While the 80-voice choir is entirely amateur, four profes sional soloists will join them for the concert. Jennifer Robinson, soprano; Deborah Overes, alto; Greg Carpenter, tenor; and Peter Wiens, base will be performing too. Carpenter was bom and raised in Oakville and is currently a student at Trinity College in Toronto. In addition to the new work, the concert also features a short, little-performed work by Beethoven, the Mass in C Major. "No one knows why it's so rarely done because it's very moving and beautiful," says Stainton. "It's truly Beethoven." The annual Christmas con cert is being held this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14 at 8 p.m. at St. Andrew's Catholic Church on Reynolds Street., south of Lakeshore Road. The choir used to perform at St. Dom inic's Catholic Church so this will be a new venue for them. Tickets cost $ 20. LaCosta takes pride in being able to offer customers a total dining experience ABBEY ARMS PUB RESTAURANT m s n 4 ^ vailta NlQhf Thursday Dining & Entertainment O akville's Bi-W eekly D ining & E ntertainm ent Spotlight -- From afl of us at Abbey Anns, we wish you and yours Happy Holidays Oakville's Best Kept Secret 481 North Service Rd. West at 4th Une 9 0 5 -8 2 5 -1 1 0 9 ........... ", 1.1 " g j Manager Shawn Sullivan says LaCosta offers its customers a great atmos phere with quality food and polite and efficient service. By Andrea Lepore SPECIAL FEATURES WRITER ( ELI BRAT I g AI ON THE H U § ! HOLIDAY f TV LI! Oakville · 142 Lakeshore Rd. E. 905-844-3334 Bronte -119 Jones St. 905-465-0571 www.rudenative.ca TOWNE RESTAURANT & BANQUET HALL Breakfast Specials Pancakes Baam & Eggs $1.99 $2.95 Dinner Special Prime Rib, potatoes {? vegetable for Two $25 S t ill t im e t o b o o k y o u r C h r is t m a s P a r t ie s fo r u p t o 2 0 0 p e o p le ! For the past seven years, LaCosta has brought delicious Mediterranean cuisine and polite and efficient service to the Oakville community. Not only does LaCosta strive to anticipate and exceed their customers' expectations, the warm Mediterranean decor and theme gives the feeling of dining at a seaside cafe. This is only part of the "total" dining experience LaCosta offers to its customers. Manager Shawn Sullivan, who began his career at LaCosta four years ago and has sub sequently worked at all six locations, says the restaurant's unique menu, which features small and large portions, is also a part of the experience. LaCosta's menu includes such popular dishes as: Grilled Jumbo Tiger Shrimp with Spanish Saffron Aioli; Linguini tossed with Basil Pine Nut Pesto, topped with Grilled Chicken and Tomato Concasse; Penne with sauteed Salmon and Spinach in a Vodka Cream Sauce with fresh Dill; Filet Mignon - finished with Cognac, Thyme and a Roasted Garlic Glaze with Portobello Mushrooms; and Roast Chicken staffed with Prosciutto, Mozzarella Cheese, and glazed with Demi-glace. Besides a mouthwatering menu, LaCosta also offers an extensive wine list encom passing both the familiar and newly discovered from around the world. As for special events, each month LaCosta hosts the Vintners Dinner, which offers its customers a delicious multi-course dinner and wine tasting. The restaurant's award-winning chefs prepare their own unique and creative menus paired with each of the featured wines. As well, representatives from the various wineries will be on hand to guide cus tomers through the ever-expanding world of wine. Sullivan says the monthly event, which begins January 2003 and requires a reservation, is very popular with customers. "The Vintners Dinner offers our customers a different wine each month from the fea tured vineyard, accompanied by a five or six course meal prepared by our Corporate Executive Chef Frank Bedell and Head Chef Chris Devenny. People really enjoy the event because it allows them to discover inventive food and wine pairings," he says. LaCosta also offers catering for dinner parties and special events. As well, LaCosta offers a gift Card program that allows customers to purchase gift cards in any denomina tion and can be used at any of the six LaCosta locations and can be purchased online. Gift certificates are also available in denominations of $10, $25 or $50. LaCosta is opened Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to midnight and Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. LaCosta is located at 2273 Royal Windsor Drive. To book your holiday party or to make reservations, call (905) 339-0227. You can also visit their website at www.lacosta.ca. "SOUTHERN CUISINE AT IT'S FINEST" 221 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville 905-849-0971 M c> fa m ily New Years Eve · O n f y e . m e '" |C i d 9 C o u h td o v rtv Now's the time to make plans to usher in The NEW YEAR with PHILTHY McNASTY'S! It's a party to remember for your children, and a special kids and parent menu! Seatings at 5pm & 7pm | 100% CANADIAN OWNED, OPERATED AND TAXED! 210 North S e rv ice Rd. W est O a kville Town C entre II 9 0 5 8 4 4 -8 7 0 3 - 467 Speers Road, Oakville 905-842-0475 f k M d iu r w iw M A w d iti yo o we're cooking up comfort! $10 $10 $10 $10 risotto special pasta special entree special gourmet pizza special . L H ave you [D a d e your O e tu year's fve Reservations yet? (M id ifiiK Dininq monday tuesday Wednesday january february march 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm Nachos · Fajitas Buritos · Enchiladas Chimichanqas · Toquitos Deep Fried Ice Cream Excellent Kids Menu! · W e Do Catering! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Mon.-Thurs. t1:30am til 11:00pm. Fri. 11:30am til midnight Sat noon til midnight Sun. noon tit 10:00pm Cali Us for Details. 2273 Royal Windsor Drive, Oakville 905.339.0227 m tuui.lacostw daurants.cotn _________AT LAKESHORE!_________ / t e l: 905.844-2596 fax: 905.844.5273^ 108 KERR STREET