As an ambassador
of the Canadian Music Centre and hailed by the CMC as “the new leading
exponent of the Canadian choral composer”, Lydia Adams has
dedicated her career to the growth of Canadian choral music. She is
Artistic Director of both the Elmer Iseler Singers and the Amadeus Choir
of Greater Toronto, national leaders in commissioning, premièring,
performing and recording Canadian choral works.
A native of Glace
Bay, Nova Scotia, Ms. Adams received her musical education at Mount
Allison University, New Brunswick, the Royal College of Music and the
National Opera Studio, London, England. She has conducted choral works
of Canadian composers including Somers, Freedman, Applebaum, Watson
Henderson, Hatzis, Daley and Togni. She has toured extensively and guest
conducted throughout Canada and the United States, and recently
conducted a tour of the world’s first Cree opera,
Pimooteewin: The
Journey,
by Tomson Highway and Melissa Hui. An innovative programmer, Ms. Adams
has included over 40 new commissions in the past 10 years. Her own
compositions are performed worldwide.
In June 2009 Ms.
Adams won the prestigious Ontario Premier’s Finalist Award for
Excellence in the Arts recognizing her outstanding achievement and
contribution to arts and culture. Dr. Adams has also been honoured by
the City of Scarborough, the Women’s International Network, and the
Ontario Choral Federation. In 2003, she received an Honorary Doctorate
from Mount Allison University for her service to music in Canada. She is
one of 74 featured stage artists in V. Tony Hauser’s national Stage
Presence 2009 portrait exhibition and publication. Lydia was
also one of 6 Artist Award finalists, representing Music,
for the
Ontario 2010 Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.
E-mail Lydia
photo:
V. TONY HAUSER
This page was last edited 10 October 2010. |
