The Elmer Iseler Singers and the VIVA Singers became ‘Associate Choirs’ during the COVID era, when EIS singers worked with VIVA singers as vocal coaches through Zoom mentorship sessions in the study of the Messiah choruses. VIVA Chamber Choir has sung Handel’s Messiah with the EIS since that time, and are grateful to VIVA Artistic Director Carol Woodward Ratzlaff, a former singer with EIS, for her continued leadership in making this association a reality.
In addition to the annual Handel’s Messiah concerts beginning again in December 2022, VIVA were special guests of the EIS for their Toronto Series concerts together with other community connections on:
April 20, 2024 – Triple Choir Splendour: Sonic Light: Featuring EIS with the VIVA Chamber Singers, Carol Ratzlaff conductor, as part of our ongoing association and educational mentorship and an introduction to our audience of the newly formed Chroma Vocal Ensemble, Mitchell Pady conductor. This concert included the spectacular Mass for Double Choir by Frank Martin along with Prayer for Peace by Eleanor Daley and grandmother moon by Peter Togni.
March 22, 2025 – Springburst: Featuring EIS, Lydia Adams conductor, with the MacMillan Singers, Jamie Hillman conductor, this concert included the Toronto premiere of Norbert Palej’s new choral work Missa Super Terminos. Representatives from five Toronto major children’s/youth choirs comprised a Gallery Choir for Eleanor Daley’s great Prayer for Peace. The Gallery Choir included special guest singers from: Bach Children’s Chorus, Linda Beaupré, Founding Artistic Director; The Canadian Children’s Opera Company, Teri Dunn, Music Director; The Toronto Children’s Chorus, Zimfira Poloz, Artistic Director; VIVA Singers Toronto, Carol Ratzlaff, Founding Artistic Director; and Young Voices Toronto, Carole Anderson, Artistic Director
About VIVA Singers and the VIVA Chamber Singers
The VIVA Chamber Singers is an auditioned SATB choir for highly skilled youth and adult singers within the broader VIVA Singers Toronto organization. Founded in 2000 by Carol Ratzlaff in response to widespread cuts to music education, the Chamber Singers emerged from their original youth ensembles. Many current members work as artistic staff with children ages 4 and up as:
• Conductors and assistant conductors of youth choirs;
• Facilitators of the unique Creation Stream program which supports chorister creation and composition;
• Teaching Assistants for teen and adult choristers with disabilities in the Every Voice Matters Chorus.
The Chamber Youth program is a scaffolded choral experience which welcomes and provides specialized supports to high school students during their voice change to perform challenging SATB repertoire. VIVA’s recent partnerships include The Toronto Symphony Orchestra; The National Ballet of Canada; The Toronto Consort; Theatre Direct; and Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts. VIVA is grateful for an enduring Associate Choir partnership with the Elmer Iseler Singers and Lydia Adams, C.M.
VIVA Singers Toronto is an inclusive not-for-profit family of choirs for ages four through adult. They provide singers with educational opportunities to co-create and achieve artistic excellence in an accommodating, collaborative community. At VIVA, “Every Voice Matters.”
