The James T. Chestnutt Scholarship, named after our dedicated and long-time Board Chair, is an annual award to emerging choral musicians to participate as a singer with conducting study and performance opportunities for a complete season with the Elmer Iseler Singers and Artistic Director Lydia Adams.
For the first time in the 10-year history of this Scholarship initiative, the Singers welcome two emerging conductors to this unique conducting protégée experience, and we congratulate and look forward to working with each of these fine conductors in the coming months.
Manishya Jayasundera
Manishya Jayasundera is an emerging conductor, educator, singer and pianist. She received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto where she completed her degree in Classical Voice Music Education. She is currently in the Master of Teaching program at OISE with Vocal Music and French as her teachable subjects. She received her ARCT diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Manishya was the apprentice conductor with the Exultate Chamber Singers at the October 2022 concert. She was also the most recent conducting intern at St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto. Currently, Manishya is the Senior Choir Conductor with the Brampton Children’s Chorus and she sings with various groups in the GTA.
Emily Taub
A graduate of the voice program at McMaster University, Emily Taub is a lead soprano at Eglinton St. George’s United Church choir as well as the founder of the VOX Youth Community Choir. She has also acquired a position in the Juno Award winning Elmer Iseler Singers who recently returned from their tour to the Maritimes. Emily has performed alongside the Achill Choral Society as soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and was featured as a soloist in Avanti Chamber Singers’ production of Considering Matthew Shepard. Emily founded À LA MODE Choir out of Hamilton, now celebrating its ninth season. She also enjoys providing clinician work for local choirs, most recently as guest speaker for CANACC the Canadian A Capella Conference and as guest clinician and performer for the Niagara Catholic School Board. When not conducting, Emily teaches voice privately, composes and arranges choral works and performs around the GTA in her Gospel trio EmBoddiement.
CONGRATULATIONS to both Manishya and Emily. We look forward to a joyous time this year working and sharing our talents with this next generation of inspiring Canadian choral conductors.
In responding to this recognition, Lydia Adams said, “I am greatly honoured to have been awarded the Order of Canada. It is with deep appreciation that I thank my family, friends, teachers, singers, colleagues, managers and Board members, who are each an integral part of this amazing moment. This award honours each of you. I feel so fortunate in life to have been given the rich opportunity throughout my career to collaborate with such incredible people who share a passion for choral music. ‘Singing in community’ is described by the great conductor Robert Shaw as ‘ennobling’ to the human spirit. This is why we sing – to make music that sends much needed harmony into the world. Singing inspiring music together ennobles our own spirit and creates a positive force in the world. Bringing people together in harmony helps us to gain a greater understanding of humanity, and helps make the world a better place.”
Adams, artistic director and conductor of Canada’s Elmer Iseler Singers for 25 years, and the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto for 35 years, has led both choirs with distinction to national acclaim.
Lydia Adams began her musical education with her mother, Florence Adams, and with Marguerite MacDougall in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Her musical studies flourished at Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, and the Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio, both in London, England, where she studied and worked with the esteemed conductor, Sir David Willcocks. Subsequently, she worked extensively in Toronto with renowned Canadian conductor, Elmer Iseler.
Lydia Adams passionately promotes and builds the future of choral music in Canada through workshops, masterclasses, concerts and educational outreach initiatives, creating outstanding opportunities for choral musicians to develop and grow. Throughout her career, Adams has championed the works of many prominent Canadian creators, and she continues to inspire and promote the creations of emerging and established composers. She has toured extensively with her choirs and has recorded 18 CDs with them. She often collaborates with major orchestras and guest artists, and she has served as guest conductor and clinician throughout Canada and the United States.
Adams has received numerous recognitions for her contributions to Canadian music, including Honorary Doctor of Music from Mount Allison University (2003) and Honorary Doctor of Letters from Cape Breton University (2018). She is the recipient of the 2000 Charles FrederickAllison Distinguished Alumni Award from Mount Allison University, the 2012 Toronto Arts Foundation’s Roy Thompson Hall Award of Recognition, and the 2013 Ontario Premier’s Award forExcellence in the Arts. Her work has been recognized by the City of Scarborough, the Women’s Intercultural Network and Choirs Ontario. Awards from Canada’s national choral organization, Choral Canada, include Outstanding Choral CD (2002), Outstanding Choral Event (2012), Outstanding Innovative Choral Performance (2014) and the 2018 Distinguished Service Award.
In 2016, she was appointed Visiting Associate Professor in Choral Studies at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University, and Director of the Western University Singers.
She was named an Ambassador of the Canadian Music Centre, and has conducted the premières of hundreds of choral works, including the world’s first opera in the Cree language, Pimooteewin: The Journey, by Tomson Highway and Melissa Hui; Music of the Land, by Kathleen Allan, featuring the Ullugiagâtsuk Children’s Choir, and dancers and throat singers from Northern Labrador; Om Saha Nãvavatu, a meditational work by Timothy Corlis written on Vedic mantras and texts of spiritual masters, and Nur: Reflections on Light by Hussein Janmohamed, based on Islamic chant.
She initiated, developed and carried out many innovative concert and program concepts, including those focused on the earth and water with Canadian astronaut Dr. Roberta Bondar. Ms. Adams has conducted several provincial youth choirs and the National Youth Choir of Canada.
Jessie Iseler, General Manager of the Elmer Iseler Singers comments: “Throughout Lydia Adams’ career, she has shared her creativity, wisdom, expertise, and passionate dedication through professional music making with the Elmer Iseler Singers. She has inspired lifelong skills and passion for music in young people, and has been a mentor to both professional and amateur musicians throughout her life. Lydia enjoys tremendous collaboration with her contemporary colleagues, with Canadian and International composers and musicians, and she exemplifies the role of women in leadership positions.”
Admired by all who have experienced and reveled in her phenomenal musicianship, it will be thrilling for the thousands of musicians whose lives Lydia Adams has inspired, to share in the excitement of Lydia Adams receiving the Order of Canada.
The Order of Canada was created in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to honour people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations, and whose compassion unites our communities.
Our united congratulations to Lydia Adams, C.M. We celebrate with you!
Dear Friends – The Elmer Iseler Singers and conductor Lydia Adams join with people the world over in paying tribute to songwriter Leon Dubinsky, who died in Cape Breton on Tuesday, January 17th, 2023.
Leon Dubinsky is perhaps best known as the writer of the iconic song, ‘We Rise Again’, synonymous with the resilience of the people of Cape Breton Island to face life’s difficulties and loss. ‘We Rise Again’ touches a universal chord in people’s hearts, and has inspired generations of people worldwide to keep moving forward and to stay strong in spite of hardships and challenges. It is an uplifting work that gives people hope for the future. The Elmer Iseler Singers have been honoured to sing ‘We Rise Again’ in every part of Canada where we have toured: East, West and North. Leon’s words and music have brought inspiration, hope and light to many thousands of audience members and singers around the world.
The Elmer Iseler Singers send our deepest condolences to Leon’s family and his many, many friends and colleagues.
Thank you, Leon. We are forever grateful.
The Elmer Iseler Singers, conductor Lydia Adams and pianist Shawn Grenke are joined by choirs from across Canada singing ‘We Rise Again’ to pay tribute to our friend, Leon Dubinsky.
Joining the EIS are:
Whitehorse Community Choir (Barbara Chamberlin, conductor)
Thunder Bay Symphony Chorus (Maria Fuller, conductor)
Wiarton Concert Choir (Marla Spencer, conductor)
Agincourt Madrigal Singers, Toronto (James Pinhorn, conductor)
Dear Friends – it is with enormous pleasure that we congratulate three of our treasured choral friends on their appointment to the Order of Canada.
We are thrilled to congratulate Toronto composer Eleanor Daley on her appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada. Eleanor is honoured for her many contributions to Canadian music and to choral culture throughout Canada and internationally. The Elmer Iseler Singers have had a long-standing connection with Eleanor, and have championed her music in our Toronto concerts, on Tour throughout Canada, and through recordings.
We are also so happy to congratulate Kingston composer Mark Sirett on his appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada. The Elmer Iseler Singers have presented Mark’s music on our Toronto series and on Tour throughout Canada, and we are thrilled that he has been granted this great honour for his contributions to Canadian choral music.
The Elmer Iseler Singers also celebrate with St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador conductor Douglas Dunsmore for his appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada. Douglas has been awarded this prestigious award for his significant contributions as a conductor and music educator and for his significant contributions to prominent provincial and national music organizations. On a personal note, Douglas has been a life-long colleague and has hosted the choir on tour in St. John’s many many times through his university and community connections.
Eleanor, Mark and Douglas will be presented with their insignia at a future investiture ceremony (date to be determined).
The Order of Canada was created in 1967, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to honour people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations, and whose compassion unites our communities.
“The Order of Canada celebrates the lives, endeavours and successes of people from coast to coast to coast and from all walks of life. Those being appointed today come from a variety of sectors, have achieved national and international success, and have shown ingenuity, innovation and generosity. What’s more, they have made a difference in their communities and for Canada with their outstanding dedication and commitment. Congratulations to the new Order of Canada appointees, as well as those celebrating a promotion within the Order.” – Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada
Congratulations to Eleanor, Mark and Douglas! The Elmer Iseler Singers and conductor Lydia Adams celebrate with you!!
April 5th, 2022 would have marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of Canada’s most versatile musicians and composers, Harry Freedman.
An English Horn and Oboe player in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and its first Composer in Residence, Harry was also a founder of the Canadian League of Composers (President, 1975-78), and of the Guild of Canadian Film Composers. As a film composer, he was awarded the Etrog (later renamed the Genie) for his music for the film ‘Act of the Heart’ in 1970.
Harry was the Jean Chalmers Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto in 1990-1991.
In recognition of his service to music in Canada, Harry Freedman was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984.
The Elmer Iseler Singers, joined by the Amadeus Chamber Singers with conductor Lydia Adams, were delighted to record an entire CD, entitled The Tokaido: The Choral Music of Harry Freedman, in 2005.
To remember Harry Freedman and to celebrate Spring, we offer you a musical gift from this CD, It Was A Lover And His Lass from Harry’s Songs from Shakespeare.
Songs From Shakespeare: II. It Was a Lover and his Lass from the album The Tokaido: The Choral Music of Harry Freedman. Conducted by Lydia Adams. Performed by Elmer Iseler Singers and Amadeus Chamber Singers.
The Elmer Iseler Singers are delighted to congratulate former EIS baritone, Dr. Robert Stewart, on being awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia.
A native of Saint John, N.B., Bob studied at Mount Allison University, the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, the Tanglewood Music Centre and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
In Toronto, he was a member of the Canadian Opera Company and the Elmer Iseler Singers, where he met his wife, pianist Claire Preston. They moved to Melbourne, Australia, where they co-founded the Exaudi Youth Choir, one of Australia’s premier choral ensembles for young people, and they were the Open Age Champions at the Australian National Eisteddfod.
Claire and Bob are both inspiring educators and artists, and Bob has recently been appointed Head of Choral and Vocal Studies at the Hillcrest Christian College, where the choral program involves over 700 singers in 14 choirs, and features a Choral Excellence stream of award winning ensembles. Robert also conducts the Queensland Conservatorium Singers and is the Musical Director of the Queensland University Musical Society. He is frequently engaged as an adjudicator, guest conductor, and workshop clinician. Claire and Robert have 3 children: William (18), Genevieve (15), and Gabriel (11).
Congratulations, Bob!! The Elmer Iseler Singers are thrilled for your success and wish you all the very best in the future!
Gordon Burnett Bass
Gord Burnett maintains an active career as a singer, conductor and voice teacher. In addition to the Elmer Iseler Singers, his professional choral experience includes the Elora Festival Singers, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, and 16 years with Tactus Vocal Ensemble, an octet dedicated to the performance of early music. Presently he conducts the Sanctuary and Handbell Choirs at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kitchener and the Guelph Male Choir. He maintains a successful private voice studio in Waterloo. In his spare time, he enjoys working through the Sunday New York Times crosswords.
Sharang Sharma Tenor
Sharang Sharma is an emerging musician with interests in performance and historical musicology. His interpretation of repertoire from the Middle Ages to 1800 brings a refreshing take on little-performed music by less renowned composers. His most recent engagement as lay clerk at The Queen’s College, Oxford (UK), has set him up for a life in ecclesiastical music, which he pursues as Director, Chapel Music at Huron University College, London (Canada). He focused on monastic culture in medieval Italy as part of his recently completed masters in musicology at the University of Oxford.
Sharang has performed in professional and amateur choirs, such as The Strand Consort in London (UK), Fount & Origin in Oxford, Kammerchor and Chor Amica in London (Canada), and with theatre and opera companies, such as LINK in London (Canada), and Spectra Ensemble in London (UK). During his undergraduate degree, he participated in Western University’s choirs and opera productions and was an active member of London’s musical community. His range of experiences comprises recording with the BBC, performing with the Academy of Ancient Music and Instruments of Time and Truth, studying historical repertoire and performance with Canadian Renaissance Music Summer School and Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, and appearing as guest chorister and soloist at many music festivals including the Huron County Bach Festival and the Sherborne Early Music Festival.
Sharang was the 43rd and 44th season James T. Chestnutt Scholar.
Michael Sawarna Tenor
Michael began singing with the Elmer Iseler Singers in 2004. He is the second Iseler Singer to originate from Kemptville, Ontario a small town south of Ottawa. Now living in Toronto he is a Tenor Section Lead for the Amadeus Choir and St. Andrew’s United Church Choir. He is studying voice with Catherine Robbin at York University. In his spare time Michael hopes to become as good a hockey player as now-retired tenor Ed Wiens.
Mitchell Pady Tenor
A Graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Mitchell Pady pursued his studies in composition and voice. He has performed and participated in many festivals and conferences including the national conductors’ conference run by the Association of Canadian Orchestras. He has acted as choral adjudicator for both the Kiwanis and Music Fest Canada competitions and is the Choral Conductor for the acclaimed Inter-Provincial Music Camp. During the last six years Mitchell has worked with teachers and students as a choral clinician for a number of professional development workshops across the Toronto District School Board. He is presently Artistic Director of the Oriana Singers and conductor of The Cellar Singers, succeeding Albert Greer who retired in May 2012.
Doug MacNaughton Baritone
Doug MacNaughton began his singing career at the age of 20, when he made his operatic debut with Edmonton Opera. Since then, he has gone on to sing throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. He is at home in opera, operetta, musical theatre and concert work, and he is known as much for the versatility of his acting as for his singing.
Eric MacKeracher Tenor
Eric is from Pickering, Ontario. He joined the EIS in September 2000 and in the same month became the music director at Kingston Road United Church in the Beaches area of Toronto. He also sings tenor in the Amadeus Choir. In his spare time Eric likes to read – preferably with one of his several cats curled up in his lap!
Michael Thomas Baritone
Baritone Michael Thomas, a native of Toronto, has been a member of the Elmer Iseler Singers since 1998. His powerful, emotive voice has been featured in performances as a soloist with numerous choirs in the Toronto area, most notably with the Amadeus Choir and the Elmer Iseler Singers. He was also the baritone soloist with the Toronto Symphony’s New Creations Festival in 2013 in the Canadian premiere of Vabeni: Ritual of Prehistoric Fossils of Man by Krystof Marayka. Michael is a music instructor for the Toronto District School Board and, since August 2006, has been Music Director at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Markham. Michael was selected to sing with Placido Domingo as a member of the Blackcreek Summer Music Festival Chorus.
Nelson Lohnes Bass
Nelson was born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Organist and music director at St. James The Apostle, Brampton. Occasional teacher for the Dufferin Peel Roman Catholic School Board and Peel Board of Education. Grade 10 Silver Medal and A.R.C.T. Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Music Associate and Music Licentiate Diplomas from the Western Board of Music. Solo work during career has included opera, musical and choral societies in England, the United States and Canada. Recent solo work was in August at Niagara on the Lake International Festival singing several Spanish Tango pieces with chamber quartet. Nelson will soon be recording a new solo CD, including “Song for the Mira”.
Andrea Ludwig Soprano
Juno-nominated mezzo soprano Andrea Ludwig is an artist of tremendous depth, musicality and scope. Hailed by Halifax Chronicle Herald critic Stephen Pedersen as having “tones of silver and gold,” Andrea has appeared with the Canadian Opera Company in numerous roles including Nireno in Handel’s Julius Ceasar, the Second Niece in Britten’s Peter Grimes, Flora in The Turn of the Screw, Moira in Paul Ruder’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and Liesgen in Bach’s Coffee Cantata. Andrea is proud to announce her recent Juno nomination for a recording of Canadian composer Peter Togni’s Responsio in collaboration with Jeff Reilly, Suzie LeBlanc, Charles Daniels and John Potter.
Gisele Kulak Soprano
Saskatchewan native, Gisele Kulak has enjoyed a widely varied career, beginning with opera and operetta, but shifting to oratorio and recital work, dabbling in pop and jazz along the way. Gisele has performed as a soloist with The National Ballet Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra, Tapestry New Opera Works, The Victoria Symphony, The Oakville Symphony, The York Symphony, The Burlington Civic Chorale, and in many concerts with “Music at Metropolitan”, the concert series of Metropolitan United Church in Toronto.
Gisele has established a focus on choral music, singing with the Elmer Iseler Singers for eleven seasons and Soundstreams’ Choir 21 for seven seasons. She has also been a member of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, “voxworks”, and the Adelphi Ensemble. Gisele teaches singing and provides choral techniques workshops as well as being the vocal coach for The Oriana Women’s Choir.
Susan Suchard Soprano
Soprano Susan Suchard is a native of London, Ontario. She holds a BMus from Western University and an MMus in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Toronto. Now in her 21st season with the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, she is also a frequent singer with the Elmer Iseler Singers, and a former member of the Elora Festival Singers, the professional core of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Canadian Opera Company Chorus. She enjoys a career as a voice teacher, with students ranging from beginners, to advanced amateurs, to aspiring professionals. As a conductor, Susan has served as Director of Music for Rosedale United Church, as Preparatory Chorus Conductor for VIVA Singers Toronto, and on projects with Tapestry Opera and Jumblies Theatre. She was an Artist Educator for the Canadian Opera Company and a music teacher in the public school system. As an arts administrator, Susan was General Manager for VIVA Singers Toronto, Managing Editor for Opera Canada magazine, and Leadership Legacy Intern for Tapestry Opera.
Valerie Nunn Alto
Valerie was privileged to sing for Elmer in the 80’s and is thrilled to be back singing with EIS. While in the Singers, she met her husband, Gord Burnett and has Elmer to thank for that!
Her choral experience includes Hart House Chorus, Ontario Youth Choir, University of Western Ontario Faculty Singers, Gregg Smith Singers (NYC), Elora Festival Singers and Tactus Vocal Ensemble. She enjoys playing guitar for the Buddy Choir, a group of developmentally challenged adults who love to sing!
Karen Freedman Alto
Despite growing up in a musical household, with her mother a founding member of Elmer Iseler's Festival Singers, Karen only discovered choral singing herself at McMaster University, where she studied French. During an 11-year stay in France, she sang with the Ensemble Vocal de Provence and Audite Nova de Paris. Throughout her teaching career with the Toronto District School Board, she sang first with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir under the direction of Elmer Iseler, then with the Amadeus Choir and Lydia Adams.
Now retired from teaching, Karen joined the Elmer Iseler Singers as a substitute in 2018. She is busier than ever, as an alto and librarian with the Amadeus Choir and as a volunteer in the Choirs Ontario Music Library. She loves to travel and read historical novels when she has time.
Shawn Grenke Accompanist
Conductor, Pianist and Organist Shawn Grenke is Directorof Music at Eglinton St. George’s United Church inToronto, Associate Conductor and Accompanist for theAmadeus Choir of Toronto, Accompanist to the ElmerIseler Singers of Toronto, and Artistic Director to theWoodstock Fanshawe Singers of Woodstock Ontario.
Shawn is also the Director of the 80 voice Achill ChoralSociety based out of Orangeville, Ontario. Shawn hasmade international appearances as conductor, pianist and organist in Poland,Sweden, Korea, the United States and Europe.
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Paul Winkelmans Baritone
Paul Winkelmans joined the Singers at the start of their 2017/2018 season, having just received his Master of Music in Voice and Opera Performance from McGill University. At McGill he enjoyed performances as part of Opera McGill, as well as his involvement in Michael McMahon’s Song Interpretation class. He loves exploring and sharing both standard and unconventional repertoire, combining works by classical masters Schubert and Schumann with contemporary pieces in his programmed recitals, and even commissioning a new Canadian work to premiere for his fourth year undergraduate recital at the University of Manitoba.
Graham Robinson Bass
Graham studied under Dr. Bruce More, Alexandra Browning, and Susan Young. He was a featured performer for the University of Victoria Chorus and Chamber Singers, and the Victoria Chamber Orchestra In addition to his role as a soloist, Graham has managed a vocal studio and provided vocal coaching to the Cantiamo Youth Choir. After spending time in Cuba and Japan, he now resides in Toronto. In addition to singing with Elmer Iseler Singers, he is featured regularly with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Univox, Humbercrest United Church, and All The King’s Voices.
Cathy Robinson Soprano
Cathy joined the Elmer Iseler Singers in 2005. She has an extensive operatic career, including the role of Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust with Premier Opera, Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte with Oberlin’s Summer Opera Program in Casalmaggiore, Italy. Cathy has also appeared in three operas with the New Opera and Concert Centre in Toronto, and was the winner of the 1996 Oshawa-Whitby Kiwanis Senior Rosebowl Competition. Cathy maintains her role as a soprano with the Amadeus Choir, in which she has sung for many years.
Claire Renouf Soprano
Claire is thrilled to be a part of the Elmer Iseler Singers. Born in Toronto, she began her formal training as a child when she joined the Toronto Children’s Chorus. After singing with them for seven years, she continued her studies at Queen’s University, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance. During her time at Queen’s, she also sang with the Queen’s Choral Ensemble, and performed in several stage productions, such as Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretal, as well as Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado. After graduating, Claire sang as a member of the Exultate Chamber Singers under Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt for five years. Claire has studied under such Canadian talents as Patricia Harton-McCord, Elizabeth McDonald, and Bruce Kelly. She continues to use her vocal training as a prospective voice-over talent.
Claudia Lemcke Alto
Claudia Lemcke studied Piano and Voice in her native Germany. With her ‘warm and clear voice and a reliable sense of style’ (Rheinische Post) and ‘her charming sound and directness of interpretation’ (Brantford Expositor) she has established herself as a versatile Mezzo Soprano equally at home in art song and oratorio.
Claudia has been a frequent soloist in Toronto and the GTA and has extensive choral and solo experience with several of Toronto’s finest ensembles. After singing with the Elmer Iseler Singers as a substitute for several years she finally joined the ensemble in 2016.
When she is not singing in Toronto, Claudia can either be found in Montréal, singing with La Chapelle de Québec under Bernard Labadie, or teaching Piano and Voice in her own private studio.
Lynn Featherstone Alto
Lynn Featherstone joined the Singers in September 2017. She was raised in Cambridge, Ontario, where she started piano lessons at age six, beginning a life-long pursuit in musicianship – as a choral singer, soloist and conductor. At the University of Toronto she completed both her Bachelor of Music in Music Education in Voice Studies and her Masters in Music Education, and has sung with the University of Toronto MacMillan Singers and the Bach Festival Singers. For over a decade Lynn has been an alto soloist at Fairlawn Avenue United Church. She was formerly Associate Conductor for the Bach Children’s Chorus, under conductor Linda Beaupré. Lynn is the private vocal coach and piano teacher at Crescent School.
Amy Dodington Soprano
Amy Dodington joined the Elmer Iseler Singers in the Fall of 2012. Her musical family has had a long association with the EIS since the days of the Festival Singers. Originally from Port Carling, Muskoka, she moved to Toronto in 1996 to study Zoology and then Voice Performance at the University of Toronto. She then studied privately with Monica Whicher. Amy is now a freelance soloist regularly performing concert works and giving eclectic solo recitals. As a soprano soloist and section lead she sang for seven years with the Toronto Chamber Choir, sixteen years at Kingsway-Lambton Church, and is currently at Fairlawn Avenue United Church under Eleanor Daley. Amy’s extensive choral experience includes the Ontario Youth Choir, the Hart House Chorus, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Oriana Singers, Helmuth Rilling’s Stuttgart Festival Ensembles and Soundstreams Choir 21. You can discover the next thing that’s up her sleeve on her website: amydodington.com
Gillian Grant Alto
Since graduating from Queen's University School of Music, Gillian's enthusiasm for her work has provided her with a breadth of experience including teaching private piano and voice lessons, singing with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, singing backup vocals in a folk band, and working as soprano section lead at St. Aidan’s in the Beach.
Charles Davidson Tenor
Hailed for "refined tone, luxurious timbre and superb technique" (Opera Going Toronto),
Charles Davidson trained foremost at the Guildford School of Acting (UK) many moons ago. A former member of Tafelmusik chamber Choir (2 Juno nominations) and Elora Festival Singers, Charles appears as a soloist with various ensembles around the GTA. Engagements this season include concerts with Les Violons du Roy/La Chapelle du Quebec and a special "Show Tunes for 200" celebration at Metropolitan United Church, Toronto on May 26. Favourite roles include Tony in West Side Story, Frank Jr. in Catch Me if You Can and the title chracters in Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical. For updates, find his FB fan page ('Charles Davidson, Tenor'). It's always a treat to be back in Orillia with The Cellar Singers, Mitchell and the amazing Mariposa Market!
Alison Roy Alto
Alison was born in Ottawa, Ontario and has been with the Elmer Iseler Singers since 1994. She works for the Toronto District School Board as a Music Itinerant. Alison is Second Alto Section Lead at Metropolitan United Church and Alto Section Lead for the Amadeus Choir. In her spare time (whenever that is!), she does studio work, and writes.
Will Reid Tenor
Will is a Toronto-based musician, conductor and educator. When not singing with the Elmer Iseler Singers, he can be seen singing lead for the funk and soul band, Yasgurs Farmas well as the 50s group, The Redeemers. Will is also the Assistant Choir Director and George Black fellow of Sacred Music at the Church of the Redeemer, a position held since 2015. Will holds a B.Mus from the Faculty of Music and a B.Ed from OISE, UofT.
Ben Keast Tenor
Ben joined EIS in the fall of 2016. He is a composer, chorister, teacher, and music director. As a composer, he combines his experience in Korean traditional music and his knowledge of western classical music to achieve a unique soundscape – with a focus on choral music. Every summer, he can be found working with talented children, putting on six musicals over the course of a summer at Camp Manitou in McKellar, Ontario. Every Sunday, he sings Renaissance polyphony at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Parkdale, Toronto. He holds a Master of Music degree in Composition from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Music from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
