Category: Singers

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Announcing the 2026-2027 EIS James T. Chestnutt Scholar

Dear EIS friends,

It gives me great pleasure to announce Melanie Yirenkyi as the Elmer Iseler Singers’ James T. Chestnutt Choral Scholar for 2026-2027.

Melanie is an amazing emerging conductor with great promise, who we know will inspire many during her future career.

The Elmer Iseler Singers are thrilled to work with and mentor Melanie over the next year and we offer our enthusiastic Congratulations!

Melanie – we look forward to working with you!

Lydia Adams, C.M.
Artistic Director
Elmer Iseler Singers

Melanie Yirenkyi

Melanie Yirenkyi is a conductor, singer, and music educator based in Toronto. Her passion for music was sparked by transformative choral experiences growing up, which ultimately inspired her to shift from biomedical sciences to music during her undergraduate studies. She holds a BFA in Vocal Performance from York University, a B.Ed from Queen’s University’s Artist in Community Education program, and a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto, where she studied under Dr. Jamie Hillman. 

Melanie serves as Director of the Massey College Choir and Musical Director for St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society, and has previously held roles as Assistant Conductor for RESOUND and Guest Conductor for Univox. Dedicated to refining her craft, Melanie has participated in masterclasses with clinicians including Lorenzo Donati, Dr. Kari Turunen, and Dr. Jean Sébastien Vallée.

In addition to conducting, Melanie sings professionally with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. She is also an active member of the music ministry at Jarvis Baptist Church, where she has served as a pianist, singer, and occasional conductor for over a decade.

Melanie is honoured and delighted to be joining the Elmer Iseler Singers as the JT Chestnutt Scholar for the 2026–2027 season. She is deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and make music with EIS under the guidance and artistic excellence of Lydia Adams, and to honour Mr. Chestnutt’s lasting impact on the organization and the choral community.

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A Tribute to Edward Wiens

Elmer Iseler Singers honour Edward Wiens (1942-2025)

Dear Friends,

It is with deep sadness that the Elmer Iseler Singers acknowledge the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Edward Wiens.

Beginning his professional singing career in the 1960s with CBC’s Hymn Sing out of Winnipeg, Ed was one of the earliest professional singers in Canada and was one of the longest serving professional choral artists in Canadian history, singing for many years with Elmer Iseler in the Festival Singers of Canada and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and with Elmer and Lydia Adams as a valued member of the Elmer Iseler Singers.

As well as singing in the EIS tenor section, Ed acted as the genial and amazing librarian for the choir, and he sang with the Singers on many recordings and was a part of many concert tours throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia.

There were many incredible moments of great music making with Elmer Iseler and with other major conductors, including Peter Oundjian, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir David Willcocks, Seiji Ozawa and Bramwell Tovey, among many. However, Ed also connected musically with people on a deeply personal level. On one tour, the choir members were asked if they wished to sing at a Senior’s residence, and Ed volunteered immediately. One of the residents had not responded to stimulus for many months, but once Ed started singing O Danny Boy ‘a cappella’, the resident woke up and started to sing with Ed and then had a full and aware conversation with him, to the amazement of the care workers.

Colleague Michael Sawarna said that Ed was a mentor to us all not just in singing but in his gentleness, laughter and profound kindness.

He was truly a Prince among humanity, a gentle, loving, exceptional person of boundless energy as well as an outstanding musician, and he honoured the EIS by accepting an Honorary Life Membership with the choir on his retirement in 2016.

Ed will be dearly missed by the EIS community, as well as by his family and many, many friends across the country.

The Elmer Iseler Singers – all the many singers who have worked and performed with Ed throughout his long career, Artistic Director Lydia Adams, General Manager Jessie Iseler and the EIS Board of Directors, James T. Chestnutt, Chair, send our deepest condolences to Ed’s wife, Donna, to their beloved daughter, Emily and to his family and friends across Canada. He will be dearly missed.

Rest in peace, dear friend.

Lydia Adams, C.M.
Artistic Director
Elmer Iseler Singers

Elmer Iseler Singers, 2016 Festival of the Sound (by Mark Rash)

Edward Wiens obituary can be found at https://www.basicfunerals.ca/obituaries/edward-wiens

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Remembering Donna Colley 

Elmer Iseler Singers, Lydia Adams conductor and artistic director remember Donna Colley (1944--2024)

The Elmer Iseler Singers are saddened to acknowledge the passing of Donna May Colley, a treasured singer of many years, and honoured Life Member of the choir.

Donna began her professional singing career with Elmer Iseler, singing with him in the Festival Singers of Canada, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and, for many years in the Elmer Iseler Singers.

Her ready smile and generous nature were constants with her colleagues in the choir, and she brought a special light to the group.

Donna sang soprano with the choir on tours throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe as well as the Far East, bringing Canadian choral music to thousands of people.

She also sang on many CDs, national radio programs and broadcasts in countless concerts, often singing the most difficult choral music written.

Donna sang under the baton of many world-renowned conductors, including Elmer Iseler, Sir David Willcocks, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Andrew Davis and Peter Oundjian, among many.

We join with her many friends in sending our condolences to her cherished sons, Matt, Chris and Greg, during this time of such great loss.

The Singers are honoured to sing for Donna one final time at her funeral on Saturday, April 13th – 11:00 a.m. at the Yorkminster Citadel of the Salvation Army, 1 Lord Seaton Road, Toronto.

May she rest in peace.

Click here for Donna’s obituary and service information.

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Announcing the James T. Chestnutt Scholars for the EIS 2023-24 Concert Season

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

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

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.

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Donald Bartle (1930 – 2022)

Donald Bartle
Donald Bartle
photo by Maura McGroarty

The Elmer Iseler Singers are saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Donald Bartle.

Donald was a founding member of the Festival Singers of Canada, singing in the historic 1954 opening performance of the choir at the Stratford Festival in Ontario. He sang with both Elmer Iseler and Lydia Adams in the Elmer Iseler Singers in his more than 50 year career as a professional choral singer. In November 2000, he accepted the first Elmer Iseler Singers’ Honorary Life Membership. The Elmer Iseler Singers send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jean, and to his entire family and many friends.

Carmine Lappano
Carmine Lappano
Composer for Give us the Wings of Faith

Carmine Lappano was born in 1977 and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Working primarily as a liturgical musician, Carmine is well respected as a Composer/ Conductor/ Organist, having held appointments in several churches throughout the last 18 years. Carmine has extensive choral experience, having sung with several professional choirs including the Elmer Iseler Singers. Carmine has had the privilege of working with prominent Canadian choral musicians such as Lydia Adams, Eleanor Daley, Jerzy Chichocki and Matthew Larin. A member of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, Carmine holds a professional diploma in Choral Conducting (Ch. RCCO). He has written several pieces of sacred choral music for liturgical use, and continues to create music for church choirs of any level. More recently, Carmine’s composition “Arise, Arise”, won first prize in the Chronos Vocal Ensemble Choral Composition Competition, and was premiered in November of 2023.

Paul Genyk-Berezowsky
Paul Genyk-Berezowsky
Bass

Baritone and multi-instrumentalist Paul Genyk-Berezowsky enjoys versatility across a wide range of repertoire from early to contemporary works.

Recent highlights include appearing as soloist for Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Mass in C Major with the Toronto Classical Singers under the direction of Jurgen Petrenko, performing and recording as the bass soloist in ANIMA Early Music’s queer re-imagining of Buxtehude’s unique cantata cycle Membra Jesu nostri, workshopping a role in the new opera Caeneus by Luke Hathaway & James Rolfe, and acting as Chorusmaster for the Toronto Symphony’s Messiah under the esteemed Dame Jane Glover.

Building on his instrumental background as a classical guitarist and oboist, Paul’s Collaborating Artist role with ANIMA Early Music frequently leads to learning new—or rather, old—instruments for projects: the renaissance and baroque guitars, the medieval lute, and the list continues to grow! Recently Paul ventured into playing the baroque oboe at Tafelmusik’s Baroque Summer Institute. Inspired by a trip to Xaneco workshop in Galicia he is also exploring the pandeireta and tarrañolas.

Beyond the stage Paul is a passionate educator. He shares the joy of group singing with Cantio Sana, offering vocal programs that explore singing for health and wellbeing. Paul is also a Certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique, a method of movement education that supports personal objectives such as cultivating peak performance, managing stress and tension, and reducing neck/back pain.

Photo credit: Lesley Bouza

Bryan Estabrooks
Bryan Estabrooks
Bass

Ottawa-born lyric baritone Bryan Estabrooks has been a member of the Eglinton St. George’s choir since 1999 while completing his BMus at the University of Toronto. After completing his Master of Music at the University of Michigan he was thrilled to rejoin his fellow choristers. 
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When not singing at EIS and ESG, Bryan has performed in the city with Toronto Operetta Theatre, Opera in Concert, members of the Toronto Symphony (Messiah for the City), and as a soloist and workshop educator with various local choirs. Bryan also works in video and audio content production, recently on his brother Jonathan’s debut album: These Miles.

Sarah Shelley
Sarah Shelley
Soprano

Canadian soprano Sarah Shelley is a performer, educator, and choral director based in Hamilton, Ontario. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Toronto, where she specialized in Historical Voice Performance. She also holds a Master of Music in Historical Performance from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, an Advanced Certificate in Voice Performance in Early Music, and a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Toronto.

Sarah has a particular affinity for early music, oratorio, and concert repertoire. She is an ensemble member and soloist with Toronto Consort and has performed with ensembles and organizations including the Theatre of Early Music, Mandle Philharmonic, and the University of Toronto’s Schola Cantorum.

Alongside her work as a performer, Sarah has extensive experience as a music educator and choral leader. In 2017, she founded the Resonance Choir, a choir designed for children with disabilities at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre in Hamilton. Now in its tenth consecutive season, the choir grew out of Sarah’s commitment to creating meaningful and accessible opportunities for children with disabilities to make music together. Her doctoral research developed from this work and explored accessible choral pedagogy, musical development, social connection, and belonging within community music.

Sarah has also taught at the University of Toronto as a Teaching Assistant through Collegium Musicum, the Faculty of Music’s early music ensemble, and has many years of experience teaching voice, piano, and flute in private studios, conservatories, and school settings. Her work as a performer, researcher, and educator is united by an interest in thoughtful musicianship, historically informed performance, and creating musical environments in which singers can develop both artistry and a sense of belonging.

Melanie Yirenkyi
Melanie Yirenkyi
Soprano

Melanie Yirenkyi is a conductor, singer, and music educator based in Toronto. Her passion for music was sparked by transformative choral experiences growing up, which ultimately inspired her to shift from biomedical sciences to music during her undergraduate studies. She holds a BFA in Vocal Performance from York University, a B.Ed from Queen’s University’s Artist in Community Education program, and a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto, where she studied under Dr. Jamie Hillman.

Melanie serves as Director of the Massey College Choir and Musical Director for St. Anne’s Music and Drama Society, and has previously held roles as Assistant Conductor for RESOUND and Guest Conductor for Univox. Dedicated to refining her craft, Melanie has participated in masterclasses with clinicians including Lorenzo Donati, Dr. Kari Turunen, and Dr. Jean Sébastien Vallée.

In addition to conducting, Melanie sings professionally with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. She is also an active member of the music ministry at Jarvis Baptist Church, where she has served as a pianist, singer, and occasional conductor for over a decade. Melanie is honoured and delighted to be joining the Elmer Iseler Singers as the James T. Chestnutt Scholar for the 2026–2027 season. She is deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and make music with EIS under the guidance and artistic excellence of Lydia Adams, and to honour Mr. Chestnutt’s committment to the organization and the choral community. 

Matthew Boutda
Matthew Boutda
Tenor

Matthew Boutda (he/him) is a Lao-Canadian conductor, tenor, and organist pursuing his Doctor of Music in Choral Conducting at McGill University, Schulich School of Music.

Matthew is the Principal Conductor of the McGill Concert Choir in Montréal, QC, and is also the Director of Music at Leaside United Church in Toronto, ON. He also serves as an ambassador for the Centre for Congregational Song, member of the executive committee of the Hymn Society in Canada and the United States, and Community Director for the Summer Institute of Church Music.

As a conductor, he has had the opportunity to work with choirs such as the Ontario Youth Choir, Pax Christi Chorale, Schulich Singers, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Vancouver Chamber Choir, and the Western University Singers.

Matthew holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Western Ontario, a Bachelor of Music, and a Master of Sacred Music from the University of Toronto, and an ARCT in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Matthew is a recent recipient of the Clifford Evens Graduate Conducting Award, Gerald Wheeler Award, Helen Hall Prize, and Wayne Riddell Choral Award.

Norman E. Brown
Norman E. Brown

For the past 5 years bass-baritone Norman E. Brown has split his musical time between singing and conducting.  He has been conductor for many Ottawa-based choirs, including conducting pieces with the Ottawa Choral Society, Atlantic Voices and Musica Ebraica.  He has also been assistant conductor in Italy for the operas “Suor Angelica” and “Cosi fan tutte” with AEDO, and has conducted “Alcina” (Handel), “Suor Angelica” (Puccini), “Magic Flute” (Mozart) and two world premieres by Jack Hui Litster - “What is Love?” (2022) and “Gates of Heaven: Requiem for a Life of Peace” (2024) with OperOttawa. 

In the 2023-24 season, Norman was the recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant in conducting which enabled him to be mentored by Leslie Dala (Vancouver Opera and Vancouver Bach Choir), and shadow conductors Alexander Weimann (Messiah - Vancouver Early Music), Tania Miller (Magic Flute), Jacques Lacombe (Don Pasquale), and more recently with Simon Rivard (Orchestre Classique de Montreal).  Norman will be participating in the Conducting Workshop in June with Robert Franz and the Boise Baroque Orchestra. 

Michael Colla
Michael Colla

Michael is a vocalist and a music educator based in Toronto, who advocates and encourages the role of community in music. Michael is a graduate of St. Michael’s Choir School, York University (B.F.A. Vocal music), and Wilfrid Laurier University (B.Ed). He currently works as a Music Teacher in the Toronto Catholic District School Board and as a choir conductor for the Community Music Schools of Toronto. He served as an interim conductor for St. Paschal Baylon’s R.C Church choir and Coro San Marco and has been a guest conductor for “Singing Together”- a multicultural choral festival. Michael’s passion for music education and community music is a driving force in his development as an educator, conductor, musician, and lifelong learner.

Nataprawira Edmee
Edmee Nataprawira

Edmee Nataprawira is a music educator and multi-instrumentalist based in Toronto, Ontario. An advocate for music as a catalyst for community, creativity, and connection, Edmee enjoys collaborating with fellow artists in Toronto and Montreal. In addition to playing cello and piano, Edmee is an avid choral singer and taiko drumming enthusiast. She currently teaches music at St. Clement's School and VIVA Singers Toronto through song, movement, play, and composition. 

A graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT, piano; Gr. 10, cello) and the University of Toronto (Hon. B.Mus. and B.Ed.), Edmee has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, including the Lloyd Bradshaw Prize for choral conducting, the Gordon Cressy Leadership Award and a Klingenstein Summer Institute Fellowship at Columbia University for early-career teachers. She loves to explore how music can nurture relationships, create change, and speak to our sense of wonder. 

Nila Rajagopal
Nila Rajagopal

An accomplished conductor and dedicated educator, Nila Rajagopal is driven by her passion for uniting people through the power of choral music.

Nila’s outstanding expertise has led her to assume numerous roles within the choral landscape. She is currently the Conductor of the Toronto Children’s Chorus’ Anima training choir, Associate Conductor of the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto and Associate Conductor of Modern Sound Collective’s Sehnsucht choir. Her exceptional contributions have earned her esteemed accolades, including the Doreen Rao Choral Award, the Iwan Edwards Award, the Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship, and the Helen Hall Prize. Nila was also a nominee for the 2023 Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting.

A keen lifelong learner, Nila holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from McGill University and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Toronto. Nila’s dedication to the choral community also extends to her role as South Central Regional Chair on the Choirs Ontario Board of Directors.

Zoitsa (Zoë) Gotziaman
Zoitsa Gotziaman

Zoitsa is a mezzo-soprano and emerging conductor based in Toronto. This season she sang in a new octet led and conducted by Andrew Balfour, and in the chorus of Opera Atelier’s Orphée et Eurydice. She thoroughly loves performing, and has sung in over 30 operas. She currently sings in The Nathaniel Dett Chorale. Past ensemble highlights include singing with Canzona, Dead of Winter, Xara Choral Theatre, and being section lead at Toronto Chamber Choir and VOCA Chorus of Toronto. Her education includes a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Manitoba, under the tutelage of Tracy Dahl. Zoitsa conducts the Butterfly Chorus at the Canadian Children’s Opera Company and used to teach Intermediate and Senior Choirs at Sistema Toronto.

Steven Webb
Steven Webb
Composer for The Going Out

Originally from South Africa, Steven Webb is a Tkarón:to (Toronto)-based composer and sound designer, living as a settler on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and the Mississauga’s of the Credit. With his artistic works being filtered through the personal lens of his own battle with mental illness, Webb creates new music and video art from an eclectic mix of influences including retro science-fiction, horror, 1990s computer software and video game culture, obsolete consumer gear, and the orchestral cinematic tradition.

His current compositional work is concerned with examining the contemporary human experience, with the disorientation, confusion, and dread that arises from living in a world dealing with a climate crisis, growing conflict and marginalization towards minority groups, and the increasing isolation of the individual in spite of our hyper-connectivity. Webb creates art primarily by investing in communitybased music making, aligning his musical output and practices to create closer communities through public performances, sound installations and musical recordings.

Webb is a member of the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers, (SOCAN), as well as the Screen Composers Guild of Canada, and is an Associate Composer at the Canadian Music Centre.

Elienna Wang
Elienna Wang
Composer for Words Unspoken

Elienna is a Toronto-based composer studying with Professor Norbert Palej at the University of Toronto. Her music has been performed at the University of Toronto's Student Composers Concerts and New Music Festival, the Women's Art Association of Canada, the Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Church, and retirement homes across the GTA. Most recently, her choral piece, "Wings," was premiered by the Spirit Singers Choir at the "Come In From the Cold" fundraising concert this March, and her art song, "Rosé Leaves" will be premiered at the SPO's "Prelude to Hope" concert this April. By sharing her musical voice, Elienna hopes to bring joy, hope, and belonging to her listeners.

Emily Hiemstra
Emily Hiemstra
Composer for Oudh

Emily Hiemstra is a real life viola mom. She is a violist, composer and mom to four boys under 6.

A JUNO-nominated composer, she has had her music performed at festivals throughout Europe, USA and Canada. Her orchestral and operatic background as a performer has deepened her understanding of colour and texture which she readily applies in her compositions to create clear and innovative works.

As a violist and dedicated chamber musician, she has performed at festivals around the world and is founder of the Charis Collective, a chamber ensemble creating family-friendly concerts in London, ON.

Andrew Wolf, Tenor
Andrew Wolf
Tenor

Tenor, Andrew Wolf, is a recent graduate of the Master of Music program at Western University where he studied with Prof. Torin Chiles. He began his singing career in Victoria, BC where he participated in a large variety of vocal performances such as Actéon, Carmina Burana, and The Wizard of Oz. Since moving to Ontario, Andrew has performed as part of the Ukrainian Art Song Program in Toronto, as a tenor soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Vespers Massin London, and as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah in Stratford. His recent opera credits include Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosí Fan Tutte, the titular role in Britten’s Albert Herring and Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Having recently moved to Toronto, Andrew is thrilled to be joining the Elmer Iseler Singers for their 47th season.

Doug MacNaughton, Baritone (Photo: Catherine Charron-Drolet)
Christopher Wilson
Baritone

Christopher Wilson is a professional performer, arts educator, writer, independent producer

Gordon Burnett, Bass
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
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 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
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 (Photo: Catherine Charron-Drolet)
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 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, Bass
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 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, Mezzo Soprano (Photo: Bo Huang)
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
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
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 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
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
Shawn Grenke
Accompanist

Conductor, Pianist and Organist Shawn Grenke is Director of Music at Eglinton St. George’s United Church in Toronto, Associate Conductor and Accompanist for the Amadeus Choir of Toronto, Accompanist to the Elmer Iseler Singers of Toronto, and Artistic Director to the Woodstock Fanshawe Singers of Woodstock Ontario.

Shawn is also the Director of the 80 voice Achill Choral Society based out of Orangeville, Ontario. Shawn has made international appearances as conductor, pianist and organist in Poland, Sweden, Korea, the United States and Europe.

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Paul Winkelmans, Baritone - Photo:Simeon Rusnak Photography
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 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 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 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
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 McMurray, Alto
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, Soprano

Amy Dodington joined the Elmer Iseler Singers in the Fall of 2012.  Amy's musical family has had a long association with the Elmer Iseler Singers since the days of the Festival Singers.  Originally from Port Carling, Muskoka, Amy moved to Toronto in 1996 to study Zoology and then Voice Performance at the U of T.  She is now a freelance soloist regularly performing concert works and eclectic solo recitals.  As a soloist and section lead, she started at Kingsway-Lambton Church under Ruth Watson Henderson in 2001 and remained there for 16 years. She also sang for 7 years with the Toronto Chamber Choir and she currently sings at Fairlawn Avenue United Church under Eleanor Daley. 

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
Charles Davidson, Tenor

Noted for “refined tone, luxurious timbre and superior technique” (Opera Gong Toronto), Charles has joined some of Canada’s leading choirs as soloist and ensemble member, including Tafelmusik (two JUNO nominations), Soundstreams’ Choir 21, and currently, the Elmer Iseler Singers. Oratorio highlights include Mozart Requiem, Bach St John Passion and Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle. Equally at home on the stage, Charlie trained at the Guildford School of Acting in the United Kingdom. 2023/24 included highlights from Haydn’s Creation (Masterworks Oakville), Bach Cantata 131 with Toronto Beach Chorale, and H.M.S. Pinafore in concert with The Cellar Singers. Thank you for supporting great music. 

Alison Roy, Alto
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 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 Farm as 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 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.