Cantate Domino

Ruth Watson Henderson, composer - Celebrating Women's Achievements, IWD2021
‘Cantate Domino’ by Ruth Watson Henderson; the women of the Elmer Iseler Singers; Lydia Adams, conductor; Claire Preston, pianist; Robert Venables and Robert DiVito, trumpeters; with soloists Kimberley Briggs, Carrie Loring, Linda Tsatsanis and Carolyn Kirby; album Sing all ye joyful: Music of Ruth Watson Henderson

A note from Artistic Director Lydia Adams:

Elmer Iseler Singers Celebrate International Women’s Day!

Dear Friends of the Elmer Iseler Singers,

Ruth Watson Henderson, composer
Ruth Watson Henderson, composer

Today, March 8th, 2021, the world marks International Women’s Day, and the Elmer Iseler Singers wish to celebrate by honouring all the incredible women composers worldwide, and especially those here in Canada.

We want to bring you a special musical gift for this occasion – the women of the Elmer Iseler Singers in a performance of Ruth Watson Henderson’s uplifting ‘Cantate Domino’.

On this recording, we hear the virtuosic, unique and unmistakeable sounds of Ruth Watson Henderson’s resplendent writing and her outstanding talent.

Our pianist for this performance is the brilliant Claire Preston; the trumpeters are the magnificent Robert Venables and Robert DiVito, and our soloists the always luminous Kimberley Briggs, Carrie Loring, Linda Tsatsanis and Carolyn Kirby, all joined by the women of the Elmer Iseler Singers.

Listening to this work of Ruth Watson Henderson’s always transports me with its exuberance and joy. We hope that you will enjoy it also.

Happy International Women’s Day 2021!

A Thanksgiving 2020 message and musical gift

A message from Elmer Iseler Singers Artistic Director Lydia Adams, General Manager Jessie Iseler, and the Elmer Iseler Singers Team:

Dear friends of the Elmer Iseler Singers:

Thanksgiving is a time to remember and to be thankful for all the gifts in our lives. We have so much to be thankful for: family, friends, our beautiful country and music in all forms, especially the magic of singing together.

We are told by the Encyclopedia Britannica that the first Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1578 in present day Nunavut by the Frobisher Expedition in search of the Northwest Passage, to give thanks for the safety of the fleet.

As Thanksgiving 2020 promises to be somewhat different in that we may not be together with our family and friends, the Elmer Iseler Singers wish to celebrate with you by sharing this musical gift – our recording of Gloria by the great Canadian composer Harry Somers. We were thrilled to sing this marvellous work in Ottawa at the Installation Ceremony of the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson as the 26th Governor General of Canada, and we have wonderful memories of that magnificent occasion and many others where we performed this work.

In this performance, the Elmer Iseler Singers are joined by outstanding trumpeters Michael Fedeshyn and Bob Grim and the esteemed organist Ruth Watson Henderson.

Please enjoy! Revel in the glorious colours of Canadian Autumn while listening to the glorious sounds of Harry Somers! Happy Thanksgiving from the Elmer Iseler Singers!

We want you to know how important you are to us and we thank you for your wonderful support. Stay tuned for exciting new projects to be announced in the next few weeks!

Yes, we will sing for you again, as soon as we can!

Lydia, Jessie and the Elmer Iseler Singers Team

Thanksgiving musical gift

Gloria by Harry Somers. The Elmer Iseler Singers, Lydia Adams, conductor; Ruth Watson Henderson, organ; Michael Fedeshyn and Bob Grim, trumpets. From the album: Harry Somers – The Glorious Sounds of Somers.