Conductor Elaine Choi immerses herself in the choral community as a conductor, educator, adjudicator, and collaborative pianist. In addition to her role as Artistic Director of Pax Christi Chorale, she is Director of Music at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, and was previously the conductor of the University of Toronto Soprano/Alto Chorus.
Conductor Mark Ramsey is Artistic Director of the Exultate Chamber Singers in Toronto and Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Music at Western University. He is an expert in choral repertoire written for tenor/bass voices. For ten years, Mark was a high school music teacher and curriculum specialist in Summerside, PEI, where he was also music director at Trinity United Church and conductor of the Summerside Community Choir.
Collaborative pianist Joshua Tamayo is a multi-talented pianist, organist, conductor, composer, and arranger, whose musical training was shaped by his 10 years at Toronto’s prestigious St. Michael's Choir School. Josh has been collaborative pianist with Pax Christi Chorale since 2022. In addition to the keyboard skills he brings to the role, his innate understanding of the synergy between conductor and pianist makes him a sought-out collaborative pianist for various genres, ensembles and solo artists.
Marie-Claire Saindon is an award-winning Franco-Ontarian composer specializing in choral writing and film scoring, with a penchant for vivid imagery and a great affinity for setting text. Based in Montréal, she is composer-in-residence for Choeur Adleisia, runs creative choral/vocal workshops, and enjoys teaching Irish fiddling.
Dates:
Monday, March 4, 7:30 – 9:45 pm – Conducting Session, Part I
Monday, March 11, 7:30 – 9:45 pm – Collaborative Pianist Session
Monday, March 18, 7:30 – 9:45 pm – Composing Session
Monday, March 25, 7:30 – 9:45 pm – Conducting session, Part II
Venue:
P.S. will be held at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto. TEMC is easily accessed by TTC and has plenty of parking for participants who wish to drive. The venue is totally accessible.
Session Process:
Twelve (12) applicants will be selected by jury as session participants – four conductors, four collaborative pianists, four composers. All selected participants will attend one group session on Zoom prior their in-person session at TEMC, facilitated by Elaine Choi, where they get to meet the P.S. faculty members and each other. Participants will then attend their respective in-person workshop (two for conductors). Following each workshop, participants will have a one-on-one session with their faculty member to debrief about the workshop and receive recommendation for further work.
Applicants not accepted as active participants are invited to attend the in-person sessions at TEMC as auditors. People can also apply to be an auditor, without having to submit application materials.
Repertoire:
Repertoire will be selected by the P.S. jury, with e-versions of scores for study sent out approx. two weeks before the sessions. Conductors will spend the first session conducting a work already familiar to Pax Christi Chorale members, while in the second session conductors will teach a new work to the choir.
Cost: $35 for session participants / $15 for auditors
Conductor applicants are asked to submit a sample video of their conducting a choir in rehearsal or performance. Either will be accepted.
Collaborative pianist applicants are asked to submit a sample video of their playing as a collaborative pianist in any setting (e.g. chamber music, choir, accompanying soloists).
Composer applicants are asked to submit a pdf of a 3-minute piece for community-level SATB choir, or a section of a larger work, acapella or with piano accompaniment. The work submitted will be workshopped during the session.
Applications for the 2024 P.S. are now closed.
The session fee will be payable once the successful applicants have been informed.
Questions can be addressed by emailing Cynthia Hawkins, Executive Director at executivedirector@paxchristichorale.org.
