Provincial Honour Choirs 2011

Guest Conductors

Elroy Friesen

School Senior Choir

Dr. Elroy Friesen is Director of Choral Studies at the University of Manitoba where he conducts the University Singers, Cantata Singers and Women’s Chorus as well as teaches conducting, graduate conducting and music education. He has recently completed his doctoral studies at the University of Illinois focusing his research on the choral music of Finnish composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara, including conducting the Canadian premiere and CBC broadcast of Vigilia. His ensembles are frequently recorded by CBC, and have received numerous awards for their performances in Manitoba and Canada. As well as touring internationally, they perform with many outstanding local and national arts organizations, including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, Kokopelli, the WSO New Music Festival, Soundstreams Canada, Groundswell, and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Friesen has studied at the University of Manitoba (B. Mus., B. Ed., M. Mus.) and the University of Illinois (DMA), receiving numerous study grants and scholarships from the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Foundation for Choral Music in Manitoba.

Dr. Friesen is the founder and past artistic director of Prairie Voices, and has recently held the positions of Artistic Director of the Mennonite Community Orchestra, Director of Choirs at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Urbana, and Director of the U of I University Chorus in Illinois. He is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor, having performed throughout Canada and the United States and has recently had conducting engagements in Sweden and South America. Elroy and his wife Heidi are raising their family of four children in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Catherine Robbins

School Junior Choir

Catherine Robbins is in demand as a clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator at workshops and festivals both in the vocal and choral fields. Presently, Ms. Robbins teaches undergraduate conducting, choral techniques, vocal techniques and choral repertoire at the University of Manitoba where she was the director of the Preparatory Division Youth Choir Program for many years.

Ms. Robbins is completing her doctoral studies in Music Education through the University of Toronto where her areas of research have included negotiating the solo voice in choral singing, the influence of music festival participation on music directors' professional practice, reflective practice and teacher education, and the formation of the musical self of choral music educators.

Catherine loves to work with young singers and conductors alike and continues to be amazed by the talent, commitment and enthusiasm consistently displayed in Manitoba's choral community.

Stuart Sladden

School Women's Choir

Stuart Sladden has been teaching and performing in the Toronto area since 1996. His love of music began in high school where he was exposed to a wide variety of musical performance. During that time he studied both trumpet and voice, and it was his affinity for jazz that eventually led him to pursue a post secondary education in vocal jazz performance. He studied for a year at Humber College and transferred to the University of Toronto where he graduated with his Bachelor of Music in Performance, in 2002.

Since graduating from University, Stuart has been in demand throughout the GTA as a private instructor, freelance musician, clinician, and church musician, including most recently: working as the Music Director and Organist for Eden United Church in Mississauga, the Music Director of Oasis Vocal Jazz Ensemble, a community jazz choir from the Toronto area celebrating it's 25th season this year, the Assistant Conductor of Pax Christi Chorale as well as a member of the Pax Christi Chamber Choir.

Stuart has recently made the move from Toronto to Winnipeg to begin graduate studies at the University of Manitoba in Choral Conducting.

Diane Loomer

Adult Choir

Diane Loomer, C.M., conductor and founder of Chor Leoni Men's Choir, co-founder and Conductor Emerita of Elektra Women's Choir, and most recently founder and conductor of EnChor Chamber Choir is internationally recognized as one of Canada's leading musicians; she is a sought-after conductor and clinician on the international choral scene with engagements taking her to all corners of the world. Her choirs have repeatedly won first prizes in national and international competitions and her choral compositions have been published and recorded internationally. Diane has taught on the music faculty of both Douglas College and The University of British Columbia, conducted ACDA State Honour Choirs, ACDA National Honor Choirs and has conducted Provincial Youth Choirs and Honour Choirs in every province in Canada.

Ms. Loomer has received many awards for her work in choral music, the three most recent being her appointment in 2005 by the University of Victoria to the University Women’s Scholar Lecture Series , in 2006 as Conductor Emeritus to Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and in 2008 named as a Paul Harris Fellow to the International Rotary Foundation for her tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding among peoples of the world.

She has established Cypress Choral Music as a valuable publication source of new Canadian choral music. In recognition of her achievements in and service to music and humanity throughout Canada, Diane was honored to receive in 1999 the country's highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada.