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Meet our Organist & Director:
Robin Davis
 
Chorale

Mozart Requiem - Palm Sunday 2004

"Welcome" to the St. John's Chorale web page!
Hope you're enjoying the clip from Messiah recorded live in concert with the Canadian Sinfonieta, conducted by Tak Ng Lai. The Chorale is renowned as a professionally-led, volunteer based mixed voice choir, whose primary focus is offering Glory to God through music, and providing musical leadership to the Sunday 11:00 am weekly worship service at St. John's York Mills. They draw from an extensive repertoire ranging from plainsong to 21st Century compositions, with a firm commitment to excellence, and rooted in the wonderfully rich heritage of music from the Anglican tradition. Weekly anthems and service music are often presented a cappella. Carol Services are presented for Advent, Christmas and Easter. Our annual Passiontide Concert features major works, with soloists and instrumental ensemble accompaniment. For concerts and other special events the Chorale is sometimes joined by additional singers from the parish and wider community.

Weekly rehearsals are on Thursdays 7:30 – 9:30 pm and Sunday at 10:30 am. For information please contact Robin Davis ph 905 409 6121 or email Robin.

New members are welcome, regardless of faith tradition.

 

Top 10 Reasons to join the Chorale

  1. Professional vocal training and music instruction
  2. Regular performance of the finest sacred music drawn from a large repertoire
  3. Concert opportunities
  4. Social activities
  5. Personal growth in an environment of teamwork and enjoyment
  6. Those who sing, pray twice (St. Augustine)
  7. Annual cottage weekend bash
  8. Some singers receive an honorarium
  9. You get to be with a really great group of people
  10. Really Cool Uniforms!
Our Choir Leader & Leads:
Robin Davis, organist at St. John’s York Mills and director of the St. John’s Choir. A graduate of the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto in Organ Performance, where he studied with John Tuttle, Robin’s studies included organ and conducting in Wupertal, Germany, under Prof. Hartmut Klug. Recent concert performances include guest organist for the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony with the Oshawa Durham Symphony Orchestra, and as conductor, Two African Masses-Tribal Voices with tenor Mark DuBois, Mozart’s Requiem and Bach’s Lutheran Mass #4, Durufle’s Requiem and Bach’s immortal St. John Passion. Robin has recently completed a term as chairperson for the Royal Canadian College of Organists, Durham Region Centre. He is active as a freelance organist, accompanist, harpsichordist, choral conductor, organ consultant, clinician and dad. When not occupied in the preceding pursuits, Robin is Sales Manager for the All-Weld Company, a custom metal fabricator
Sophie Knowles – Soprano, hailing from Winnipeg, Knowles was drawn to Toronto to attend York University where she completed a BFA Honours in music, majoring in classical vocal performance. There she studied in the studios of Benjamin Butterfield, Norma Burrows, and Michael Donovan. In addition to solo performances, Knowles sang with the York University Concert Choir and played the tin whistle in York’s Canadian Celtic Ensemble. Also a lover of musical theatre, Sophie performed in the Canadian and US premier of Emmanuel (2007), a modern passion musical which enjoyed successful performances in Toronto, Woodbridge and New York. Today Knowles continues to study in the studio of Michael Donovan and performs with the Vespera Women’s Choir, a dynamic ensemble that sings exclusively 20th century repertoire.
Mezzo soprano Catharin Carew’s most recent operatic engagements of 2008 include Alma March in 'Little Women' (Janiec Opera Company, North Carolina), Bradamante in Handel's 'Alcina' (Opera McGill), as well as working with Tapestry New Opera on their new children's opera 'Get Stuffed'. Other notable credits include the role of Maeve in the contemporary comic opera 'The Midnight Court' at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, having premiered the role with Queen of Puddings Music Theatre at the Toronto Harbourfront Centre, and James MacMillan’s dramatic cycle for mezzo, Raising Sparks (2005 BBC Barbican Composers Weekend)
Toronto based baritone David Roth has completed his fourth year in voice performance in the Faculty of music at the University of Toronto, in the studio of Patricia Kern. David is the recipient of several scholarships at the Faculty including the Greta Kraus award. A veteran performer, Mr. Roth has sung extensively as both soloist and chamber singer in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. He has recently appeared as Polyphemus in the Classical Music Consort’s production of Handel’s Acis and Galatea at the Toronto Fringe Festival, as a soloist with the Toronto Masque Theatre, and premiering the role of Gesualdo in Peter Fischer’s chamber opera O D’Amarti O Morire with the Toronto Chamber Opera.
Richard Szuba – lyric tenor comes to St. John’s Anglican following a 3 year engagement with the Beth Tzedec Singers of Toronto. Though his great love is the Opera and the major tenor repertoire of Puccini, Verdi and Mozart, his current focus is on developing his teaching studio. Richard has been heard on CBC radio and has performed across Canada both in solo roles, and as a member of the Canadian Opera Company Chorus. A true artist at heart, Richard also draws and writes for the stage.