WHO THEY ARE
Over the years, Calgary Bach Choir has become "a significant voice in the early music landscape in Western Canada" (Calgary Herald).
BAROQUE & BEYOND
When it comes to their future plans, this choir is blazing interesting musical trails as they continue to explore the music of Baroque composers and beyond. To find out more or see them in action, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
TERRY EDWARDS
CHRISTOPHER LYLE
1988-1990
SUSAN LYLE
1990-1992
JAMIE SYER
1992-1995
MEL KIRBY
1995-2000
JANET YOUNGDAHL
2000-2008
PAST ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
CHRISTINE AZAD & SUSAN LYLE
1988-1994
CHRISTINE AZAD
1995-1998
CHRISTINE AZAD & ROBERT SCHMIEL
1998-2002
CHRISTINE AZAD & JANET YOUNGDAHL
2002-2004
JANET YOUNGDAHL
2004-2008
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ADMINISTRATION
CAROL LATTER
President
KEITH SCHARNAU
Vice President
BRUCE RADDATZ
HELEN ISAAC
Past President
Treasurer
LAUREN HUTCHISON
Secretary
DIANE KENYON
Director
SHELLEY WONG
Director
ELWYN BROWN
Director
TERRY EDWARDS
CINDIA TAN
SATOKO ONODA COMMUNICATIONS
Artistic Director, Choirmaster & Conductor
Administrator
Media & Public Relations
SUE HAUKE DESIGN
Graphic Design
ANTONINA COX
Rehearsal Accompanist & Keyboard Continuo
DEAN O'BRIEN
Orchestral Personnel Contractor
MARK HAHLE
Vocal Soloist Coach
"Each decision Mr. Edwards made in his conducting was a joy to hear..." (Stephan Bonfield, Calgary Herald)
"No (choral concerts)... are more original nor more carefully planned than those presented by the Calgary Bach Society and their intrepid director Terry Edwards." (Stephan Bonfield, Calgary Herald)
"I will long remember your conducting of this Whitacre work (Sleep)..." (Dale Warland)
Terry Edwards is in his nineteenth season of presenting inspiring and imaginative programs with the Calgary Bach Choir. Together they have explored music of the English, French, German and Italian Baroque masters while expanding the scope of the choir's repertoire by performing music from the Renaissance, Classic, Romantic and Modern eras.
Terry earned Bachelor's Degrees in Arts (French and German), Music, and Education from the University of Regina, in addition to an Associate Performer's Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto (ARCT), and a Master's Degree in Music Performance from McGill University. He studied piano with William Moore and Charles Reiner, contemporary music performance with Bruce Mather, and collaborative instrumental and vocal performance with Eleanor May, Michael McMahon and Jan Simons. With the assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts he studied orchestral and choral conducting in Canada and in England, Italy, Norway and the United States. His choral and orchestral conducting mentors include Kathryn Laurin, Heather Buchanan, Anthony Di Ritis, Denise Ham, George Hurst, Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Simon Carrington and Dale Warland.
Terry retired after a 27 year career in education; teaching choral music first at Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School in Regina, and then 26 years with the Calgary Catholic School District, including 5 years as Fine Arts Consultant and 16 years as a teacher of French as a second language and choral music at Bishop O'Byrne High School.
Terry believes in the community-building impact of music-making, the emotional and physical benefits of choral singing, the powerful combination of great music and words, and the satisfaction that comes with the pursuit of musical excellence.
Terry Edwards and the Calgary Bach Choir and Chamber Orchestra have explored the music of:
Renaissance Composers:
Gesualdo, Palestrina
Baroque Composers:
Aichinger, Allegri, J.E. Bach, J.S. Bach, Biber, Buxtehude, Caldara, Charpentier, Corelli, Durante, G.Gabrieli, Handel, Lotti, A. Marcello, B. Marcello, Pachelbel, Pergolesi, Pez, Pitoni, Purcell, Rameau,
D. Scarlatti, Schütz, Telemann, Vivaldi
Classical Composers:
C.P.E. Bach, J.C. Bach, J.C.F. Bach, W.F. Bach, F.J. Haydn, Mozart
Romantic Composers:
Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schubert
20th Century Composers:
Britten, Duruflé, Howells, Lauridsen, Parry, Tavener, R. Thompson
21st Century Composers:
Gjeilo, J. Riddell
ANTONINA COX
REHEARSAL ACCOMPANIST
& KEYBOARD CONTINUO
Antonina Cox brings an impressive musical background to her work with the Calgary Bach Choir. She was educated at the Special Music School in Minsk, Belarus and at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, where she studied with Vladimir Shakin and graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Education and a Master Degree in Musicology. She completed the Master of Teaching program at the University of Calgary and obtained teaching certification in Alberta.
Before leaving Belarus she taught elementary school, sang in the internationally recognized a cappella choir Camerata Belarus and accomanied choirs and ballet studios. Since moving to Canada in 1992 she has studied organ performance at the Mount Royal Organ Academy with Terrence Fullerton and Neil Cockburn. Antonina received an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists Diploma. She has accompanied the Mount Royal Children’s Choir and Cantaré Children’s Choir, the former Calgary Choral Society-now Revv 52 Choir, the Dutch Canadian Choir, Calgary Men's Chorus, Savridi Singers and Rachel Hop Studio. She has travelled with groups as a pianist and organist in Canada, the United States, the Netherlands, Ireland, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Australia, Italy and the Vatican. She has been music and choral director at St. Matthew’s United Church, Red Deer United Church, and now directs at Parkdale United Church.
In addition to accompanying the Calgary Bach Choir, Antonina also works with the Calgary Women's Choir, Calgary Men's Chorus, Big Rock Singers, and several elementary and high school choirs. She has taught at Akiva Academy and Calgary Girls School and also has private piano and theory students.
The Calgary Bach Choir's memorable performances have been enhanced by Antonina's deep love and understanding of Baroque music and particularly the music of J.S. Bach.
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DEAN O'BRIEN
ORCHESTRAL PERSONNEL CONTRACTOR
Dean O’Brien earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music, with additional studies at the Peabody Conservatory and the Banff Centre. Before moving to Calgary, Dr. O’Brien taught viola and violin at Medicine Hat College and performed extensively in both Canada and the U.S. He has served as principal viola of the Montreal Chamber Orchestra, the Victoria Bach Festival and the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, and has played with the Austin, San Antonio, Albany, NY and Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestras as well as the Calgary Philharmonic. He has performed with many leading chamber musicians including Anton Kuerti, Andrew Dawes, Ian Swenson and Kai Gleusteen. Dr. O’Brien is currently an Instructor at Mount Royal Conservatory and the University of Calgary where he performs with the UCalgary String Quartet. He is also Principal Viola of the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Kensington Sinfonia and Artistic Director of Calgary Pro Musica. Dr. O’Brien spends his summers in Boulder as a member of the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra.