WHO WE 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 & Classical composers and beyond. To find out more or see them in action, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TERRY EDWARDS
"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.
"I believe 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, B. Strozzi, 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, Parry, Schubert
20th Century Composers: Britten, Duruflé, Howells, Lauridsen, 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.
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.
PAST CONDUCTORS
CHRISTOPHER LYLE 1988-1990
SUSAN LYLE 1990-1992
JAMIE SYER 1992-1995
MEL KIRBY 1995-2000
JANET YOUNGDAHL 2000-2008
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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
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS & ADMINISTRATION
CAROL LATTER, PRESIDENT
CAROL TOPLEY, VICE-PRESIDENT
BRUCE RADDATZ, PAST-PRESIDENT
LAUREN HUTCHISON, SECRETARY
HELEN ISAAC, TREASURER
DIANE KENYON, DIRECTOR
KEITH SCHARNAU, DIRECTOR
SHELLEY WONG, DIRECTOR
TERRY EDWARDS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ANTONINA COX, REHEARSAL ACCOMPANIST & KEYBOARD CONTINUO
DEAN O'BRIEN, ORCHESTRAL PERSONNEL CONTRACTOR
MARK HAHLE, VOCAL SOLOIST COACH
CINDIA TAN, ADMINISTRATOR
SATOKO ONODA COMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS
CORI HELLARD, GRAPHIC DESIGNS