Elmer Iseler Singers

08/10/2026

Elmer Iseler Singers: Extraordinary concert in the marvellous setting of the Charles W. Stockey Centre at the Festival of the Sound closes out the Elmer Iseler Singers' 2025-2026 Concert Season!

The Elmer Iseler Singers finished their 2025-2026 concert season in fine style with a most memorable concert at the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts in Parry Sound, ON, on Friday, August 7th, 2026, singing to a completely packed house of enthusiastic audience members who responded with an immediate standing ovation after the final notes were sung.

The Singers and conductor Lydia Adams were joined by extraordinary colleagues and friends Andrea Ludwig, mezzo soprano; Suzanne Shulman, flute; Erica Goodman, harp; James Campbell, clarinet, Cameron Crozman, 'cello; Tim Francom, percussion and organist Shawn Grenke in an amazing night of stellar choral music.

EIS sopranos Amy Dodington and Claire Renouf shone as soloists and 2025-2026 EIS James T. Chestnutt Choral Scholar Matthew Boutda ended his tenure with the Singers conducting a performance of the stunning 'Earth Song' by Frank Ticheli.

Music by Gustav Holst, W.A. Mozart, Eleanor Daley, M. Skoryk, Felix Mendelssohn and Srul Irving Glick was joined in the program by the elegant and moving 'Requiem' by British composer John Rutter in a concert that will be remembered as a highlight in the Singers' 2025-2026 concert season.

The Elmer Iseler Singers thank Festival of the Sound Artistic Directors James Campbell and Cameron Crozman along with all administrative staff, technical crews and the wonderful 'behind the scenes' group that fed us all and took such great care of the choir at the Stockey Centre during our visit.

The EIS thanks Eleanor Daley for her kind sponsorship of the organ placement in memory of her dearly remembered parents, Dr. Dan and Velma Daley.

Sincere thanks always to the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council and all sponsors, foundations and private donors, volunteers and audience members who support the ongoing work of the Elmer Iseler Singers. We are deeply appreciative to each and every one of you. Thank you!

In photos below, we see the Elmer Iseler Singers and colleagues in rehearsal and in concert, as well as a rehearsal photo of mezzo soprano Andrea Ludwig and clarinettist James Campbell weaving their magic, the Singers enjoying the breathtaking beauty of Parry Sound and JTC Choral Scholar Matthew Boutda with EIS Artistic Director Lydia Adams on stage following the concert.

Please join the Elmer Iseler Singers for the 2026-2027 concert season with a season full of joy and beauty!

07/12/2026

Collingwood Music Festival Spectacular night at the Collingwood Music Festival
The Elmer Iseler Singers and Artistic Director Lydia Adams were thrilled to perform at the Collingwood Music Festival on Saturday, July 11th in the beautiful space of 1st Presbyterian Church for the Opening Concert of the Collingwood Music Festival's 2026 season. The evening was filled with one highlight after another, as the Singers joined with the magnificent piano duo team of Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann, soloists Camille Labonté, William Salinas-Crosby and Peter MacGillivray, along with percussionists Tim Francom, Michelle Colton, Alejandro Céspedes and Dan Morphy to perform the epic 'Carmina Burana' of Carl Orff. The Singers joined with pianist and JUNO Award winning composer Andy Milne to premiere his new work, 'Try to Fly', commissioned by the Collingwood Music Festival and written on a poem by award winning poet and artist Shelly Grace. The Singers thank Collingwood Music Festival Artistic Director Daniel Vnukowski for the very kind invitation to appear for this special Opening Night program, and the wonderfull sponsors of our concert, Gail Selley and John Cleghorn, and the sponsors of the new work, Barbara and Pierre Lemaire and Maureen Quigley and Patrick Reid, for joining to make this night the magnificent event it was. The Singers also thank the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Toronto Arts Council for their ongoing support of the Elmer Iseler Singers. Below are photos of the enthusiastic and lively audience giving the artists a l***y standing ovation; our great friends, the Bergmann Piano Duo, and the artists thanking the audience for the final bow: Composer/pianist Andy Milne; tenor soloist, William Salinas-Crosby; baritone soloist, Peter MacGillivray; soprano soloist, Camille Labonté; conductor, Lydia Adams; Bergmann Piano Duo team of Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann; poet, Shelly Grace and Collingwood Music Festival Artistic Director, Daniel Vnukowski.
The next photo includes composer Andy Milne with EIS Artist Representative Robert Missen and EIS General Manager, Jessie Iseler.

Adding in one more photo with poet Shelly Grace, conductor Lydia Adams, composer Andy Milne and Collingwood Music Festival Artistic Director Daniel Vnukowski! What a fantastic night! Many, many thanks to all!

07/10/2026

The Elmer Iseler Singers and Artistic Director Lydia Adams were thrilled to join with the brilliant Bergmann Piano Duo to perform for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts on Thursday, July 9th! The performers joined together to sing for and with an enthusiastic and receptive audience in the beautiful space of the Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville. Below are photos of EIS Artistic Director Lydia Adams rehearsing with the magnificent piano duo team of Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann prior to the concert, and photos taken after the concert of Dan Watson, Executive Director of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts with EIS General Manager Jessie Iseler, EIS Artist Representative Robert Missen, Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann and EIS Artistic Director Lydia Adams.

07/10/2026

The Elmer Iseler Singers and Artistic Director Lydia Adams were thrilled to work together this week with composer Andy Milne to rehearse his new work, Try to Fly, which the Singers will premiere on Saturday, July 11 at the Collingwood Music Festival.

The Singers are loving working with Andy, who is playing the piano for the premiere on Saturday, and thank the Collingwood Festival for commissioning his new work, built on a poem of poet Shelly Grace.

Pictured below with the Singers and Lydia Adams are composer Andy Milne and singer/conductor La Tanya Hall.

07/08/2026

We're looking forward to an exciting week as the Elmer Iseler Singers head north to share music with two wonderful festival communities!

Join us on Thursday at the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and Saturday at the Collingwood Music Festival as we bring inspiring choral music to these fabulous festival audiences. We're especially thrilled to be collaborating with the extraordinary Bergmann Piano Duo from British Columbia, whose artistry and energy promise to make these performances truly unforgettable.

There's something special about coming together through music, and we can't wait to share these concerts with you. We look forward to seeing familiar faces, meeting new friends, and celebrating the joy of live performance together.

See you in Huntsville and Collingwood!

🎫 Tickets at HuntsvilleFestival.ca and CollingwoodFestival.com

06/21/2026

Today, we recognize occasions that invite us to reflect on connection, legacy, and belonging.

On National Indigenous Peoples Day, we honour the rich cultures, traditions, languages, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. We acknowledge the enduring strength of Indigenous communities and the importance of listening, learning, and walking together on the path toward reconciliation.

As we also celebrate Father's Day, we recognize the fathers, grandfathers, Elders, mentors, and caregivers whose guidance, wisdom, and love help shape our families and communities.

Music reminds us that our stories are interconnected — carried across generations, shared through voice, and strengthened through community. Today, we celebrate those who nurture, teach, and inspire us, and we honour the diverse cultures and traditions that enrich our country.

06/11/2026

Dear choral friends -It is with the utmost sadness that the Elmer Iseler Singers acknowledge the passing of our dear friend and colleague, composer/pianist Ruth Watson Henderson. Ruth was a brilliant pianist, equally at home playing a piano concerto with orchestra as she was working with choirs, unfailingly kind and always generous in sharing her great talent. Ruth Watson Henderson has a long history working with the Elmer Iseler Singers and their predecessor, the Festival Singers of Canada, working closely for many years alongside Dr. Elmer Iseler as collaborative pianist to Canada’s first professional choir. She often credited Elmer Iseler for inspiring her to write for choirs as she listened to him rehearsing great choral works and discovering the colours he was able to create with the choir. It was the Festival Singers and Elmer who inspired Ruth to write one of Canada’s greatest choral works, her Missa Brevis, a challenging work that revealed Ruth’s unique compositional voice to the world for the first time.

Her many works for choir and for organ following that compositional debut attest to her musical and creational genius. She was truly ‘one of a kind’, an exceptional and humble human being with extraordinary gifts, a true musical giant. The Elmer Iseler Singers have been honoured to be a part of commissioning, premiering, performing and recording Ruth’s music throughout many decades, experiences that have left us and our audiences enriched.

We will all miss her greatly, but her music will ring on through choirs across the country in joyous rhythmic musical lines, her unique voice an inspiration for the generations to come.

The Elmer Iseler Singers, Artistic Director Lydia Adams, General Manager Jessie Iseler and the EIS Board of Directors, James T. Chestnutt, Chair, send our deepest condolences to Ruth’s family and to her many, many friends throughout this country and beyond. In Ruth’s passing, we have lost a legend. May she rest in peace.

Ruth Watson Henderson’s Obituary is available online at: https://www.turnerporter.ca/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=48655143

The visitation for Ruth with take place on
Friday, June 19, 2026
4:00PM - 8:00PM
Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6S 1P4

The funeral service for Ruth will take place on
Saturday, June 20, 10:00 AM,
Kingsway Lambton United Church, 85 The Kingsway, Etobicoke

Photos: (1) Composer/pianist Ruth Watson Henderson, photo by Maura McGroarty
(2) Composer/pianist Ruth Watson Henderson with friends and musical colleagues Shawn Grenke, Eleanor Daley, Linda Beaupré and Lydia Adams. Photo by Olena Jaysyshyn

06/05/2026

The Elmer Iseler Singers and Artistic Director Lydia Adams welcomed seven outstanding composers to their Composers’ Workshop on Wednesday, June 3rd at the Canadian Music Centre, Toronto, an EIS educational initiative to assist composers in developing compositional skills for choir.

This was an outstanding night of mentorship and the exchange of ideas and solutions as the EIS and the seven creators quickly built a relationship, helping the composers to further develop their scores.

Congratulations to each of the seven composers for your outstanding work! It was really fun and interesting to meet you and to hear and sing your music.

The Elmer Iseler Singers thanks the Canadian Music Centre and Regional Director Joseph Glaser for your outstanding collaboration in making this workshop possible.

The Elmer Iseler Singers also extends their great thanks to the TAKLA Foundation, whose kind sponsorship makes these EIS educational initiatives possible.

Shown are composers Ian Lin, Stella ter Hart, Kye Marshall, Drew Aarssen, EIS Artistic Director Lydia Adams, composers François Lukawecki, Mark Matterson, Soroosh Kahnemuyipour and pianist, Joy Lee.
The second photo shows the composers with the Elmer Iseler Singers, conductor Lydia Adams and pianist Joy Lee in the beautiful surroundings of the Canadian Music Centre, Toronto.

mentions: Stella ter Hart / Composer, Arranger, Director, Adjudicator , Francois Lukawecki Composer

06/03/2026

Thank you to Huntsville Doppler and Thomas Flynn for your article about the Elmer Iseler Singers in advance of our summer concert in Huntsville on July 9th with the Bergmann Piano Duo.

Posted on June 3, 2026June 3, 2026 by Elmer Iseler SingersThe Elmer Iseler Singers: Diverse voices on the Algonquin stage HUNTSVILLE DOPPLER ONLINE May 26, 2026 article by Thomas Flynn View article at Doppler Online Click here to view the PDF (Photo by Karen Reeves) Diverse perspectives have always....

06/02/2026

What a perfect day Sunday was ! We had such a wonderful time at the our annual Strawberries & Champagne at the Lake event at the beautiful Toronto Hunt Club overlooking Lake Ontario. The afternoon was filled with incredible music, great company, delicious refreshments, and a lively silent auction, all in support of the choir’s artistic and educational initiatives. It was a joy to celebrate alongside so many supporters of the arts, and the atmosphere was both elegant and welcoming. We left inspired, grateful, and already looking forward to next year’s event. Thank you so much for joining us!