Ontario Vocal Festival

The OVF Summer Choral Symposium provides choral directors with:

• Rehearsal techniques, choral pedagogy, conducting techniques and exposure to quality repertoire. 
  
• The option to conduct fellow colleagues and receive feedback from our guest clinician. 
  
• Roundtable discussions addressing relevant topics ranging from the choral classroom to the community choir.  

The symposium is open to all choral conductors (elementary, secondary, church, and community).  Conductors with groups participating in each of our festivals may be selected to receive the Summer Symposium Bursary.

When and where is it being held?

The Summer Symposium usually takes place in July or August at a central location in southwestern Ontario. The 2010 Symposium will be held in Kitchener at  Music Plus from Tuesday, August 10 - Thursday, August 12.

Use Professional Learning through the Arts funding toward your symposium registration!  Click the image below for details!

 
Who are the clinicians?

The OVF Summer Symposium has featured many highly respected clinicians over the years. They include: James Jordan, Richard Nace, Vicki Meredith, Duane Davis, Stephen Hatfield, Lee Willingham, Mark Sirett, Scott Leithead, Greg Jasperse and others.

This year, OVF is proud to present... Jennifer Moir and Nancy Kidd as our featured clinicians.

Sample Outline of Daily Events:

What is the cost of the Symposium?

The cost of the symposium is $250.

What is the Summer Symposium Bursary?

Each year, one conductor at each of OVF's festivals is selected to receive the Summer Symposium Bursary.  This bursary covers the full cost of the registration.

Selected conductors will meet the following criteria:
-Demonstrates enthusiasm for professional growth, skill development
-Demonstrates openness to feedback given by clinicians
-Conducting exhibits musicianship
-Exhibits positive rapport with students in the ensemble

How do I register?

Simply download a registration form/brochure below and submit it along with your cheque to the registrar.  Please contact the coordinator if you have any questions or for more information.

Summer Symposium 2010 Registration Form

Jennifer Moir received her Master’s of Vocal Literature and Performance from The University of Western Ontario. In addition to her duties as in Instructor of Voice and Choirs at The Don Wright Faculty of Music at The University of Western Ontario, she is on Faculty at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota where she teaches during intercession for The Voice Care Network.

As a community choral conductor, Ms. Moir conducts The Woodstock Fanshawe Singers, a mixed choir based in Woodstock ON, and is the Founder/Artistic Director for Project Sing!, a young women’s vocal ensemble based in London, Ontario. From 1995-2001 she co-directed the Junior Amabile Youth Singers, London, ON.

Ms. Moir is the Founder, Artistic Director and Producer of the Kaleid Choral Festival held annually in Woodstock, Ontario. She also adjudicates festivals and works as a clinician for voice and choirs across North America.

Select conducting credits include: CBC Radio Competition Prizes, Gold Medal Performances at the Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales and The Choral Olympics in Linz, Austria, the Opening Ceremonies, Jeux du Canada Games, CD recordings: Canadian Portraits, The World Awaits, Echo as well as a music video of the Huron Carol. Ms. Moir is a supporter of new Canadian music and has commissioned over 70 new works since 1998. In 2002, she was the recipient of the distinguished Leslie Bell Prize for choral conducting.

As a vocalist, Ms. Moir maintains a small private studio in addition to her work at UWO, and presents masterclasses and solo recitals each season. Select singing credits include performing the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica (UWOpera, London, ON and OperaViva, Kelowna, BC), commissioning and premiering, “Tableaux” a song cycle for Soprano and piano, by Canadian composer Jeff Smallman, collaborations with pianist John-Paul Bracey presenting the music of Joaquin Turina and the North American premiere performance of the music of Guastavino.

Nancy Kidd has been a music educator with the Waterloo Public Board for 31 years. As head of music at Bluevale Collegiate, she taught and mentored students and teachers for 19 years conducting a 200-voice concert choir, 72-voice chamber choir and 21-voice jazz choir. She recently was the recipient of the “Mentor Award” at the K.W. Arts Awards. Nancy has taught music to students from Kindergarten to O.A.C. at Sunnyside Senior Public School, Lincoln Heights Public School and Bluevale Collegiate Institute. She was also a Music Consultant with the Waterloo Board for 3 years where she assisted in writing and implementing music curriculum. She is a respected clinician and adjudicator throughout Ontario and Canada in the elds of music education and the adolescent male changing voice. Ms. Kidd is currently the director of the University of Waterloo Choir and the Schneider Male Chorus of Kitchener.