Canadian Choir Leader Network (CCLN) Podcast: Recent Episodes
CCLN
The Canadian Choir Leader Network connects choir leaders across Canada through a friendly, informal, resource-sharing, sociable Facebook group. Each month we publish a podcast spotlighting a choir leader from our great country, exploring their passion for choir leading!
This month, Jamie chats with inspirational actor-turned-choir director Alex Fiddes - the owner of ‘My Pop Choir’, based in the Greater Toronto Area. Alex talks to us about how he coordinates’ ‘My Pop Choir's' multi-director setup as well as a unique virtual choir approach he devised across Zoom to enhance the experience for his members during the pandemic.
No choir can exist without the legendary composers who pour their heart and soul into composing the music we sing.
In episode 3 of the CCLN Podcast, Jamie Serafi chats with Dr Paul Aitken, a freelance composer/conductor and former Director of Music Emeritus of the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise Idaho. Paul speaks openly about how writing music has helped with his own healing journey, following some very difficult personal tragedy in 2020. And in a quirky biographical twist, he and his wife, MacKenzie, live in Nova Scotia, where they own and operate the 130-year-old Maple Inn - an eight-bed boutique hotel on the picturesque and historic Bay of Fundy.
Join us in this profoundly inspiring episode of a truly amazing guy!
In Episode 2, Jamie Serafi chats with Susanne Reul-Zastre, Music Director and Organistat St. Luke Cedar Hill Anglican Church in Victoria, BC, where she has held the position since May 2003. As head of the Music Ministry Team, Susanne is actively involved in preparing the musical component for weekly Sunday and special worship services, conducting the choir, overseeing the Soloists programme, and coordinating the Choral Bursary programme – a choir leader with many hats!
Susanne also explains how, through this fascinating and informative chat, her related line of work as a Weight Trainer & Group Fitness Instructor has taught her that integrating physical movement into our choral warmups is essential.
In Episode 1 of the CCLN podcast, Jamie chats with LeeAnn Davis Coteau & Sue Denton, aka "tag-team-extraordinaire" choir leaders based in beautiful Canmore, Alberta. A whirlwind of inspiration, LeeAnn and Sue work together to lead the non-auditioned 100-strong Valley Winds Association community choir. We discuss the importance of choir identity through the name and repertoire and how their different personalities and dynamics work hand-in-hand to create a great experience for its members. We also chat about Covid and how they have managed to meet some of the challenges of singing online using some especially creative approaches over the last year.