Awards of Distinction
Each year, Choir Alberta honours those who contribute to Alberta’s choral community through the Choir Alberta Awards of Distinction.
All Choir Alberta members are encouraged to nominate individuals and/or organizations for one or more of the Awards of Distinction. Review of nominees will begin on Aug 31 annually.
CHOIR ALBERTA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Choir Alberta Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals with a long-established record of excellence who have had a profound influence on choral music in the Province of Alberta. Recipients are selected by a Board-appointed committee from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
The Choir Alberta Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals with a long-established record of excellence who have had a profound influence on choral music in the Province of Alberta. Recipients are selected by a Board-appointed committee from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
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2024 Recipient
ROBERT DE FRECE Robert de Frece retired in 2008 as Professor of Music and Music Education in the Faculties of Education and Arts at the University of Alberta. Dr. de Frece directed choirs at Archbishop Jordan High School in
Sherwood Park, Alberta for nine years and spent six years as a Music Consultant with Alberta Education. He was the Music Director of Greenwood Singers and the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus for many years, and a founder and music director of the University of Alberta Faculty of Education Handbell Ringers. Dr. de Frece served for two years on the National Board of Directors of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and is a past-president of the Alberta Choral Federation. In 1993, Dr. de Frece was awarded the Faculty of Education’s Undergraduate Teaching Award and the University of Alberta’s A. C. Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. In 2002, he received the University of Alberta Alumni Association’s Alumni Honour Award in recognition of his work with the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus and, in 2004, he was named to the Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame and also received the Alberta Choral Federation’s Richard S. Eaton Award of Distinction for exemplary service to choral music in the Province of Alberta. In 2005, he was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal. Past Choir Alberta Lifetime Achievement Award recipients
Dr. George Evelyn, David Ferguson, Madge McCready, Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff |
RICHARD S. EATON AWARD
Choir Alberta has awarded the Richard S. Eaton Award of Distinction annually since 1988 in recognition of exemplary service to choral music in the province of Alberta. The award is presented to a person selected by an appointed committee of the Choir Alberta Board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
Choir Alberta has awarded the Richard S. Eaton Award of Distinction annually since 1988 in recognition of exemplary service to choral music in the province of Alberta. The award is presented to a person selected by an appointed committee of the Choir Alberta Board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
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2024 recipient
SHERRYL SEWEPAGAHAM Sherryl is currently a PhD student in ethnomusicology at UBC, an experienced elementary music educator (Indigenous-focused) and music therapist with a demonstrated, long history of working in the education and healthcare professions. She has experience in curriculum writing and has created various Indigenous music-based teaching resources. She enjoys creating songs for Indigenous community song circles with women and youth, and composing Cree compositions for choirs of all levels and ages. She is a practicing artist and educator and shares her Cree culture to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous singers. She sings with two women's groups, Asani and Nîpisîy, based in Edmonton, Alberta. She is fortunate to have received recognition, nominations and awards with a 2006 Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award, a Native American Music Award, a Western Canadian Music Award nomination with Asani.
Past Richard S. Eaton Award of Distinction recipients
Adele Armstrong, Heather Bedford-Clooney, Paul Bourret, Debra Cairns, Anne Campbell, Robert de Frece, Malcolm Edwards, Lloyd Erickson, George Evelyn, Laurier Fagnan, David Ferguson, Michel Marc Gervais, Catherine Glaser-Climie, Gordon Hafso, Heather Johnson, Marilyn Kerley, William Lauterbach, Scott Leithead, Madge McCready, Anne McIntyre, Dr. Jonathan Mohr, Douglas Parnham, John Pauls, Shirley Penner, Marilyn Perkins, Elaine Pitt, Soeur Thérèse Potvin, Leonard Ratzlaff, Ardelle Ries, Elaine Quilichini, Timothy Shantz, John Wiebe, Garth Worthington, Trent Worthington |
PATRICIA COOK MEMORIAL AWARD
Patricia Cook, Executive Assistant of Choir Alberta (then the Alberta Choral Federation) from 1990-94, inspired this award with her dedication to arts advocacy and to the important role of the arts in education. The award is presented to a person, choir, institution, program or corporation who/which demonstrates an exemplary commitment to music education in schools or the wider community. The recipient is selected by an appointed committee of the Choir Alberta board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
Patricia Cook, Executive Assistant of Choir Alberta (then the Alberta Choral Federation) from 1990-94, inspired this award with her dedication to arts advocacy and to the important role of the arts in education. The award is presented to a person, choir, institution, program or corporation who/which demonstrates an exemplary commitment to music education in schools or the wider community. The recipient is selected by an appointed committee of the Choir Alberta board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
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2024 recipient
ELIZABETH PAYNTER Choir director Elizabeth Paynter has been a music specialist with the Calgary Board of Education for over 30 years and from early in her teaching career, began directing choirs in the Calgary choral community. She is currently the director of two of the children's choirs at Mount Royal University, and is the founder and Artisitc Director of the award winning EnChor Chamber Choir. She is also the Director of Music at Scarboro United Church.
Past Patricia Cook Memorial Awards recipients
Violet Archer, Bob Baker, Raymond Baril, Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education, Jean Czaja, Alberta Music Festival Association, Malcolm Edwards, Richard Ferguson, Susan Fuerbringer, William Edward Hamm, Garth Hobden, Russ Mann, Madge McCready, George Nikel, Save Our Fine Arts (SOFA), Phyllis Schafer, Shared Song - Cantaré Children's Choir and the Calgary Separate School District, Carolyn Steeves, Marni Strome, Bev Sweet, University of Alberta Graduate Program in Choral Conducting, Colleen Whidden |
EARLY CAREER AWARD
The first recipient of this award will be recognized in the fall of 2025.
The first recipient of this award will be recognized in the fall of 2025.
Each year, Choir Alberta recognizes an emerging choral conductor in Alberta who is in the first seven years of their career.
The recipient is selected by a committee appointed by the Choir Alberta Board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
The recipient is selected by a committee appointed by the Choir Alberta Board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members.
CON SPIRITO AWARD
In celebration of Choir Alberta's 25th Anniversary (1997), the Con Spirito Award recognizes the spirit and dedication of individuals and their commitment to choral music in their local community. A limited number of awards are presented annually to persons selected by an appointed committee of the Choir Alberta Board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members. Nominations may be made on the basis of any significant contribution to choral music in any community.
In celebration of Choir Alberta's 25th Anniversary (1997), the Con Spirito Award recognizes the spirit and dedication of individuals and their commitment to choral music in their local community. A limited number of awards are presented annually to persons selected by an appointed committee of the Choir Alberta Board from a list of candidates nominated by Choir Alberta members. Nominations may be made on the basis of any significant contribution to choral music in any community.
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2024 recipients
SUSAN FARRELL, PAUL GRINDLAY, JANE PERRY (posthumously) Nova Scotia native Susan Farrell (B.Mus. Mount Allison University, M.Mus. University of Alberta Choral Conducting) has been making waves in Alberta the last several years as a rising choral conductor. Susan conducts the Braille Tones and Semitones choirs, which serve adults and children with disabilities in Edmonton. She can be found leading music at St. Paul’s United Church on the weekends, too! Susan’s sense of fun guides her singers to create a sense of community and her enthusiasm for singing encourages them to find and celebrate their own unique voices.
Paul Grindlay has sung in choirs since he was nine years old, beginning at the parish of St. Mary’s, Merton Park in southwest London, England. He has performed with ensembles like VoiceScapes, Luminous Voices, Phoenix Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, Vancouver Chamber Choir, musica intima, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir and the Carmel Bach Festival Chorale. He also sang in the 1990 National Youth Choir and the 1991 World Youth Choir. After completing a B.Sc. in zoology, then a B.Mus. in voice performance/opera, Paul pursued a solo performance career in Austria, Japan, England, USA and Canada. He has recorded CDs for NAXOS, Marquis and Toccata Classics. Paul has directed the Calgary Boys’ Choir, the Knox Presbyterian Church Choir, the Airdrie Community Choir and SuperSonic Men’s Choir, the choir at Christ Church Elbow Park.
Jane Perry was a classically-trained pianist who holds a Master of Music degree (chamber music specialization) from the University of Ottawa and an Associate Diploma (piano performance) from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She worked as a choral accompanist and choral conductor for twenty years in Ottawa before moving to Calgary. Jane’s professional passions of music education and community-building find a natural home in her work with community choirs, whose concerts provide opportunities to collaborate with other musical organizations, professional and amateur players, and composers. In 2017, Jane was nominated for Calgary Outlink’s Heart of Excellence award in the artistic category
Past Con Spirito Award recipients
Cheryl Balay, Jean-Louis Bleau, Elizabeth DiMarino, Carolyn Olson, Margaret (Peg) Matheson, Heather Johnson, Carol Anderson, Norma Jean Atkinson, Monica Baczuk, Heather Bedford-Clooney, Dr. Joy Berg, Eva Bostrand, Brian Bowman Dave Bray, Sandra Brunelle, Linda Burwell, Donald Buryn, Bruce Cable, Mary Carr, Joanne Collier, Cathy de Frece, Robert de Frece, Monica Dear, Kimberley Denis, Leslie Dittman, Lee Dowan, Malcolm Edwards, George Evelyn, Richard Ferguson, Lisa Fielder, Lynne Frances, David Garber, Catherine Glaser-Climie, Val Gondek, John Goulart, Anne Gray, Marc Hafso, Brian Haliburton, Glen Harder, Dr. John Hooper, John and Virginia Hoopfer, Janos Horvath, Nicole Hounjet, Karen Hudson, Norine Inkster, Christina Jahn, Scott Leithead, Elizabeth Lesoway Anderson, Laurier Levasseur, Dr. Mary MacDonald, John Mahon, Mike Mailone, Brian McAuley, Anne McIntyre, Leslie Ann McClosky, Moira Milne, Lorraine Muise, John Murray, Mary Noyes, Anita Perlau, Elaine Pitt, Elaine Quilichini, Leonard Ratzlaff, Flora Rizzuto, Ken Rogers, Barbara Sadler Wells, Alex and Marion Shand, Timothy Shantz, Helen Snortland, Thomas Spila, Jeremy Spurgeon, Paul Sweet, Jordan Van Biert, Jeannie Vanwynsberghe Pernal, Barb Walker, Trevor Waters, James Whittle, David Wilson, Heidi Wood, Michael Zaugg |