Board of Directors

Executive Committee

KAREN HUDSON, PRESIDENT

Karen Hudson is the director of the Choral Department at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, one of three public schools with a student population of about 850 students, in Lethbridge, Alberta. LCI has a long tradition of excellence in choral singing with four choirs; the choirs have been successful on both the Provincial and National level, and perform throughout the year at many local events, festivals, and competitions throughout Western Canada and internationally. Karen is also active herself as a choral singer. She is the co-founder and a member of the Ventus Women’s Choir and a member of the Chinook Chamber Singers. Karen is active as a clinician and conductor throughout the province.

MAME GOEHNER, VICE PRESIDENT

Lyrical soprano Mame Helise Goehner has been performing and studying music since the age of six. Studying under the expertise of Opera Nuova’s founder Kim Mattice Wanat and Canada’s top baritone Peter Barcza, she has won several major scholarships and festivals throughout Canada and Europe. Mame completed her BMus and MMus at the University of British Columbia under the tutelage of Bruce Pullan and Nancy Hermiston; while at UBC, Mame was a lead member of the UBC Opera Ensemble. She has toured throughout Europe, personally sang for the Queen of England and has showcased many private recitals and performances in Canada. Mame currently teaches and runs a thriving music school in Calgary, AB, and travels across Alberta doing Masterclasses, teaching clinics and adjudicating

JUDITH RAYNER, TREASURER

EDWIN BRIDGES, SECRETARY

Edwin Bridges is a senior litigator with Snyder & Associates and his practice includes insurance, personal injury and commercial litigation. He has been a member of the Richard Eaton Singers and has served in various executive capacities, including president, for that organization and other musical groups such as Pro Coro Canada. He was a legal advisor to the Board of Directors of the Edmonton Concert Hall Foundation during its formative stages. In addition to his musical interests, Ed Bridges enjoys sports, particularly playing tennis and coaching minor hockey and soccer. The Bridges have three sons, Daniel, John and Dennis, and they are now grandparents!

RITA BURNS, PAST PRESIDENT

Directors

NICOLE HOUNJET, VICE PRESIDENT PROJECTS & PROGRAMS

Nicole Hounjet is honoured to sit on the Board of Choir Alberta and is excited to bring vibrant and enriching programs to singers and conductors at every age and stage. She has been the Music and Fine Arts Director at Foothills Composite High School/Alberta High School of Fine Arts for the past 12 years. During her time at FCHS/AHSFA her ensembles (choirs, bands, and jazz) have all regularly performed and have been recognized at provincial and national music festivals. An accomplished musician, Ms Hounjet completed her music degree at the University of Alberta where she was mentored by wonderful women, passionate about choral music: Dr. Debra Cairns and Dr. Ardelle Ries. Since her time at U of A, Nicole has continued to study with with wonderful teachers including James Jordan, James Whitbourn, Gregory Boers, Richard Nace, and Rodney Eichenberger. Nicole also conducts the Westwinds Women’s Choir which is a part of the larger Westwinds Music Society.

LAUREL HALKIER, VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

VACANT, VICE PRESIDENT DEVELOPMENT

HEATHER DEMPSEY, DIRECTOR
Heather Dempsey (BA Mus, BEd Mus) has been teaching music both privately and for Northern Lights School division for over 20 years, and is an active organizer of many community musical events in her home town of Lac La Biche. Heather is the founder & conductor of the Lac La Biche Choral Association’s Boreal Chorus and Northern Lights Harmonics. In her role as a public school music educator, Heather has taught choral and instrumental music from Kindergarten through grade 12 and presently teaches at Aurora Middle School where she conducts the 45 voice Aurora Middle School Choir and three middle school hand bell ensembles. Heather was recently recognized by the Royal Conservatory of Music for her 20 year role as a centre rep in Lac La Biche.

JOEL FORTH, DIRECTOR
Joel Forth has been a passionate participant in Edmonton's choral music community since 2003. In addition to teaching choral music and vocal jazz at Edmonton's largest high school, Joel also sings in Edmonton's favourite nerd-a cappella ensemble, Apocalypse Kow, and composes and arranges a wide variety of music. Joel is excited to be serving on Choir Alberta's board of directors.

BARBARA GANSKE, DIRECTOR
A life-long choir singer, Barb did a late-in-life degree in music at Augustana University College, where she studied choral conducting with Marc Hafso, pipe organ with PJ Janson and Jeremy Spurgeon, and sang in the Augustana Choir. She was a church musician for many years, leading children’s choir, youth choir and adult choir. Currently, Barb sings in Camrose Camerata chamber choir and, taking her choral conducting career to the dark side, has been music director for the last two musicals put on by the Wetaskiwin Theatre Society.

Barb and her husband own Magnum Mechanical Systems in Wetaskiwin, a commercial plumbing company. She brings this business background and her years of Human Resource experience to the Choir Alberta board.

CARMEN SO, DIRECTOR
Carmen So fell in love with the world of choral music at first sing, two decades ago! Experiencing human connection through voices in harmony inspired her to pursue a career in music education. Her teaching experience includes private piano and voice instruction, vocal coaching for musical theatre, and conducting the All-City Junior Children's Choir and the Braille Tone Choir, a choir for individuals with exceptionalities. Ms. So is the founding director of Kokopelli's children's choir, Kikimasu, which was featured in a spotlight concert at the national PODIUM Conference in 2016. In her tenth year with the Edmonton Public School Board, she is currently the music specialist at Rutherford School. Ms. So attained both her Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education combined degrees (2004) and a Master of Education degree specializing in Elementary Music (2015) from the University of Alberta. As a lifelong learner, she is always searching for opportunities to learn and adores all things involving creative pedagogical practices. She is inspired by working with musicians from all walks of life and feels blessed to have such a wonderful career as a music educator.

DARYL WEISENBURGER, DIRECTOR
Daryl Weisenburger is co-director of the Choral Department at Memorial Composite High School, a public school of around 1200 students, in Stony Plain, Alberta. Daryl is passionate choral singer himself, as well as being an accomplished and experienced musical educator with over 28 year of experience! Memorial has four choirs, a mixed voice chorus and a mixed voice ensemble, as well as a women’s choir, and a men’s ensemble. Memorial’s choirs have been successful on the Provincial level, and perform throughout the year at many local events, festivals, and competitions throughout Western Canada and internationally.