Welcome to SongBurst!

SongBurst Kids Summer Choir Workshop is a week-long musical experience for children 9-14 years of age. This half-day program offers an exploration of choral singing along with an introduction to aspects of theatre, movement, ukulele and percussion that help bring our music and the text to life. Our fun and inspiring artistic team is made up of some of the finest music educators in Edmonton. At the end of the week, participants perform in a wrap-up concert for family, friends, and fans, in collaboration with SongBurst Adult Summer Choir.

SongBurst KIDS 2024

Monday, Aug 12 – Friday, Aug 16, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Crestwood Community League (​14325 96 Avenue NW)
We offer flexible drop off starting at 8:30 a.m. flexible pickup until 1:00 p.m.
Wrap-up concert – Friday, Aug 16, 7:30-8:30 p.m. (participant call time 6:30 p.m.)
Event Centre, Northeast River Valley Park

Wrap-Up Concert

Friday, Aug 16, 7:30 p.m.
Northeast River Valley Park. Edmonton

Join us in the beautiful Northeast River Valley Park Event Centre for our annual SongBurst Wrap-up Concert! This casual concert features the SongBurst Adult Summer Choir and participants from the SongBurst KIDS Summer Choir Workshop singing a variety of uplifting and inspirational music. A food truck will be on site serving concert snacks and drinks.

SongBurst KIDS at a glance

SongBurst KIDS is rooted in group singing. Participants build their vocal technique and choral skills through a wide variety of activities and repertoire. Music ranging from classical to contemporary forms the basis of daily rehearsals. To support their growth as singers, participants will also explore key aspects of theatre, movement, ukulele, and percussion.
MONDAY
​Beat in our Feet
In this workshop, we will explore different rhythms and movements through our bodies. We will explore how different body parts can create rhythms and how these movements can create dances. Together with the instructor, the participants will learn choreography and design a dance to show at the end of the week. Let's put the beat to our feet!
TUESDAY
The Joy of World Percussion
In this workshop we will explore the world of hand drums alongside a variety of interesting and colorful world percussion, including shakers, bells, chimes and gongs that help to bring a music piece to life with rhythm, energy and pizazz.  ​
WEDNESDAY
Drama Workshop
Participants will learn to give focus to text and story in this workshop. We will explore different tactics on how to approach text in song to find storytelling elements and learn how we can tie that into vocal dynamics, phrasing, and style. ​
THURSDAY
Ukulele Workshop
In this workshop, participants will make music with the ukulele. We will learn about different aspects of the instrument including playing a melody; playing chords; strumming; and then putting it all together by singing a melody while strumming that harmony!
​FRIDAY
Showcase Concert!
​Friday, August 16 the SongBurst KIDS Summmer Choir Workshop and Adult Summer Choir​ join forces for a wrap-up concert for family, friends, and fans!

Other SongBurst activities

Private vocal coaching
​SongBurst KIDS vocal coaching offers one-on-one vocal instruction! In these sessions, participants be taken through a series of short songs to learn tips and tricks that will help them discover more about their voice and how to sing even better! Sessions will be positive, encouraging, and practical with ideas that singers can use immediately.

Artistic team

AMY VOYER, CONDUCTOR
Amy Voyer is an all-round fixture of the Edmonton choral scene. She teaches elementary music, sings professionally with Pro Coro Canada and FEMME Vocal Ensemble, and conducts three children’s choirs: Tamariki, the youngest ensemble in Korora Choirs, and Luminaria and Harmonia with The Edmonton Youth and Children’s Choirs. Amy holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from Concordia University of Edmonton. Amy is known for her exuberance, her artistry, and the sound of her unmistakable laugh and she is absolutely delighted to be returning to conduct SongBurst Kids this summer!
KATHERINE TILBURY, PIANIST
Katherine Tilbury is an expressive pianist who is passionate about collaborative piano and youth education. Katherine is a versatile pianist and has studied contemporary, jazz and classical repertoire. She maintains an active private piano studio and is extremely passionate about music education. This dedication is demonstrated not only through teaching studio lessons and masterclasses, but through her position at The King’s University where she works with instrumentalists both in studio classes, and as a recital partner. Through her work as a freelance soloist and collaborator, Katherine has enjoyed playing wonderful works of choral repertoire with choirs in Edmonton including Kapella Kyrie Slavic Chamber Choir, Accord Ensemble and the Archbishop Jordan Choirs under Jolaine Kerley. Her most recent projects include acting as Music Director for Archbishop Jordan High School’s senior production of Little Women and Repetiteur for Pop Goes the Opera's production of Suor Angelica in 2022. 
KIMBERLEY DENIS, VOCAL COACH
Kimberley Denis is known for her energy and enthusiasm both on stage and off, and is sought after as a soloist, vocal coach, choral clinician, and adjudicator for voice and choir. Upon completion of both a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Music degree at Mount Allison University, she returned to Alberta to complete Master degrees in both choral conducting and vocal performance. Vocal credits include starring in a year-long tour with Up With People, as well as productions of Jason Robert Brown's song cycle Songs for a New World, as Cathy in The Last Five Years, and as Kate in Kiss Me, Kate! She is also a singer with Edmonton’s professional choir, Pro Coro Canada and has toured extensively as a singer with the world percussion group, the Jamani Duo. In addition to her stage work, she has a flourishing voice studio at her own music school – the Purple Door Music Academy and is also the voice instructor at the King’s University in Edmonton. She has conducted a wide variety of ensembles across the country and presently directs Shumayela (a choir for treble and changing voices for singers between the ages of 11 and 16) with the Korora Choir Association and the Lynne Singers (a non-auditioned adult community ensemble). In addition to her work as a singer, teacher, conductor and adjudicator, she arranges pieces for choirs.
MHAIRI BERG, DRAMA FACILITATOR
​Mhairi is a theatre creative who works as a choreographer, performer and musical director in the Edmonton area. Mhairi is a graduate of MacEwan’s Theatre Arts Program and holds an MA in Music Theatre Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She is a Sterling Award Recipient for her original score composition for Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play (You Are Here Theatre/Blarney Productions). Other credits include: SATCo/Uniform Theatres’ Ride The Cyclone (Sterling Recipient), Gatsby’s Cabaret, Alison Wunderland (Spotlight Cabaret), Die Harsh, The 11 O’Clock Number, The Adventures of Chucky & Reggie (Grindstone Theatre), The Play’s The Thing (Thou Art Here Theatre), The Catalogue of Sexual Anxieties, The Key Of She (SkirtsAFire), The Prom (NUOVA Vocal Arts), Matilda Jr., Singin’ In The Rain (Festival Players) Company, Active Virgin (Edinburgh Fringe/RCS). Mhairi is also an award-winning improviser and has toured internationally. She has been a theatre educator for Theatre Alberta’s Artstrek, the Citadel Theatre’s Foote Theatre School, Grindstone Theatre, as well as many schools across Alberta. Mhairi debuted her Sterling Nominated musical, Morningside Road, at this past Fringe. She is very excited to be back for another year at SongBurst.
MONICA DEAR, UKULELE FACILITATOR
​Monica Dear is a music teacher for Edmonton Public Schools. A Level III James Hill Ukulele Initiative Certificate holder, she is also founder of the Elk Island Senior Honour Choir and has conducted many school, church, and community choirs. Monica is a recipient of Choir Alberta's Con Spirito award and was the Education Manager for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for eight seasons. She sings with the Richard Eaton Singers, continues to study ukulele with acclaimed teachers, and is the fearless leader of the Highlands Ukulele Gang. She’s thrilled to be back at SongBurst this summer!
JANITA FRANTSI, MOVEMENT FACILITATOR
Janita Frantsi is a contemporary dance artist originally from Finland and now based on Treaty 6 territory in Amiskwacîwâskahikan. During her time in Edmonton, Janita has worked as a dancer and choreographer with several companies, such as KO Dance Projects, Mile Zero Dance, and Edmonton Opera. She has created works for the SkirtsAFire Festival, MZD’s Magpie Collection and Cabarets, Nextfest Arts Festival, Orchesis Dance Society, International Dance Week (Saskatoon), Madrigal Singers, and Choir Alberta and has also performed at the Edmonton Fringe, Play the Fool and Walterdale From Cradle to Stage festivals as well as in the Dance West Network’s DADAO program (Vancouver). Some of Janita’s latest work has been with dance and film, and she is excited to explore the digital medium. Janita has a Master of Arts in Dance from the University of Alberta and teaches academic dance courses at the University of Alberta and Concordia University of Edmonton.
MARCUS FUNG, DRUMMING FACILITATOR
​Marcus Fung is a Grant MacEwan School of Music graduate with diplomas in jazz piano performance and music composition. He played in various bands after graduating and then went on to teach private piano and then Music Together Early Childrens Movement and Music. Over the years he has developed a love for community building through wholistic music making in fields such as community drumming and sound therapy. He shares this gift with different populations around town and currently leads the Flow and Creativity program at Little Warriors. Some of his musical hobbies are beatmaking and live looping. Marcus has a love for sharing and fostering the innate musicality in all people regardless of their experience level.
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