PRESSRELEASE

2018NationalYouthChoirApprenticeConductor

FORIMMEDIATERELEASE-December8,2017(Toronto,ON)HailingfromMontreal,QC,theyoungconductorGABRIELLEGAUDREAULThasbeenchosenfortheprestigiouspositionofApprenticeConductorforCanada’sfinestyouthchoir,theNationalYouthChoirofCanada(NYC).ThisConductingApprenticeshipofferedbyChoralCanadaincludesa$4000prizeawardedtotheApprenticefromtheSirErnestMacMillanMemorialFoundation.TheawardisinrecognitionofSirErnestMacMillan’scelebratedcareerasaconductor,inparticularhismanyyearswiththeTorontoMendelssohnChoir(1942-1957)andtheTorontoSymphonyOrchestra(1931-56).TheFoundationwillalsoawardaprizeof$4,000tothechosenapprenticeconductorin2020.Abouttheprogram–Initiatedin1998,theprogramoffersayoungconductortheopportunitytoworkwiththeNYCandlearnfromoneofCanada’sforemostchoralconductors.Theapprenticewillspendtwoweeksontourwiththechoirstudyingwiththeleadingguestconductor,observingrehearsals,discussingchoraltechniques,andhaveconductingopportunitiesinperformancewiththeNYC.Tobeeligible,applicantsmustbeCanadiancitizensorpermanentresidents,noolderthan35yearsofage,anddemonstrateakeendesiretolearnmoreaboutchoralconductingatanadvancedlevel.ThistuitionfreeprogramismadepossiblethroughthegeneroussupportofTheSirErnestMacMillanMemorialFoundation.2018edition–The2018NYCprogramandtourwillbehostedinNewfoundland,June16toJuly3,2018underthedirectionofguestchoralconductorJeffJoudrey.MaestroJoudreydirectstheHalifaxCamerataSingersinHalifax,NS.PastNYCApprenticeConductors–allofwhomhavesuccessfulcareersasconductors/educators/musiciansKathleenAllan(2016),IreneApanovitch(2014),Dr.JoelTranquilla(2012),HeatherFraser(2010),Dr.Jean-SébastienVallée(2008),Dr.CaronDaley(2006),Dr.TimothyShantz(2004),KevinD.Skelton(2002),Dr.L.BrettScott(2000),Dr.JuliaDavids(1998).TheNationalYouthChoirConductingApprenticeshipProgramisasignatureprogramofChoralCanada,Canada’snationalserviceorganizationfortheCanadianchoralcommunity.Formoreinformationpleasevisitwww.choralcanada.org.

Forinterviews,pleasecontactMeghanHila,GeneralManageratinfo@choralcanada.orgor647.606.2467.

AboutGabrielleGaudreault

GabrielleGaudreaultisafirstyearDoctoralstudentinchoralconductingatMcGillUniversity’sSchulichSchoolofMusic,wheresheservesasco-lectureroftheUniversityChorus,andasassistanttoDr.Jean-SébastienValléeforSchulichSingersandConcertChoir.GabriellewasrecentlyappointedmusicdirectoroftheSouthShoreChildren’sChoir.ShepreviouslyearnedadoubleMaster’sdegreefromIndianaUniversityinTheoryandChoralConducting,whereshecoordinatedAuralSkills1,thefirstlevelofundergraduateeartrainingclasses,workedas

atheorytutorandaccompanist,andassistedProf.WalterHuffinthepreparationofthechorusesforOklahoma!andFlorenciaenelAmazonas.ShealsoservedastheaccompanistandassistantdirectoroftheIUChildren’sChoir.Inadditiontocompletingallofherdegreerequirements,GabriellespentmuchofhertimeatIUcollaboratingwithstudentcomposerstowardsreadings,performances,andoftenpremiers,oftheirchoralworks,apursuitthatsheisverypassionateaboutandplanstocontinueduringhertimeatMcGill.

BeforepursuinghergraduatestudiesatIU,Ms.GaudreaultreceivedaBachelor’sdegreeinmusicfromMcGillUniversity.Duringthistime,shewasdirectorofTheCarousellerscommunitychoirfor5years,aswellasassistantdirectoroftheSouthShoreChildren’sChoirandSt-Augustine’sParishchoir.Ms.Gaudreaultalsosanginseveralsemi-professionalchoirs,includingtheSt-LawrenceChoir,EnsembleBellechose,andtheQuebecYouthChoir,whereshewasalsoanapprenticeconductor.

Ms.GaudreaulthasalsostudiedorchestralconductingwithAlexisHauserandchoralconductingwithPatriciaAbbottatMcGillUniversity,aswellasparticipatedinsummerworkshopsandmasterclassesinEurope,CanadaandtheUnitedStates,underthetutelageofSimonCarrington,CaronDaley,JosephFlummerfelt,SimonHalsey,AndrewMegill,HelmuthRilling,JohnWilliamTrotterandWilliamWeinert.

Ms.Gaudreaultisanaccomplishedpianistandaccompanist,havingplayedfortheSt-LambertChoralSociety,theMcGillUniversityChorusandMontrealOpera’sproductionofPorgyandBess.ShehasstudiedcollaborativepianowithJeanMarchandandJuliaGavrilovaatMcGill,andwithOlivierGodinattheOrfordMusicAcademy.Shehasworkedinchamberensemblesettings,andfrequentlycollaborateswithsingersandinstrumentalistsforrecitals,competitionsandauditions.

***

ABOUTCHORALCANADAFoundedin1980,ChoralCanada(formerlyknownastheAssociationofCanadianChoralCommunities/Associationdescommunautéschoralescanadiennes(ACCC)isCanada'sonlynon-profitprofessionalserviceorganizationforchoralmusiciansandadministrators.Anationalvoiceforover1100conductors,anetworkof40,000singers,andwithabroadmembershipofchoralcomposers,choristers,publishersandadministrators,ChoralCanadapromotesitsartformatalllevelsthroughoutCanada,andsupportsandencouragesthewritingandperformanceofCanadianchoralmusic.MissionStatement:ChoralCanadaexiststocelebrateandchampionchoralmusicforallCanadians.AdvocacyStatement:Choralsinging,anintegralpartoftheCanadianculturalexperience,hasthepowertobuildcommunitiesandtransformlives.TheaimsofChoralCanadaare:-Tosupportandencourageparticipationandexcellenceinchoralmusicatalllevelsbyofferingtraining,resources,andforumsfortheexchangeofinformation-FosterthecreationandperformanceofCanadianchoralmusic-Partnerwithlike-mindedorganizationstocreateahigherprofileforchoralmusicattheprovincial,national,andinternationallevels-HelpmakechoralsingingavailableandaccessibletoallCanadiansThroughitsprogramsandservices,whichincludethePodiumbiennialnationalchoralconference,theNationalYouthChoirofCanada,andCanada’snationalchoraljournal,Anacrusis,ChoralCanadaisacommunication,professionaldevelopmentandadvocacyforumforchoralcommunitiesacrossthecountry.ChoralCanadaistheliaisonbetweentheCanadianchoralcommunity,othernationalorganizationsandavastinternationalchoralnetworkandistheentrypointforinformationaboutinternationalchoralevents,festivalsandeducationalopportunities.