There are currently seven choirs in the Cantabile organization, which totals almost 250 singers.
All of the choirs rehearse in Sydenham Street United Church (at the corner of Sydenham and William Streets, downtown) in the upstairs hall.
Cantabile's founding Artistic Director, Mark Sirett, is a native of Kingston and graduate of Queen's University. He holds both masters and doctoral degrees in choral conducting and pedagogy from the University of Iowa and has taught at the University of Alberta, the University of Western Ontario and Queen’s University. In addition Dr. Sirett directs Queen's Choral Ensemble.
Since founding the Cantabile Choirs in the fall of 1996, the choirs have received numerous distinctions at the regional and national level of the National Music Festival Finals, including the Mathieson, Cooke, and City of Lincoln Trophies, and recently a Gold Award at the Young Prague 2004 Music Competition.
Dr. Sirett has won two international awards in conducting: the Jury Prize for Imaginative Programming and Artistry at the 2002 Cork International Choral Festival, and Outstanding Conductor Award at the 2004 Young Prague Festival.
Dr. Sirett is frequently in demand as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator and an award-winning composer whose works are frequently performed by some of Canada's leading ensembles.
// click // for a complete biography and list of compositions
The Cantabile Training Choir is for boys and girls ages 8 - 9. The Training Choir provides an unique opportunity for children to become aquainted with choral music and repertoire. The choir performs at Cantabile concerts in December and May as well as additional concerts throughout the city. The choir rehearses on Friday afternoons from 4:15 pm until 5:15 pm, starting in September running until April. The Choir is directed by Marie Anderson.
Children's Choir boys and girls ages 10 - 13, the Children rehearse on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:15 to 5:15, September to mid May. The choir sings at four of the five concerts in our season, and tour. The Choir is directed by Marie Anderson.
The Cantabile Girls' Choir is Grade 8 to high school ages. The award-winning choir rehearses on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm. The choir joins the Young Men's Chorus to form the Cantabile Youth Singers. The Girls' Choir and Youth Singers perform at four of the five concerts in the Cantabile season, and tour nationally on a regular basis and internationally every two years.
Young Men's Chorus is for junior-high and high school (changed voices). The choir joins the Girls’ Choir to form the Cantabile Youth Singers. The Young Men and Youth Singers perform at four of the five concerts in the Cantabile season, and tour nationally on a regular basis and internationally every two years.
The Young Men's Chorus rehearses on Monday and Wednesdays, from 4:30 pm until 6:00 pm.
Youth Singers a large SATB ensemble of teen voices selected from Girls’ and Young Men’s Choruses. The Youth Singers rehearse on Mondays and Wednesdays during the Girls' and Young Men's regular rehersals. The Youth Singers have recieved national and international acclaim and awards, and frequently travel. This season, the Youth Singers will travel to France in April 2008 for ten days with performances in Paris, Aix en Provence and the Loire Valley.
The Cantabile Women's Chorus rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 pm until 9:30 pm. The Women's Chorus has hosted many premiere amateur and professional ensembles including the Elora Festival Singers, Oriana Women's Choir, and the Chorale du Gesu. In the summer of 2005 the Women's Chorus travelled to Newfoundland where they took place in Festival 500 in St. John's.
The Men's Chorus rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 5:45 pm until 7:00 pm. The newest Cantabile ensemble debuted in April 2007 and will start their first full season this fall.