Mosaik

The Ottawa Boys Choir were thrilled to participate in MosaiK with guest conductor Catherine Robbins. The Canadian Mosaik Choral Festival enriches, energizes and inspires local community choral artists of all ages and levels of experience. Our mosaic of voices and song celebrates the broad range of communities in Canada and the choral art through workshops and performances in a non-competitive festival environment with a recognized choral professional; 2012 was Scott Leithead, then in following years Stephen Hatfield, Brian Tate, Mark Sirett, Laurier Fagnan, and Kellie Walsh. 2018 we had the team of guest conductor Jennifer Moir from Western University, and Soprano Essi Wuorela, of Finland's "Rajaton", and this year we welcome Catherine Robbins!

Sponsored by Harmonia Choir of Ottawa, and Ecole secondaire publique De La Salle, choirs of all ages came from across the city to have the unique opportunity working together to sing in workshops and performance, led this year by guest conductor, and clinician Catherine Robbins. Workshops and rehearsals culminated in an evening concert in which participants performed their own eclectic programmes and combined on massed pieces.

Dr. Catherine Robbins Catherine Robbins is a dynamic music educator known especially for her work in vocal techniques and choral pedagogy for developing voices. Robbins is currently Associate Professor of Choral Studies and Music Education at the University of Manitoba Desautels Faculty of Music. She teaches courses in conducting, choral methods and literature, vocal pedagogy for choirs, and directs the University of Manitoba Concert Choir. She has twice been honoured with U of M Merit Awards in the areas of teaching and service. Her primary research centres on applications of anatomical awareness and fascia science to the voice. Her creative works projects have focused on respectful, responsible, and reciprocal commissioning and publishing of choral music with Indigenous collaborators, as well as working with Indigenous languages and explore new ways of thinking about publishing works from oral traditions.

She is in demand as a presenter, clinician, and adjudicator at workshops and festivals in both vocal and choral fields, and enjoys working with developing voices as a guest conductor of youth choirs of all ages across Canada.

• AELLA CHOIR - Aella is a treble choir composed of advanced singers from the National Capital Region, which performs without a conductor.
• CHORALE DE LA SALLE - one of the two host choirs for the MosaiK Chorale Festival. The choir is one of several choirs at École secondaire publique De La Salle.
• CUMBERLAND COMMUNITY SINGERS - CCS is a unauditioned choir that provides an opportunity for adults in Orleans (the east end of the City of Ottawa) and surrounding area, to sing a wide variety of choral music.
• HARMONIA CHOIR OF OTTAWA - one of the two host choirs for the MosaiK Choral Festival. While still maintaining a focus on Canadian and local composers the choir takes on an eclectic mix of repertoire each season.
• OTTAWA CARLETON CHORISTERS - The Ottawa Carleton Choristers is a choir of approximately 60 active and retired teachers and staff from the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.