MEET THE ARTISTIC TEAM
Thomas Burton, Artistic Director
Raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Thomas Burton is Artistic Director of the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Conductor of the Tenor/Bass Chorus at the University of Toronto, and Artistic Director of Durham Region’s RESOUND Choir. Praised for his innovative and eclectic programming as well as his dynamic presence on the podium, Thomas is in-demand nationally as a guest conductor, clinician and educator.
Thomas is passionate about inspiring excellence in performers of all ages and abilities. He has had the privilege of working with such ensembles as the Pacific Chorale, The Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto, Pro Coro Canada, the National Youth Choir of Canada, and the Vancouver Chamber Choir. An accomplished choral singer, Thomas has sung with some of Canada’s finest choral ensembles including the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers, Voces Boreales, and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale.
Cheryl Duvall, Collaborative Pianist
Toronto-based pianist Cheryl Duvall has established herself as one of Canada’s foremost contemporary music interpreters. Her voracious eclecticism has led to her immersion in a wide variety of compositional aesthetics and collaborative endeavours and imparted versatility, a lucid sense of contour, and an evocative sonic and emotional presence.
Alongside violinist Ilana Waniuk she co-founded the “adventurous and smartly programmed” (Musicworks Magazine) Thin Edge New Music Collective. Since their inception in spring 2012 they’ve commissioned over 75 works, spearheaded imaginative multidisciplinary initiatives including Balancing On The Edge, and joined forces with leading creative performers such as Charlotte Mundy, Jason Sharp (Constellation Records), and Montréal’s Ensemble Paramirabo, with whom they recorded an album.
A dynamic soloist and in-demand collaborator, Duvall has immersed herself in a wide variety of compositional aesthetics and collaborative endeavours. In 2016 her formidable skill and commitment was recognized with a nomination for the KM Hunter Award. Recently, she’s embarked on her second commissioning project to gather concert length solo works from a diverse selection of Canadian composers. The project encompasses the open ended hush of Can/Japan-based composer Daryl Jamieson, Keiko Devaux’s vibrant cascades of colour, the dexterous texture of James O’Callaghan, Jason Doell’s hypnotic introspection, the visceral and immersive electroacoustic textures of Dutch-Canadian composer Lieke Vander Voort, the intimate and ecstatic compositions of Patrick Giguère and Anna Höstman, whose piano music is the subject of her debut solo recording, Harbour (Redshift Records). Harbour has been featured on the CBC radio and was chosen as the #1 Modern Composition Recording of 2020 by UK’s ‘The Wire’ Magazine and was nominated for a Juno for Classical Composition of the Year.
We are proud to have her as a part of the RESOUND Choir Team.
Emily Parker, Assistant Conductor
Emily Parker is a Toronto-based conductor, soprano, and teacher who holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto. She is with Modern Sound Collective as conductor of its soprano-alto choir and associate conductor of its concert choir. She is the assistant conductor with Concreamus Chamber Choir, a high-level ensemble dedicated to performing new compositions. Emily also works at Young Voices Toronto as an assistant conductor with two junior ensembles, and Durham Region’s RESOUND Choir as assistant conductor.
Emily has sung professionally with a number of choral groups. Currently she is with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir as a soprano lead and member of its smaller, fully professional ensemble. She has the additional role of musical assistant, leading sectionals, music workshops, and carrying out research.
Emily was an intern conductor with the 2023 Ontario Youth Choir. She was previously intern conductor with Etobicoke Centennial Choir, and assistant conductor with Kingsway-Lambton United Church’s Junior Choir. Emily enjoys teaching voice lessons from her private studio.
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