Young Voices Toronto Children's Choir

Carole Anderson

Artistic Director
Conductor - Camerata, Encore & Cantabile

CAROLE ANDERSON received her Bachelor of Music at the University of Western Ontario where she studied choral conducting with Deral Johnson. During her 35-year teaching career Carole taught music at all grade levels and was a music consultant in both Brant and Peel Districts. Retired in 2013 from the Peel District School Board, Carole taught for the last 15 years at Thomas Street Middle School in Mississauga where her choral and concert band ensembles were recognized for excellence at local, regional and national festivals. At the 2011 National Music Festival of Canada the Thomas Street Middle School Chamber Choir was awarded First Place in the David Ouchterlony class and was selected by the adjudicators to receive the Paul J. Bourret Grand Choral Award. In the fall of 2012 Carole was honoured by the Ontario Music Educators’ Association with an Honorary Life Membership. From September 2006 to August 2020 Carole was an Associate Conductor with the Toronto Children’s Chorus conducting Training Choir 1, Training Choir II and Cantare, the junior half of the Toronto Children’s Chorus Main Choir.

ELIZABETH CATTELL has been directing choirs and working with children in the arts for over 35 years. She has been a part of the Young Voices Community for six years. In addition to her work with YVT, Elizabeth is a faculty member at the Royal Conservatory of Music as a conductor for the children’s choirs and summer music camp program. A retired teacher, Elizabeth previously worked with primary and junior students in choral, dance, drama, and Orff education. Throughout her career, Elizabeth focused on providing children with choral and integrated arts experiences as well as a variety of community outreach opportunities. Some highlights include performances at the Kiwanis Music Festival, George Weston Recital Hall, Massey Hall, and Orff workshops at various levels.

Elizabeth is delighted to be part of this choral community.

Elizabeth Cattell

Associate Conductor - Primo & Dolce

Emily Parker

Assistant Conductor - Cantabile

EMILY PARKER is a Toronto-based conductor and singer. Emily holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto, where she majored in voice and studied conducting. In addition to her position with Toronto Young Voices, Emily works with MSC choirs as director of its soprano-alto choir Duende, and associate conductor of its concert choir Frisson. Emily has also worked with the Etobicoke Centennial Choir as intern conductor, and the Kingsway-Lambton United Church’s Junior Choir as assistant conductor. Emily’s passion for choral singing emerged at a young age while participating in the Toronto Children’s Chorus, and today she sings professionally with a number of choral groups including the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Toronto Festival Singers, and the Senior Choir at Kingsway-Lambton United Church. Herextensive choral background includes participation in the National Youth Choir of Canada, the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, the Ontario Youth Choir, the University of Toronto’s MacMillan Singers, and the Canadian Renaissance Music Summer School.

Emily loves sharing music with others, and teaches from her private voice and piano studio.

TYRESE WALTERS is a graduate of Western University with a Bachelor of Music with Honours in Voice Performance, where he studied Voice with Prof. Torin Chiles and Conducting with Prof. Kathleen Allan and Dr. Mark Ramsay. In his final year at Western, he co-lead and co-conducted the Student Choral Initiative, a 20 member choir, within the Faculty of Music. He is the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including the Richard G. Manuel Music Award (2022), and the Deral Johnson Award (2022). Tyrese is continuing his studies at the University of Toronto where he will complete a Master of Music in Choral Conducting under the direction of Dr. Jamie Hillman.

Tyrese is an experienced choral singer and conductor. He is the conductor of the low-voice ensemble, “Rocambolesco,” and an associate conductor of the 60-voice youth choir “Frisson” in the MSC Choirs organization. He is the Assistant Conductor of “Encore” in the Young Voices Toronto organization. Currently, he sings in the Nathaniel Dett Chorale and Concreamus Chamber Singers.

Tyrese Walters

Assistant Conductor - Encore

Jai Eun Yoo

Collaborative Pianist - Primo, Dolce, Camerata & Encore

JAI EUN YOO is in her second season as Collaborative Pianist with Young Voices Toronto. Before joining this organization, she spent 12 years working as a Collaborative Pianist for the Toronto Children’s Chorus and for the Toronto Korean Children’s Choir. She currently works with the Ontario Male Chorus as an accompanist and conducts the choir at East Faith Presbyterian Church in Oakville. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance at Yonsei University, South Korea, on full scholarship.

Before emigrating to Canada, Jai spent her time working in South Korea as part of the teaching faculty of the Korean Conservatory of Music, and as a professional accompanist. Although English is not her first language, she is excited to share her passion for music with the rest of the YVT artistic team!

CHRISTIAN UMIPIG is a baritone/pianist active in the Greater Toronto Area with a passion for choral music. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Christian is an alumnus of St. Michael’s Choir School as well the University of Toronto Voice program.

Christian is involved in both the choral and church scenes of Toronto. He currently cantors or plays the piano for a number of churches in the North York and Scarborough areas and also accompanies rehearsals and concerts for Concreamus and Young Voices Toronto.

Christian Umipig

Collaborative Pianist - Cantabile

Nicholas Wanstall

Collaborative Pianist - Cantabile

NICHOLAS WANSTALL is an award winning pianist, organist, composer, and vocalist based in Toronto, Canada. He holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Organ Performance from the University of Toronto, received under the guidance of beloved organist and conductor, John Tuttle. Nicholas is heavily involved with the Toronto Children’s Chorus, serving as accompanist for three of the choirs within their organization. He has also worked as organist and choir director at several parishes in Toronto, and he now serves as Director of Music at the Church of St. Mary & St. Martha. Nicholas currently sings with the Toronto Festival Singers, and is in regular demand as a professional choral lead.

As a composer/arranger, Nicholas specializes in works for the human voice. His choral music has been performed by numerous canadian ensembles, and he has been commissioned by groups such as the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, the Exultate Chamber Singers, the Resonance Youth Choir, the Concreamus Chamber Choir, and more. His art songs have also received much acclaim, most notable of which being his receipt of the CFMTA Helen Dahlstrom Award for best national composition, given to his piece ‘A Lullaby’ in 2019.

CLARE FREJD is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta, where she earned a Master’s degree in Textile Science and Conservation. Over the last 12 years Clare has worked with historic textiles and costumes in museum collections across Canada, including the Royal Ontario Museum, the Aga Khan Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Founder of the children’s bedding company, Bedelia Clare developed an innovative waterproof fabric, and produces a line of waterproof sheets locally in Toronto. A passionate choral singer, Clare is an alumni of the Toronto Children’s Chorus and cherishes her memories of rehearsals, concerts and tours alike.

Clare is extremely excited to join the YVT team and be surrounded with choral music once again.