Conducting Apprenticeship Program

2022 National Youth Choir of Canada Apprentice Conductor

Thomas Burton

Raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Thomas Burton is quickly emerging as a dynamic contributor to Canada’s choral community. He is honoured to have been selected as Apprentice Conductor for the 2022 National Youth Choir of Canada.

As a conductor, Thomas has had the privilege of working with such ensembles as the Pacific Chorale, the Long Beach Symphony, and the Vancouver Chamber Choir. He is a passionate educator and works regularly with youth as an instructor for the Nova Scotia Choral Federation’s Sing Summer Choir Camps and as Apprentice Conductor for the Oakville Choir for Children and Youth.

Thomas currently serves as Director of Music at Munn's United Church in Oakville and is active as a professional choral singer in the Toronto area. A recipient of the Iwan Edwards Award in Choral Conducting and the Kenneth Elloway Award in Classical Performance, Thomas holds a Masters degree in choral conducting from the University of Michigan where he studied with Dr. Jerry Blackstone and Dr. Eugene Rogers.

This program is made possible through the generous support of:

About the Program

Initiated in 1998, the NYCC/CNJC Conducting Apprenticeship Program offers a young conductor the opportunity to work with Canada’s finest youth choir. The successful applicant will spend two weeks with the NYCC/CNJC during rehearsals, performances and touring. Throughout the time period, the apprentice will have opportunities to study with one of Canada’s finest choral conductors, to observe rehearsals, to discuss choral techniques and to have some conducting opportunities in performance with the NYCC/CNJC. Please note that all NYCC/CNJC rehearsals will be conducted in English only; however, bilingualism (English/French) is an asset.

The NYCC/CNJC Conducting Apprenticeship also includes a partnership to work with Pro Coro Canada in a season subscription program under the mentorship of the ensemble’s conductor Michael Zaugg. The apprentice is hosted by Pro Coro Canada for an 8-10 day period in Edmonton, Alberta and will work with the professional choir in preparation to conduct a selection in a concert. The apprentice will also meet with choral leaders in Edmonton, observe a variety of other choral ensembles, and create professional connections.

Past participants Kathleen Allan (NYCC 2016) and Gabrielle Gaudreault (NYCC 2018) both performed with Pro Coro Canada and its choir for emerging singers, #connect, in the Edmonton International Choral Festival, and also had the opportunity to meet international guests such as Paul Mealor, Maria Guinand and Lone Larsen.

Thomas Burton (NYCC 2022) will work with Pro Coro Canada in September 2022.

Application Guidelines

The successful applicant

must be a Canadian citizen (or permanent resident)
must not be older than 35 years as of the concluding date of the program
must be a member of Choral Canada
He or she will demonstrate a keen desire to learn more about choral conducting at an advanced level.
At the discretion of the NYCC conductor, the candidate may elect to sing in the NYCC

An independent selection committee will choose the successful applicant. Candidates must submit:

a letter of application (1-2 pages) explaining her/his desire to enter the apprenticeship program, what s/he would like to gain from the opportunity, how s/he intends to use this experience, and why s/he should be chosen;
a detailed résumé outlining her/his choral conducting education and experience;
a list of the repertoire conducted over the past 2-3 years;
video footage showing 10-15 minutes of the candidate in rehearsal and 5-10 minutes of the candidate in performance (both with a choir the candidate works with on a regular basis);
two letters of recommendation from established conductors who know the candidate’s work well.

Thanks to the generous support of The Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation, there is no tuition for this program. The successful applicant will be responsible for transportation to and from NYCC/CNJC but local transportation, accommodation, and meals will be provided for the duration of the program.

The successful applicant will also receive a prize of $4,000 from the Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation.

The Foundation provides significant career development opportunities to young Canadian musicians and music scholars in their advanced education, and in so doing commemorates a great Canadian and his unique career.

www.macmillanfou ndation.com

Previous Apprentice Conductors

2018 - Gabrielle Gaudreault
2016 - Kathleen Allan
2014 – Irene Apanovitch
2012 – Dr. Joel Tranquilla
2010 – Heather Fraser
2008 – Dr. Jean-Sébastien Vallée
2006 – Dr. Caron Daley
2004 – Dr. Timothy Shantz
2002 – Kevin D. Skelton
2000 – Dr. L. Brett Scott
1998 – Dr. Julia Davids

Our office is located in Tkaronto in the Dish With One Spoon Territory and covered by Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. We are grateful to work, live, and make music on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples.
Notre bureau est situé à Tkaronto, dans le territoire de Dish With One Spoon et couvert par le Traité 13 et les Traités Williams. Nous sommes reconnaissants de travailler, de vivre et de faire de la musique sur le territoire traditionnel de nombreuses nations, notamment les Mississaugas de Credit, les Anishnabeg, les Chippewa, les Haudenosaunee et les Wendats.