National Choral Awards Past Winners

Outstanding Choral Publication

2020 Pierre Robert, Motets pour la Chapelle du roy, Vol. 1, Andrée Dagenais

2018 I Didn't Want It To Be Boring: Conversations about Ruth Watson Henderson's Life and Music  by Hilary Apfelstadt ; published by Prism Publishers (2017)

2014 Vocal Technique: A Guide for Conductors, Teachers and Singers by Julia Davids; published by Waveland Press (2012)

2012 The Well-Tempered Listener by Mary Willan Mason; published by Words Indeed Publishing Inc., Toronto

2010 Elmer Iseler Choral Visionary by Walter Pitman; published by Dundurn Press

2008 Sing Better As You Age by Dr. Victoria Meredith; published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing Inc. 

​2006 no submissions 

2004 Sound Advice: Becoming a Better Children’s Choir Director by Jean Ashworth Bartle; published by OUP 

2002 In Their Own Words: Canadian Choral Conductors by Holly Higgins Jonas, editor; published by Dundurn Press 

2000 Gestures – the Video Series, Dr. George Evelyn, University of Lethbridge; produced by George Evelyn, George Gallany, ACCESS The Education Station Elaine Hoogewoonink, ACCESS TV, Edmonton 

1998 Handbook of Bach's Sacred Cantata Texts by Dr. Melvin P. Unger (Edmonton, AB); published by Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1996 

1996 not awarded 

1994 not awarded 

1992 Reflets du Canada: arrangements de folklores canadiens by Kenneth Bray, Nancy Telfer and Gerhard Wuensch, edited by John Barron; published by Frederick Harris Music Co. Ltd. 

1990 Le geste musicien by Jean-François Sénart; published by Louise Courteau, Éditrice Inc. 

1988 Reflections of Canada, Vol. I, II, III by Kenneth Bray, Nancy Telfer and Gerhard Wuensch, edited by John Barron; published by Frederick Harris Music Co. Ltd. ​
 

Outstanding Choral Composition

2020 This Thirsty Land, Leonard Enns

2018 Words, Stories, Truth by Mark Sirett, poetry by Vera Wabegijig, commissioned by Gloria Gassi

2016 The Far West by Zachary Wadsworth

2014 Open Road by James Rolfe

2012 The Soul of God by R. Murray Schafer; commissioned by Soundstreams Canada 

2010 The Stars Point The Way by Mark Sirett

2008 Now Goth Sonne Under Wode by Allan Bevan, for soprano solo, narrator, SATB chorus, organ and orchestra. 

2006 Angels' Voices by John Burge 

2004 Rose Trilogy by Eleanor Daley 

2002 One Drop by Stephen Hatfield 

2000 Four Eulogies by John Estacio, for unaccompanied SATB chamber choir; Two Roads to the Heartland by Allan Gordon Bell, for children's choir and piano 

1998 For the Children: A Cantata (for treble chorus, narrators, clarinet, percussion and string orchestra) by Robert Evans (Elora, ON) Commissioned by the Toronto Children's Chorus, 1997

1996 Stabat Mater by Ramona Luengen 

1994 Four Grassi Lakes Seasons by Allan Gordon Bell; Requiem by Eleanor Daley; Veni Sancte Spiritus by Imant Raminsh 

1992 Voices of Earth by Ruth Watson Henderson 

1990 Magnificat by Imant Raminsh 

1988 Night Songs by Derek Holman ​
 

Outstanding Choral Recording

2020 Handel: Dixit dominus, Bach and Schütz: Motets, Ottawa Bach Choir, Ensemble Caprice, Lisette Canton

2018 The Far West (Zachary Wadsworth) by Luminous Voices

2016 Felix Mendelssohn- Te Deum, Luminous Voices, Timothy Shantz, Conductor

2014 Let Us Keep the Feast: Music for the Church Year, University of King’s College Chapel Choir; Paul Halley, conductor 
SouNZsCApes: From our Lands, Toronto Children’s Chorus; Elise Bradley, conductor 

2012 ALLAN BEVAN parlez-moi, Concerto Della Donna directed by Iwan Edwards; Engineer: Mark Corwin 

2010 Shadowland, DaCapo Chamber Choir directed by Leonard Enns; Recording Producer: Earl McCluskie; Recording Company: Chestnut Hall Music; Engineer: Ed Marshall, Marshall Arts Productions 

2008 Circle of Compassion, Chor Leoni Men's Choir; Diane Loomer, conductor; Jonathan Quick, recording producer; Cypress Choral Recordings 

2006 The Passing of the Year, University of Alberta Madrigal Singers; Leonard Ratzlaff, conductor; Jochen Eggert Record Company, recording producer; Arktos 

2004 Yuletide Fires, Chor Leoni Men’s Choir; Diane Loomer, Artistic Director; Jonathan Quick, producer; Don Harder, recording engineer; Skylark Music 

2002 Songs of the Spirit, The Amadeus Choir of Toronto; Lydia Adams, conductor; Maura McGroarty, producer 

2000 Balulalow: Anthems, Carols and Lullabies for Christmas, University of Alberta Madrigal Singers; Leonard Ratzlaff, conductor 

1998 A Boy Was Born, Toronto Children's Chorus; Jean Ashworth Bartle, Founder/Music Director; Ruth Watson Henderson, Accompanist; The Elmer Iseler Singers and MacMillan Singers, Elmer Iseler, conductor; Lois Marshall, narrator; Members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra,TCC-015 

1996 An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts, Vancouver Chamber Choir; Jon Washburn, conductor; Virgin Classics/EMI Canada 

1994 Venetian Vespers of 1640, Vancouver Cantata Singers; James Fankhauser, conductor; Skylark Records 

1992 Amabile Youth Singers with Kevin MacMillan, baritone; John Barron and Brenda Zadorsky, conductors; Canadian Artists Label 

1990 Sir Christëmas, Canadian Children's Opera Chorus; John Tuttle, conductor; Disque Americ 

1988 BaroqueFest, Vancouver Chamber Choir with the Lausanne Chamber Choir and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra; Jon Washburn and Michel Corboz, conductors; CBC Enterprises
 

Outstanding Innovation

2020 Pro Coro Canada and Michael Zaugg for their program, Choral Art: Composers, Conductors and Choirs, at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

2018 Nordic Light Festival by the Orpheus Choir of Toronto and the Adlers Agency

2016 Indiekör. Coastal Sound Youth Choir- conceptualized and artistic directed by Carrie Tennant.

2014 Music of the Spheres. On the eve of Earth Day 2012, the Ontario Science Centre in collaboration with the Amadeus Choir and the Elmer Iseler Singers presented Music of the Spheres: A Fusion of Music, Art and Science. Celebrating Roberta Bondar’s 20th anniversary of flight in space, her photographic explorations were interwoven with the sounds of the Amadeus Choir and the Elmer Iseler Singers for a performance of two world premieres: Light in the Darkness—The Earth Sings by Lydia Adams (text by Roberta Bondar) and Geometry of Light by Jason Jestadt (text by Carole H. Leckner). 

2012 Long-time Sponsorship of Cantabile Choirs Concert Seasons; Swyrich Corp, Sherry and Dave Richardson, owners

2010 Cypress Choral Music for promotion of Canadian choral literature and sponsorship of the ACCC Choral Composition Competition

2008 Healing Voices Recording Project: Chor Leoni Men's Choir 

2006 Anju and Chander Datta, Cancoil Thermal Corporation 

2004 Harborlynx Ferries, for sponsoring the Vancouver Bach Choir’s performance of Messiah in Nanaimo 

2002 Portland Hotel Society, for sponsoring the Vancouver Bach Choir’s Blood Alley Messiah in one of Canada's poorest neighbourhoods 

2000 W.H. (Bill) and Shirley Loewen; Donation of $1 million to choral music in Manitoba, used to establish the Foundation for Choral Music in Manitoba 

1998 not awarded 

1996 The Rotary Club of Halifax, for its sponsorship of the Rotary Youth Choir 

1994 Vancouver Goethe Institut, for its sponsorship of the 1993 World Symposium on Choral Music's production of Haydn's Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) 

1992 David Lemon, for his sponsorship of the Vancouver Bach Choir's production of Mahler's 8th Symphony 

1990 Lloyds Bank Canada, for its sponsorship of the 1989 International Choral Festival: The Joy of Singing, Toronto 

1988 Tree Island Industries, for its on-going sponsorship of the Vancouver Chamber Choir 
 

Outstanding Thesis or Dissertation (category established in 2006)

2020 Choral Arrangements of Nueva Canción Chilena: Exploring Socially Committed Song in the Choral Context, Allison Pauls (University of Alberta)

2018 Improvisation in Choral Settings by Frances Farrell

2014 Jonathan Dove’s The Passing of the Year and Other Works for Chorus and Keyboard by Brendan Lord. 

2012 The Passion in Latin America: Examination of three choral movements from Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos by Irene Apanovitch 

2010 Adult Community Choirs: Toward a Balance Between Leisure Participation and Musical Achievement by Rachel Rensink-Hoff 

2008 Toward Musical Independence: Metacognitive Strategies Employed by Young Choristers Engaged in National Reading Tasks by Marlene Nolet 

2006 The Acoustical Effects of the Core Principles of the Bel Canto Method on Choral Singing by Laurier Fagnan 
 

Distinguished Service Award

2020 Ki Adams, honorary research professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, founding co-director of the Singing Network and Victoria Meredith, choral conductor, professor emerita at Western University

2018 Lydia Adams (Toronto, ON), conductor & Leonard Ratzlaff (Edmonton, AB), conductor and professor

2016 Robert Cooper, CM (Toronto, ON), conductor

2008 Barbara Clark, CM (Ottawa, ON), conductor, music educator, volunteer board member & The Honourable Barbara Hagerman, Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island (Summerside and Charlottetown, PEI), conductor, voice teacher, church musician, volunteer board member

2006 Henry Engbrecht (Winnipeg, MB), conductor and music educator

2004 Howard Dyck, CM (Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto, ON), conductor and long-time host of CBC Radio Two’s Choral Concert

2002 Patricia Abbott (Montreal, QC), arts administrator and conductor

2000 Georgie Crawford (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC), Founder and Executive Director of the English Montreal School Board (Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal) Chorale 1980-2000 Fondatrice et Directrice générale de la Chorale de la Commission scolaire English-Montréal (CEPGM) 1980-2000

1996 Chantal Masson-Bourque (Québec, QC), conductor, teacher & Jon Washburn (Vancouver, BC), conductor

1994 Madge McCready (Edmonton, AB), arts administrator

1992 Wayne Riddell (Montreal, QC), church musician, teacher, lecturer, conductor & Deral Johnson (London, ON), choral music educator

1990 Dr. Elmer Iseler (Toronto, ON), conductor

1988 Nicholas Goldschmidt, O.C., artistic director
 

Outstanding Student Essay

2020 To Blend or not to Blend: a Solo Singer's Guide to Singing in Choral Ensembles, Leslie Higgins (Western University)
 

Outstanding Choral Event (category ended in 2012)

2012 The Sealed Angel by Rodion Shchedrin. Presented by Soundstreams Canada and featuring Toronto's Elmer Iseler Singers and the Amadeus Choir
2010 Brown Eagle, Black Raven–Cantabile Choirs of Kingston

2008 Poetry and Music Project — Oriana Women's Choir
2006 Coast-to-Coast Premières of Christos Hatzis' Sepulcher of Life

2004 Unisong - Ottawa / Choral Riffs - BC 

2002 World of Children’s Choirs 2001, March 18-22, 2001 in Vancouver 

2000 Voices of the Klondike —The Whitehorse Community Choir, Rachel Grantham, conductor/directrice; A series of concerts celebrating the centennial of the Klondike Gold Rush 

1998 Festival 500: Sharing the Voices; An International Festival of Choral Music and Celebration of Song. June 18-20, 1997, NF 

1996 World Première of Ramona Luengen's Stabat Mater, Vancouver, BC 

1994 1993 World Symposium on Choral Music, Vancouver, BC 

1992 Kathaumixw '90, Powell River, BC 

1990 1989 International Choral Festival: The Joy of Singing, Toronto, ON 

1988 Nova Scotia Choral Federation's 10th Anniversary performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah

Banner photo : PODIUM 2016. Photo by Friday Design Photography