V E S P E R A  
a unique group of voices
Sarah John, Music Director 

Important Announcement

The Vespera Women's Choir of Toronto will be on hiatus for the 2013 - 2014 season.

 

About Us    Events   Composer Fund   Media   Conductor    Past Events   Vespera Instrumental Ensemble (V.I.E.)

ABOUT VESPERA

Rehearsals - Wednesdays 7:00-9:30 At Bloor Street United, Toronto

The Vespera Women's Choir is an auditioned choir of exceptional singers dedicated to performing new music. Vespera was founded by Music Director Sarah John in 2006. For 7 years Vespera has shown itself as a leader in the Toronto choral community by it's continued commitment to performing new works, especially those by Canadian composers. Vepsera performs an average of four major concerts per season including the annual concert of works by Canadians composers. 

Composers featured in past performances:   Guest Artists featured in past performances
Fiona Ryan*
Cecilia Livingston*
Susanne Maziarz*
Stephanie Martin*
Jessica Stuart*
Leonard Cohen*
Yvette Tollar*
Wendy Stuart*
Eleanor Daley*
K.D. Lang*
Rachel Sauvé*
Stephen Hatfield*
Imant Raminsh*

*Canadian		 Ramona Luengen*
Tova Kardonne*
Violet Archer*Frank Pesci
Mat Van Brink
Vaughan Williams
Poulenc
Biebl
Kocsar
Bjork
Orban
Faure
Britten		 Ton Beau String Quartet
Stacey Clark-Sproule, Soprano
Jaye Marsh Graham, Flutist
Mark Kieswetter, Jazz Pianist
Cantala Women's Choir
The Element Choir with Christine Duncan
Cantabile Chamber Choir
Olga Tylman, Soprano
Tova Kardonne and The Thing IS
Jessica Stuart
Ross MacIntyre, Jazz Bassist

 

 

For enquiries or to book an audition please contact our 
Music Director Sarah John sarahjohn64@gmail.com 

Vespera Media

Soundcloud        MySpace        YouTube

 

Our Music Director

Sarah John conductor, vocalist and teacher, is the Founder and Music Director of the Toronto contemporary group - Vespera Ensemble. Vespera is an all female vocal ensemble committed to the performance and promotion of contemporary classical music.
In addition to Vespera, Sarah works as a freelance conductor of both professional and community ensembles in Toronto and the GTA.
She has held positions with the the Windsor Symphony, the Windsor Symphony Chorus, Heliconian Choir and Orchestra (co-founder) and the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra.
Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Performance (Conducting) from the University of Victoria under the tutelage of Dr. George Corwin.  Sarah studied oboe with Paul Emond and classical voice with Susan Young. 

Sarah has conducted at various festivals and workshops including the Conductors Retreat at Medomak, the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific, the Eastman School of Music Summer Conducting Institutes, conducting workshops with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and Orchestra London, and Festival 500 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. In 1997 Sarah received a grant from the Canada Council of the Arts for her work as Conductor-in-the-Community with the Windsor Symphony. 

In addition, she studied conducting with some of North America's most distinguished teachers, including Kenneth Kiesler, Arthur Arnold, Gustav Meier, George Corwin, Susan Haig, Dale Warland, William Weinert, Joseph Flummerfelt and Elmer Iseler.

Contact: 
sarahjohn64(at)gmail.com

www.sarahjohn.com

PAST EVENTS

Sunday, May 12, 2013
Mother's Day Concert
Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation (in the Beaches)
2:00pm

Sunday, April 28, 2013
Morning Worship Service
 Windermere United Church 
Free will offering

Thursday, April 11, 2013
SPRING SONG 2013 
8:00 pm
Windermere United Church
with special guests Tova Kardonne and The Thing Is.
Music by Luengen, Kardonne, Ryan, Maziarz and Pearce

Sunday, November 4th, 2012
Soulful Sundown Service
Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation (in the Beaches)
6:30 pm
Music by Joni Mitchel, Matt Van Brink and Ramona Luengen

Sunday, November 25, 2012
WINTER SONG 2012 
8:00 pm St. Martin-in-the-Fields Anglican Church  with special guests The Cantala Women's Choir

September 29, 2012
Busking Night at Nuit Blanche
7-9 various locations

Sunday, May 13, 2012
THE JONI VESPERS 
Featuring the Music of Joni Mitchell 
with special guest JESSICA STUART
Church of the Redeemer, Toronto

Thursday, March 29th, 2012: 
4th Annual Spring Song 
with The Ton Beau String Quartet.
Ryan, Maziarz, Livingston, Raminsh, Lau 
MUSIC GALLERY, Toronto

March 4, 2012
Celebrating the Sacred Feminine/ International Women's Day
Raminsh, Livingston, Joni Mitchell, Maziarz
Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation
 
December 4th, 2011
Vespers Service
Biebl, Ahbez, John, Martin
Church of the Redeemer, Toronto

November 6, 2011
Sunday Morning Service
Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Poulenc, Biebl and Maziarz!
 

Sunday, May 8 · 7:00pm
Gospel Vespers 
Church of the Redeemer, Toronto
Special guests: Mark Kieswetter,piano; Jordan O'Connor, bass and Kevin Coady on drums

Thursday, March 24, 2011
SPRING SONG - 3RD ANNUAL ALL CANADIAN CONCERT
Works by Stuart, Daley, Ryan, Livingston, Donkin
with Special Guests the Element Choir under the direction of Christine Duncan

Monday, Nov 29, 2010
WINTER SONG
Works by R. Vaughan Williams, Matt Van Brink and Björk
with Special Guests the Cantabile Chamber Singers,
Olga Tylman, Jaye Marsh Graham, Nancy Tam, Mark Kieswetter, Ross MacIntyre

Sunday, October 24th, 2010
CHORAL JAZZ VESPERS
Church of the Redeemer, Toronto
Mark Kieswetter (piano), Jordan O'Connor (bass), Kevin Coady (drums)
Works by Ellington, Björk, Burke, O'Connor

Thursday, May 6th, 2010
SPRING SONG 2010 - THE ALL CANADIAN  SPRING CONCERT!
Joint concert with Cantala Women's Ensemble
Music Gallery, Toronto
Works by: Fiona Ryan, Jessica Stuart, Rachel Sauvé, Karen Burke, Stephen Hatfield and others

Friday, April 30, 2010
Open Your Ears: New Choral Sounds 
Vespera Women's Choir and Toronto Choral Artists perform 
contemporary works for choir. 
Music Gallery

Sunday, Feb. 14th, 2010 
Gospel Service St. Philip's Lutheran Church
Special Guest Pianist - Mark Kieswetter

Sunday, November 1st, 2009
Mass No. 6 by Gyrgy Orban
St. Patrick's Anglican Church, North York Nancy Singla - piano

Wednesday, May 6, 2008
Spring Song '09 - All Canadian Concert
Works by: Fiona Ryan, Rachel Sauvé, Gabriel Charpentier, Leonard Cohen 
Special guests Mark Kieswetter (piano) and Ross MacIntyre (bass)
Heliconian Hall, Toronto, Ontario

Wednesday, Dec 3, 2008
Winter Concert '08
Works by Britten, Santamaria, Restivo, Willan, Boulanger, Cherian and others
Readings of O.Henry and Langston Hughes 
Special guests Dennis Hayes (reader), Stacey Clark (soprano), Dave Restivo (piano) and Ross MacIntyre (bass)
Heliconian Hall, Toronto, Ontario

Sunday, May 4, 2008
Spring Concert '08
Works by Holst, Raminish, Orbàn, Fauré, Burke
Special guest pianist, Dave Restivo
Guest Painter:  Carolanne MacLean
First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario

Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Winter Concert '07
Works by Poulenc, Rachel Sauvé, Joni Mitchell and others
Special guest pianist, Dave Restivo
Elliott Hall- Christ Church Deer Park, Toronto

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007
Spring Concert '07
Works by Pesci, Fauré, Charpentier, Bowman, Burke
Special guest pianist, Ron Davis
Latvian Hall, Toronto

 

© 2006-2013 Vespera Ensemble