ABOUT
The Elora Singers, under the direction of Mark Vuorinen, have established an international reputation as one of Canada’s finest professional choirs. Founded in 1980, it is the ensemble-in-residence of the Elora Festival for three weeks each summer, in addition to presenting a regular concert series, producing recordings, and touring across Canada and internationally.
With twelve releases on the NAXOS label, The Grammy- and JUNO-nominated Elora Singers are recognized for their rich, warm sound and clarity of texture. The choir is renowned for their diverse styles, for their commitment to presenting and commissioning Canadian repertoire, and for collaborating with Canadian and international artists. Recent and upcoming collaborations include Constantinople and A Filetta, Sarah Slean, Laila Biali, Elinor Frey, the Elmer Iseler Singers, the Musicians of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Grand Philharmonic Choir, Festival of the Sound, Hamilton Philharmonic, TorQ Percussion Quartet, and Canadian composers Stephanie Martin and Peter-Anthony Togni. A recording featuring new works by Barbara Croall (Giishkaapkag) and Reena Esmail (This Love Between Us) was released in 2020, a Christmas recording, Radiant Dawn, was released in November 2021, and in 2024, The Elora Singers released their newest album, In Beauty May I Walk.
Community outreach is a vital part of The Elora Singers' mandate. They are pleased to provide the gift of music to Elora and Wellington County residents through their Arts Connect program at the Elora Centre for the Arts and the Circle of Song program at Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home. In December 2020, they shared their Nativity Festival online concerts with almost 300 retirement and long-term care homes, hospitals, and social services support centres across Ontario and Canada.
Mark Vuorinen, Artistic Director and Conductor
JUNO-nominated conductor, Mark Vuorinen is Artistic Director of The Elora Singers, the Elora Festival, and the Grand Philharmonic Choir. He is also Associate Professor of Music at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo.
A passionate advocate for new music, Mark has conducted world and Canadian premieres by composers including Barbara Assiginaak, Peter Anthony-Togni, John Burge, Timothy Corlis, Jonathan Dove, Reena Esmail, Stephanie Martin, Robinson McClellan, Tawnie Olson, and Karen Sunabacka. His recent concert highlights include Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Britten's War Requiem, Pärt's Credo and Passio, the Passions of J. S. Bach, and the Canadian premiere of Craig Hella Johnson's Considering Matthew Shepard.
His work has been recognized with numerous awards, among them the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting from the Ontario Arts Council and a National Choral Award for Outstanding Dissertation from Choral Canada. In 2023, he received a JUNO nomination for Best Classical Album - Large Ensemble for his album, Radiant Dawn: Music for Advent and Christmas.
He holds a Master of Music degree from the Yale University's School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Toronto.
Mark's research explores contemporary choral music from the Baltic states, particularly the works of Arvo Pärt and Veljo Tormis. He has lectured internationally, including at the Arvo Pärt Project's Sounding the Sacred conference in New York City, and his writing about Pärt's music appears in Circuit Musiques Contemporaines, the Research Memorandum Series of Chorus America, and Principles of Music Composing (Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre).
Christina Stelmacovich, Manager, Elora Festival and Singers
Christina Stelmacovich is an accomplished arts administrator and choral professional with over 30 years of experience in the Canadian music scene. Her career spans roles as both a performer and administrator, working with some of Canada's most distinguished professional choral ensembles. As a vocalist, she has performed with groups such as the Elmer Iseler Singers, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Choir 21, and The Elora Singers, contributing to the rich choral tradition of Canada.
Christina’s artistic administration began with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, where she honed her skills as a student in arts administration. She has since taken on significant leadership roles, including serving as the Manager of the St. James Parish Choir and the Artistic Director of a Bach Canata series entitled “Cantatas in the Cathedral, and later managing the prestigious Elora Singers. In her current role as Manager of the Elora Festival and Singers, she continues to be a vital force in the growth and success of one of Ontario’s most renowned choral festivals, bringing her extensive experience and passion for choral music to the forefront of the arts community.
Board of Directors
Julie Wilson, Board Chair
Legal Resources & Innovation Lawyer
Gowling WLG
Peter Barr, FCA, FCPA, Past Chair
Retired Deloitte Partner
Justin Gorgi, Treasurer
Accounting Manager
Chartered Professional Accountant
Calibre LLP
Christina Stelmacovich, Secretary
Mezzo-Soprano, Manager
The Elora Festival & Singers
Ted Arnott
Ken Frey
President
Frey Consulting
Sarah Gardiner
Program Manager
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Brad Halls
Retired Lawyer
Michael Higgins
Tom Lewis
Alex Miller
President
ESRI Canada Limited
Ken Seiling
Retired Regional Chair
Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Denise Williams
Artistic Director/Producer
Singer, Teacher, Adjudicator
Vision, Mission, and Values
Vision
To be a performing arts organization that gives the gift of inspiration, hope and joy directly to individuals and communities through immersive and meaningful experiences born of collaborative endeavour.
Mission
The Elora Singers is a community-based and internationally-recognized professional chamber choir. We encourage interest in and appreciation of choral music through public concerts, recordings, exhibitions, educational forums and outreach programs that promote and cultivate excellence in choral music.
Values
- Community – We value and respect individuals’ uniqueness while building open and harmonious communication.
- Collaboration – We believe working together creatively and strategically strengthens our voice and widens our influence.
- Inclusivity – We believe The Elora Singers organization’s makeup, including the Singers, the Staff, and the Board, should represent our Art, our Communities, and our future Audiences.
- Leadership - We believe strong artistic leadership is key to creating an environment which embraces our current audience while pushing creative boundaries to build our future audience.
- Excellence – Our artists, staff and volunteers strive to deliver excellence in all aspects of our organization and programs.
- Canadian – We are Canadian music ambassadors; performing, commissioning and collaborating with Canadian artists and composers.
- Relevance – We provide socially relevant content by incorporating pieces addressing current issues.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
The Elora Singers is deeply committed to the values of respect, dignity, fairness, and integrity as a performing arts organization providing hope, joy, and inspiration to our communities through music.
We stand against harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, age, ability, orientation, sex, or gender identity.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion extends to all members of our organization, our music and performance, the communities in which we live and work, and our audiences, now and in the future.