GREY BRUCE SINGERS
GREY BRUCE
SINGERS
O U R D I R E C T O R
Christopher Burton’s musical interests are diverse. He studied both violin and piano at the University of Ottawa, receiving his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. He also has a Master of Music in Piano Performance from McGill University, and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music from the Eastman School of Music. He has a wealth of teaching experience and performs as a solo pianist and collaborative artist.
Christopher made his choral conducting debut leading a college choir in the US National anthem at a major league baseball game at Comerica Park in Detroit, and has gone on to conduct fully staged productions of opera and musical theatre. He is currently Director of Music at Grace United Church in Thornbury.
Christopher is a very experienced choral accompanist and opera repetiteur, and is very pleased to be joining the Grey Bruce Singers.
O U R A C C O M P A N I S T
Norman Reintamm (R-ah-een-t-amm) is thrilled to become a member of the Grey Bruce Singers. Norm started his musical career at age 4 with piano lessons from Miss Edna Smith at the Royal Hamilton Conservatory of Music. His undergraduate work was done at the University of Toronto and McMaster University. Norman was fortunate to apprentice with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra after he finished his postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music with Sir David Willcocks and Sir Norman del Mar. Norman worked for many years in opera houses in Northern Europe and was a coach/conductor in the opera departments of the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki, Finland) and the Estonian Academy of Music (Tallinn, Estonia). He returned to Canada to work with the National Ballet of Canada and eventually took the position of Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra. Equally at home in the choral and orchestral fields, Norman also leads the Barbados Classical Music Festival Chamber Choir. As a recitalist, Norman has performed on the concert stage both in North America and Europe. Upcoming is a recital for the Royal Canadian College of Organists Organ Festival in August 2021. When he is not making music, he can be found at his home in Ceylon (Ontario) sending out Morse code on his "Ham" radio to various distant parts of the world or teaching young pilots how to fly at the Brantford Flight Centre.
A B O U T U S
The Grey Bruce Singers is a large community choir with deep roots in the Hanover area for over 70 years. It is our mission to share the joy of music and to develop the appreciation of choral music in both the listening audience and the peformer. Through regular rehearsals, concerts and tours, GBS has established a fine reputation and is widely known for diverse styles, warm sounds and rich texture.
The members of the Grey Bruce Singers are provided quality vocal instruction and an opportunity to learn high standard team participation in 10 polished musical productions per year.
The Grey Bruce Singers rehearse every Wednesday from September to April at the Hanover Civic Theatre with performances every Christmas and Spring. Their repertoire includes a wide selection of secular and sacred music with opportunities for individuals and small groups to showcase their talents. On several occasions, the choir has also participated in other public venues and more intimate settings. Besides many local invitations, GBS has travelled to Canada's capital city of Ottawa many times to perform in such venues as the Millenium Unisong concert, the Rotunda in the Parliament Buildings, the National Arts Centre, the National Art Gallery, several churches and in 2002 they sang on Parliament Hill on the main stage for the televised Canada Day show.
A highlight of the career of GBS was a tour of Scotland and England which enabled the choir to sing in many churches and cathedrals, including the awe-inspiring Canterbury Cathedral during their participation in the Maidstone Festival in All Saints Church. More recently, the choir has participated in festivals in Niagara Falls and also in Vermont where they sang in the Von Trapp Family home. Another highlight was the December 2013 performance at Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City. GBS was part of a 300+ voice choir accompanied by a full symphony orchestra and humbly received two 5 minute standing ovations during the presentation of Handel's Messiah.
Thanks to the commitment and vision of our leaders, the Grey Bruce Singers maintain an excellent standard of performance.