Thank you for visiting our website!Thank you for visiting the Metropolitan United Church Choir School website. Here you will find everything that you need to know about our exciting program. The thirty members of the choir, called choristers, are between the ages of eight and eighteen. The Choir School exists to provide professional musical training to auditioned children from across the London area. Membership at Metropolitan United Church is not a requirement for participation, neither is membership in the United Church of Canada or in any other religious denomination.
In August of 2018, the Choristers travelled to England for sixteen days, during which they were the choir in residence at Chester Cathedral, singing eight services in six days! They sang evensongs and concerts at Bristol Cathedral, Blenheim Palace and St John's Church, Cirencester. |
In the Summer of 2022 the Choristers will be returning to England for an extended trip during which they will sing a week residency at Norwich Cathedral, followed by Choral Evensongs at Ripon Cathedral and Durham Cathedral. We will end our trip in Edinburgh with a concert at St. Giles Cathedral.
The slide show on the left shows images of the places where we will be singing twelve services in seventeen days! |
Congratulations to Catherine Gray and Renee Nikkel
Congratulations are in order for Choir School Co-Director, Catherine Gray, BMus, BA, MM, ARCCO, ARCT (Voice & Organ), FNCM who earned her second Associateship Diploma from the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, this time in Vocal Performance.
Congratulations are also in order for The Choir School's first Organ Scholar Renee Nikkel, who passed the examination requirements for the Colleague Diploma from The Royal Canadian College of Organists in September.
Congratulations are also in order for The Choir School's first Organ Scholar Renee Nikkel, who passed the examination requirements for the Colleague Diploma from The Royal Canadian College of Organists in September.
What People are saying about the Metropolitan United Church Choir School
'The Metropolitan Choir School is truly doing essential work, and changing the face of choral music in Canada. Gregg Redner and Catherine Gray's remarkable ability to inspire young people is evident at every turn. The Choir School bares great fruit now, but equally, this is an investment in the future of music. I would strongly recommend this outstanding musical experience to any young musician, and I look forward very much to watching the Choir evolve for years to come.'
- John Robinson, FRCO (Director of Music, Blackburn Cathedral, UK)
'The chorister programme at Metropolitan United Church is a vibrant and wonderful community of dedicated staff, musicians and educationalists who are determined to provide an enriching and fulfilling musical education to the children of London, Ontario, CA. Through its annual chorister festival and at services throughout the year children learn what it is to sing, learn and grow alongside each other in a caring environment, increasing their musical skills and knowledge to enable them not just to sing together in a resonant, healthy manner but to explore the riches of choral repertoire both past and present and learn how to be together in a team. It is a pleasure to have been involved with the chorister festival and to be part of a very special community.' - Katherine Dienes-Williams, FRCO (Organist and Master of the Choristers, Guildford Cathedral, Guildford, UK)
'I enjoyed working with the Met Choristers enormously over the weekend. They are really focussed and keen, and are learning all of the right sorts of skills. There's plenty of potential in the sound, and what Gregg has achieved with them already is impressive in such a short space of time. They were also incredibly welcoming and friendly! - Sarah MacDonald, FRCO (Director of Chapel Music, Selwyn College, Cambridge University and Director of the Ely Cathedral Girls Choir)
"Wonderful choristers! Bravo to Gregg and Metropolitan for having this vision!' - Bruce Neswick - FAGO, FRSCM (Director of Music, Trinity Cathedral, Portland, OR)
'I enjoyed working with the Met Choristers enormously over the weekend. They are really focussed and keen, and are learning all of the right sorts of skills. There's plenty of potential in the sound, and what Gregg has achieved with them already is impressive in such a short space of time. They were also incredibly welcoming and friendly! - Sarah MacDonald, FRCO (Director of Chapel Music, Selwyn College, Cambridge University and Director of the Ely Cathedral Girls Choir)
"Wonderful choristers! Bravo to Gregg and Metropolitan for having this vision!' - Bruce Neswick - FAGO, FRSCM (Director of Music, Trinity Cathedral, Portland, OR)