Conductors
Roderick Bryce
thursday choir conductor and CEO of AJN
Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland, Roderick Bryce was in great demand there as a baritone, teacher, vocal coach and choral director. As a singer he broadcast often on BBC Radio 4 and regularly sang with Cappella Nova, including on their third disc of music by James Macmillan (Linn Records). He has recorded Bach’s Matthäus-Passion (Linn Records), and sung across Scotland, Northern Ireland and France with the Dunedin Consort. He has appeared with Masaaki Suzuki’s Bach Collegium Japan at the Edinburgh International Festival.Roderick was director of the Scottish Chamber Choir; founder and director of Sospiro Baroque and chorus master for the Erskine Stewart’s Melville Choir. In addition to a busy private teaching practice, he also taught singing for City of Edinburgh Council, Loretto School and Fettes College.
Living now in Edmonton, Alberta, Roderick is Director of Music at St Joseph’s Basilica in Edmonton. He has sung with the professional choirs Pro Coro Canada (Edmonton), Voicescapes (Calgary) and Luminous Voices (Calgary), appearing as soloist on the latter’s recording of Mendelssohn’s Te Deum. Other recent solo engagements have included Orff’s Carmina Burana; Hatzis’ Everlasting Light; Bach’s Ich habe genung; Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem; Bach’s Mass in G-minor with the CPO; Bach, Pachelbel & Graupner cantatas with Early Music Alberta, Handel’s Alexander’s Feast in Calgary, Bach Magnificat and Actus Tragicus with Voicescapes and Rosa Barroca, and Fauré’s Requiem with the Red Deer Symphony as well as a recital of German and French cantatas with Early Music Alberta. Roderick also directs the Campion Classical Academy choirs and is lecturer in the Way of Beauty at Newman Theological College.
Ian Bannerman
monday choir conductor
In demand as a conductor, soloist, and ensemble member, Ian Bannerman gets his hands on a wide variety of vocal music. Ian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Voice Performance from The University of British Columbia studying under Roelof Oostwoud and J. Patrick Raftery, and holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from The University of Alberta where he studied with Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff. Ian has also studied privately with Kathleen Allan, John Tessier, Jon Washburn, and more. Ian has performed with esteemed Canadian ensembles such as the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, musica intima, Early Music Vancouver, Voicescapes, Luminous Voices, Early Music Alberta, and more. Passionate about collaborative and self-directed musicianship, Ian has formed and performed in numerous small conductor-less ensembles. Ian is honoured to be a part of A Joyful Noise Choir and hopes you will join us this year!
Eva Bostrand
wednesday choir conductor & founder of AJN
Eva Bostrand, M.Mus. began her career in Sweden as a member of the Swedish Radio Chamber Choir and soloist and ensemble singer in professional and semi- professional vocal groups. She came to Alberta in 1983 at the invitation of Pro Coro Canada and Alberta College Conservatory of Music to be a performer, conductor of Schola Cantorum Boys Choir, and voice teacher.
For over thirty years Eva has conducted and coached a number of choirs. In 2014, Eva founded A Joyful Noise Choirs, and ran the organization until 2023 when she handed the baton over to Roderick Bryce. Over the years she conducted all three AJN choirs. She is now enjoying her role as the conductor for A Joyful Noise – wednesday choir. Eva also operates the Sing for Life Society that she established in 2006. Sing for Life runs a performing arts program for inmates in the Edmonton Institution for Women and a choir for men in transition known as the Edmonton Downtown Men’s Choir (www.singforlife.ca).
Eva also operates her own music studio known as storefrontstudio where she provides voice lessons to private students. Many of these students have gone on to careers in music as performers, choir conductors, and teachers in post secondary institutions and are in turn passing on Eva’s vision and choral techniques to their students.
Eva’s artistic achievements and contribution to the quality of life in Edmonton have been recognized through numerous awards and honours such as the Alberta Choral Federation’s Con Spirito award, the YWCA Women of Distinction 2011 award for Arts and Culture, Global TV’s Woman of Vision, the City of Edmonton Salute to Excellence award, along with a Certificate of Appreciation from Corrections Canada for the humanitarian contribution she has made through her performing arts program in the Edmonton Institution for Women. In June 2014 Eva was inducted into the City of Edmonton Hall of Fame as an Artist/Builder. In April 2016 she was awarded the inaugural Gift of Music award in recognition of “her immense contributions to the music community, the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta”.
Accompanists
Kim Cousineau
Accompanist for wednesday and thursday choirs
Kim Cousineau is the accompanist for both A Joyful Noise – thursday choir and wednesday choir. Kim received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Victoria, and studied privately with Anna Cal, student of Russian pianist Pavel Egorov. He worked as a répétiteur and rehearsal pianist for Pacific Opera Victoria on numerous productions, including Bizet’s Carmen and the world premieres of MacDonald’s Mary’s Wedding and Stokes’ Rattenbury.
Kim has been involved in numerous musical theatre productions, including Candide and Baby (Opera Nuova), Bernarda Alba and The Light in the Piazza (MacEwan Theatre), The Drowsy Chaperone (Louis St. Laurent High School), and A Penny Saved (Acting Out Musical Theatre). He was a staff pianist with Victoria-based summer music programs In The Key Of Glee and A Voce Sola, and with Singspiration in Edmonton. Kim is in high demand as a choral accompanist in the Edmonton area, working with many groups including Concordia Concert Choir, Da Camera Singers, A Joyful Noise, Vocal Alchemy, Ante Meridiem, and Chronos. In 2012, Kim was the recipient of the BC Choral Federation’s Joyce O. Maguire Award for outstanding long-term service as a choral accompanist. He maintains a busy schedule as a collaborative pianist and coach and is currently on faculty at the Alberta College Conservatory of Music.
Katie Tilbury
Accompanist for monday choir
Katie Tilbury is an expressive pianist who is from Lacombe, Alberta. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree in piano at the University of Alberta and holds a Music Diploma in Piano Performance from Red Deer College. Katie is a versatile pianist and has studied contemporary, jazz and classical repertoire. Her dedication as a collaborator is evident through her positions at The King’s University and Concordia University where she works with instrumentalists both in studio classes, and as a recital partner. Katie has also enjoyed playing wonderful works of choral repertoire, art song, musicals and opera throughout Edmonton. When she is not at the piano, you can find Katherine in her painting studio. She is so excited to be a part of Joyful Noise Choirs this year!
Section Leads
Catherine Kubash
Soprano section lead for thursday choir
Catherine Kubash completed her first Bachelor’s degree, in education, at Faculté Saint-Jean, the French campus of the U of A. She also obtained a diploma with honours at the International Kodàly Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary as well as a Bachelor’s in Music, with distinction, from the University of Alberta. She has sung with Pro Coro Canada, a professional choir based in Edmonton since 1995. Catherine has been a soloist with Concordia Chamber Choir, Concordia Community Chorus, Pro Coro Canada, Chorale Saint-Jean, Richard Eaton Singers, U of A Madrigal Singers, Chronos and others. She was also the assistant conductor for Chorale Saint-Jean for more than 15 years. Having sung with many choirs and groups in the capital region, she has also performed nationally and internationally in such places as Vienna, Boston, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest and Pretoria. Since 2020, Catherine has had the distinct privilege of working with A Joyful Noise.
Catherine studied voice with Eva Bostrand of Edmonton, Martin Elliott of England and Jànos Klézli of Hungary and studied choral conducting with Eva Vendrai and Adam Con.
Catherine Kubash a completé son premier baccalauréat, en pédagogie, à la Faculté Saint-Jean. Elle a également obtenu un diplôme avec honneur de l’Institut International Kodàly de Kecskemét, en Hongrie et un baccalauréat en musique avec distinction de l’Université de l’Alberta. Elle chante avec Pro Coro Canada, une chorale professionnelle basée à Edmonton depuis 1995. Ayant chanté avec de nombreuses chorales et groupes de la région d’Edmonton, elle s’est présentée sur la scène internationale, notamment à Vienne, Boston, Toronto, Montréal, Budapest et Pretoria. Sur la scène artistique et culturelle de la ville capitale, Catherine a été soliste avec Concordia Chamber Choir, Concordia Community Chorus, Pro Coro Canada, la Chorale Saint-Jean, Richard Eaton Singers, U of A Madrigal Singers, Chronos et autres. Depuis 2020, Catherine a le privilège de travailler avec A Joyful Noise. En plus de chanter, Catherine a été la directrice adjointe de la Chorale Saint-Jean pendant plusieurs années.
Catherine a étudié le chant avec Eva Bostrand d’Edmonton, Martin Elliott d’Angleterre et Jànos Klézli de Hongrie et a étudié la direction chorale avec Eva Vendrai et Adam Con.
Peter Malcolm
Bass section lead for monday choir
Peter Malcolm began his music training in his native New Zealand. He studied classical piano for 12 years and played flute in a community youth orchestra for 7 years. His first significant choral experience was singing in a performance of Carmina Burana as an undergraduate. After completing under-graduate and graduate degrees in French Language and Literature at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch he emigrated to Canada to pursue further graduate studies at the University of Alberta. He completed a master’s degree in Romance Linguistics and another master’s in Public Management. This led to a 30-year career with the Government of Alberta.
As a musician, he switched from piano to choirs as a young adult and began his extensive choral career singing first with the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus. Following this, he sang in the Richard Eaton Singers (11 years) and i Coristi Chamber Choir (8 years). In 2001 he successfully auditioned for Pro Coro Canada and has been a member of the bass section since then. He has also performed with Chronos Vocal Ensemble, Axios (Ukrainian) Men’s Ensemble and Ukrainian Dnipro Choral Ensemble of Edmonton on a number of occasions. Highlights of his choral life include performances in England, Wales, Germany, Malta, Sardinia and the north-eastern part of the USA, including New York City. In recent years Peter has been asked to provide choral leadership in several Edmonton community choirs, including Ante Meridiem, Vocal Alchemy, and A Joyful Noise Thursday and Monday choirs.
Peter studied voice with Elsie Hepburn and Jolaine Kerley and he has been privileged to provide vocal coaching and mentorship for the young men of the Grande Prairie Boys’ Choir on a number occasions during the past 15 years.
Outside of choirs, Peter is an avid photographer and cyclist. He also enjoys spending time with the growing number of grandchildren he and his wife have been blessed with.
Jessica Wagner
Soprano section lead for monday choir
Jessica Wagner holds a Masters in Performance at the University of Victoria, having studied under Benjamin Butterfield. Jessica has a diverse repertoire and performance interest, and has studied at baroque academies and contemporary music labs here in Canada, The United Sates and in Europe. While living in Victoria, Jessica performed extensively as a soloist for choirs, orchestras and ensembles as well as comprimario and chorus roles with Pacific Opera Victoria. Jessica is especially passionate about working with composers on new music and has performed many Canadian and world premieres. She has been awarded multiple grants from Canada Council to pursue such work.
In addition to performing, Jessica is devoted to her role as a voice teacher, clinician and adjudicator. Most of all, Jessica is loving her time as a mom of her one year old daughter.
Leslie Dolman
Alto section lead for thursday choir
Lesley Dolman is a Mezzo-Soprano currently based in the Edmonton area in Alberta. She currently sings with the Richard Eaton Singers and the Edmonton Opera Chorus, as well as performing as a soloist with various ensembles around the Edmonton area such as the University of Alberta Concert Choir, The Augustana Choir, the Madrigal Singers from the University of Alberta, the University Symphony Orchestra, and the Edmonton Youth Orchestra. She returned to Edmonton in 2020 after 5 years of living in Wales, where she completed her MA in Opera Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, in the studio of Lorna Anderson and performed in Weill’s Street Scene (Emma Jones), Handel’s Semele (Juno), Verdi’s Falstaff (Meg Page) and Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (Cherubino).
Her other credits during her time in Wales include Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti (Dinah), with REPco Opera Productions, performing as the second soprano soloist with the Amici Choir and Orchestra in their performance of Mozart’s Mass in C Minor under guest conductor Gareth Dayus-Jones, as well as the Alto solos in both Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Bryn Ogwr Choir and Orchestra, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Ensemble Vocale of the Conservatoire de Rouen. She was also a featured performer of a solo recital as a part of the St. Albert Chamber Music Society’s 9th season.
Lesley also previously completed a Masters’ in Voice Performance at the Manhattan School of Music in New York under the Tutelage of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, and a Bachelor’s in Opera Performance at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver under the tutelage of Heather Thompson-Price.
Anthony Wynne
Tenor section lead for thursday choir
Anthony Wynne was born and raised in Edmonton, and has sung in a variety of choirs in the city throughout most of his life. Aside from Joyful Noise, he currently sings with Pro Coro Canada and the Schola Cantorum at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral Basilica.
Mayanna Carter
Alto section lead for monday choir
Mayanna Carter is in her second year of vocal performance studies at The King’s University in Edmonton. Hailing from Lethbridge, Alberta, she is a graduate of the Young Adults Music Academy program at the University of Lethbridge Music Conservatory, and has been an active member of the music community in her hometown since 2008, with a background of studies in flute, theatre, and voice. Mayanna’s favourite aspect of the performing arts is the opportunity to build connection by sharing the joy of music with those around her. She is so excited to collaborate with the singers of A Joyful Noise this season.
Josiah Maxfield
Bass section lead for thursday choir
Josiah Maxfield is a recent graduate of Concordia University of Edmonton where he studied voice with Jolaine Kerley. He sings with several professional and semi-professional choirs including Pro Coro Canada, the Schola Cantorum of St. Joseph’s Basilica, and Chronos Vocal Ensemble. He has worked as section leader and sung with many other diverse choirs in the Edmonton community over the years.