MARKING 20 YEARS OF CHORAL EXCELLENCE

Celebrating the Return of the evening Community Choral Program

Canada’s Summer Institute of Church Music’s closing Gala concert once again showcases the power and beauty of choral music in 2025!

The origins of SICM’s Community Choral Program

Canada’s Summer Institute of Church Music, founded at Trafalgar Castle School, Whitby, Ontario in 1970, concluded annually with a closing Organ Concert at St George’s Anglican Church in Oshawa from its inception through the Directorships of its late Founder Dr Stanley Llewellyn Osborne and Director Emeritus, the late Dr Kenneth W Inkster. In 2005 SICM’s students began offering choral concerts to share its other primary focus with the local community. This tradition grew to embrace local choral singers and quickly became a highlight of Institute Week.

Reinstatement (and re-naming) of the evening Community Choral Program

Patrick Murray, conductor / Christopher Dawes, organ soloist / Debbie Fingas, accompanist

Join us for the reinstated and newly named evening Community Choral Program, with rehearsals from July 21-23, 2025 (7:00 pm – 10:00 pm ET), led by conductor Patrick Murray, organ soloist Christopher Dawes, and accompanist Debbie Fingas—culminating in a spectacular concert on Thursday, July 24th, at 8:00 PM at All Saints’ Anglican Church in Whitby.

A Brief History of the Community Choral Program

SICM Student Choral Concerts begin with Christopher Dawes' Directorship as Friday lunch-hour recitals

2005 – Ann Cooper Gay, conductor / Ian Sadler, accompanist

2006 – Paul Halley, conductor / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2007 – Marta McCarthy, conductor / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

SICM Student Choral Concert moves to Wednesday evening

2008 – Lori-Anne Doloff, conductor / Michael Bloss, accompanist

2009 – Mark Sirett, conductor / Maxine Thévenot, accompanist

SICM Choral and Organ Concerts combined on Thursday evening “Gala Concert”

2010 – Mark Vuorinen, conductor / Roger Bergs, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

SICM Chorale (community choristers join students for evening schedule as 'Chorister registrants')

2011 – Gerald Neufeld, conductor / Rachel Laurin, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2012 – Hilary Apfelstadt, conductor / Rachel Laurin, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2013 – Hilary Apfelstadt, conductor / David Palmer, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2014 – Lee Willingham, conductor / David Palmer, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2015 – Lee Willingham, conductor / Michelle Martin-Atwood, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2016 – Evelyn Grieger, conductor / Michelle Martin-Atwood, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2017 – Evelyn Grieger, conductor / Patricia Wright, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2018 – Stephanie Martin, conductor / Ryan Jackson, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

2019 – Stephanie Martin, conductor /Ryan Jackson, organ soloist / Christopher Dawes, accompanist

Pandemic Interruption

2020 – no concert held (SICM 51st Session held online only)

2021 – virtual choral concert / Matthew Larkin, organ soloist (SICM 52nd Session held online only)

2022 – Sarah Svendsen, organ soloist (Osborne Competition anniversary celebration) (daytime sessions held online only)

SICM EAST – Mark Sirett, conductor / Christopher Dawes, accompanist – held at All Saints’ Whitby

SICM WEST – John Hooper & Joachim Segger/Marnie Giesbrecht – held at First Baptist Church Edmonton

2023 – Planned Hybrid Institute cancelled for lack of Registrations

Post-Pandemic Return

2024 – SICM 54th Session held fully hybrid (in-person/online) for the first time – no concert held

Reinstatement (and re-naming) of the evening Community Choral Program

2025 – Patrick Murray, conductor / Christopher Dawes, organ soloist / Debbie Fingas, accompanist. Concert to be held Thursday, July 24th , 8:00pm at All Saints’ Anglican Church in Whitby