Heather Fraser
Executive Director
Newly appointed Executive Director, Heather Fraser, is following in the footsteps of Tim Cross, who retired in July 2024 after over 30 years at the NSCF. As the previous Program Director for the NSCF, passionate about the power of choral music to build community and foster our humanity, Heather is thrilled to be returning in this role to serve the Nova Scotia singing family.
Heather is the Artistic Director of the Annapolis Valley Honour Choirs (200 singers Grades 2-12) and has maintained an active career as a choral conductor, music educator, clinician, adjudicator and collaborative pianist. Heather has studied conducting and choral pedagogy with mentors across Canada, the USA and the UK. She was honoured to be a Conducting Fellow with the Canadian Chamber Choir (2015), the first conductor in Pro Coro Canada’s emerging artist program (2016), and was Apprentice Conductor of the National Youth Choir of Canada under the guidance of Dr. Victoria Meredith (2010).
As a board member of Choral Canada, Heather sits on the committee for the National Youth Choir of Canada, and has served as Chair of Advocacy since 2020. This role kept her busy during the pandemic, advocating for equitable treatment of singing across the country, arranging educational opportunities, webinars and discussions for choirs of all kinds, and finding ways to keep the national singing community connected. She initiated the National “Singing in Canadian Schools Covid Impact Survey” (2021) - the data from which produced a clear picture of how singing was decimated across Canada, and was influential in the reinstatement of programs. She was also co-chair of the "Benefits of Singing Campaign" to raise awareness of the scientific evidence that exists for the many ways that singing together contributes to our psychological, physical, spiritual, social and emotional health.
Anne MacDonald
Program Coordinator
programs@nscf.caAnne MacDonald is a graduate of Acadia University with a Bachelor of Arts and Mount Saint Vincent University with a Certificate in Marketing. Originally from Cape Breton, music has always been a significant influence in Anne’s life. Having played piano since the age of 8, she was an active member of her community at a young age providing accompaniment in her community church choir and playing at school. She has completed Grade 8 Royal Conservatory in Piano and continues to share this love of music as a piano teacher in Tantallon, NS.
Anne has worked in several organizations since making the Halifax area her home. She has been involved in Sales and Marketing in the hotel industry, spent several years working in recruitment and retention as well as running a home based childcare and tutoring business for several years. Music has always been her passion, however, and she has consistently found herself drawn to organizations that work with the Arts.
Anne has seen firsthand the benefits of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation as all three of her children are involved in music. Her oldest child was part of All City choirs over many years. She has seen the value of the choral experience, choir camps and the life lessons these opportunities provide. She feels fortunate to be part of an organization that can continue to promote and share these musical experiences for others in years to come.
Anne has been a volunteer within her community in planning large fundraisers, leading community groups and providing day to day support for field trips / in the classroom at the local schools. As her children get older, she spends lots of time driving them to their activities and supporting their interests. Her family enjoys camping, spending time at their family cottage in Cape Breton and the beach. Anne is also an avid baker and enjoys any opportunity to sit with a good book. As a former runner (she completed a marathon in 2014) she also loves the outdoors, hiking and biking.
Tom Black
Tom Black is a founding member of Nova Voce, performing in the Bass 2 section. He has served on their board, including terms as chair and treasurer.
From a background in classical piano, his interests have spread to playing guitar both for personal enjoyment and as a rock musician, amateur theatre with Showcase Productions Society performing in a number of their productions and singing in several vocal ensembles.
Tom was organist and choir director at Trinity United Church in Oxford for 8 years and directed an Oxford community choir. He also enjoys dabbling in composing and arranging.
Jacqueline Chambers - President
Jacqueline Chambers, a native of Parrsboro, NS, received her Bachelor of Music Education degree at Acadia University in 1983. Jackie then continued her studies at the University of Toronto where she received an Artist's Diploma in Voice. Since returning to Nova Scotia, she has taught all ages in various schools throughout the province where she was a choir and band director for both school and community organizations. In 2011, Jackie retired after 20 years as Artistic Director of the Aeolian Singers. Her years with the Aeolians were characterized by developing innovative programs and partnerships with a variety of Nova Scotian and Canadian artists, seeking out music which specifically provided a voice for women. Jackie wanted to make music with women in her own community, so she, along with a few others, started Creative Voices a women’s performance group in Truro NS. Having recently retired from her position as Guidance Counselor in 2018, Jackie is delighted to be focusing more of her time exploring performance opportunities with the women of Creative Voices. When not at rehearsal, Jackie can be found at her cottage or spending time with her family and friends at her home in Valley.
Andrew Cranston - Vice President
Andrew Cranston (he / him) is a choral conductor, vocal coach and clinician working primarily in the Annapolis Valley. He is currently the Artistic Director of the Middleton Choral Society and the CONDUIT Chamber Choir, and will be serving as guest conductor to Annapolis Voices for a performance of Vaughan William’s “Toward The Unknown Region” in June. Andrew received a Masters in Choral Conducting from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, studying under Doug Dunsmore, Kellie Walsh, Don Buell and Mark David. While living in Newfoundland for 16 years, Andrew and his wife Beth created the Coastal Sounds Choir Association where he served as the Artistic Director of the Coastal Sounds Community Choir and the Aurora Women’s Choir, as well as many other project based initiatives. He also served as Artistic Director for the Anchormen Barbershop Chorus, as Music Director for Topsail United Church, and Assistant Conductor for the Memorial University Chamber Choir and the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble, the latter of which he conducted in Carnegie Hall in 2014. Andrew has also sung with many choirs in Atlantic Canada, including the Halifax Camerata Singers, the Philharmonic Choir of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Nova Voce, where he also served as an Assistant Conductor.
Elyse Delaney
Elyse Delaney TBA
Spencer Gough
As a University-educated professional with non-profit experience in a cross-cultural environment, Spencer Gough is dedicated to community engagement and life-long learning with 10+ years’ experience learning, communicating, teaching and supporting others. A dedicated team player, he communicates with peers and stakeholders amicably and analytically, manages competing project timelines, and is quick to adapt to new projects and technologies. Spencer sings with the Halifax Camerata Singers and has worked at Sing Summer at Youth Choir Camp.
Nicole Jordan
Dr. Nicole Jordan is an artist of the world: A Canadian-Trinidadian, she spent her formative years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, then made her career in England and The Netherlands as a vocalist, creator, and academic. Dr. Jordan holds a PhD in Performance Studies/Music Psychology from the University of Sheffield (UK), a Master of Science in Music Psychology from Keele University (UK), and Bachelor of Music from Acadia University (CAN). Since returning to Nova Scotia in 2021, “Dr. J” has joined the faculty at the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University as Assistant Professor of Voice and advisor on equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in the arts. She has recently joined the boards of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation, Camerata Singers, and the Canadian Chamber Choir to pursue her passions for choral music, community engagement, and advocacy for Black and Indigenous singers in Nova Scotia.
Wendy LaPierre - Past President
Wendy LaPierre lives in the Annapolis Valley. She studied voice at Acadia University and has a Music Education degree. When her kids were young, Wendy performed with the Valley based group DonnaWendyAndy and was the music director at Kings County Christian School, as well substituting as music teacher at Annapolis Valley Regional School Board. Now that she has 5 grandchildren, she’s very busy grand-parenting. One of Wendy’s biggest joys is directing the North Mountain Community Chorus and being involved in various musical and theatrical projects around the Valley.
Greg MacLeod -Treasurer
Singing has always been a part Greg’s life. In his younger years, he was in the school choir and took part in many school musical productions with the most memorable being Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. During high school he was part of the school band where he played the trombone. He has been singing with the City of Lakes Barbershop Chorus for the past 19 years and with Nova Voce for the past 7 years. He has also participated in the Tattoo Choir since 2008 and Jubilate for the past 5 years. Currently, he is singing in the Male Chorus in the production of The Magic Flute as part of the Halifax Summer Opera Festival. Greg is treasurer on the board of directors of Nova Voce he is looking forward to serving on the Board of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation.
Amelia McMahon
Amelia McMahon (She / Her / Hers) grew up in the Annapolis Valley and has just returned to Nova Scotia after making her home in Montreal for the past 21 years. She is an accomplished conductor, vocalist, and pedagog and is looking forward to re-immersing herself in the rich musical community of the East Coast. While in Montreal, Amelia was the Artistic Director of adult upper-voice community choir, La Chorale Harmonia; Music Director of St. Veronica's Catholic Parish's 11 O'Clock Choir; Music Director of the E-Minor Glee Club at St. George's Elementary School and was a sought after pop and jazz voice instructor and clinician. Additionally, under her direction as Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director, adult upper-voice chamber choir Choeur Adleisia has received a number of awards and accolades including being chosen to perform at the 2020 Podium Conference hosted by Choral Canada and winning the Equal-Voice Women's Choir category's First Prize in the 2019 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs.
Amelia believes in creating communities that nurture, challenge and innovate. A strong advocate for living Canadian composers, she has worked closely with Marie-Caire Saindon as Adleisia's Composer In Residence along with several conducting and composition interns. Mentored throughout her career by Maestro Iwan Edwards, Amelia also studied choral conducting at Université de Sherbrooke and holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill University in Jazz Voice. She has been the Voice Area Co-Chair at the McGill Conservatory and participated in the Steering Committee for Podium, 2020.
Laura Moore - Secretary
Laura is a music lover, choral singer, and communications professional living in Halifax. She has always been passionate about singing. Growing up in New Glasgow, she took full advantage of the strong school music programs available to her. Laura has sung in the Nova Scotia Youth Choir, various school choirs, and the NNEC Jazz choir, which performed at the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in 2014. She was proud to come back to NSYC in 2021 to participate in “Nutuwiek? Can You Hear Us?" Laura currently sings with Polaris Choir in Halifax.
Joseph Renzi
A proud member of the Cape Breton, Nova Scotian, and Canadian choral communities for 35 years, Joe has sung with the Cape Breton Youth Choir, Nova Scotia Youth Choir, National Youth Choir of Canada, the Halifax Camerata Singers, and Co-Founded the Nova Voce Men's Choir with Terry Hurrell. Before returning home to Cape Breton in 2019, Joe worked in Alberta as a diction and vocal coach with the Grande Prairie Boys Choir.
Laura Beth Smith
Laura Beth (B.Mus., B.Mus.Ed., O.C.T) is a classically trained musician in voice and piano. At the tender age of 16 songwriting became a way to navigate her emotions and thoughts. Her sister sent her into a recording studio on her 19th birthday to record a three song demo. The first time she ever sang a full set of her own tunes was at the ECMA and JUNO awards showcases in 2002. She recently moved back to Nova Scotia with her young family and is thrilled to be back in her homeland.
Over the past 17 years she has been working professionally in various combinations as a singer, musical theatre performer, music director, church choir director, community choir director, youth and children's honour choir director, songwriter, composer/arranger, and private and public school music teacher. She is passionate about bringing people together in song and believes from her very depths that everyone can sing. Yes, that's right, she said EVERYONE.
Kaitlin Wilcox
Kaitlin Wilcox (B.Mus, B.Ed) has always been dedicated to music education in Nova Scotia. Growing up on the Eastern Shore, Kaitlin was lucky to participate in a rich music education experience in her junior high and high school. Following high school, Kaitlin went on to study classical saxophone and voice at Acadia University where she also obtained her Bachelor of Education in 2018. Kaitlin has had the privilege of working in arts programming and promotion since 2014 and joined the Nova Scotia Choral Federation in 2017 as a summer student, then as Programs Coordinator. Kaitlin has been lucky to return as Sing Summer Staff as an alto section lead for both Youth and Adult Choir Camp. Since the end of her position with the NSCF, Kaitlin began teaching music with the HRCE as well as teaching music privately outside of school hours. In her free time, Kaitlin enjoys training and teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Additionally, Kaitlin is an active member of the Glass Winds Ensemble. Kaitlin is hopeful to see growth in choral education across the province.