About Us

Elora Festival

The Elora Festival was launched as the Three Centuries Festival in 1979. It has since evolved into an internationally acclaimed annual music event now known as the Elora Festival that attracts capacity crowds to the Village of Elora. Patrons enjoy four weeks of international calibre music, from large-scale classical works for choir and orchestra to intimate evenings of jazz and popular music.

Elora Festival Singers

The Elora Festival Singers (EFS), an all-professional Grammy- and Juno-nominated chamber choir, was founded in 1980 by Noel Edison as principal choral ensemble of the Elora Festival. In 1992, the Elora Festival Singers was incorporated as a separate organization to manage its year-round activities. Since 1997, the choir has been the core of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers, and is the choral ensemble-in-residence of the Elora Festival for four weeks each summer. Through regular concert series, recordings, broadcasts, and touring, EFS has established a reputation as one of the finest chamber choirs in Canada and beyond, contributing to the musical life, not only of the community, but on an international stage. With eight releases on the NAXOS label, the EFS is known for its rich, warm sound and clarity of texture. The choir is renowned for its diverse styles, for its commitment to Canadian repertoire, and for its collaborations with other Canadian artists. 

Elora Festival and Singers

Work began in 2004 to amalgamate the two organizations in order to stream line administrative and operational functions. At the 2004 Annual General Meeting the Directors of both Boards were combined and at the AGM the following year the board was pared down to 12 members under the banner of the Elora Festival and Singers. The Elora Festival and Singers continue to manage a professional choir of international regard and present a summer festival of classical and contemporary music, with an emphasis on choral works, featuring Canadian artists of international calibre in the unique setting of the Village of Elora.

The Elora Festival is a registered charity, number 11926 3945 RR0001.

2012 Elora Festival Singers

Singer Auditions

Annual

The 2013 Elora Festival Singers' professional chorister auditions will be held during the afternoon of Saturday January 19, 2013 in Elora, and during the afternoon and early evening of Monday January 21, 2013 in Toronto. Excellent sight reading skills and previous choral experience are a must.

Those wishing to audition for these positions should contact Esther Farrell, Artistic Coordinator, at auditions(at)elorafestival.com or 519-846-0331. The deadline for an audition request is December 31, 2012.
 

Staff & Board members

Artistic Director Noel Edison

Noel Edison is well established as one of the most versatile and charismatic conductors in the world today. As conductor and artistic director of two world-class Canadian ensembles, the large-scale Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the chamber-sized Elora Festival Singers, Edison is widely recognized and appreciated for his skillful, interpretive work with both choir and orchestra.

A native of Toronto, Edison moved to the scenic village of Elora, where, in 1979, he co-founded the Elora Festival and, a year later, the Elora Festival Singers as its choir-in-residence. Since 1984, Edison has served as Artistic Director of the Elora Festival as well as Organist and Choirmaster of one of the few all-professional church choirs in Canada at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Elora. In 1988, he established the Elora Festival Orchestra.

In 2002 the University of Guelph conferred upon Noel the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music, and on January 22, 2009, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest honour.