Peterborough Singers Appoint New Artistic Director and Conductor

Shawn Grenke has been named as the new artistic director and conductor of the Peterborough Singers, appointed by its Board of Directors on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough SIngers.

“I am absolutely delighted to join you as your new Artistic Director and Conductor,” said Grenke. “It is a true honour to become part of such an outstanding musical community and I look forward with great anticipation to making music together.”

He currently serves as Director of Music at Eglinton St. George’s United Church in Toronto, Artistic Director of the Achill Choral Society in Orangeville, and Instructor of Conducting at Brock University. He holds degrees from Mount Allison University and the University of Toronto and is completing a doctorate in Choral Conducting at the University of Alberta.

Grenke takes over from the founding artistic director, Syd Birrell. The latter announced his retirement in November after 35 years in the role, having founded Peterborough Singers in 1990.

Birrell says he and Grenke share a common vision of what it means to sing in a great choir.

“When I announced my retirement, I told transition committee members that they needed to ask themselves what makes us the choir that we are, and what values we treasure most,” he said. “This choir has always been about more than just good singing. It is about building something meaningful in a community and about believing that a small city can produce music that rivals anything in the country. Shawn shares that belief, and I cannot wait to see what he does with it.”

Over the coming months, Grenke starts his role by preparing a program lineup for the 2026–2027 season.

“I am especially grateful for the remarkable legacy created by Syd Birrell during his extraordinary 35-year tenure,” he said. “To follow in the footsteps of a founding conductor is both humbling and inspiring.”

“I am so thrilled to be able to tell you today that the future of the Peterborough Singers looks very bright indeed,” concluded Birrell.

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Peterborough Singers Artistic Director to Retire After 35 Years

Peterborough Sings artistic director Syd Birrell is performing his final concerts after 35 years as he has announced his plans for retirement on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Singers.

“As you can imagine, making the decision to retire was extremely difficult,” explained Birrell. “For the past 35 years, the Peterborough Singers has occupied so much of my thoughts, my time, and my affections. However, after much reflection, I concluded that the time has come to pass the reins to a new, younger director.”

As Birrell’s last request before calling it, he asks the public to donate to Peterborough Singers’s newest campaign, ‘Syd’s Legacy Fund,’ to raise $100,000 by Dec. 31 and $250,000 by the end of this concert season. The funds raised are to support the Peterborough Singers and ensure a smooth transition with a new artistic director, as the organization requires roughly $200,000 annually to run, according to Birrell.

“The immediate aim of Syd’s Legacy Fund is to guarantee that the choir will transition smoothly to a new director,” he explained. “It will also allow the new director to focus his or her energy on what matters most: making great music.”

Part of the proceeds are going towards searching for and hiring emerging young Canadian artists, commissioning original Canadian compositions and hiring world-class Canadian soloists.

Candidates for the artistic director position are currently being selected, with an announcement to be expected within the new year.

Birrell concludes that he has truly treasured his 35 years with the Peterborough Singers.

“I will especially miss that magical moment when the choir sings the first notes at the start of a concert. There’s nothing like it. That first burst of song can take your breath away,” he said.

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Peterborough Singers Cancel February Concert Due to COVID-19

The Peterborough Singers choir will not perform their February concert, “Music of Paul Simon” to help contain the spread of COVID-19 announced last week.

The Yuletide Cheer Concert performed in 2016. Photo courtesy of Peterborough Singers.

“While it is disappointing to cancel our February concert, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that we will perform for you again in May,” said Syd Birrell, Peterborough Singers artistic director. “But we were thrilled and grateful that we were able to perform not once but twice this season— and that some of you were able to attend those concerts.”

When Peterborough Singers and local health authorities deem if it is safe to perform, the choir will resume their performances according the release.

The choir will monitor the COVID-19 situation to determine if they will perform in May.

Two December concerts in Yuletide Cheer and Handel's Messiah are available online and a weekly choral music history video series starting on Wednesday on the Peterborough Singers’ Youtube Channel.

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The Peterborough Singers Re-Imagine 2020-21 Season Due To Pandemic

What does a choir do when it can’t be a 100-voice performing choir during a pandmemic? Well the Peterborough Singers answer this question by re-inventing the 2020-21 season.

Instead of typical concert offerings, the choir is focusing the combined energy and imagination of its members and its conductor, Syd Birrell (pictured below), on a “bridge year” in order to safely traverse the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Photo by Jason Ryan

Choir members will come together in small groups (observing all COVID-19 safety protocols) to sing a variety of repertoire, from madrigals and Broadway to opera choruses and music of the Renaissance.

Some of these sessions may find a digital home for audience enjoyment, but the primary consideration is the emotional wellbeing of choir members—well that and ensuring the 27-year history of the Peterborough Singers continues in future.

Cancelling a concert season is not a decision taken lightly. In the past four months, the choir held Zoom rehearsals and created virtual performances, such as their stirring rendition of the Tragically Hip’s “Bobcaygeon”…

During this time, it became clear that rather than risk disappointing both choir and audience members by announcing a typical concert season—only to face likely cancellations—a fresh approach was needed.

They will put all our energy and imagination into what they are calling a Bridge Year. This fall, their focus will be the emotional well-being of choir members. Social-distancing protocols permitting, the choir will meet in small groups in diverse locations to perform.

For now though, the Peterborough Singers brings you a virtual recording made by members of the choir, one that speaks to the challenge and rewards that lie ahead.

Indeed, their just-released version of “Bridge Over Trouble Waters” is so appropriate to the times…

To learn more about the Peterborough Singers, click here.

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Peterborough Singers & Peterborough Dance Collective Present Carmina Burana At Adam Scott

The Peterborough Singers and Peterborough Dance Collective are teaming up to do a special theatrical interpretation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, blending music and movement for four not-to-be-missed performances. Tickets are available here for the performances, which take place Saturday, October 13th, Sunday, October 14th, Saturday, October 20th and Sunday, October 21st at Adam Scott Auditorium.

Here's a trailer for the performance:

[Peterborough Singers]

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Stuff To Do In The Patch This Weekend

It's a busy weekend folks... enjoy the beginning of the festive season!

Less than a month until Christmas!
Friday: 

Kawartha Potters Guild Christmas Sale 2010 (3 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

Peterborough Festival of Trees (General Admission $5, Seniors $3, 2-12yrs $2 - 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)

Showplace Performance Centre presents An Evening with Michael Burgess (Tickets $43 - 8 p.m.)

Saturday:

Peterborough Festival of Trees - Teddy Bear Breakfast (Tickets $10, 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.)

Peterborough Festival of Trees (General Admission $5, Seniors $3, 2-12yrs $2 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Holiday Sampling Day at Firehouse Gourmet (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Kawartha Potters Guild Christmas Sale 2010 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Peterborough Green-Up Store's 1st Anniversary (Starts at 11 a.m.)

Peterborough Singers presents Carols of Brass (Tickets $30 - 7:30 p.m.)

Peterborough Festival Of Trees - Auction Night (Tickets $25, 7 p.m. - Midnight)

Showplace Performance Centre presents Showtime by Aces of Harmony (Tickets $25 - 8 p.m.)

Sunday:

Peterborough Festival of Trees (General Admission $5, Seniors $3, 2-12yrs $2 - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Kawartha Potters Guild Christmas Sale 2010 (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Have a great weekend Peterborough! Stay happy!!

To submit info for "Stuff to do in the Patch This Weekend", email evan@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.