When Ella Pauls first stepped into a volunteer role with the Guelph Chamber Choir in 2019, she welcomed the opportunity to be a supportive presence behind the scenes. For someone whose professional and personal life has always been rooted in the arts, the connection felt natural, even inevitable.
“I’ve always been involved in the arts,” she says. “From working at the Guelph Arts Council to the River Run Centre and the City’s culture and tourism department, I’ve supported the arts in different ways. But choral music has always held a special place in my heart—it’s what I love listening to most.”
Her deep affection for choral music found expression through singing in the University of Guelph Symphonic Choir, and even earlier, accompanying church choirs on piano. So when the opportunity arose to join the Guelph Chamber Choir board during a key moment of transition—including the arrival of Artistic Director Charlene Pauls and the planning of the choir’s 40th anniversary—Ella jumped in wholeheartedly.
That milestone anniversary marked one of her first major projects: leading the development of a new logo and coordinating a full-gallery exhibition at the Guelph Civic Museum. “It was such a well-done show,” she recalls. “There were artifacts, recordings, even a mock choir loft that visitors could stand in. It was immersive—and despite COVID limiting the number of visitors, it felt like a powerful tribute to the choir’s legacy.”
Following her board term, she joined the Friends of the Guelph Chamber Choir—a small but mighty volunteer group devoted to concert hospitality, event support, and building connections with audiences and donors. “We help create a welcoming atmosphere,” she explains, “but we also do a lot of behind-the-scenes work that helps the choir run more smoothly. It’s been such a rewarding way to stay involved—and to make some truly lovely friendships.”
Over the years, Ella has seen the choir undergo meaningful and lasting transformation. And while some of those changes are bold and visible, others are more subtle—but no less powerful.
“There’s this palpable new energy,” she says. “Charlene’s leadership has brought in new voices, new ideas. The Emerging Artist Program, the high school choral workshops—those are significant steps. The diversity of programming and experimentation with unique concert venues has introduced audiences to new experiences and opened the door to broader engagement.
But for Ella, it’s the small moments that often leave the biggest impression.
“One thing that stands out is the way Charlene opens each concert. She sets the tone with just a few words, and suddenly, the whole room feels warm and expectant. It’s subtle, but it makes everyone feel like something special is about to happen.”
As a volunteer greeter, Ella also treasures the brief conversations she has with donors and sponsors—chats that often turn into heartfelt discussions about why music matters. “These quiet moments are their own kind of advocacy,” she says. “You hear people’s personal stories about how choral music has touched them. Those stories stay with you.”
A major turning point, she emphasizes, has been the involvement of Blue Elephant, the creative management team supporting the choir.
“Securing Blue Elephant’s services has been a true game changer,” Ella says. “They’ve elevated the choir’s profile to a whole new level. Their marketing and communications skills perfectly match Charlene’s creativity and vision. And beyond that, their energy—it’s joyful, it’s generous, and honestly, it’s contagious.”
The impact has been felt far beyond marketing materials. “Blue Elephant has invigorated not just the choir, but also us—the Friends group. They’ve made everything more fun, more exciting. It’s hard not to feel uplifted working alongside them.”
Events like the first annual trivia party, which drew in a fresh crowd, speak to how that expanded reach is translating into real community impact. “It’s a great example of creative outreach,” Ella says. “Some attendees are not GCC’s regular concert goers—but they came, they played, they laughed. And they left hearing some choral music and knowing more about the choir. That’s a win.”
As she looks toward the future, Ella’s hopes are rooted in both realism and optimism.
“It really does take a village,” she says. “To sustain a choral organization today, you need engaged leadership from every angle—board members, volunteers, donors, the singers themselves. Everyone has to be invested.”
The choir has held a unique and valued place in this community for over forty years. With Charlene’s artistic spark and the strong infrastructure that’s developed around her, Guelph Chamber Choir is well poised to build on its long-standing reputation as a cornerstone of Guelph’s cultural life.”
But she’s also clear-eyed about the effort required. “There’s no pausing with this kind of work. You have to keep reaching out, building partnerships, engaging in ways you haven’t before. And I see that happening. The momentum is real—but we have to keep nurturing it.”
Asked what motivates her to continue giving her time, Ella smiles. “It’s both broad and personal,” she says. “It’s about supporting the arts, yes—but also about working with a group that knows how to plan, how to laugh, and how to do good work together. That makes it all worthwhile.”
Following her board term, she joined the Friends of the Guelph Chamber Choir—a small but mighty volunteer group devoted to concert hospitality, event support, and building connections with audiences and donors. “We help create a welcoming atmosphere,” she explains, “but we also do a lot of behind-the-scenes work that helps the choir run more smoothly. It’s been such a rewarding way to stay involved—and to make some truly lovely friendships.”
Over the years, Ella has seen the choir undergo meaningful and lasting transformation. And while some of those changes are bold and visible, others are more subtle—but no less powerful.
“There’s this palpable new energy,” she says. “Charlene’s leadership has brought in new voices, new ideas. The Emerging Artist Program, the high school choral workshops—those are significant steps. The diversity of programming and experimentation with unique concert venues has introduced audiences to new experiences and opened the door to broader engagement.
But for Ella, it’s the small moments that often leave the biggest impression.
“One thing that stands out is the way Charlene opens each concert. She sets the tone with just a few words, and suddenly, the whole room feels warm and expectant. It’s subtle, but it makes everyone feel like something special is about to happen.”
As a volunteer greeter, Ella also treasures the brief conversations she has with donors and sponsors—chats that often turn into heartfelt discussions about why music matters. “These quiet moments are their own kind of advocacy,” she says. “You hear people’s personal stories about how choral music has touched them. Those stories stay with you.”
A major turning point, she emphasizes, has been the involvement of Blue Elephant, the creative management team supporting the choir.
“Securing Blue Elephant’s services has been a true game changer,” Ella says. “They’ve elevated the choir’s profile to a whole new level. Their marketing and communications skills perfectly match Charlene’s creativity and vision. And beyond that, their energy—it’s joyful, it’s generous, and honestly, it’s contagious.”
The impact has been felt far beyond marketing materials. “Blue Elephant has invigorated not just the choir, but also us—the Friends group. They’ve made everything more fun, more exciting. It’s hard not to feel uplifted working alongside them.”
Events like the first annual trivia party, which drew in a fresh crowd, speak to how that expanded reach is translating into real community impact. “It’s a great example of creative outreach,” Ella says. “Some attendees are not GCC’s regular concert goers—but they came, they played, they laughed. And they left hearing some choral music and knowing more about the choir. That’s a win.”
As she looks toward the future, Ella’s hopes are rooted in both realism and optimism.
“It really does take a village,” she says. “To sustain a choral organization today, you need engaged leadership from every angle—board members, volunteers, donors, the singers themselves. Everyone has to be invested.”
The choir has held a unique and valued place in this community for over forty years. With Charlene’s artistic spark and the strong infrastructure that’s developed around her, Guelph Chamber Choir is well poised to build on its long-standing reputation as a cornerstone of Guelph’s cultural life.”
But she’s also clear-eyed about the effort required. “There’s no pausing with this kind of work. You have to keep reaching out, building partnerships, engaging in ways you haven’t before. And I see that happening. The momentum is real—but we have to keep nurturing it.”
Asked what motivates her to continue giving her time, Ella smiles. “It’s both broad and personal,” she says. “It’s about supporting the arts, yes—but also about working with a group that knows how to plan, how to laugh, and how to do good work together. That makes it all worthwhile.”