by Cathy Landolt | Aug 12, 2025 | News
The GCC Choral Composition Competition
2025-26 Season
Winning Work will Premiere May 3, 2026
We are excited to kick off our second Guelph Chamber Choir Choral Competition for our 2025-26 Season, generously sponsored by the Quinn Family Foundation.
The Guelph Chamber Choir is a champion of Canadian choral music and as we celebrate our strong legacy of choral composers, we are also looking ahead to develop opportunities for choral composers.
The winning composition will be premiered at our final concert of the season “Sound | Space”, on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at the Harcourt United Church (Guelph).
The 1st Prize winner and Honorable Mention winner will be notified in March 2026.
Competition Criteria
- The Competition is for a Canadian composer (self-identifying, no age requirements)
- Piece written for a cappella double choir
- The text should be your interpretation of our concert title “Sound | Space” – however this theme resonates with you! (Pun intended)
- Work should be 3:00 – 4:00 minutes in duration
Our prize winner will receive:
- First prize will receive an award of $2,000
- An archival recording of the premiere performance
- A workshop rehearsal with the choir prior to the premiere.
A $500 “honorable mention” award will also be granted
How to Enter:
A PDF score must be submitted by January 15, 2026 at 11:59PM ET to GCC General Manager, Cathy Landolt at gmgcc22@gmail.com
Included with your submission, please include the following:
- $20 registration fee paid online
- A recording of your work – an electronic, instrumental version is acceptable
- A description of the piece and text – why this text inspired the work and any musical notes to express to the performers and audience.
- A brief description of your compositional background and your aspirations as a composer.
- A brief bio (max 250 words)
- Headshot (optional)
Jury Process
All names on scores will be redacted before the 2 jury members receive the submissions.
The short-listed scores will be workshopped by the choir between January and March.
Many thanks to our 2025-26 sponsor:
by Cathy Landolt | Jul 23, 2025 | News
We’re pleased to welcome Drew Aarssen and Alexander Muth as our 2025/26 Season’s Emerging Artists. We look forward to working with these talented musicians this year!
Drew Aarssen is composer and baritone from Wallaceburg, Ontario. In 2024, he completed his BMus in Composition at Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as his Opera Diploma this past year. Drew had the opportunity to workshop his latest piece Be at Peace with the Exultate Chamber Singers this past April, and also worked with Leslie Fagan to record his art song The Beginning for her next CD.
In the winter, Drew made his debut as the Count in Laurier’s production of Le nozze di Figaro, and is excited to sing in the chorus for Brott Opera’s production of Carmen this July.
Outside of composing and singing, Drew loves reading poetry, playing volleyball, watching movies with his friends, as well as camping all over the country with his family.
Alexander Muth is a baritone whose love of singing owes much to Guelph’s choral culture. After being immersed in music at Trillium Waldorf School, they went on to sing with the GCVI Chamber Choir and the choir of St. George’s Anglican Church.
These experiences drove them to study voice performance at Wilfrid Laurier University in the studio of Brandon Leis. During this study, they have performed in seven Opera Laurier productions covering repertoire from Baroque to Sondheim to contemporary opera, culminating in the titular role of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Aside from opera, they have sung in the Laurier Singers chamber choir with conductors Patrick Murray (2021-22) and Brandon Leis (2024-25) and performed a graduating recital in April 2025.
Alex is very excited to sing in Guelph once again.
by Cathy Landolt | Jun 10, 2025 | News
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.”
by Cathy Landolt | May 20, 2025 | News
Providing development and leadership opportunities for new and emerging artists.
Application Deadline: June 15, 2025
We are now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Neufeld Emerging Artists Program.
Together with the Artistic Director, successful candidates design a program that addresses goals in conducting, rehearsal leadership, choral arranging, curating programs, and solo work, and through mentoring meetings with Charlene Pauls.
Positions
Successful applicants will have some experience as an Emerging Choral Conductor OR have completed significant vocal training as an Emerging Singer.
Specific skills development will be provided for the Emerging Conductor and Emerging Singer, with overlapping development opportunities provided for all successful candidates.
Emerging Choral Conducting Candidate – The ideal candidate is near or has completed an undergraduate music degree with conducting experience. This is an ideal position for candidates interested in pursuing a Master’s or Doctorate program in Conducting.
Emerging Singing Candidate – The ideal candidate is near or has completed an undergraduate music degree with solo and ensemble singing experience. This is an ideal position for candidates who are interested in pursuing both solo and high-level ensemble singing careers.
Workshops
New this year, the Emerging Artists Program will feature a series of workshops with industry leaders to provide additional mentorship opportunities about various aspects of a young artist’s career.
Topics will include:
- Score Preparation and Conducting Gesture
- Arts Management and Marketing
- Writing Grant Applications
- Working with a Collaborative Pianist
- Concert Production
Additional workshops will be scheduled based on the interests of the candidates:
- Conducting Masterclass with Guest Clinician
- Financial Management for Artists/ Taxes
- Resume Prep/ Portfolio Prep
- Commissioning a New Work
- Arranging/composing for choirs
- How to navigate the Choral Experience vs. the Soloist Experience
Successful Candidates will also have the opportunity to perform or provide leadership at the following events:
- Guelph Chamber Choir “SingOUT” Appearances in the Community
- Donor Appreciation and Industry Networking Evening (October 2026)
- Guelph Youth Music Workshop, March 2026 (tentative date)
- Potential Rehearsal Leadership in preparation of Mozart Requiem (April 4, 2026 performance)
Honorarium
This program offers an honorarium of $40 per rehearsal and $80 per concert – approximately $1200 – $1500 for the September to May season, assuming full participation.
Rehearsals are Mondays from 7:15-9:45 pm at Harcourt United Church (87 Dean St.).
Successful applicants will be expected to attend all rehearsals and concerts and to arrive at rehearsals with repertoire prepared.
Apply Now!
Download the full information package and submit your application to Dr. Charlene Pauls by June 15, 2025.
by Cathy Landolt | May 6, 2025 | News
Artistic Director Charlene Pauls was interviewed about our upcoming 45th Anniversary Season on GuelphToday.com.
Guelph Chamber Choir enters 45th season with strength and gratitude
Under the direction of Dr. Charlene Pauls, the choir celebrates its legacy, a post-pandemic resurgence, and a deepening connection with the Guelph arts community.
Guelph Chamber Choir (GCC) Artistic Director and Conductor Dr. Charlene Pauls is entering the choir’s 45th anniversary season feeling very grateful for the legacy and the momentum of this historic organization, which has been an important piece of the cultural fabric of Guelph for so long.
“This ensemble has always been a very active part of the Guelph arts scene,” Pauls explained. “Our Friends of Guelph Chamber Choir volunteers do so much for the choir, and so much for the community at large, they help to connect us to the community and strengthen our reach even more.”
The 2025 season also marks Pauls’ fifth anniversary with the choir, which started during the Covid-19 pandemic, a very difficult time for the arts community around the world. “The last two seasons have really been a rebuilding since that time, and I am happy to say, the GCC is doing very well!”
You can read the full article on the GuelphToday.com website.
