Illuminated Glory

SOLD OUT

Saturday, February 28 at 4:00 PM

St. George’s Anglican Church
99 Woolwich Street, Guelph

Featuring:
Belle Cao, soprano
Ryan Hofman, baritone
Jonathan Oldengarm, organ
Alison MacNeill, piano

With Members Of:
St. George’s Anglican Church Choir
Harcourt United Church Choir
Chancel Choir of Dublin Street United Church
St. James Anglican Church Choir
St. James’-Rosemount United Church Choir
Sonus Voices

A late afternoon, atmospheric concert featuring two French choral masterpieces, Fauré’s “Requiem” and Poulenc’s “Gloria”, performed with guest organist, Jonathan Oldengarm on the Casavant organ of St. George’s Anglican Church downtown Guelph.

We are thrilled to welcome choral groups from the area to join us in singing the Fauré “Requiem” in this tribute to two cornerstones of French repertoire.

Join the waitlist

Reception sponsored by

Jonathan Oldengarm’s performance is supported by Michael Dent

Belle Cao, soprano

Belle Cao is an emerging soprano soloist based in Toronto. Her previous stage credits include Lisette in La Rondine (VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert), Giulietta di Kelbar in Un Giorno di Regno (VOICEBOX: OIC), and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (SOLT 2023).

She was fortunate enough to travel to Italy for the 2022 Lunigiana International Music Festival Competition, where she won the voice category. She has been a featured soloist with the Guelph Chamber Choir and Arcady Ensemble in Handel’s Messiah. She trains with Dr. Charlene Pauls and currently sings with Orpheus Choir of Toronto.

Belle is also a practicing family physician and surgical assistant in the GTA.

Ryan Hofman, baritone

A two-time Brian Law Competition Finalist, baritone Ryan Hofman is excited to be to be making his debut with the Guelph Chamber Choir. This season proved to be his busiest in recent memory which included three returns to Ottawa: Dufuflé Requiem (Ottawa Choral Workshops), Brahms’ Ein deutches Requiem (Cantata Singers of Ottawa, November 9th) and Dvorak’s Te Deum (Coro Vivo Ottawa, November 27th), all company returns. Along with the GCC, Ryan currently had other company debut with the RESOUND Choir (Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem), in November 2025.

During the 2024-2025 season, Ryan made his company debuts with Toronto Operetta Theatre and Voicebox: Opera in Concert as Dr. Engel (The Student Prince), Infernal God (Gluck’s Alceste) and Rambaldo (Puccini’s La Rondine). He is a frequent collaborator with many other companies such as Southern Ontario Lyric Opera, where he recently appeared as Sacristan and Sciarrone in their production of Tosca, this past October. Earlier this season, he self produced and appeared as Schaunard in La Bohème on Draft, a collaboration with the Redwood Theatre and Daily Bread Food Bank.

As audiences continue to respond to Mr. Hofman’s warm baritone voice and insightful dramatic and musical interpretations, Ryan continues to be in demand across the country.

Jonathan Oldengarm, organ

Dr. Jonathan Oldengarm is Metropolitan United Church’s Minister of Music. He oversees the church’s diverse musical outreach, which includes the adult, children’s, and handbell choirs, the Great Heart youth ensemble, and the Metropolitan Silver Band. He is also responsible for maintaining and programming the church’s treasury of instruments, including the landmark 1930 Casavant pipe organ and 1922 carillon, the positive organ, and the church’s various pianos.

Jonathan has a passion for uniting Word and music in ministry, and for helping musicians of all levels reach their full potential within worship. He maintains an active solo performance, broadcast and recording schedule, and is a laureate of several international competitions.

Jonathan holds a doctorate in organ performance from McGill University; the Fellowship diploma of the Royal Canadian College of Organists; and studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, Germany. From 2008 until 2022 he taught organ, harpsichord, keyboard skills, and liturgical improvisation at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, while serving as Director of Music and Organist at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal. Jonathan began as Minister of Music at Metropolitan in August 2022, succeeding Dr. Patricia Wright, Dr. Melville Cook, and a long line of other distinguished Canadian church musicians.