Isabel Bernaus, Artistic Director
Isabel was born in Catalonia, Spain, and trained as a musician in Europe and North America. She obtained her Diploma in Willems Music Education in France, followed by the completion of her Master’s Degree in Music Education from Laval University in Quebec. Isabel studied conducting with Manel Cabero in Catalonia, Dr. James Jordan of Westminster College, Rider University, and with Noel Edison and the Elora Festival Singers. Her education and experience have established her as an accomplished and reputed conductor and music educator.
In Toronto, Isabel has conducted two community choirs (Common Thread: Community Chorus of Toronto and Settlement Community Choir) and a chamber choir (The Jubilate Singers). She has also taught music at Sheridan College and in the Haliburton School of The Arts of Fleming College. She has participated in several choir events and workshops as guest conductor, including CAMMAC, where she often brings her love for World music. She was awarded an honourable mention at The 2006 Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting, granted by the Ontario Arts Council.
Isabel speaks several languages and is familiar with classical and folk music traditions from many cultures. A strong believer that music should be accessible to everyone, she has conducted several choirs with a wide range of singing experiences as part of her lifelong involvement in community projects promoting education and music.
Gregory Walshaw, Assistant Conductor & Accompanist
Gregory is a composer, conductor, and organist based in Brantford, Ontario. Since 2003, he has been the organist of St. Andrew’s United Church in Brantford, becoming the music director in 2007. As an accompanist, he has worked with a wide range of choirs in Southern Ontario including the Brantford Children’s Choir, Music Alive, The McMaster University Choir, The Renaissance Singers, and the Edison Singers. He is a regular performer with Arcady, having appeared as a singer, pianist, organist, harpsichordist, composer, conductor, and actor.
Gregory holds a Bachelor of Music from McMaster University, and a Master of Sacred Music from Emmanuel College in the University of Toronto. His conducting teachers include Hilary Apfelstadt, Lori-Anne Dolloff, Keith Kinder, Greg Burton and Philip Sarabura. Gregory was apprentice conductor and then assistant conductor of the McMaster University Choir and has conducted the Victoria College Chorale and the Toronto School of Theology Choir. He has presented academic papers at conferences in the United States and Canada and his compositions have been published by the Royal Canadian College of Organists and GIA Publications.
Gregory has lived in Hamilton, Kitchener, Brantford, Yellowknife, and Calgary. In Calgary, he worked in theatre with Alberta Theatre Projects and Theatre Calgary. From 1998 to 2005, he was the Artistic Director of the Alchemist Theatre in Hamilton.
