Our Artistic Staff
The Artistic Staff at Amabile Choirs of London, Canada come from various backgrounds and experiences but they all share a commonality: the shared love of choral music and choral singing and the opportunity to be a part of one of Canada’s leading choral organizations.
Conductors
Brenda Zadorsky
Amabile Youth Singers, Prima
Brenda (B. Mus. Hons., B. Ed, A. Mus W.C.A.M) is the founding Artistic Director of Amabile Youth Singers, Prima: Amabile Women’s Choir, and the Amabile Chamber Choir. She is in demand as a voice teacher, clinician, adjudicator, and consultant. As well as being inducted into the London Music Hall of Fame, Brenda was inducted into Western University’s Don Wright Faculty of Music Wall of Fame in 2015. Her extensive career as a music consultant and teacher with both the Thames Valley Board of Education and the London District Catholic School Boards spans 35 years. As Associate Professor at Western University, Brenda taught music education methodology and received several awards for outstanding teaching. She is currently principal and vocal teacher for the Zadorsky School of Music. Brenda’s passion for choral excellence and joyful mentoring of singers has been integral to the growth of Amabile from 1 choir in 1985 to 8 choirs and 3 ensembles today.
Carol Beynon
Primus
Dr. Carol Beynon is the founding co-artistic director of the Amabile Boys & Men’s Choirs of London, Canada. She is Professor Emerita in Music Education at Western University with research focused on intergenerational learning through singing, the impact of singing on people with Alzheimer’s Disease, and gender issues in music education. She was named Woman of Excellence in London and Middlesex and inducted into the ‘Wall of Fame’ at the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University.
Jacquelyn Norman
Amabile Da Capo Choir, Junior Amabile Singers
Jackie is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Music and Faculty of Education. She received her Kodály Certification from the university. In 1991, she joined the Junior Amabile Singers as a vocal coach and assumed the position of conductor the following year; she is the founding conductor of the Amabile Da Capo Choir. Jackie has maintained a private studio for young singers, several of whom have now gone on to pursue music degrees at university. Ms. Norman teaches with the Thames Valley District School Board as an Elementary Teacher and Junior-Intermediate Music Specialist. Her choirs have received numerous awards including first place in the Ontario Provincial Music Festival and the Florine Després Plaque and Scholarship for the top under 12 choir in the National Music Festival.
Jeff Beynon
Amabile Treble Concert Choir, Amabile Tenor-Bass Youth Choir
Jeff is a founding member of the Amabile Boys & Men’s Choirs and serves as co-conductor of the Treble Concert Choir and Young Men’s Ensemble. He holds an undergraduate and master’s degree from Western University. Jeff is Principal at Lucas Secondary School in Thames Valley School District and prior to this position, taught at Medway High School, where he continued the traditions of choral excellence established there by notable musicians, Alex Clark and Ken Fleet.
John Vermue
Amabile Treble Training Choir
John is proud to serve as co-conductor of the Treble Training Choir. He is a graduate of Western University’s Don Wright Faculty of Music, and Griffith University’s Education program. He has taught music in multiple secondary schools, as well as private voice studios, and currently teaches vocal and instrumental music at Saint André Bessette Secondary School in London. John has been singing with the choir since its beginnings in 1990.
Katrina Zadorsky
Amabile Youth Singers
Katrina is a graduate of the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University. She is a music teacher for the Thames Valley District School Board where she is currently teaching vocal and piano keyboarding at Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts. In addition, Katrina has taught private vocal lessons both at the Victoria Academy of Music and her home studio. She was a member of the Amabile Youth Singers, Prima and the Amabile Chamber Choir for many years. Katrina has competed and performed with many choirs both nationally and internationally. One such highlight was being invited to sing for the New World Consort Choir in Italy. Katrina has performed with orchestras and numerous world renown conductors and composers. She is proud and honoured to serve as the co-conductor of the Amabile Youth Singers.
Lydia Kendell
Amabile Treble Training Choir
Lydia graduated from Western University with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She is a teacher with the Thames Valley District School Board, starting her career teaching strings at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in London. She is currently the department head of music at Medway High School where vocal music is her main focus. She loves to be part of a choir and to get others excited about singing. Lydia is honoured to join the Amabile family and co-conduct the Treble Training Choir.
Mark Payne
Amabile Tenor-Bass Youth Choir, Primus
Mark is thrilled to be a part of the Amabile family! He is the resident Music Director for the Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia, where he prepares and directs all the musical productions at the playhouse. Mark is also the music director for the Anglican Church of the Ascension in London. He has starred in and/or led dozens of productions with D2 Entertainment and the Victoria Playhouse over the past 9 years. Mark has performed virtually every conceivable role with orchestras and opera companies across Canada – conductor, pianist, singer, repetiteur, and chorus master.
Rosemary Bannerman
Amabile Treble Concert Choir
Rosemary holds a Music Performance degree in pipe organ from the Western University and currently teaches vocal and instrumental music at the elementary school level for the Thames Valley District School Board. Rosemary has received the Thames Valley Award of Distinction for her work as music director for numerous bands, choirs, and ensembles at Wilfrid Jury Public School. Her past accompanying experiences include The Woodstock Fanshawe Concert Singers and past conducting experiences include the Kettle Creek Kids Choir in St. Thomas, Ontario, and KidSing in Strathroy, Ontario.
Tammy Rees
Amabile Da Capo Choir, Junior Amabile Singers
Tammy Rees is a founding member of the Amabile Youth Singers. She is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, and Griffith University’s Master of Teaching Program. Tammy also holds a performance certificate from Trinity College, England in Voice. Tammy has collaborated with all of the Amabile choirs over the years in various capacities: singer, manager, executive, and board member. Tammy is currently a Music Educator with TVDSB. She has performed and Managed many different choirs, sung with various orchestras, and worked with many wonderful conductors and composers throughout her career. Tammy is also working at the Faculty of Education, U.W.O., as part of the “Master Teacher Mentor” program for new teachers. She is incredibly humbled to continue her musical journey as part of the Amabile artistic staff with the beloved organization that helped shape the person and musician she is today.
Accompanists
Rachel Wohlgemut
Amabile Da Capo Choir, Junior Amabile Singers
Rachel is delighted to be the accompanist for the Amabile Da Capo Choir and Junior Amabile Singers. Rachel sang with Amabile for 10 years before heading off to Western University to pursue Music Education. She has an ARCT in Piano Performance and studied piano under the direction of Dr. Stéphan Sylvestre. Rachel works as a Music teacher with TVDSB where she shares her love of Music, leading children in singing and playing of woodwind and brass instruments.
Tristin Hill
Amabile Treble Training Choir, Amabile Treble Concert Choir
Tristin holds a degree in business from Western University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. As a member of the Amabile Choirs for 14 years and accompanist of the Treble Training Choir for the past nine. He recognizes the importance of a chorister’s first few years within the organization and is grateful for the opportunity to work with Amabile’s youngest and most energetic musicians.
Hayoon Kim
Amabile Youth Singers, Prima
Hayoon holds both a Bachelor and Masters degrees in Music and a Bachelors in Education from Western University. She is currently a DMA candidate at Western University in the Collaborative Piano program, and also works as an occasional teacher with TVDSB. Hayoon shares her love of music by working with choirs and accompanying at music festivals, music exams, and churches. Hayoon joined Amabile in 2015, and has had wonderful opportunities touring Europe in summers of 2016 and 2019 with the Amabile Young Women’s Ensemble.
Debbie Grigg
Amabile Tenor-Bass Youth Choir, Primus
Debbie Grigg is a graduate of Western University with BMus and Masters in Music Performance. Past music teaching placements include Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India, Crofton House School in Vancouver, various schools in the Thames Valley Board of Education as well as choral conducting in church and community settings, Debbie is presently working solely as a collaborative pianist in the London area, primarily at Western University.
Denise Jung
Amabile Tenor-Bass Youth Choir, Primus
Denise received her Bachelor and Master Degrees in music from Western University. She has a diploma in Chamber Performance from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto. She is currently the music director at Calvary United Church and an occasional teacher with the Thames Valley District School Board.