Founder/Artistic and Executive Director

Catherine

Glaser-Climie

Catherine Glaser-Climie, Founder / Artistic Director of the Cantaré Children's Choir Program, is no stranger to the choral community. For more than thirty years she has nurtured singers through her acclaimed work with choirs. Choirs under her direction have won awards at the local, provincial and national level and regularly perform with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Calgary Opera, and are frequently heard on radio and television. In addition, her choirs have been invited to perform at many prestigious events: ACCC Podium; Organization of American Kodály Educators; Choral Music Experience International Symposium; Alberta Music Conference; Alberta Choral Federation; Kodály Society of Canada National Conference; and the Alberta Kodály Association Conference. Ms Glaser-Climie's choirs have received invitations to prestigious events in Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia.

Having earned a Bachelor of Music [Voice] and a Diploma FA [Kodály] from the University of Calgary, Ms. Glaser-Climie utilizes extensive experience in choral conducting and Kodály pedagogy. She has pursued advanced studies in voice, piano, organ, flute, choral conducting and Kodály pedagogy. She is able to combine her own extensive musical experience with a remarkable ability to train and motivate others, based on a genuine affection and respect for each singer. A deep conviction that ordinary children can achieve extraordinary heights guides her singers in the pursuit of excellence, resulting not only in the nurture of musical development, but also unprecedented personal growth, which instills confidence, poise and determination.

Eric Dawson of the Calgary Herald said this of Catherine Glaser-Climie, "Anyone who thinks that children's choruses can be - or should be - condescended to have not heard the young people trained by Catherine Glaser-Climie. This was not a quaint display, it was evidence of quality, discipline and hard work in a varied and challenging repertoire." "The rapt attention Ms. Glaser-Climie earned from her charges was reflected in their singing. Most impressive, quite apart from a security of intonation you would hardly expect from singers so young, was the attention to words."

As a singer, Ms Glaser-Climie has performed as a soloist in a three concert series with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. She was featured in recital with the highly-acclaimed Beau Quartet, and at the U of C New Music Festival.

In recognition of Ms. Glaser-Climie's significant contribution to the choral community, in 2018 she was awarded the Richard Eaton Award by Choir Alberta for exemplary service to choral music in the Province of Alberta. In 2015, the Alberta Kodaly Association presented Catherine with their highest honor for her exceptional contribution to music education in Alberta. Previously, Catherine received the "Con Spirito Award" in 2006 from Choir Alberta and was honored by Choral Canada in 2004.

Ms. Glaser-Clime is well known to audiences through her decade of work at Mount Royal College Conservatory, where her vision guided the Junior Children's Choir and Songsters to national recognition for excellence, having won numerous awards at the local, provincial and national level.

Recognized as a leader in the development of curriculum as an early childhood music specialist, Ms. Glaser-Climie also instructs the Kodály Music Explorers Program for 3 - 7 year olds. This unique program offers young children the ability to explore the magic of music through a singing approach. Previously, she was co-founder and instructor at Cantate Music School for 12 years and coordinator of the Mount Royal college ConservatoryKodály Musicianship Program. She was featured as a presenter at the International Kodály Symposium in 1991 and invited to sit on the Symposium's Panel for Early Childhood Music Education. Ms. Glaser-Climie has been a frequent clinician/lecturer for the Alberta Kodály Association and the Kodály Society of Canada.

A leader in the development of fine arts business strategy, Catherine was a member of the inagural class of the Rozsa Arts Management Program offered in conjuction with the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business. She was recently a nominated finalist for the Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management.

Ms. Glaser-Climie's dedication to church music is evidenced by a life-time of service to the church. She served Shepard King Lutheran Church for nearly twenty years, five of which were as full time Minister of Music. Currently she serves as Minister of Music at Lutheran Church of the Cross. She represented Canada at an International Symposium on Lutheran Hymnody. At the National Lutheran Worship Conferences, she presented sessions on children's choirs and was thrilled to serve as organist for worship services.

In great demand to share her expertise with all levels and ages, and known for her captivating warmth and enthusiasm, invitations to appear as adjudicator, lecturer and clinician have taken Ms. Glaser-Climie across the country. She is an active member of many choral and music education associations, and has served as a board member at the local, provincial and national level.

Artistic Team

Graeme Climie

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - Graeme’s endless energy and passion for music began in Kodaly classes and 14 thrilling years in Cantare Children’s Choir. Now an established professional chorister comfortable in many stylistic environments, Graeme is a Member of Luminous Voices, Calgary's professional chamber choir, and has frequently appeared with Pro Coro Canada, the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus, Calgary Opera, Spiritus Chamber Choir, Voicescapes Calgary, Early Music Voices, Axios Men’s Ensemble, and Vocal Renegades.
Graeme passionately travels the world as an ambassador for Canadian choral music. He was selected to represent Alberta in the National Youth Choir of Canada on four occasions (2017, 2018, 2020-Canceled, 2022) and is a member of the World Youth Choir (2019-2024), singing in the world-renowned ensemble under the mentorship of Josep Vila i Caseñas (Catalonia), Zoltan Pad (Hungary), and Cecelia Rydinger (Sweden). Graeme has a deep passion for using collective singing as a tool for cross-cultural dialogue and exchange.
Graeme obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary’s prestigious Haskayne School of Business in 2019, specializing in marketing, entrepreneurship, and not-for-profit management. He has combined his business acumen with a passion for videography and recording to become a dedicated advocate for bringing modern digital business practices into the unique environment of the choral world. Graeme is proud to be beginning his 22nd season as a member of the Cantare organization.
Sandra Joy Friesen

COLLABORATIVE PIANIST AND ARTISTIC FACULTY - Pianist Sandra Joy Friesen plays a broad range of repertoire and presents a variety of musical styles from traditional to contemporary, to interpretation of pictorial scores and interdisciplinary collaboration. She has performed throughout Canada, the United States, Austria, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Mexico, Poland and Slovenia.
In her performing and teaching career, Sandra Joy always promotes the music of Canadian composers and was invited by the Association for Canadian Studies in Mexico and in Brazil to represent the University of Alberta and Canadian composers in solo piano recitals. Her recording “Off the Shelf” features music of Canadian composers from the 1940s to the present.
As a collaborator, she possesses a special sensitivity for art song and choir accompaniment and has been performing this vast repertoire for more than three decades. A keen interest in the piano and saxophone repertoire has led her to numerous collaborations world-wide with saxophonists from across Canada. In 2009, her studies in improvisation and free-interpretation with Douglas Finch (London, England) became a turning point in her musical artistry and this practice continues to be a source of inspiration. During this time, she and visual artist Werner Friesen began interdisciplinary performance blending music with live-response painting, and were members of the “eXperimental improv Music Ensemble” in Edmonton, AB, integrating artistic disciplines; they continue to do so as the duo, RESPONS2.
Sandra Joy teaches piano from her Sound Reflections music studio in Calgary.
Sandra Joy is so excited to be returning to the Cantare Family to begin her 4th season with Cantare
http://www.sandrajoyfriesen.com
Oksana Yaremchuk

COLLABORATIVE PIANIST AND ARTISTIC FACULTY - Oksana Yaremchuk is a Ukrainian pianist who graduated from the Kyiv Musical Academy and studied under Professor Vsevolod Vorobyov. She began her career playing with vocalists and instrumentalists when she was 14 years old and since that time it has been her passion. From 2009-2017, she worked on cruise lines where she enjoyed opportunities around the world, playing in concerts and shows with international singers and musicians. In 2017, Oksana came back to Ukraine and started working as a pianist in the Kyiv Musical College founded by Vitaly Lysenko. She has played in numerous masterclasses, competitions, and concerts, and was awarded the title of "Best Concertmaster" on numerous occassions. In 2021, she also began performing with the Kyiv Operetta House as the collaborative pianist.
Since her arrival in Calgary in March 2023, she has been active as a teacher and accompanist, sharing her skill with Mount Royal University, The University of Calgary, Festival Chorus, Lutheran Church of the Cross.
Oksana is thrilled to be playing her first season with Cantilena and Cantiga!
Lauren Woods

ARTISTIC FACULTY - Lauren Woods is a soprano from Calgary, Alberta. Lauren has been a performer since she was a child, beginning with choir, piano, and competitive figure skating. She completed a vocal performance diploma at Mount Royal University, and went on to the University of British Columbia where she received a bachelor’s degree in Opera. Lauren now carries a Master's in Voice Performance from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. She was recognized as a finalist in the Wirth Vocal Competition in Montreal, and was one of six singers to represent Canada in the international Belvedere competition in Amsterdam in 2015.
Lauren was thrilled to return home and join Calgary Opera as one of their Emerging artists for the 2016-2017 season. During the program, she played Laurette in Le Docteur Miracle, Fairy-Godmother and Clorinda in Cinderella, and covered Adele in Die Fledermaus. Previous roles include: Brenda in Empty the House (Ammolite Opera), Pierrot in a staged production of Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, the title role in Rodelinda, Amy in Mark Adamo's Little Women (Opera McGill), Adina in Love Potion No. 9 (Cowtown Opera), Rose in Jake Heggie's At the Statue of Venus, The Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, Musetta in La Bohème, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Meg in The Phantom of the Opera (Cowtown Opera), Gilda in Rigoletto, Sophie in Wether (Calgary Concert Opera), and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera NUOVA). At UBC she played Countess Blavinskeya in the world premiere of The Dream Healer, Nanetta in Verdi’s Falstaff and Despina in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte in the Czech republic, Ontario and Vancouver.
Currently, Lauren is a featured soloist in Calgary with various Choirs including the Juno-nominated Luminous Voices, for which she also sings as a regular chorister. Most recently, she was thrilled to sing Mahler's 4th symphony with the Calgary Civic Symphony and Mozart's Requiem with the Firebird chorus and orchestra. She can be seen performing everything from Opera, Folk, Jazz, Pop to Musical Theatre and beyond. Aside from performing, Lauren is a prominent voice/piano teacher and clinician in Alberta. She is extremely passionate about music and acting, and she believes that music broadens the mind, feeds the soul and enriches lives.