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The Winnipeg Boys' Choir is an auditioned group dedicated to quality music making and vocal training in a convivial atmosphere.
Biographies
Carolyn Boyes
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Carolyn Boyes grew up singing in school and church choirs and has been active in Manitoba’s choral community ever since. During her career as a public school Music specialist, she has taught at the elementary, middle and senior levels, in English, French Immersion and milieu programs. She has worked as the Winnipeg School Division's Performing Arts Consultant and currently teaches high school Choral Music.
During her tenure as Artistic Director and conductor of the Winnipeg Boys' Choir (WBC), the choir has performed many times with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, including performances of Spring Symphony (Britten), Carmina Burana (Orff), The Spirit Garden (R. Murray Schaefer), and Brother Heinrich’s Christmas (Rutter), and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (Nutcracker, Carmina Burana). A highlight for the choir was singing A Ceremony of Carols (Britten) with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra in 2015. Collaborations with the city’s finest choirs have included Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Canzona and world premiers of John Grier’s A Song of Joys with the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir and Andrew Balfour’s Notinikew with Camerata Nova.
In addition to her work with the WBC, Carolyn prepares children's choruses for Manitoba Opera and is instructor of Choral Techniques with the University of Manitoba's Orff Certification Program. She has been guest conductor of the Eastern Manitoba Youth Choir, the Manitoba Senior High Provincial Honour Choir and the Alberta Children’s Chorus. Carolyn earned a Master of Music from the University of Manitoba. She was awarded the Michael J. Proudfoot Award for Excellence in teaching at the 2009 Winnipeg Music Festival and was recently honoured by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on the occasion of their 70th anniversary, for her contributions to music education.
Spencer Duncanson
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A member of ACTRA, Spencer Duncanson holds a Masters of Education in Curriculum/Arts Education and a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in School Counseling from the University of Manitoba. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Music Education from Brooklyn College in New York and studied vocal performance at the University of Nevada-Reno.
He is the founder of The Little Opera Company, a not-for-profit organization, dedicated to the production of operatic entertainment of high quality and broad accessibility. The organization also serves as a venue for local artists to profile and promote their talents.
As an arts educator and performer, as well as an operatic singer, Mr. Duncanson has experience in film and stage as a narrator and actor. He coordinated fine art, band, choral music, dance and drama programs for Sisler High School as its Visual and Performing Arts Department Head. He has also served as a sessional arts instructor at the University of Manitoba and taught voice at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts.
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Deena Grier
Much in demand both as a collaborator and vocal coach, Deena Grier's work as pianist, recitalist, and music director continues to spread her reputation as a sensitive musician and skilled diction coach. Ms. Grier has been active in Canada and the United States on operatic productions ranging from Handel to Stravinsky, performing with Fraser Lyric Opera Society (Prince George, BC), Opera in the Ozarks (Eureka Springs, AR), as well as Boston Conservatory Opera and Harvard College Opera in Boston, MA during her graduate studies.
Ms. Grier's return to Winnipeg finds her working extensively in the fields of choral music and opera, premiering Michael McKay’s The Confused Castrato last spring (Little Opera Company), and music directing L’incoronazione di Poppea (Manitoba Underground Opera) surrounded by the stunning architecture of Cathédrale de Saint-Boniface in August 2018.
This September, Deena is pleased to return to working with the Winnipeg Boy’s Choir for the third consecutive season and continues to privately coach promising young vocal talents within the city to hone their craft and advance their studies in both opera and art song.
Ms. Grier holds a Masters Degree in Collaborative Piano (Opera Emphasis) from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and a Post-Baccalaureate in Collaborative Piano from The University of Manitoba.
Lisa Rumpel
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Praised for her "fierce artistry” and “poetic” pianism, “powerhouse” Winnipeg-based pianist and vocal coach Lisa Rumpel is an active member of Manitoba’s arts scene. Lisa’s vibrant and varied freelance career has included performances with Manitoba Opera, Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective, The Little Opera Company, Manitoba Underground Opera, Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers, Agassiz Chamber Music Festival, Nuit Blanche, Cluster New Music + Integrated Arts Festival, Living Room Live, Music at the Millennium, Red Haus Live, Music & Mavens, and the Skywalk Concert Series. She has had the opportunity to work and perform with many of Manitoba’s leading operatic vocalists including Tracy Dahl, Monica Huisman, Lara Ciekiewicz, James McLennan, Andrianna Chuchman, Andrea Lett, and Lizzy Hoyt. Equally comfortable as a collaborator in song, opera, chamber music, and choral music, Lisa brings her sparkling personality, focus, and enthusiasm to every project she undertakes.
Upcoming engagements include the video release of Rossini’s Giovanna d’Arco with mezzo-soprano Lizzy Hoyt; Brandon Chamber Players’ four-piano concert “Gay Guerrilla”, and performing in Edmonton Recital Society’s “In Remembrance” with Lizzy Hoyt. Notable recent performances include performing solo piano études by Philip Glass with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers in “Looking Glass”; Three Decembers and A Traditional Christmas Concert with The Little Opera Company and /julius eastman : redux / presented by Cluster New Music + Integrated Arts Festival.
Along with performing, Lisa is General Manager of Flipside Opera & Art Song Collective; sits on the boards of The Little Opera Company and the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg; teaches piano at the Winnipeg Conservatory of Music; and coaches voice students at the University of Manitoba.
Albert Bergen
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Born and raised in Germany, Albert grew up in a musically loving family. He started to take violin lessons at the age of 6. In 2004, he and his family moved to Kleefeld, Manitoba. In 2009, Albert graduated from University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education with Distinction. Albert has enjoyed many successes as a violinist, some of which include 1st prize trophies at “Jugendmusiziert” in Germany, participated in numerous Masterclasses, was the 1st Prize winner of the Concerto Competition and the Genser Competiton at the Faculty of Music (University of Manitoba). He also teaches private violin lessons at his home study.
Beside his great passion for the art of violin, Albert developed an interest and passion for choral music. That passion lead to a choral program in his home church in Steinbach.
For the past 12 years, he has been teaching classroom music, violin and choir at Mitchell Elementary School. In 2017, he was one of the choral clinicians at Choralfest (Manitoba Choral Association). In 2018 and 2019, he was a guest conducting with the Eastman Choral Assocciation. Albert is also a member of the artistic team of the Winnipeg Boys Choir.
Albert is married to his lovely wife Elly and together, they have 5 children, David, Benjamin, Timothy, Heidi, and Jasha.
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