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Phoenix Chamber Choir is a registered non-profit organization
Charitable Registration # 889906392 RR0001
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CONDUCTING MASTERCLASS
Join us for the 2025 Conducting Masterclass, a personal growth experience for conductors at all levels.Over four days you will have the opportunity to work with master teachers, enjoy podium time and participate in sessions focussing on body mapping, vocal technique and rehearsal strategies.
Participants will act as a lab choir for the 12 conductors, providing a unique opportunity to learn from and support each other. Auditors will be present in all sessions and may request optional podium time during the Tuesday evening choral session, featuring members of the Phoenix Chamber Choir.
Dates: July 13–16, 2025
Location: Lynn Valley United Church, 3201 Mountain Highway, North Vancouver
Registration: Open for participants and auditors
| Date | Time | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, July 13 | 2:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Meet & Greet, Review Repertoire, Sectionals, Welcome Social |
| Monday, July 14 | 8:45 AM – 4:30 PM | Body Mapping, Podium Sessions, Vocal Techniques |
| Tuesday, July 15 | 1:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Body Mapping, Vocal Technique, Podium Sessions, Phoenix Choir Rehearsal |
| Wednesday, July 16 | 8:45 AM – 4:00 PM | Body Mapping, Final Podium Sessions, Wrap-Up |
The Conducting Workshop features expert faculty, including Nicholle Andrews (Body Mapping), Frances Roberts (Warm-ups and Rehearsal Techniques), and Geordie Roberts (Vocal Technique). Participants will receive 40 minutes of podium time and engage in interactive lab choir rehearsals and daily activities.
Special events include a Welcoming Social on Sunday, July 13, at Browns Socialhouse and optional Outdoor Exploration on Tuesday morning, with activities such as hiking a North Shore mountain, walking Lynn Canyon or the Shipyards seawall, or exploring Ambleside.
The Conducting Workshop will take place at Lynn Valley United Church, located at 3201 Mountain Highway in North Vancouver. The venue offers free underground and street parking, and is conveniently accessible by public transit via bus route #210.
Meet our Faculty
Originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. Nicholle Andrews is the Director of Choral Studies at the University of Redlands in California and the Artistic Director of the Phoenix Chamber Choir in Vancouver. A sought-after conductor, adjudicator, and clinician across North America, she has worked with renowned composers such as William Bolcom, Joan Tower, and R. Murray Schafer, and conducted alongside legends like Bramwell Tovey and Bobby McFerrin.
Dr. Andrews’ choirs have performed at prestigious events, including Canada’s national choral conference, Podium on the Edge, and alongside artists such as The WHO, Sarah Brightman, and Josh Groban. She specializes in choral conducting, body mapping, and ear training and is a licensed body mapping educator with research interests in performance anxiety and pitch perception.
With a doctorate in choral conducting from McGill University and dual bachelor’s degrees in oboe performance and music education from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dr. Andrews is recognized for her outstanding teaching and contributions to music education. She also founded the University of Redlands Youth Choir, now a thriving program for young singers aged 5–16.
Frances Roberts has recently retired from 34 years of teaching secondary choral music. Thirty two of those years at Argyle Secondary in North Vancouver where she directed multiple concert/ chamber choirs, vocal jazz ensembles, some concert band and chamber strings ensembles. Her school choirs toured extensively across North America, Europe, China, the Baltics and the UK. While at home they performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Chamber Choir and had the good fortune to workshop with renowned vocal groups like RAJATON, The Idea of North and the Swingle Singers.
Currently Frances is working with community choirs in Vancouver , CHORISMA Jazz Choir in Kerrisdale and VOX PANACEA ( physicians choir in the PHOENIX Choral community ). She is also on faculty at the West Coast Amateur Musicians Family summer camp. Frances is in high demand as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor . She has led workshops for BCMEA, BCCF, ACCC and other organizations. She directed the BC Youth Choir at Chorfest 2013 and received the BC Music Educators Outstanding Professional Music Educator Award in 2020. A graduate of the UBC School of Music and Masters in Choral Conducting, she is excited to give back, share and work with all types of choral conductors in this holistic workshop.
“Geordie” Roberts is a graduate of the School of Music UBC and the Vancouver Academy of Music. As a long-time member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, he was a frequent soloist in concert and on recordings. He is a faculty member at Capilano University Music Department, and the Co-ordinator of Music at Highlands United Church, both in North Vancouver He is highly regarded for his ease of vocal production and expressive singing. In addition to keeping busy singing, teaching and conducting, George is also a gifted accompanist and coach. A published composer and arranger, George’s choral music is available on the Cypress label. Geordie makes his home in North Vancouver with his wife, Frances, and they enjoy the company of three very musical sons: Aidan, Garreth and Liam.
