Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

Singsation with Jean-Sébastien Vallée
2026-03-07 10:30 - 13:00 (America/Toronto) | Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1Z9, Canada
Join Artistic Director Jean-Sébastien Vallée for a Singsation workshop.
It’s a community singing workshop, and a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning – with people who love to sing!
The Theme: Bach’s Passions: Drama, Devotion, and Music

Experience an inspiring Singsation with our own Artistic Director, Jean-Sébastien Vallée, as we explore Bach’s extraordinary settings of the Passion story — from St. John and St. Matthew Passions to the intriguing reconstructions of the lost St. Mark Passion. Together, we’ll compare these masterpieces, uncovering how Bach wove drama, devotion, and musical brilliance into each work. Experience the emotional depth, rich choral textures, and timeless beauty that have captivated audiences for centuries — and enjoy the thrill of singing this unforgettable music in community. Discover the enduring power of Bach’s Passions and leave with a deeper connection to some of the most moving works ever written.
Your Conductor:
Internationally recognized conductor, scholar, and pedagogue Jean-Sébastien Vallée was named as the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s 8th Artistic Director in June 2021. In addition to his work as Artistic Director of the TMChoir, Jean-Sébastien is Associate Professor of Music, Director of Choral Studies, and Coordinator of the Ensembles & Conducting Area at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. Jean-Sébastien has conducted ensembles throughout North America, Europe and Asia and has prepared choruses for leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and the National Arts Center Orchestra in Ottawa. In addition to his interest in choral, operatic, and orchestral music, Jean-Sébastien is an advocate for contemporary music, making one of his priorities to premiere and commission works by young composers and program rarely performed repertoire. He has recorded extensively under the label ATMA Classique. Learn more about Jean-Sébastien.
The workshop will take place in Cameron Hall at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Ticket: $15 (+ fees) online or $20 at the door
Register for the Workshop
Singsation is made possible through the support of our donors

Singsation with Elaine Choi
2026-04-11 10:30 - 13:00
Join Elaine Choi for a Singsation workshop.
It’s a community singing workshop, and a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning – with people who love to sing!
The Theme: Finding Resilience Through Song

In October of 2024, conductor, educator, and friend of TMChoir, Elaine Choi was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her public display of resilience as she embarked on her cancer journey has inspired musicians across the country. Together, we will journey with Elaine through the music that showed her adversity in the darkness, enabled her to find courage within, and most importantly, build an unwavering community of support and love. Experience how repertoire creates connection and highlights our shared resilience in this Singsation. Immerse yourself in the art of togetherness, and celebrate the strength found in hope and human connection – through song!
Your Conductor:
Elaine Choi (D.M.A.) immerses herself in Canada’s vibrant choral community as a conductor, educator, adjudicator, chorister, and collaborative pianist. She currently serves as Director of Music at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, Artistic Director of Pax Christi Chorale, and Founder & Artistic Director of Babεl, an ensemble dedicated to highlighting choral music of the Asian diaspora. Active nationally and internationally, she has led performances at the PODIUM National Choral Conference (2024), Ontario Youth Choir (2024), Luminato Festival (2025), AMIS Festival (2025/2026), and the Bangkok International Choral Festival (2022), among others. Elaine earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto under the mentorship of Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt and was awarded the Ontario Arts Council’s 2023 Leslie Bell Prize.
Learn more about Elaine Choi.
The workshop will take place in Cameron Hall at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.
Ticket: $15 (+ fees) online or $20 at the door
Register for the Workshop
Singsation is made possible through the support of our donors
