FRANCES FARRELL-Director
A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Frances Farrell pursued her music studies in Winnipeg, graduating with both Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Manitoba. She subsequently earned a Master's Degree and Artist's Diploma in Vocal Performance from McGill University. Frances recently graduated with her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto. Her doctoral dissertation, Improvisation in Choral Settings was subsequently awarded the Outstanding Dissertations Award by Choral Canada in 2018. Currently, Fran is based in Halifax where she conducts two senior high choirs as part of the Halifax Regional Arts Program and an adult community choir called the Dartmouth Choral Society. Fran has also worked as a choral clinician in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta. Recently published articles include several contributions to Volume Five of the Teaching Music through Performance in Choir series (2019), as well as an article for the book The Choral Conductor’s Companion (2020). Fran’s compositional output includes Winter Proverbs (TTBB), which was awarded first prize in Chor Leoni’s inaugural C4 competition (2017) and is published by Cypress Press, A Rose by Any Other Name (SSAA, piano), commissioned and premiered by the Aeolian Singers and two arrangements of folksongs by local singer songwriter Robbie Smith - Painter of Wintertime, (Cypress Press, 2021); Lullaby to an Ancient River, Cypress Press 2021). Fueled by a desire to work with musicians, Fran is also studying to be an Alexander Technique teacher through the Total Vocal Freedom Pro Certification Program.
A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Frances Farrell pursued her music studies in Winnipeg, graduating with both Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Manitoba. She subsequently earned a Master's Degree and Artist's Diploma in Vocal Performance from McGill University. Frances recently graduated with her Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto. Her doctoral dissertation, Improvisation in Choral Settings was subsequently awarded the Outstanding Dissertations Award by Choral Canada in 2018. Currently, Fran is based in Halifax where she conducts two senior high choirs as part of the Halifax Regional Arts Program and an adult community choir called the Dartmouth Choral Society. Fran has also worked as a choral clinician in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta. Recently published articles include several contributions to Volume Five of the Teaching Music through Performance in Choir series (2019), as well as an article for the book The Choral Conductor’s Companion (2020). Fran’s compositional output includes Winter Proverbs (TTBB), which was awarded first prize in Chor Leoni’s inaugural C4 competition (2017) and is published by Cypress Press, A Rose by Any Other Name (SSAA, piano), commissioned and premiered by the Aeolian Singers and two arrangements of folksongs by local singer songwriter Robbie Smith - Painter of Wintertime, (Cypress Press, 2021); Lullaby to an Ancient River, Cypress Press 2021). Fueled by a desire to work with musicians, Fran is also studying to be an Alexander Technique teacher through the Total Vocal Freedom Pro Certification Program.