Spring into the Music with a brand new line of performances in our Spring Noon Hour Concert Series. Admission to the building is free, and a sandwich lunch is available for purchase prior to each recital between 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., with the concerts beginning at 12:15 p.m.
About Christopher Dawes
Christopher Dawes' musical life and ministry span genres, ideas, playing for royalty and the homeless, serving and seeking across what some consider to be musical divisions and segregated worlds. He has given solo recitals and accompanied choral tours across North America and Europe and been broadcast repeatedly on domestic and international radio services. He is a noted collaborative keyboardist and choral conductor, a veteran theatre musician and composer, and a guest of jazz combos, gospel choirs, praise bands, contemporary music and opera companies. His work appears on over two dozen commercial CDs to date and has been heard in Canada's greatest concert halls and organ lofts.
Mr. Dawes is a Toronto-based performer, conductor and media professional active in many facets of the musical scene and working with many of the region's top musical institutions.
He serves as Organist and Director of Music to Rosedale Presbyterian Church and Artistic Director of the 18-voice a cappella Marion Singers of Greater Toronto. For two decades he has served as Collaborative Pianist to graduate and undergraduate instrumental and choral conducting programs of the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto and as a Director of Canada's Summer Institute of Church Music.
Chris's passion is discovering and sharing all that is interesting and inspirational in music. Following upon graduate work in Music Criticism (area: Musical Genre) in the mid-2000s he gives papers, lectures and pre-concert chats on topics he finds and that find him - and blogs at ideasaboutmusic.ca. In 2012 he founded Chroi, a 4-piece Celtic crossover band that still finds its audience in churches, concert halls and cultural festivals across southern Ontario.
Originally from near Kingston, Ontario, Chris lives in Georgetown, 50km north west of Toronto, with his wife Marcia, their children Nate, Simon and Charlotte, their cherished potcake rescue from the Dominican Republic Martha, and since January 2023 (not shown) their young and crazy Aussie Shepherd Phoebe.
Spring into the Music
Concert Series Lineup
MAY 8
Christopher Dawes organ
MAY 15
Classic Bronze Handbell Quartet
Eleanor McDougall, Jennifer Pearson
Shirley Reinders, Ellie Smith
MAY 22
Phoenix Trio
Wendy Wagler flute
Cathy Anderson cello
Beth Ann de Sousa piano
MAY 29
Shoreline Chorus - Celebrating 25 Years
Director: Ann-Marie MacDairmid
JUNE 5
Luke Welch
piano
JUNE 12
Tre Gatte
Ginny Scarfino clarinet
Cynthia Steele cello
Michelle Kyle piano
JUNE 19
Song Settings from Shakespeare
Amanda Jeffreys, Darielle Chomyn-Davison
Morgan Ballantyne, Quade Nielsen
Stuart Bergstra
Ann-Marie MacDairmid piano