Mission Statement:
The mission of the Edmonton Children’s Choir/Edmonton Youth Choir is to prepare singers for performances of the highest standards, explore and expand their knowledge of the repertoire, introduce our audiences to the beauty and power of this music and to develop strong characters with insight, cultural awareness, respect and self-discipline. We achieve these goals through regular rehearsals and performances, recordings, participation in workshops and festivals and by touring locally and abroad.
The Director- DR. JOHN WIEBE has studied at Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Alberta and in Vienna, Austria. He is the founder and director of the AbendMusik Ensemble and director of the Edmonton Youth & Children’s Choir program. Under his dynamic leadership his choirs have received numerous awards, including finalists and semi-finalist in the prestigious CBC competition, consecutive first place prizes at the Saskatoon Unifest competition, and during a tour to Wales and England multiple awards at the Llangollen Music Festival. John is a regular clinician and adjudicator for choirs around Canada, has presented at Podium, the bi-annual conference of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and has published musicology articles, including a chapter in a recently published book. To keep in shape for his music schedule John enjoys running after his two children, exploring Edmonton's river valley trail system with his family, cycling, and playing squash.
Accompanist- Born and raised in Edmonton, Ruth Wong-Miller began her training at the age of 3 1/2 as a student in both the Suzuki and Royal Conservatory Programs, where she completed her ARCT in piano performance. Ruth has studied and masterclassed with pianists such as Marek Jablonski, Stephane Lemelin, and Dennis Lee, and has also performed with the Orchestre Metropolitain, conducted by Agnes Grossman. She has won many awards both provincially and at the national level, participating in both the Kiwanis festivals and the Canadian Music Competition. Ruth enjoys her time teaching piano and accompanying choirs part time in addition to working with the City of Edmonton in Community Development.In her down-time,Ruth keeps busy singing, playing ultimate frisbee, and spending time with her husband, dog, and cat.