MCC at a Glance

The Mississauga Children's Choir is the city's premiere children's choir. Musical excellence and enrichment are the foundations of the Choir as we celebrate over twenty-five years of choral excellence and service to the community. We ensure that each child receives the best musical education and mentoring from our Music Director and staff.

The MCC is a treble-voiced choir of over 150 boys and girls ages 6-17 years. The Choir includes five graded ensembles: Training (Grades 1-3), Junior (Grades 3-5); Intermediate (Grades 4-8), Concert (Grades 8-12); and Boys' Choir. The Choir is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and parent volunteers.

The MCC is led by individuals whose collective experiences provide the choir with musical excellence and business acumen. Our leaders include individuals with vast musical experience, individuals whose children have experienced the positive effects of the choir and individuals who want to support its mission to provide a community service. The artistic and executive direction for the MCC remains strong, from inception to the current day. It is this continual development towards choral excellence that propels the choir to greater success.

Touring and Festivals

Tours and festivals are important to the Choir as it gives us an opportunity to give back to our community and also provides the choristers with incredible opportunity to perform in front of large audiences and to perform with other choirs locally, nationally and internationally.

The MCC entered the international scene in 2003 when it represented Ontario at the world renowned Festival 500, held bienially in St. John's, Newfoundland. Forty choirs from all over the world attended the week long festival. In 2005, the Choir toured southern England, giving performances at prestigious venues such as St. George's Chapel - Windsor Castle, Salisbury Cathedral and Queen's College - Oxford. In 2007, the choir participated in the Coastal Sound International Choral Festival in Vancouver, BC. This past summer the choir had a successful tour of Austria and participated in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival held in Golden Hall, Musikverrein in Vienna, and Cantus Salisburgensis - Mozarteum International Choir and Orchestra Festival in Salzburg.

The MCC hosts the Mississauga Choral Festival biennially. Five choirs from Ontario and Alberta participated in the inaugural festival in 2004 with guest conductor Dr. Simon Carrington, Choral Director at Yale University. In 2006 the Festival took on an international flavour hosting five choirs from the United States and Ontario, under the direction of guest conductor, Dr. James Litton, Conductor of the American Boychoir. In 2008, Canadian Stephen Hatfield was our guest conductor which featured choirs from Ontario and New York State. Renowned children's choral conductor Bob Chilcott will be our featured conductor at our fourth festival in 2010.

Mission Statement

The Mississauga Children's Choir exists to provide children with the opportunity to experience the challenge, joy and reward of choral singing of the highest calibre.

Vision Statement

The Mississauga Children's Choir is a joint partnership between the choristers, their families, the Board of Directors, staff and the community in which they belong. As such, our vision is to:

Develop through musical education, performance touring, festivals and recording.
Build community within the choir encouraging friendship, respect, and having pride in the Mississauga Children's Choir.
Foster partnerships to build and sustain the choir financially and musically.
Cultivate accountability amongst the Mississauga Children's Choir membership.
Maintain financial responsibility in order to foster growth in all areas.

The Choirs of the MCC

The Training Choir provides a stimulating musical environment for our youngest singers, grades 1-3. Members rehearse on Mondays 4:20–5:20 p.m. under MCC’s assistant conductor and participate in concerts throughout the year.

The Junior Choir is for choristers in grades 3-5. This ensemble rehearses on Mondays 5:30–6:30 p.m. under the leadership of MCC’s assistant conductor and participates in concerts throughout the year. Training in choral singing continues and a more formal theory program is introduced.

The Intermediate Choir provides an excellent music education for more experienced singers, grades 4-8. Rehearsals are held on Mondays 6:45-8:15 p.m. Choristers receive instruction on choral / vocal techniques and theory. Many performing and singing opportunities assist our younger members for entry to the Concert Choir and their musical future. Members participate in a one day choral retreat on Sept 26th.

The Concert Choir is our advanced choir and the touring choir of the MCC. Choristers in this ensemble have advanced singing skills. This choir rehearses on Tuesday evenings 6:30– 8:30 p.m. The Concert Choir attends an overnight choral retreat weekend Friday Sept. 18th evening until noon on Sunday Sept.20th, in order to prepare the season’s music and to strengthen musical and social bonds with in the choir.

The Boys Choir is comprised of all the boys enrolled our 4 choirs. They meet twice a month on Tuesdays from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. under the direction of Thomas Bell. There is no additional fee for this choir. They perform at our Living Arts Centre concerts.

Staff

Music Director: Thomas W.D. Bell
Thomas Bell has been the Musical Director of the Mississauga Children's Choir for the past 11 years. He enjoys a multifaceted career as a conductor, teacher, church musician and composer. He began his musical career as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral, England and later studied music at Durham University. He taught at the London College of Music, and New College Choir School, Oxford, before immigrating to Canada. In addition to his work with the MCC, Thomas teaches music at the Toronto French School, and is the Organist and Choir Director at St. Jude's Anglican Church, Oakville. His choral compositions are published by Boosey and Hawkes, and Alliance.

Executive Director: Kathryn Brisley
Kathy, now in her 11th season with the Choir, is responsible for the all encompassing business management and operations of the MCC. She takes charge of the day- to-day functions of the Choir and acts as the direct link between the Artistic Director, the five choirs, the Board of Directors and the community.

Assistant Conductor: Margaret Stanfield,
Margaret Stanfield has been an elementary and intermediate music specialist with the Toronto District School Board. She has a degree from Durham University in Music, English and Education. She has been choral conductor with two other choirs and is a choral workshop presenter.

Accompanist: Celene Staveley
Celene Staveley, pianist and accompanist, has worked with choirs since 1969. She studied accompanying at the Royal College of Music in London, England, and at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, Canada. She has played for a variety of choirs and artists covering a wide genre of classical and popular music. She is currently a music teacher with the Peel Board of Education.

Accompanist: Lisa Iwasaki
Lisa Iwasaki is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Southern Methodist University, Texas. She has served as accompanist for choral and theatre groups as well as working with soloists. Lisa is a former faculty member of the of the Royal Conservatory of Music, and is active as a senior examiner and adjudicator.