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The Ontario Male Chorus

is a performance group focused on classical to contemporary music, of both secular and sacred pieces. The OMC is comprised of singers from the AMCO member choruses, and other interested individual singers. Formed in part to provide a vehicle to AMCO members for the continued learning and deeper understanding of choral singing. OMC is the Learning Arm of AMCO, the Association of Mens' Choruses of Ontario (www.amcofo.com) - Learning to Sing for Life.

Open to any singer wishing to take part, the OMC provides extra instruction in one singing group. Singers take these lessons back to their member choruses or wherever they sing, hoping to enhance those sounds with their experiences gained in OMC. The AMCO choruses, from which most OMC singers hail, are long established in the communities of Niagara, Brantford, Cambridge, and Toronto (Etobicoke). The OMC performs ty
pically two concerts annually and conducts yearly workshops under the direction of one of Canada's foremost conductors, Robert Cooper.

Each year, OMC also provides a Performance Platform for young aspiring singers, to build on their resumes and exposure by featuring their abilities in solos and small groups at OMC concerts. Singers selected are often new University graduates or upper-year students, taking the first steps to building performance resumes that will launch their careers.

Making OMC's learning experience so valuable, is the tutelage of renowned Artistic Director, Robert Cooper, CM, and the accompaniment of esteemed concert pianist, Edward Moroney. As a recipient of the Order of Canada, and conductor of the acclaimed Orpheus Choir of Toronto and Mendelssohn Youth Choir, among others, Robert Cooper's teaching is widely sought after; the OMC is the only mens' chorus conducted by Mr. Cooper.

OMC's debut concerts in 2013 were a widely acclaimed artistic success. These showcased the talents of four student musician soloists, as well as the recently formed group of young men, the Canadian Mens' Chorus (who have also been featured at the Stratford Summer Music Festival this year).

Would you like to be part of this artistic endeavor? Would you like to make an impact on the performance of 100+ singers and dozens of music students and young musicians from across Southwestern Ontario, each year?

Singers, sponsors, interested parties, feel free to contact us at: ontariomalechorus1@gmail.com

Artistic Director – Robert Cooper CM

Robert Cooper CM

One of Canada’s leading choral musicians, Robert Cooper is currently Artistic Director of Chorus Niagara, the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, the Opera-in-Concert Chorus and the newly created Ontario Male Chorus.

Mr. Cooper has had the honour of conducting the National Youth Choir of Canada and made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1997 for a Celebration of Canadian Choral Music. As a superb choral trainer and conductor, Mr. Cooper also provided strong artistic leadership to the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir for 22 successful years, influencing over 2000 young adult singers. Many of those singers have gone on to solo careers, while others are adding their own voices to various choirs across Canada.

In addition to his work with choirs, Mr. Cooper has been involved with the presentation of more than 150 operas for Opera-in-Concert and has conducted symphony orchestras in Halifax, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Orchestra London (ON); opera companies in Victoria, Ottawa and Winnipeg; leading choirs across Canada, major Festivals such as St John’s Festival 500, Festival of the Sound, Stratford Festival, Algoma and Guelph Festivals, many provincial youth choirs including the Ontario Youth Choir, guest engagements with community choirs as well as productions for Toronto Operetta Theatre. For over 20 years he was a guest lecturer and conductor, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, where he most recently conducted the U of T Women’s Chorus. He has been a regular member of the Jury for the international choral competition Let The Peoples Sing, and was one of the international adjudicators for the 2010 World Choral Games in Shaoxing China and the 2012 World Choral Games in Cincinnati USA. Acknowledged as an innovative programmer, Mr. Cooper has premiered works by many Canadian and international composers.

More recently Mr. Cooper was Guest Conductor for the Canadian Association of Male Choirs, Toronto Operetta Theatre’s production of HMS Pinafore, prepared choruses for the Hamilton Philharmonic’s gala presentation of Beethoven’s Ninth and guest conducted the New Brunswick Choral Federation’s ChorFest in 2012.

Over his career Mr Cooper has prepared choruses for many international conductors including Helmuth Rilling, Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, and the late Robert Shaw and Elmer Iseler.

Mr. Cooper left CBC Radio Two after 31 years as Executive Producer of Opera and Choral Music and bringing fine vocal and choral music to all of Canada. He has served as President of both the Ontario Choral Federation and the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors, sat on the Board of Directors of Chorus America, is currently on the Advisory Board of the International Federation of Choral Music and is a member of the World Choral Council. Awarded the St. Catharines’ Trillium Arts Award for excellence in the arts, Robert Cooper is also the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Brock University, the Order of Canada and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for his significant contribution to the Canadian choral community.