Jorge Sanabria, a Colombian doctor and musician, moved to Canada in 2024 with his partner. While pursuing medical credentials, he rediscovered his love for choral singing, joining the Upper Canada Choristers. From medicine to music, his journey reflects passion, resilience, and the joy of finding community in a new home.

“Joining the Upper Canada Choristers without auditions was crucial for me. Despite past musical experience, singing in an organized choir was new and intimidating. The choir's commitment to community concerts, especially in nursing homes and hospitals, is profoundly rewarding. Laurie Evan Fraser, our artistic director, and Jacqui Atkin, co-founder, are invaluable to our success.”

The Upper Canada Choristers have a history of showcasing multicultural music from many world traditions. In 2008, they founded Cantemos, an ensemble formed with choir members from Colombia and Venezuela. Despite initial growing pains, the choir's anthem, "Blessing-Bendición," was written to celebrate cultural inclusion.

What did “New Beginnings” mean for Upper Canada Chorister, after the sudden withdrawal of a major new composition? It resulted in four brand new songs created by composers of various ages, musical backgrounds, and life stories.

Led by the creative vision of Otto Pierre, the new uniform features variations that allow members to express themselves while staying true to the choir's identity. With a carefully curated colour palette and a range of garment combinations, the choir is set to debut their stylish new look at their upcoming 30th Anniversary concert.

As part of the concert Our Voices Together: Corazones al Unísono. Performed against a filmed, kaleidoscopic background of visual arts. The concert featured 3 pieces of music created for the UCC and Cantemos through commissions and collaborations. This international arts collaboration project featured a shadow puppet theatre production from Barcelona, Spain; an illustration from Toronto, Canada; and a dance performance from Boston, USA.

When Laura Morales Balza was asked to write the lyrics for Cantemos, she considered it a gift. The Bird I Await is a prayer of grief, hope, daydreaming, infinite certainty, and strength. It is a contemplation of nature, through the universal song of a bird.

Our choristers spoke! Read about why some of them joined the choir - and what it came to mean to them, especially during the times of Covid.

donna g interviews Jacinto Salcedo for the CIUT radio show The More the Merrier

Meet Jannie and Paul Mills One of UCC’s long-standing couples… and supporters!

I came to Canada in the fall of 2007 with my wife and two daughters. We landed in Toronto with big hopes for a better future. Little I knew how important singing was for me.

Cantemos’ 10th anniversary commission, La Rosa de los Vientos. Music by César Alejandro Carrillo based on a poem by Jacinto Salcedo