Cape Breton Chorale welcomes new conductor!
Ryan Billington is a versatile vocalist, arranger and conductor. Since 2004, he has taught private voice, choral/vocal jazz ensembles and various classes in the music department at St. Francis Xavier University including, Songwriters and their Songs, Songwriting Workshop and Women and Popular Music. His main areas of interest are jazz/pop vocal performance, vocal pedagogy, choral ensemble direction and arranging for small vocal ensemble settings. In 2011, his student vocal ensemble EXTRA from StFX was featured nationally on CBC Radio 2 Choral Concert with host Peter Togni.
Ryan completed a Master of Music in Voice performance and Jazz at Western Michigan University in 2002. Prior to his appointment at StFX, Ryan performed as a professional choral singer in Toronto with the Nathaniel Dett Chorale and other professional choral ensembles.
In recent years, Ryan has performed across Atlantic Canada in jazz, oratorio, musical theatre and choral settings. He has held the position of assistant director for the Halifax Camerata Singers and has also performed and recorded with the Canadian Chamber Choir.
Recent original compositions of Ryan’s include “Atacama, Gateway to the Stars” written for Toronto mezzo-soprano Ali Garrison and piano (2015), and original music for plays by American playwright Sarah Ruhl – Eurydice (Theatre Antigonish 2017), and Stage Kiss (Festival Antigonish 2017).
Ryan directs the Antigonish Choral Ensemble, and as of September 2017 has begun his first season as Artistic Director and Conductor for the Cape Breton Chorale.
Ryan will conduct the chorale concert on November 11 at Christ the King Anglican Church in Sydney, NS.