Our Musical Directors
Ryan Billington, Director 2017 -- Present
BM Jazz Studies/Voice 
MM Voice Performance
Ryan Billington holds a tenured position, as Music Professor, at St. Francis Xavier University In Antigonish. Since 2017, Ryan has brought his wealth of experience, skill, and knowledge to the members of Cape Breton Chorale, leading us in performances at the Celtic Colours International Festival, Fortress of Louisbourg, and many of our own concert productions. His beautiful singing voice and technical abilities to help us produce lovely, flowing sounds became evident at our first rehearsal under his guidance.
Since coming to Nova Scotia in 2004, Ryan has taught master classes, has served as clinician and adjudicator for many festivals, and his student vocal ensemble has been featured on CBC Radio 2. Ryan has a great love of Jazz and manifests his creativity in that genre both vocally and in arrangements for vocal ensembles. As a vocalist, he has sung in Musical Theatre, Oratorio, Blues in addition to Jazz. He has performed as a soloist with Halifax Camerata Singers, Acadia University, Lady Cove Women’s Choir, and in original compositions of Peter Togni.
As an arranger and composer, Ryan has written music for contemporary vocal ensembles, male chorus, handbells, theatre productions, and for solo voice. He has served as Resident Conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Choir, Vocal Jazz Ensemble Director at the University of Toronto, and was Founding Director of the Antigonish Choral Ensemble.
Brandon Mollon, Assistant Director, 2024-2025
Brandon Mollon is a High School Music Educator in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. Mr. Mollon, a resident of Cape Breton, completed his undergraduate studies in both music and music education; and, achieved a master’s degree in music specializing in Choral and Instrumental Conducting. These degrees, all from Memorial University of Newfoundland allowed him the privilege of being mentored in conducting by Dr. Doug Dunsmore OC., Dr. Jason Caslor, Dr. Paul DeCinque, Dr. Jakub Martinec, and Mr. Bill Brennan. In addition to his school and work commitments, and the Chorale, Mr. Mollon works as the Co-Director of the Cape Breton Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus. He is also a past Director/Assistant Director/Guest Director of the Cape Breton Orchestra, Second Wind Community Band, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Festival 500: Come All Ye, and the Anchormen Barbershop Chorus. Mr. Mollon is currently serving in the Canadian Forces as an Officer working with the Cadet Instructors Cadre. He has held the position of Director of Music at both Greenwood CTC and Blackdown CTC, and the position as Officer in Command of the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Cadets.
Rosemary McGhee (Interim Conductor) 2015 -- 2017
A native of York, England, Rosemary McGhee graduated from the 'Guildhall School of Music and Drama' in London and gained a Certificate of Education from the 'University of London' Institute of Education. She holds a diploma in Kodaly Education.
After teaching in northern England, Ms. McGhee came to Canada, settling in Cape Breton as a music educator in 1974. Since that time she has taught music at the elementary, junior high and high school levels within the jurisdiction of the Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board.
Throughout her career Ms. McGhee endeavoured to foster the development of choral music, conducting choirs at all age levels and acting as accompanist for the Cape Breton Youth Choir for nine years. She undertook the role of assistant conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Choir for two years and acted as accompanist for a summer camp organized by the Nova Scotia Choral Federation.
Ms. McGhee has been a member of the 'Cape Breton Chorale' since 1974. In the recent decade she has provided extensive sectional leadership for the men's voices and, in 2011, she assumed the greater role of Assistant Conductor of the 'Chorale'. She has directed the senior choir at St. Anthony Daniel Parish in Sydney for thirty-four years. In her capacity as church musician she has conducted many combined choirs of the Antigonish Diocese and given workshops in choral music.
Since retiring from teaching in 2006, Ms. McGhee has continued to pursue an active role in the field of choral music.
Sister Rita Clare (Founding Conductor)1973 -- 2014, (Conductor Emeritus) 2015 -- 2017
Dedicated to the love of music and the pursuit of excellence in its teaching, Sister Rita Clare was recognized as an outstanding educator.
She completed a Master of Arts degree in Music and Music Education at Columbia University in New York and pursued further studies at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, the Saratoga Potsdam Choral Institute, New York, and the Voice Care Network, Collegeville, Minnesota. She has been associated with workshops with such outstanding conductors as Sir David Willcocks, Dr. Elmer Iseler and Jon Washburn.
Until her retirement, she was the Supervisor of Fine Arts for the Cape Breton District School Board. She is past director of the Holy Angels Chorale and the Cape Breton Youth Choir, and is the founding and current director of the Cape Breton Chorale.
Under her direction, the Cape Breton Chorale has been recognized nationally and internationally for its artistic performances.
Sister Rita Clare's efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 1985, she was made an Honorary Citizen of the City of Sydney. The Government of Nova Scotia expressed its gratitude for her work in organizing and conducting a two hundred voice choir organized for the Jeux Canada Games in 1987. Also, in 1992 she received a commemorative medal on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada.
She is an honorary life member of the Nova Scotia Music Educators Association (1998) and the Nova Scotia Choral Federation (1998) as well as well as the Jubilate Award of Merit presented by the Canadian Music Educators Association in recognition of significant contribution to Music Education in Canada (2005).
One of Sister's most cherished awards is the degree of Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa in 1991 from the University College of Cape Breton recognizing her as a "leader in the Arts in Cape Breton and a foremost promoter of music education in Nova Scotia."