January 2021
Our guest speaker is Melissa Morgan
Dr. Melissa Morgan is a choral conductor, educator and performer. Currently, she directs the choral program at the University of Regina where she also teaches courses in choral conducting and vocal diction. She is frequently asked to appear as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor throughout Canada.
Previous to her appointment at the University of Regina, Dr. Morgan was the Pfeifer Memorial Chair of Music at Luther College High School where she was responsible for the Luther College Senior Choir, the auditioned choir AVE, the String Ensemble, the Luther Band, and the IB music program. Her choirs have performed at a variety of events including Association of Canadian Choral Communities Podium Conferences, showcase concerts at the Rocky Mountain Music Festival in Banff, the installation of the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan ceremony and at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Dr. Morgan was also the founder and artistic director of the Prairie Chamber Choir. Under her direction the Prairie Chamber Choir won second place in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs chamber choir category. The choir released, Wake the Grain: Choral Art Music from the Prairies a recording to celebrate and honour composers from the Prairie region with a hope to encourage and support new Canadian music.
Dr. Morgan holds a Doctorate of Music Performance in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto, a Master of Music Performance in Choral Conducting from the University of Western Ontario, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Regina. She is also an Associate of the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT) in piano, voice, and flute. Throughout her education she has had the privilege of studying with exemplary teachers. She is grateful to have worked under the supervision of Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, Dr. Victoria Meredith, Kathryn Laurin, and Diana Woolrich. In October 2017, Dr. Morgan was named as one of CBC Saskatchewan's Future 40 under 40 recipients.
