Music Leadership at St. Paul’s

Gail Ovington has accepted the Dean’s invitation to be our music director on an interim basis commencing Sept 1 through to the end of April 2020. Gail has poured both talent and enthusiasm into this role in recent months, and while she does not seek a permanent appointment as we continue to seek a worthy successor to the Bergs, she is keen to assist us in this time of transition.

Concerning a permanent successor, the selection committee met, interviewed and auditioned Mr. Rolf Bertsch who was with us, incognito, in late May. Rolfe is an acclaimed professional musician (a former assistant conductor with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra); he is a brilliant pianist, an acclaimed teacher, presently in both Calgary and Toronto, and an affable leader and teacher. The selection committee enjoyed working with him and he with us. For various reasons Rolf hopes to move to Kamloops permanently in 2020 at which time he will relinquish some of his current professional commitments. Rolf will be our first Musician in Residence in October when he will rehearse singers and players together; he will perform a public recital on piano and facilitate a student master class; he will lead music in worship and organize a community fundraising concert. 

While the committee remains open to other applicants (we have had four conversations to date including Rolf), it is our hope and dream that our needs and Rolf’s abilities can combine well to support and grow our choral and instrumental programme here at St. Paul’s. 

Many thanks to Jim Waldie and other members of the selection committee including Carol Edwards, Roger Parkes, Sheelagh Russell, Jennifer Cane, Randy Patch and Jon Buckle.