Canadian soprano and teaching artist Gwenna Fairchild-Taylor believes in the power of the arts as a catalyst for community building and social change and strives to make sure everyone has access to creative experiences. She holds an M.Mus in Opera (University of Toronto) and a B.Mus in Voice Performance (Western University) and is a graduate of the Opera Omaha Holland Community Opera Fellowship. She is a past recipient of an Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Recent performance highlights include Finzi In Terra Pax (Mississauga Chamber Singers), Vaughan-Williams Sea Symphony (Hart House Symphony), Mozart Requiem (Dalhousie Collegium Cantorum), premieres with the Artsong Collaborative Project, and workshops with Fawn Chamber Creative and Good Mess Opera Theatre. She looks forward to singing Sieglinde in Die Walkϋre this summer with Grand River Opera. 

 

Gwenna consults on arts curriculum and facilitates workshops and discussions about opera and civic practice for companies throughout Canada.  She wrote the curriculum and continues to consult for and teach “Learning English Through Song,” a program run by The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall that facilitates language learning and community building for newcomers through singing. Gwenna is on faculty at Community Music Schools of Toronto where she teaches music for kids aged 9-18 at their Kapapamahchakwew - Wandering Spirit School program, conducts choirs and teaches private voice at their Regent Park location. Gwenna is the Associate Conductor of the Surrey Place Chorus, a choir for adults with intellectual disabilities. Gwenna regularly adjudicates at music festivals, runs teaching artistry and community engagement workshops, and supports students of all ages to discover the joy of singing. Dedicated to community music, Gwenna has written and facilitated community music programming for over 30 organizations across North America.

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