Meet Our Team

Dr. Rachel Rensink-Hoff—Artistic Director

Rachel Rensink-Hoff is Associate Professor and Chair of Music at Brock University and Artistic Director of the Avanti Singers. 2014 winner of the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting of the Ontario Arts Council, Rachel and choirs under her direction have been the recipients of numerous honours and awards. Her women’s choir earned first prize in their category of the 2015 National Choral Competition for Amateur Choirs and in 2019 the Avanti Chamber Singers was named “Most Promising New Adult Ensemble.” She was recipient of the 2022 Arts in Education Award by the City of St. Catharines and in 2024 was awarded the Faculty of Humanities Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Rachel is Past Vice-President of Programming for Choral Canada and Past-President of Choirs Ontario, maintaining an active career as adjudicator, clinician, workshop presenter and juror both locally and across Canada. She has served as conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Choir (2017), the Alberta Youth Choir (2022) and the Ontario Youth Choir (2023) and presents regularly at conferences nationally and internationally. Recipient of the 2010 Choral Canada National Choral Award for Outstanding Dissertation, her ongoing research focuses on conductor training and mentorship, choral programming, and the intersections of creative practice and mental wellbeing.

Rachel holds Master of Music and Doctoral degrees in choral conducting and music education from Western University. She has completed additional choral studies at the Chorus America Conducting Academy, the Eastman School of Music Summer Conducting Institute, and the Voice Care Network of St. John’s University, Minnesota.

Rabekah Wiseman—Apprentice Conductor

Rabekah Wiseman is a multifaceted musician and conductor passionate about building inclusive, multi-generational spaces through choral singing. She is the founder and conductor of the Meadowlands Community Choir, a project-based, un-auditioned SATB ensemble based in Hamilton, Ontario. The ensemble emphasizes musical accessibility and relational connection for singers of all backgrounds and experience levels. Rabekah also serves as children’s choir director at Islington United Church.

Rabekah recently completed a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at Western University, where she studied with Dr. Mark Ramsay and Dr. Tracy Wong. During her graduate studies, Rabekah served as Assistant Conductor for the Western University Singers, Chorale, and Les Choristes, gaining experience with a wide range of choral repertoire and ensemble formats. Before this, she held the role of Assistant Conductor with the Grand Philharmonic Youth Choir in Kitchener. A common thread between all these experiences is the importance of collaboration and relationship building, both hallmarks of Rabekah’s leadership style. Rabekah also holds an Honours Bachelor of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from McMaster University, where she studied with Tim White. While there, she sang in the McMaster University Choir and studied choral pedagogy under Dr. Tracy Wong, exploring the connection between breathwork in brass playing and vocal technique—an area that continues to inform her work with singers of all ages. Throughout her studies, Rabekah has been committed to delving deeply into vocal pedagogy and function to better serve the singers in her groups. She has been fortunate enough to provide workshops on specific vocal pedagogy topics such as the voice change through female adolescence, and most recently, how singers can support their singing through midlife and beyond.

Alongside her choral work, Rabekah is an experienced worship leader and multi-instrumentalist. She currently serves as Worship Coordinator at Grace Community Christian Reformed Church and is a long-time volunteer worship leader at The Salvation Army Meadowlands Community Church. She also participates in The Resonance Project at Islington United Church and regularly leads worship services with her husband, Jake Wiseman. Her worship leadership focuses on blending traditional and contemporary styles to support meaningful congregational engagement.

Dr. Leanne Vida—Vocal Coach

Leanne is thrilled to be performing and coaching with Avanti this season! Upon completion of an Honours Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at Brock University, she attended Western University Canada to complete two graduate degrees: a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Literature, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance. Leanne has extensive operatic, music theatre, and recording credits, and has performed throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. Leanne is the voice instructor at Brock University, and is also an adjunct professor of voice at Niagara University, a music instructor at Ridley College, and maintains a small home teaching studio.

An active performer, Leanne sings in two choirs (Avanti Chamber Singers, The Edison Singers), three bands (High Fidelity, Temple of Night, Minuscule), and frequently performs as a soprano soloist and session musician. Recent research projects include a curriculum of Canadian Art Song, and the development of a meditation technique for singers and performers. When not making music, Leanne can be found at her local yoga studio, cultivating her wild perennial garden, or immersed in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

Lesley Kingham—Accompanist

Ms Kingham holds a BMus from the U. of Western Ontario (gold medal in pipe organ performance), and a MMus from the U. of Notre Dame (Indiana). She is the regular rehearsal and concert accompanist for Avanti Chamber Singers, and was formerly organ and keyboard instructor as well as staff accompanist at Brock University. In addition she is organist and music director at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in St. Catharines. Ms Kingham also maintains a private music studio, specializing in piano, and continues to accompany widely as both pianist and organist throughout southern Ontario.

Harris Loewen—Conductor Emeritus

Dr. Harris Loewen (BMus, UBC; DMA, U. of Iowa) was Associate Professor in the Department of Music at Brock University (1987-2018), where he conducted the university choral ensembles and taught related courses. During his career, he was a chorister, baritone soloist and/or conductor with professional and amateur choirs in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, also performing as a pop and jazz vocalist in various settings. In Niagara, Loewen was the founding conductor of the Niagara Vocal Ensemble (1991-2011), Avanti Chamber Singers (2006-17), and Brock University Men’s Chorus (2008-2017). Under his direction, the university choirs and community ensembles released five recordings in the Voices of Niagara CD Series, featuring the work of Niagara composers. Over the years, Loewen has written vocal and choral music for television and a variety of other commissions. Since his retirement, a number of these choral compositions and arrangements are being published, along with some newer works.

Amelia Van Hoffen—General Manager