Our Mission

Exultate Chamber Singers strives to consistently achieve high quality performances of a broad repertoire of challenging music for chamber choir and to actively contribute to the development of the local and broader Canadian choral community.

Our Mandate

• To engage audiences through live concerts, special performances, and media
• To support the creation and performance of Canadian choral music through commissions, selective programming, touring, recording, and special events, with an increasing awareness of diversity in the artform
• To engage in meaningful collaborations with musical and community partners
• To contribute to the continued musical development of singers, composers, and conductors both in Exultate and the larger choral community

About EXULTATE CHAMBER SINGERS

Founded in 1981, Exultate Chamber Singers is an adult mixed-voice chamber choir located in the heart of downtown Toronto. The ensemble is enriched not only by the strong musicianship of its members but also by their varied ages, cultural backgrounds, and academic and professional credentials. Together they form a passionate, committed ensemble with a wide-ranging repertoire.

The choir is a three-time winner of the Healey Willan Grand Prize in the CBC National Radio Competition and was awarded first place in the chamber choir category of Choral Canada’s 2019 National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs. 

Founded and led for 30 years by conductor and organist John Tuttle, in 2011 the choir welcomed New Zealand native Dr. Karen Grylls as artistic director while she was visiting Canada on an academic sabbatical. From 2013 to 2018 Exultate was led by Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, head of choral activities at the University of Toronto. Upon Hilary's retirement in May 2018, the choir was delighted to appoint Dr. Mark Ramsay as artistic director. Mark is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Choral Activities at the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University, and is sought after as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician.

In addition to presenting its subscription series, Exultate has made regular guest appearances around Ontario, including the Colours of Music Festival and Georgian Music Series in Barrie, the Elora Festival, and Roy Thomson Hall's Choir & Organ series. The choir has collaborated with dozens of ensembles and solo artists including The Tenors, Toronto Children's Chorus, DaCapo Chamber Choir, Toronto Winds, and Orpheus Choir. In addition, Exultate has performed with celebrated composers Alice Parker, Morten Lauridsen, and Ola Gjeilo. In June 2015, Exultate was one of several choirs performing Apocalypsis by R. Murray Schafer in Toronto's Luminato festival. Exultate has also toured to Prince Edward Island, participating in three concerts at the Indian River Festival in the summer of 2003. Exultate’s recordings are frequently broadcast on CBC radio.

Exultate was proud to be chosen as a featured choir at PODIUM 2022, Canada’s National Choral Conference and Festival.

The choir has released six albums to date. It’s sixth, At First Light, showcases new Canadian choral music commissioned by the choir in recent years. We have worked to promote the composers and their music, and are delighted that several of the pieces have been both published and performed by other choirs.

In addition to its regular concert series, Exultate sponsors an Apprentice Conductor Program, New Music Reading Sessions for Young Composers, and numerous commissioning projects.

Exultate is a member of Choirs Ontario and is grateful for the support of the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, the KM Hunter Charitable Foundation, the SOCAN Foundation, and FACTOR.

Our many generous donors are our greatest funders and supporters, and we are deeply grateful.