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The Marion Singers began informally in the early 1990s with a core of voices from the Orpheus and St. Clement’s Choirs to celebrate the wedding of Marion Thompson. The continuing bonds of music and friendship have led to the development of a distinctly accomplished choir whose chosen restriction of performing (and rehearsing) a capella enables it to meet the ultimate demands on the blend and tonal shades of their collected voices. The resulting fluency and ease within their discipline has yielded an effortless joy of performance in a repertoire spanning the sacred and the secular from the 15th to the 20th century. The Marion Singers is an all-volunteer group, performing recitals in and around the Greater Toronto Area, raising funds for various humanitarian, non-profit causes from relief work to restoration. Their first CD, self-titled The Marion Singers, was released in 2000. |
 Marion Thompson
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“...a choir ranking among the finest to have performed in the distinguished list to have appeared at Sharon Temple.”
Ruth Mahoney, Site Director, Sharon Temple |
| The Marion Singers are very happy to introduce Christopher Dawes as its next Music Director. |
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Christopher is an accomplished freelance musician well known in the GTA, a fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and a renowned recitalist who has performed recitals across the county as well as many cities in Europe and the United States.
Mr. Dawes has served many churches as Organist and Choir Director for over 30 years, including St. James’ Anglican Cathedral and Timothy Eaton Memorial churches in Toronto. He has served as Director of Canada’s Summer Institute of Church Music in Whitby since 2004.
As well Christopher has collaborated with many choral groups in the Toronto area such as the Elmer Singers and Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Mass Choir and Soundstreams’ Choir 21, to name a few.
Currently Mr. Dawes is accompanist and coach to the graduate and undergraduate choral and instrumental conducting programs at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music. Since 2006 he has also served as a staff accompanist for the Toronto Children’s Chorus. He lives with his wife Marcia and their three children in Georgetown, Ontario. |
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| Director Emeritus Tony Browning began his career playing double bass in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and singing counter tenor in the Minster Choir while studying at the University of York. He is a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music and an Associate of the Royal College of Music. On coming to Canada, he joined the Cathedral Choir of St. James, Toronto; performed in oratorios throughout Ontario; performed for CBC and in recital. On assuming directorship of The Marion Singers from 1997 to 2016, Tony’s depth and range of experiences has flourished in conducting and composing. |
 Tony Browning
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notes by Ann Corkett , Maria Ringo and Robin Harmer
quote by Ruth Mahoney, Site Director, Sharon Temple |
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