Bytown Voices MusicTeam, 2024
Joan Fearnley, Director of Music
Joan Fearnley took up her position as the Director of Music for Bytown Voices in the Fall of 2015
Joan's love for choral singing and conducting began as a teen where she sang and conducted in her home parish in Montreal. She sang as a chorister with many prominent ensembles under excellent leadership including St Lawrence Choir in Montreal, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Ottawa Choral Society and Ottawa’s Seventeen Voyces. In 2006 she founded the Notre Dame Cathedral Women’s choir in Ottawa. In 2008 she took on the leadership of the Notre Dame’s Children’s choir.
Joan is also a versatile singer and recitalist performing both solo and ensemble works in a variety of styles from baroque to contemporary repertoire. She has also performed as a soloist with a number of Ottawa choirs including Coro Vivo, CAMMAC, Castenchel, St Matthews, Knox and Notre Dame. Audiences have been impressed by the beauty of her tone, superb musicianship and communicative stage presence. Joan has pursued private music studies, both in senior levels of vocal performance and advanced theoretical subjects and holds a Master’s in Applied Economics. She actively shares her love of music with students and vocal workshops.
“I am delighted to be the Director of Music with the Bytown Voices,”said Joan. “It continues to provide opportunities to explore new repertoire and to share my love of singing".
Carla Klassen, Choir Pianist
Carla Klassen, Bytown Voices’ choir pianist and Ottawa resident, was born into a musical family and has sung and played piano for most of her life. She grew up attending concerts and participating in various musical endeavours at school, church and with her extended family members. Her first accompanying experience was under the direction of her father, a church musician and college music professor. She is currently also the accompanist of the Ottawa Mennonite Church Senior Choir.
A busy piano teacher, church musician and accompanist, Carla holds a Bachelor’s degree, ARCT and Licentiate Diploma in piano performance. In addition to accompanying various choirs and individuals, she is also a professional chorister, currently singing with The Isabel Voices (Kingston), and recently completing a seventeen year tenure with the Ottawa Bach Choir where she was privileged to perform in many exciting venues, including the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and Carnegie Hall in New York City, and received a JUNO award for Classical Album of the Year in 2020.
In addition to her music making, Carla is the author of two books of hymn reflections. These Songs We Sing: Reflections on the Hymns We Have Loved (Pandora Press, 2022) and Living Our Hymns: These Songs We Sing, Volume 2 (Pandora Press, 2024). She also regularly contributes to the Canadian Mennonite magazine.
Carla began her relationship with Bytown Voices Community Choir in 2015. “It has been a great pleasure to be the pianist for the Bytown Voices over the past number of years,” said Carla. “Choral music is a huge part of my musical background and tradition and any chance to encourage its continuation and enjoyment is an honour and delight!”
2024-04-05
Mélanie Hartshorn-Walton, Mentor-Children's Section
Mélanie Hartshorn-Walton enjoys a multi-faceted career in the arts as a performer, recording artist, conductor and music educator. She is fully bilingual French and English.
Mélanie received her musical education at McGill University (BMus, 1999) and in 2024 she completed a Masters of Education from the Ontario Tech University.
She has performed professionally for many fundraisers and private events throughout Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, including many festivals as a soloist and in duet and trio settings. She sang with the Calgary Opera, Hamilton Opera, Opera by Request (Toronto) and is often featured as soloist with both choirs and orchestras.
Prior to moving to Ottawa in 2015, Mélanie operated her own company Hartshorn-Walton Music, and performed up to 200 events yearly.
As a music conductor, she has led many different ensembles from instruments to voices, jazz to classical and more! She currently conducts the OGS Guitar Ensemble. She also enjoys adjudicating and has adjudicated speech arts, vocal soloists and choirs in music festivals throughout Ontario including the Toronto Music Festival.
Mélanie believes that quality music education should be available to everyone. 2024-10-20
Devon Wastle Thivierge, Music Team Associate
After earning a Licentiate in Vocal Performance from McGill University (2001), Devon promptly launched into a professional career, with a focus on the Baroque and Renaissance styles, singing with many reputable ensembles and esteemed conductors.
As a soloist, Devon has performed various oratorios, early music operas, concerts and recitals, working with le Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal (SMAM) under founder and director Christopher Jackson, the Ottawa Bach Choir, Thirteen Strings, the Grand River Chorus, the Harmonia and Brahms Choirs of Ottawa, and the Carleton University Choir, among others. As an ensemble singer, she has performed with les Boréades (with whom she travelled to France and Prague), l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, SMAM, and the Ottawa Bach Choir. With the latter, she partook of tours through Italy, Germany (Bachfest Leipzig), and Holland, as well as Shanghai and Beijing. For almost two decades she was a regular member of the elite Chapelle de Québec (Bernard Labadie), performing extensively across Canada and North America, most notably at Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Her discography includes works with SMAM (ensemble/soloist), les Boreades, Cirque du Soleil (“Ka” and “Zed”), and the Juno-award winning recording of Mozart’s “Requiem” with Les Violons du Roy and La Chapelle de Quebec.
Devon has given master classes in French Art Song, conducted voice workshops for actors, and has adjudicated for the Kiwanis Music Festival. She is currently the pianist for the Nepean Songsters, as well as part of the music team for Bytown Voices, singing soprano and occasionally taking to the keys. She is also excited to be a part of a new endeavour with Ottawa-based vocal ensemble Senza Nomine. Devon teaches voice and piano in Barrhaven, where she lives with her family. 2025-01-05
