Canadian composer and conductor Stephanie Martin is associate professor of music at York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance, and Design. She directs Schola Magdalena, a women’s ensemble for chant, medieval and modern music. She is conductor emeritus of Pax Christi Chorale, and past director of music at the historic church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Toronto.
Martin’s newest oratorio WATER: an environmental oratorio premièred in Kitchener-Waterloo’s Centre in the Square in 2023 (Mark Vuorinen, conductor). Other works include an oratorio, The Sun, the Wind, and the Man with the Cloak (2019), an opera Llandovery Castle (2018), about nurses who lost their lives in WW1 aboard their Canadian hospital ship, a Requiem mass Requiem for All Souls (2017) premiered in San Diego (Ruben Valenzuela, conductor) and Missa Chicagoensis (2017) premiered at St. John Cantius parish in Chicago (Fr Scott Haynes, conductor). Her choral symphony Babel (2016) premièred at Wilfrid Laurier University (Lee Willingham, conductor), celebrating the 40th anniversary of the WLU Faculty of Music.
Martin’s choral music is published by Cypress Music in Vancouver, and Renforth Music in New Brunswick, and Selah Publishing in Pittsburg. The Canadian Music Centre in Toronto holds several scores, including instrumental chamber music and solo song.
Commissions include works for Voces Capituli, Antwerp; the Canadian Men’s Chorus; Toronto Diocesan Choir School for Girls; the Winnipeg Organ Festival; Richard Eaton Singers of Edmonton; Saskatoon Chamber Singers; Winnipeg Singers; Halifax Camerata; Elora Singers, Kitchener-Waterloo Grand Philharmonic, and choirs in California, Illinois, New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia. Pax Christi Chorale’s CD Winter Nights includes the cantata of the same name, along with a choral work commissioned by Ex Cathedra, Birmingham, UK. Victoria B.C’s Christ Church Cathedral commissioned The Legend of the Bird (2012), The Rock Dove (2014) and Alpha and Omega (2015) and The Souls of the Saints (2019). Martin’s string quartet From a distant island received its third performance by Skyros String Quartet, June 2014.
Artistic Director of Pax Christi Chorale from 1996 to 2017, Martin conducted many memorable oratorios, and commissioned several new Canadian compositions. Performance highlights include Elgar’s The Kingdom (2012), Dream of Gerontius (2001) and The Music Makers (2007); Britten’s Saint Nicolas; a semi-staged Bach’s Saint John Passion, Mass in B Minor, Christmas Oratorio; Mozart’s Requiem; Handel’s Solomon, Messiah and Israel in Egypt; Brahms’ German Requiem; Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Saint Paul; Poulenc’s Gloria; and Vaughan Williams’ Hodie and Dona Nobis Pacem; and the North American premiere of C.H.H. Parry’s JUDITH at Koerner Hall(2015). A unique performance of Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ (2016) incorporated dancers from the York University Dance Ensemble, and notably, she conducted the Canadian premiere of Elgar’s The Apostles (2017).
An accomplished composer of works for both voices and instruments, Martin’s awards include the York University AMPD research award (2019), the Exultate Chamber Singers’ competition (2009), and the Association of Anglican Musicians competition (2010). She became an associate of the Canadian Music Centre in 2011, and was composer in residence for the Barrie Music Festival (2012). She accompanied Mosaic choir as resident composer on their tour to Israel (2019).
Producing in the booth, or performing for the mics, Stephanie has recorded with many ensembles on the Naxos, Marquis and Dorian labels, as well as several self-produced recordings on her ‘SJM’ label. Her love of historically informed performance was fostered over 15 years of activity with Arbor Oak Trio, who performed hundreds of chamber music concerts and several fully staged dramatic works, including Arne’s rarely heard Love in a Village, Locke’s Cupid and Death and Gay’s Beggar’s Opera.
Martin holds degrees from the University of Toronto, Wilfrid Laurier University, and is an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. In York University’s School of Arts,Media,Performance and Design she teaches music history, composition, harpsichord and organ, and coaches historical ensembles.
