Artistic Director
Jordan Van Biert is a choral conductor and organization builder based in Edmonton, AB, Canada where he directs adult choirs of many types, and works within the community to build opportunities for engagement with choral music for all ages.
He works with singers of various degrees of training and experience, and with a passion for excellence, seeks to identify and create opportunities to grow artistic capacity and provide rich experiences for performers and audiences.
He holds degrees from The King’s University and the University of Alberta and has participated in a variety of masterclasses and symposia with master conductors in Canada and beyond. He has directed many choral ensembles for youth and adults, taught private music lessons for many years and has instructed in choir and musicianship at the high school and undergraduate levels.
An accomplished ensemble singer, he has appeared regularly with Alberta’s professional choirs in Edmonton and Calgary. He is in demand as a workshop leader, adjudicator, juror and organizational consultant.
Accompanist
Kim Cousineau, B.Mus, ARCT, AVCM, received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Victoria, and studied privately with Anna Cal, student of Russian pianist Pavel Egorov.
He has been involved with operatic and musical theater productions including Carmen, Hansel & Gretel and the world premieres of Mary’s Wedding, Rattenbury (Pacific Opera Victoria), Candide, La Voix Humaine (Opera Nuova), Bernarda Alba, The Light in the Piazza (MacEwan Theatre), The Last Resort (Mayfield Dinner Theatre) and Urinetown (Concordia University of Edmonton). Kim was staff pianist and coach with Vancouver Island summer music programs “In The Key Of Glee” and “A Voce Sola” and with Singspiration in Edmonton.
He is in high demand as a choral accompanist in the Edmonton area, working with many groups including Concordia Concert Choir, Da Camera Singers, Vocal Alchemy, Joyful Noise and Chronos Vocal Ensemble.
In 2012, Kim was the recipient of the BC Choral Federation’s Joyce O. Maguire Award for outstanding long-term service as a choral accompanist.
Choral assistant
Nathan Bootsma is a multi-faceted freelance musician who enjoys wearing many different musical hats. He is the Director of Music Ministries at The Christian Reformed Church of St. Albert where he is able to extensively use his passion for music and music education and loves being able to contribute to the building of the music community. He is also the director of Etown Augmented, an non-auditioned adult community pop/rock/jazz/ choir in Edmonton, and the Assistant Conductor and tenor section leader with Ante Meridiem.
Nathan graduated from The King’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, which is where he caught the choral bug and became a huge music nerd.
He now gigs all over the place and is a founding member of The Copper Coins. Nathan is also a multi-instrumentalist and an accomplished singer. He has sung extensively with Chronos Vocal Ensemble, was the tenor representative for Alberta in the 2018 National Youth Choir and sings in the professional choir Pro Coro Canada.
When he’s not in some sort of rehearsal, Nathan would like to be found on the golf course. Sadly, he can’t be found there as often as he would like.
Section leaders
Janet Smith – Soprano
Jennifer O’Donnell – Alto
Nathan Bootsma – Tenor
Peter Malcolm – Bass
Board of Directors
The Ante Meridiem Choral Association (AMCA) board of directors manages and provides oversight and direction to the affairs of AMCA.
Board of Directors, 2021-2022:
Karin Conradi, President
Christopher Lucarotti, Vice President
Mary Turner, Secretary
Jacqueline Willette, Treasurer
Audrey Brooks, Director
Lorrie Given, Director
Jean Tredget, Director
Wendy Smith, Director
Heather Smith, Director
Madeleine Henkemans, Past President
We are also grateful for the enthusiastic team of volunteers who help keep things running smoothly and effectively throughout the choir season.
Duties of Board Members
President
Calls meetings of the Board as necessary
Sets agenda for the meetings
Ensures that discussion stays on topic and that everyone has a fair chance to contribute
Advises administration at UCE that we are using the meeting room
Treasurer (or designate)
Manages accounts payable and receivable
Does the banking
Does the book keeping
Supplies financial information for grants and grant reports
Prepares and presents financial reports for the Board
Prepares a year-end financial statement
Ensures that the financial records are audited yearly
Assists with preparation of the budget
Director
Attends meetings of the Board
Participates in the discussions and decision making of the Board
Serves on task-related committees
Secretary
Prepares minutes of board meetings and makes them available to the Board
Prepares minutes of the annual general meeting (AGM)
Maintains an archive of the minutes of past AGMs
Maintains a record of the bylaws and any changes to the bylaws and makes these available to the Board
Collects registration forms for choir membership
Maintains and updates membership lists
Creates monthly attendance sheets
Vice-president (optional)
Presides at meetings of the Society and the Board in the absence of the president.