Kedron United Church

I have been the Music Director at Kedron United Church in Oshawa since March 22nd 2020, which means that my first service was streamed live online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I can’t say that was how I imagined my job would be when I was first interviewing for this position, but I got to see just how driven this church is to keep its community engaged and together during a time of isolation, and fear.

I grew up at Thornhill United Church, where I developed a love for sharing music. I was influenced greatly by my Mother who plays piano and enjoys singing in choirs, and my Father who was ordained as a United Church minister in 2005. After that we went to Trinity United Church in Malton where my Dad was minister, and my Mom was music director. My sister and I sang in the choir, and performed solos at various concerts and special occasions.

Later I went on to study music at York University where I started studying classical music on trumpet for two years before switching to jazz piano for the last three years. I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2016, but during the time I was at school I also kept busy performing in various musical theatre productions in Toronto and around the world to pursue my second passion in life: acting. I have had amazing opportunities to perform in the Middle East, China, France, South Africa, and all over Canada.

Despite some exciting adventures around the world, I am always happier at home among friends and family, and so I endeavored to focus on opportunities closer to home. I currently teach many students of all ages both privately and through a school in Toronto called Stay At Home Music, and when the opportunity came up here in Oshawa and I met the team that I work with now, it felt like a great fit.

In a time of quarantine there are naturally lots of feelings of anxiety, grief, and restlessness. I have been so grateful to provide music to the services at Kedron United, which has been adapting to provide comfort in new ways for the new world we find ourselves in, which is what I think the United Church is all about. My spirits have been lifted so much by the kind words I see on the live stream every week, and the sense of community that the service brings. I look forward to being a part of what this church will continue to provide for its community.