Conductor – Dee Lawrence
Dee was the conductor of the former YRDSB Staff Singers from 1989- 1994 and took on that role again in 2007-2008. She earned Hons. B. Music and B.Ed. degrees from the University of Western Ont. where she studied choral conducting with the esteemed Deral Johnson. Dee completed a graduate diploma in Fine Arts specializing in the Kodaly Method of Music Education from The University of Calgary, and a Master of Sacred Music Degree at Emmanuel College of Victoria University in the University of Toronto.
Dee retired in June 2015 after 29 years of teaching with the YRDSB, and began her tenure as conductor with the newly formed Encore! Chorus in September of that year. Dee worked as the Administrator for the Newmarket Lions’ Music Festival from 2019 – 2021, and served as an executive member of the Southern Ontario Chapter of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada from 2016-2022. Dee currently serves as the Chair of the Leadership Team at Knox United Church – Sutton, and is active in her community as a Director on the Board of the Georgina Historical Society, as well as the Board for the Georgina Centre for Arts and Culture.
Accompanist – George Vandikas
George Vandikas is an active teacher, performer, and collaborative pianist in a wide variety of musical genres. He is an alumnae of the University of Toronto Music Program where he earned undergrad and graduate degrees in piano performance. He studied and participated in master classes with such notable pianists as James Anagnoson, Boris Lysenko, William Aide, Patricia Parr, Greta Kraus, Eugene List and Anton Kuerti. Together with his wife Sheila, they run a successful music studio in Newmarket and have raised four children, all of whom are accomplished pianists.
Encore! Choir 