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CONDUCTOR, COMPOSER, SOPRANO
Kathleen Allan is a conductor, composer and soprano whose work reflects her belief that music has a unique power to create community and a shared sense of belonging. Originally from St John’s, NL, she grew up in a culture where traditional music and storytelling shaped her creative identity. She now serves as Artistic Director of the Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto and Chorus Niagara, and teaches conducting at the University of Toronto.
Known for her collaborative and expressive leadership, Allan designs programs that bring new relevance to classical music, often pairing major works with contemporary voices, new commissions, or interdisciplinary collaborations. She founded the Amadeus Choir’s Choral Creation Lab, a nationally recognized incubator that brings composers and poets together to create original work, and she has championed projects that support Indigenous artists and emerging creators in over two dozen commissions.
Her guest conducting appearances include the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Luminato Festival and ensembles in Japan. She has also conducted and performed her own compositions, which are published internationally and have been featured at two World Symposiums on Choral Music. In 2025, Allan was awarded the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting by the Ontario Arts Council.
Across all her work, Allan is guided by connection, artistry and a commitment to making music feel immediate and alive.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Featured
Mother Country is here to chronicle the eternal journey home.
Their songs carry the grit of Southern folk, the sweep of Americana, and the reflective depth of someone who’s lived a thousand miles of road. The sound pulls from a wide range of roots: the storytelling of The Band, the cinematic scope of Iron & Wine, the exploratory edge of cosmic country.
Two of the most iconic works ever written combine for an unforgettable spectacle of power and mystery. Experience the thunderous force of Carmina Burana alongside the hypnotic tones of Tubular Bells, made famous by the haunting soundtrack of The Exorcist. Featuring the acclaimed Bergmann Duo on duelling pianos and the soaring sounds of the Chorus Niagara Children's Choir, this Halloween weekend concert will be nothing short of thrilling.
The Hannaford Street Silver Band joins the Amadeus Choir for Requiem at Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. The brass ensemble and choir work through contemporary pieces on remembrance, identity, grief and hope. The concert takes place on Queen Street East.
FEATURED COMPOSITIONS
Featured
A fun and challenging arrangement of the counting song also known as “The Ten Commandments.”
Available from Cypress
A setting of Archibald Lampman’s “Winter Uplands.”
Available from Cypress Choral Music
A challenging setting of Guillaume Apollinaire's poem "Il Pleut."
Available from MusicSpoke
An uplifting and lyrical setting of Sara Teasdale’s poem by the same name.
Available from Cypress Choral Music
A rousing arrangement of a folksong celebrating the triumph of a woman on the shores of Newfoundland.
Available from Cypress Choral Music
An uplifting anthem for 2-part treble choir of all abilities and piano accompaniment
Available from MusicSpoke
A challenging 3-movement work for treble choir with poetry by Miriam Waddington (1917-2004).
Available from the composer
Commissioned by the Yale Glee Club.
Available from Boosey & Hawkes
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