FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2026 | Toronto, Ontario – Choirs Ontario is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Tracy Wong as conductor of the 2027 Ontario Youth Choir. The Ontario Youth Choir is one of Ontario’s most prestigious youth choirs and choral training programs, and core artistic program for Choirs Ontario.
“On behalf of the Choirs Ontario board and the selection committee, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wong to lead OYC this season. As unquestionably one of this country’s leading choral conductor-composers, I know that OYC singers will be inspired by her leadership and artistry.” – Dr. Patrick Murray, Choirs Ontario Board President
Dr. Tracy Wong is a Malaysian-Canadian choral conductor, music educator, composer, vocalist, and pianist. Dr. Wong is passionate about helping choral leaders and educators to provide unique experiences for their singers and students through commissions, customized workshops, festivals, and artist residences. She does this through focusing on the balance of performance practice considerations, vocal and acoustic explorations, choral artistry, and heart.
Dr. Wong has been appointed to the Eileen Mercier Professorship in Choral Music at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music where she is an assistant professor, leads choral ensembles (Laurier Singers and Concert Choir) and mentors choral conducting students. She holds a Doctor in Musical Arts and Master in Music Performance (Choral Conducting) from the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, and a Bachelor of Music (Piano Performance) from the University of Newcastle, Australia. She is a two-time recipient of the 2016 & 2017 Elmer Iseler National Graduate Fellowship in Choral Conducting, a nominee of the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting, and holds teaching awards from McMaster University (2018-19 McMaster University Student Union Teaching Award) and Western University (2024-25 Vice-Provost (Academic Programs) Award for Excellence in Collaborative Teaching).
As a composer-arranger, she advocates for repertoire-based music education, and her choral works support the development of vocal technique, musicianship skills, and artistry. Her music reflects the blend of different lived experiences, languages, and musical elements that continue to influence her compositional writing.
“It is a profound honour and privilege to step into the role of guest conductor for the 2027 Ontario Youth Choir. Having witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of this program on so many levels, I deeply respect the lineage of extraordinary choral artists, singers, composers, conductors, educators, and off-stage leaders who have built its lasting legacy. At the heart of our work with the 2027 cohort will be a shared commitment to deep collaboration and a celebration of the rich depth of our choral culture. Together, we will sing our Canadian stories – honouring where we came from while courageously exploring what is to come for the future of our art form. I am thrilled to partner with the brilliant collaborative pianist Yvonne Choi as we embark on this creative journey, and I extend my sincere gratitude to Choirs Ontario and their supporters for championing this vital platform.” – Dr. Tracy Wong
Conductors for the Ontario Youth Choir are selected by competitive nomination process and were reviewed by a committee consisting of members of the Choirs Ontario board of Directors and three external reviewers. This year’s committee comprised Patrick Murray, Charissa Bagan, Greg Rainville, Nila Rajagopal, Melanie Tellez, Rachel Rensink-Hoff and Marta McCarthy.
The 2027 Ontario Youth Choir will run from July 30 to August 8, 2027.
Choirs Ontario is excited to welcome Tracy Wong and honoured to have her lead the artistic team in the 56th Ontario Youth Choir.