Silver Thread

05/21/2026

We have another SILVER THREAD BIRTHDAY!! Join us in saying hey and wishing a very happy birthday to our soprano, Emily Parker! 🧸

"Emily Parker is a Toronto-based soprano, conductor, and music educator. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto, where she majored in voice and studied conducting. Emily sings professionally with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and has previously sung with St. Clements Church, the Toronto Festival Singers, and Kingsway-Lambton United Church. Her extensive choral background includes participation in the World Youth Choir of 2024 (Germany) and of 2025 (Spain), and the National Youth Choir of Canada.

Emily is an assistant conductor with Young Voices Toronto. She was a conducting intern with the 2023 Ontario Youth Choir, and has previously conducted with choirs such as Modern Sound Collective, Durham Region’s RESOUND choir, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Etobicoke Centennial Choir, and Kingsway-Lambton United Church’s Junior Choir. Emily has taught private voice lessons for several years and is currently completing her Master of Teaching at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto)."

05/17/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended our Interest Sessions today at Podium: Choral Conference & Festival / Congrès et festival choral, we're so proud to present the works of young Canadian Composers from the GTA and beyond!

05/08/2026

INTRODUCING THE MEMBERS OF SILVER THREAD: bass Martin Gomes!! 🌷

"Martin Gomes (he/they) is a writer born & based in downtown Toronto. As a city mouse, he’s hard to pin down. If he’s not at his local Second Cup, you can catch him performing with various different groups around the world. These groups include Diapente, Silver Thread, Opus 8, Irmao, Frizz & Fro, or in his variety show titled Between the Boots. His poetry has been featured twice on the TTC thanks to Poems in Passage and VIBEarts. With his poetics, he’s facilitated arts programming with organizations such as JAYU, Unity Charity, The Jamii Hub, Thrive Youth, and Lakeshore Arts. His goal in life is never to be the star, but to give space for the stars to exist."


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05/04/2026

We can't wait to sing for you again TOMORROW NIGHT!! Join us at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene from 7-8 PM for a send off to Victoria BC!

On Tuesday, May 5, we will present a short fundraising concert before we head over to Victoria. Come hear some new music, learn more about the work we will share in BC, and pick up your very own Silver Thread Tote Bag and/or sticker!

Featuring music by Nicholas Wanstall, Francesca Hauser, Sami Anguaya, Rémi St-Jacques, Andrew Balfour, Kai Leung, Stephanie Martin, and more!

We recently received notification that our grant funding application directly related to our PODIUM trip has been denied. 😢 This, unfortunately, is becoming more typical as arts funding in Ontario continues to be undersupported. While this trip is incredibly exciting, it is also immensely costly, which is why all proceeds from this concert will go towards our PODIUM Adventure.

Tickets are Pay What You Can (suggested $30) at the door!

04/30/2026

We have a SILVER THREAD BIRTHDAY!!!! Introducing and sending birthday wishes to one of our altos, Anika Venkatesh!

"Anika Venkatesh is a genre-defying artist with a passion for contemporary music (and) theatre. Hailing from Coast Salish Territories and currently based in Tkarón:to, Anika bridges art forms as a solo vocalist, theatre actor, choral professional, and opera singer.

Anika was most recently “The Cheshire Cat” and “Red Queen/Ruby” u/s in Bad Hats Theatre’s Alice in Wonderland on tour, and was previously in the six-member ensemble for the world premiere of Rolf Hind’s Sky in a Small Cage at the Copenhagen Opera Festival 2024 with Mahogany Opera, before debuting the show at the Barbican Centre in London, England. Other select stage credits include the world premiere of Quote Unquote Collective’s four-time Dora-nominated production Universal Child Care (Canadian Stage in association with Nightwood Theatre/Why Not Theatre/National Arts Centre); “The House” in Gareth Williams’ Rocking Horse Winner (Tapestry Opera, Crow’s Theatre). Select concert credits include soloist and artistic collaborator in the world premiere of Thierry Tidrow’s Glimmer (New Music Concerts); soloist in New Bad Ideas Live (Bad Hats Theatre); soloist and song poet in Sighs Too Deep for Words (Confluence Concerts); soloist in Arkora Music’s Toronto debut Styx & Stones; featured soloist in Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard (Concreamus); alto soloist in R. Nathaniel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses (Nathaniel Dett Chorale & The Rochester Oratorio Society).

Anika is also an R&B musician, amongst other contemporary genres. They continue to explore their artistic niche with an instrument radically fluid and hybrid. Through musical storytelling, they hope to garner curiosity, play, connection, tenderness, and strength."

04/29/2026

Check us out!! Read more about our upcoming trip to Podium, and our May 5 concert.

Thank you to Ludwig van Toronto and Anya Wassenberg for your interest and sharing!

https://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026/04/28/interview-silver-thread-torontos-new-professional-chamber-choral-ensemble/

Members of Silver Thread, Toronto’s newest professional choir, talk about their upcoming May 5 concert, setting out for Choral Canada’s National Choral Conference, Podium 2026, and more (link in bio) Silver Thread
https://www.ludwig-van.com/toronto/2026/04/28/interview-silver-thread-torontos-new-professional-chamber-choral-ensemble/

Silver Thread chamber choral ensemble (Photo: Calvin Thomas)

04/25/2026

Want to support Silver Thread out in the wild? We have a limited quantity of merch items to sell, whose proceeds will go towards our Podium Trip coming up in a few weeks!

These will be on sale at our May 5 concert. If you're not able to attend, shoot us a DM and we can meet up somewhere in Toronto (or send by mail)!

04/21/2026

INTRODUCING THE MEMBERS OF SILVER THREAD: tenor Joshua Sutherland!! 🤸

"Joshua Sutherland (he/him) is a passionate choral musician hailing from Whitby, Ontario. For Joshua, group singing embodies community and the collaborative spirit, and he enjoys working in various choral leadership positions across the Greater Toronto Area.

Currently, Joshua sings professionally as a tenor lead at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, and with The Elora Singers. In recent years, he has made appearances with various other ensembles, including the Elmer Iseler Singers, Concreamus, and as a Sidgwick Scholar with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto. In 2025, Joshua was a featured soloist in Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard, presented by The Elora Singers and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a conductor, Joshua has been an Assistant Conductor with the Bach Children’s Chorus’ Choir III and Lower Voice Ensemble, and he has held Intern Conductor positions with the 2025 Ontario Youth Choir and with Modern Sound Collective.

A graduate of the Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance program at Western University, Joshua attributes his love of group singing to his mentors at Western, and to his beloved high school music teacher, Erin Collins."


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04/20/2026

Our website is finally live! Check back here to learn more about us, keep track of upcoming performances, and listen to some recent recordings! 🩶

04/17/2026

INTRODUCING THE MEMBERS OF SILVER THREAD: soprano Rayna Crandlemire!! 🤞

"Rayna Crandlemire is an Ottawa-born soprano currently based in Toronto. Originally trained in violin, piano, and clarinet, she discovered her passion for vocal performance early in her musical journey. A distinguished graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music, she was the sole recipient of the prestigious Robert William Bygrave Entrance Scholarship in Voice and completed her studies with honours in 2022.

Since graduating, Rayna has established herself as a versatile and sought-after freelance artist, collaborating with a wide range of Toronto-based ensembles and organizations. Her performance credits include work with the Trinity Bach Project, the Amadeus Choir, Concreamus, the Toronto Festival Singers, TOLive, and others.

Rayna currently serves as the soprano lead at Leaside United Church and with MSC’s Datsuzoku. She is also a member of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s professional core, the TMSingers, and returned for a second season as a Sidgwick Scholar with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto."