Biography
Linda Fletcher of Oakville is very active in the music community as a teacher, composer, singer, adjudicator, clinician, accompanist and music director. Her early piano studies were with Grace Vandendool. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.Mus. (honours) degree and a B.Ed from McMaster University, where she studied piano with Reginald Bedford, and voice with Dr. Gladys Whitehead. She received an A. Mus. degree in voice from the University of Western Ontario and was awarded the gold medal for the highest mark in Canada. Linda continued her study of voice with Tom Oliver and organ with Keith Hopkins. She also plays French horn and guitar.
Her compositions focus on secular and sacred choral works. Her choral compositions are published by Leslie Music Supply; the first, A Song of Sharing, became their best selling song with international sales of over 15,000 copies and gained more popularity as a festival selection. Another, Linda’s setting of The Olde Irish Blessing was performed in Rome for World Youth Day before an audience of 3,000.
Linda is co-writer, performer and arranger, with director Tom Oliver, for Voices in the Night, a non-profit fund-raising vehicle, created by Linda and Mr. Oliver in 1996, which continues to travel throughout Southern Ontario. Linda acted as chorus director for two Juno nominated recordings of children’s entertainer, Eric Nagler.
Linda was a featured composer in the 2002 Canadian Composer’s Calendar. In 2006, Linda was the recipient of the Pauline McGibbon Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award, presented at Roy Thomson Hall. She was recently featured in the magazine Arts About Town.
In 2011, Linda was a member of the creative team for the new RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music) voice series released in 2012. Some of her newer compositions are included in the new RCM vocal syllabus. She is compiler and editor of a new series of Canadian songbooks entitled “Sing!” published by Leslie Music.
Linda has served as organist and choir director at Walton Memorial United Church for over 30 years, where as well as the two Sunday worship services, she directs many concerts and music presentations. Walton has a vibrant music programme of over 80 singers in three choirs. She also has a thriving private studio. Her students and choirs have won many local, provincial and international awards for piano, singing and composition including numerous RCM silver medals. One of her former students, Scott MacIntyre was in the top 8 of last year’s American Idol and Linda was invited to join him in Los Angeles for the live shows that April. Scott performed throughout North America with the American Idol Tour. Several of Linda’s students are now performing internationally.
Linda has adjudicated major music festivals across Canada. She is actively involved in local music festivals as syllabus advisor, concert fundraiser and accompanist. She also accompanies voice and music theatre for the OMFA Provincial competitions.
Linda is a member of ACTRA , NATS ,SOCAN and ORMTA where she served on the executive for ten years. She was a workshop clinician for the 2012 ORMTA Provincial Convention and she was the recipient of the ORMTA Special Teacher of the year award.
Linda and her husband John continue to reside in Oakville. They are blessed with four children Paul, Jennifer, Mark and Scott who also share Linda’s love of music, one grandchild and their dog, Baxter.
Her compositions focus on secular and sacred choral works. Her choral compositions are published by Leslie Music Supply; the first, A Song of Sharing, became their best selling song with international sales of over 15,000 copies and gained more popularity as a festival selection. Another, Linda’s setting of The Olde Irish Blessing was performed in Rome for World Youth Day before an audience of 3,000.
Linda is co-writer, performer and arranger, with director Tom Oliver, for Voices in the Night, a non-profit fund-raising vehicle, created by Linda and Mr. Oliver in 1996, which continues to travel throughout Southern Ontario. Linda acted as chorus director for two Juno nominated recordings of children’s entertainer, Eric Nagler.
Linda was a featured composer in the 2002 Canadian Composer’s Calendar. In 2006, Linda was the recipient of the Pauline McGibbon Lifetime Achievement in the Arts award, presented at Roy Thomson Hall. She was recently featured in the magazine Arts About Town.
In 2011, Linda was a member of the creative team for the new RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music) voice series released in 2012. Some of her newer compositions are included in the new RCM vocal syllabus. She is compiler and editor of a new series of Canadian songbooks entitled “Sing!” published by Leslie Music.
Linda has served as organist and choir director at Walton Memorial United Church for over 30 years, where as well as the two Sunday worship services, she directs many concerts and music presentations. Walton has a vibrant music programme of over 80 singers in three choirs. She also has a thriving private studio. Her students and choirs have won many local, provincial and international awards for piano, singing and composition including numerous RCM silver medals. One of her former students, Scott MacIntyre was in the top 8 of last year’s American Idol and Linda was invited to join him in Los Angeles for the live shows that April. Scott performed throughout North America with the American Idol Tour. Several of Linda’s students are now performing internationally.
Linda has adjudicated major music festivals across Canada. She is actively involved in local music festivals as syllabus advisor, concert fundraiser and accompanist. She also accompanies voice and music theatre for the OMFA Provincial competitions.
Linda is a member of ACTRA , NATS ,SOCAN and ORMTA where she served on the executive for ten years. She was a workshop clinician for the 2012 ORMTA Provincial Convention and she was the recipient of the ORMTA Special Teacher of the year award.
Linda and her husband John continue to reside in Oakville. They are blessed with four children Paul, Jennifer, Mark and Scott who also share Linda’s love of music, one grandchild and their dog, Baxter.