Torin Wesley Chiles

Style: Opera; Classical; Musical Theatre

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Title: Acting Chair of MPS ; Don Wright Faculty of Music

Bio:

I have been a proud and active NATS Member since 1999. My earliest awareness of the Association came when I was a graduate student in 1992, and the relatively newly minted NATS Ontario Chapter hosted the National Convention in Toronto, Ontario. I was completing my graduate work at McGill in Montreal and came to Toronto as one of the many student volunteers. It was a huge endeavour for such a new chapter and there was the exciting energy of feeling that NATS was a growing international Association. I was one of many enthusiastic students working to help establish the Canadian connection with NATS and working to make the convention a success. I remember being impressed with the professionalism of NATS – here was an organization dedicated to the art AND the science of singing, to professionalism, to collegiality and to professional development. I was hooked.

After graduate studies, I worked as a freelance lyric tenor for a decade and then, as family life called, I transitioned to mix of performing and teaching in 1999 when I began teaching at Western University, Canada in London, Ontario. My transition to part-time academia and then to a fulltime position in 2004 meant that I could participate much more fully as a NATS member. I contributed by serving on the Executive for NATS Ontario, following in the footsteps of those pedagogues who had so inspired me as a student. I served as the Chapter President for two terms and then as the District Governor for two terms. Along the way, I have served on a national President’s Strategic Planning Advisory committee and have served as a board member on the NATS Foundation since 2015. I continue to be active at the chapter level and have attended most of the National Conferences since joining NATS. I have been nurtured by the relationships I have forged through NATS. I have learned about my profession and honed the skills to be a competent and caring teacher and administrator. I have had many exemplars in NATS – teachers and colleagues that I have admired for their skill and knowledge, their artistry, professionalism and their humanity. I strive to live up to their example.

Currently, I serve on the national NATS board as the VP for Membership and as the Acting Chair of the Department of Music Performance Studies, at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University Canada. I teach applied voice and both the undergraduate and graduate level Voice Pedagogy courses. Wonderful colleagues and wonderful students make this work very enjoyable indeed! I also serve as a Director of Music at New St. James Presbyterian Church in downtown London, Ontario where I lead the choir and play the magnificent Casavant pipe organ. When not in the studio or on the organ bench I can likely be found in my garage, tinkering on my model railroad empire.

Voice Type: Tenor

Music Styles Taught: Opera; Classical; Musical Theatre

Availability: I am currently accepting private students; I am available as a clinician or presenter; I accept students through a college or university program

Contact Information

Studio

Don Wright Faculty of Music
London, ON
Canada N6A 3K7

TEL: (519) 661-2111x84323

E-mail: torinchiles@rogers.com

Vcard: import to my address book