Torin Wesley Chiles

Style: Opera; Classical; Musical Theatre

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 2015 until its recent amalgamation with NATS. I have attended most of the National Conferences since joining NATS. I served as the VP-Membership for four years on the NATS national board and I continue to be active at the chapter level. 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 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