Quick Facts
Biography
Nancy Telfer (born Lindsey) (born 8 May 1950) is a Canadian choral conductor, music educator and composer.
Biography
Nancy Ellen Telfer was born in Brampton, Ontario. She began piano lessons at age six and later played French horn in bands, orchestras and chamber ensembles. She graduated from the University of Western Ontario and worked as a music and drama teacher in the public schools. In 1977 she continued her studies at the University of Western Ontario under Jack Behrens, Kenneth Bray, Alan Heard, Deral Johnson, Peter Paul Koprowski, and Gerhard Wuensch. She graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a bachelor's in music in 1979 and began composing.
Works
Telfer has composed more than three hundred works for orchestra and solo instruments, with concentration in choral ensembles and solo voice. She is well known for her work for The Royal Conservatory of Music, contributing many songs to their graded piano repertoire. Selected works include:
- Dinosaurus
- The Sleeping Dragon
- The Sea's Strong Voice
- Canadian Kaleidoscope
- When rivers flowed on Mars
- Moved by the Spirit
- Spell of Long Past
- Psalm 57
- The Ballad of Princess Caraboo
- Triune
- The Annunciation
- Tai Chi Zoo
- The Blue Eye of God
- Fanfare
- Requiem Aeternam
- Matters of the Heart
- Missa Brevis (1993)
- De Profundis (2001)
- "The Silent Moon"
- "The dream"(Le Reve)
Texts
Telfer is the author of numerous articles on music and texts including:
- Sightsinging: A Creative Step-by-Step Approach (San Diego, Cal 1991)
- Successful Sight-Singing, Book 2 1993, Kjos
- Successful Warmups, Book 1 1995, Kjos
- Successful Warmups, Book 2 1996, Kjos
- Singing in Tune 2000, Kjos
- Singing High Pitches with Ease 2003, Kjos