Nancy Telfer (born 8 May 1950) is a Canadian choral conductor, music educator and composer.

Biography

Nancy Ellen Telfer was born in Brampton

Brampton

Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. 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

University of Western Ontario

The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...

 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

Jack Behrens

Jack Behrens is a Canadian composer, music educator, and writer of American birth. A member of the Canadian League of Composers and an associate of the Canadian Music Centre, his music has been performed throughout North America and on CBC Radio and radio stations in he United States...

, Kenneth Bray

Kenneth Bray

Kenneth Noel Corbett Bray FRS is Emeritus Professor at University of Cambridge.-Works:*, K. N. C. Bray, Proceedings: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 431, No. 1882 , pp. 315-335...

, Alan Heard, Deral Johnson, Peter Paul Koprowski

Peter Paul Koprowski

Peter Paul Koprowski is a Canadian composer, conductor, music educator, and pianist of Polish descent. He became a Canadian citizen in 1976. As a composer he is chiefly known for his large output of symphonic works which began with his still frequently performed In Memoriam Karol Szymanowski...

, and Gerhard Wuensch. She graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a bachelor's in music in 1979 and began her career as a composer.

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
• 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"

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