Parish Choir
The choir of Saint John the Baptist leads the congregational singing at the 9:30 AM Sunday services from September until June. The choir enhances the worship experience through the singing of a variety of anthems, chants and hymns. Rehearsals are held in the church at 7:15 PM on Wednesday evenings.
Choir Director
Alexandra (Alex) Hadjis Chartrand, MA, MTA, is a devoted singer and chorister who has been enriching her church community since 2019. With a background in classical voice and jazz piano, Alex brings a rich and varied musical expertise to her role. In addition to her contributions to the church, she is a certified music therapist, focusing on end-of-life care and older adults facing autonomy loss. Alexandra has also been a private music instructor since 2018, sharing her passion for music with her students. Her commitment to both her faith and her musical craft is evident in every aspect of her work.
Organist
Olivier Lavoie-Gagné joined our church as Music Director in October 2017. He holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree of Music in organ performance from the Montreal Conservatory of Music. Olivier has performed concerts and recitals in numerous churches throughout the provinces of Québec, Ontario and Prince Edward Island. As an accompanist, he has worked with several choirs such as Choeur Opus Novum, L’Ensemble vocal Dal Segno, Les Petits Chanteurs de Québec, the Lakeshore Light Opera and the Mountainside Master Chorale of Los Angeles. Before joining our staff at the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Olivier was the organist and choir director at Briarwood Presbyterian church in Beaconsfield and had previously served as Director of Music at Saint-Elzéar church in Laval. A resident of Pointe-Claire, Olivier also teaches piano through private lessons at his home. He is also a teacher at Commission Scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys.
Pipe Organs
There are two pipes organs at the Church of Saint John the Baptist. The first one is a two-manual, located in the main church, built in 1956 by Casavant and restored by Karl J. Raudsepp & Ass. in 1995. The second one is a one-manual Karl Wilhelm portatif in the chapel (pictured). We also have a piano. The participation of other instrumentalists takes place on special occasions.
Music Selection
Music chosen in our services reflects the Scripture readings dictated by the Revised Common Lectionary and includes traditional hymns and modern hymns from the 1998 edition of the Common Praise hymnal of the Anglican Church of Canada. Psalm are also frequently sung during services. The anthems selection is drawn in the rich repertoire of sacred choral music from the Renaissance until our modern days.
