Artistic Staff
HEnry REnglich
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Artistic Director of Etobicoke Centennial Choir since 2008, Henry brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a conductor, pianist, composer and music pedagogue to ECC.
Henry holds Bachelor of Music Degrees in Piano Performance and Honours Theory, and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from McGill University, along with a Bachelor of Education degree from York University. While in Montreal, his keyboard talent and improvisational skills were in demand at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Linda Rabin Danse Moderne. He composed a variety of musical and theatrical works, including a cabaret for The National Theatre School, and was Musical Director for the Piggery Theatre in North Hatley, Quebec.
Henry taught at McGill University and the University of Waterloo, where he was active as a chamber musician and accompanist. He has coached and accompanied vocalists in styles ranging from classical and opera, to contemporary and musical theatre. His opera experience includes serving as Chorus Director for Opera Hamilton, as well as accompanist for Toronto Opera Repertoire and Coro Verdi.
Henry has composed a number of choral arrangements for Etobicoke Centennial Choir during his tenure, most recently, three world music pieces by guitarist Anton Apostolov and his Balkania Ensemble, for ECC’s June 2019 concert.
An experienced music pedagogue who believes strongly in quality music education for young children, Henry’s children’s choirs have won numerous awards and been chosen for professional theatrical productions, including Livent’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” where his choir can be heard on the Canadian cast recording
Carl Steinhauser
Collaborative Accompanist
Carl began studying the piano at age four and earned his ARCT in Piano Performance in 2008. He holds a Bachelor of Music (Honors) in Music Theory and Composition from the Western University, where he studied piano with Gwen Beamish and composition with Peter Paul Koprowski and Paul Frehner.
Carl has been ECC’s accompanist since 2012. His exceptional keyboard skills and collaborative focus are a tremendous asset to both the conductor and singers. In addition to his work with ECC, Carl is an accompanist for the Mississauga Festival Choir and the organist at Runnymede United Church. He does frequent collaborative work with the Toronto District School Board and Etobicoke School of the Arts.
Mélissa Danis
Assistant Conductor & Soprano Section Lead
2024-2025 Season Sponsor: Yih Lerh & Pein-Pein Huang
Mélissa Danis is a French-Canadian lyric soprano who recently completed a fellowship program as Vocal Scholar at The Royal Conservatory of Music – Glenn Gould School under the guidance of Adrienne Pieczonka and Elizabeth McDonald.
In 2021, she graduated with her Master Degree from The University of Toronto’s Opera School. In May 2019, she graduated with honors from The Glenn Gould School with her Bachelor in Voice Performance.
Miss Danis’ recent performances with the Glenn Gould School includes Danica in Svadba (Sokolovic) and Almirena in Handel’s opera Rinaldo. In addition, her performances with UofT Opera consist of Micaëla in La Tragédie de Carmen (Bizet), A Little Nacht Music where she performed Mimi in the quartet Addio dolce svegliare alla mattina (Puccini), Maria Bertram in Mansfield Park (Dove) and Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart).
Over the years, Miss Danis has developed a profound love for musical theater as well as cabaret.
Grace Hakala
SOPRANO SECTION LEAD
Canadian Soprano Grace Hakala, originally from Sarnia, Ontario, is a Toronto-based musician and music educator, holding her MMus in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Toronto and ARCT Voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Grace is passionate about drawing influence from a variety of genres and styles, an approach to vocal technique that she shares with her students. Her performance experience includes classical, oratorio, opera, music theatre, contemporary, and choral productions, and she is always excited to learn about a new musical tradition.
When she isn't at rehearsal, Grace can be found reading, writing, walking her dog, or teaching her small studio of voice students at Etobicoke’s “The Music Studio” - often performing alongside her students at the piano.
Lauren Halász
Alto Section Lead
Ottawa native Lauren Halász is a mezzo-soprano and singer/ songwriter. Lauren has been seen in oratorios around the Greater Toronto Area, most notably as the Alto soloist in Mozart’s Solemn Vespers and Haydn’s Mass in G Major with the Mississauga Choral Society, as well as Handel’s Messiah with both Music Niagara and Arcady. Favourite Opera credits include Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, Cherubino with Le Nozze di Figaro, and Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte.
Equally passionate about contemporary music, Lauren is the lead vocalist and songwriter for independent folk band, “Lo & the High Road”, and maintains a private studio of singers of all levels singing a wide variety of music.
Lauren holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Voice Performance from Western University and an Advanced Certificate in Performance from the University of Toronto.
Amanda Weatherall
Alto section LEAD
Mezzo Soprano Amanda Weatherall holds her MMus of vocal literature and performance from Western University. She is from Cranbrook, British Columbia, where she had her first taste of the stage. The highlight of her Cranbrook performances was playing Evangeline Harcourt in Anything Goes at Mount Baker Secondary and performing with Fort Steele Heritage Town as various historical residents.
Amanda was thrilled to take part in the Yulanda M Faris Young Artist Program with Vancouver Opera, and performed as the Wife in the Music Shop, a Canadian Premier, and as Carmen in Carmen: Up Close and Personal, a new adaptation of the classic work by Bizet, during her time there. Her other operatic credits include the title role in Bizet’s Carmen (Western), the chorus in Verdi’s Otello (Canadian Opera Company), Romeo in Bellini’s i Capuleti e i Montecchi (Opera NUOVA), Fox in Janáček’s Cunning Little Vixen (NUOVA), Olga in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (NUOVA),Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff (Western), and Third Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute (Western). She has performed with Tapestry Opera in their Songbook XI and with the Symphony of the Kootenays on multiple concerts. Most recently she sang Filippyevna in Highlands Opera Studio’s production of Eugene Onegin.
Pete Oundjian
Tenor Section Lead
Pete Oundjian is a tenor, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He grew up singing in the Canadian Children’s Opera Company before attending Skidmore College.
Pete also performs in a weird fun prog rock band called Tricycle (@tricycletheband), and as a solo acoustic folk artist under the name Pete Larkin (@petelarkinmusic).
Jeremy Scinocca
Tenor section LEAD
Jeremy Scinocca is an award-winning tenor based in Toronto. He has performed across Canada working with companies such as Vancouver Opera, Manitoba Opera, Toronto City Opera, Festival d’Opera de Quebec, Toronto Opera in Concert and The Okanagan Symphony. Singing roles such as Roldolfo in La Boheme, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, and Tonio in La Fille du Regiment. He is a recent alumnae of Vancouver Opera's Yulanda M. Farris Young Artist Program. With Vancouver Opera he performed the role of Le Remendado in Carmen, Lorenzo in Lucrezia (Bolcom) and Tiberge in Le Portrait de Manon. Recently Jeremy performed with the National Art’s Centre Orchestra as Spoletta in Tosca.
Mikhail Shemet
Baritone Section Lead
Mikhail Shemet graduated from University of Toronto (Voice Performance) in 2014. Over the years he performed major Mozart roles like Papageno, Sarastro, Figaro, Guglielmo, Don Alfonso, Leporello, Il Commendatore. He has been part of productions with TOT, Opera York, SOLO, Against the Grain, and other companies.
Mikhail is also experienced with church and choral music. Over the years he has been part of Opera In Concert, Orpheus Choir, and many other ensembles as a soloist and as a section lead. He has been a section lead with Rosedale Presbyterian Church for over 10 years.
David Finneran
Bass section LEAD
David attended St. Michael’s Choir School through elementary and high school. His enjoyment of many music genres moved him to learn guitar, drums and organ as well as piano.
David completed a Bachelor of Music degree at Carleton University, where he focused on classical piano performance and composition, along with studying jazz theory and music history. While in Ottawa, he further developed his vocal skills as a member of the Canadian Centennial Choir, Carleton University Choir and The Capital Vox Choir, a jazz choir led by Elise Letourneau.
David also sings at St. John’s United Church in Oakville. He teaches private music lessons in piano, guitar and music theory at D&D Music, an Oakville-based music business which he co-owns with his wife, Daniella Theresia.