Lydia Adams, hailed by the Canadian Music Centre as “the new leading exponent of the Canadian choral composer,” has dedicated her career to Canadian choral music. She is Artistic Director of the Elmer Iseler Singers, national leaders in commissioning, premièring, and recording Canadian choral works. In 2016, she was appointed director of the Western University Singers.

A native of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, she studied at Mount Allison University, the Royal College of Music, and the National Opera Studio in London. She has conducted works by leading Canadian composers and toured extensively, recently leading the world’s first Cree opera, Pimooteewin: The Journey. An innovative programmer, she has championed over 50 new commissions in 13 years.

Ms. Adams has been recognized by the City of Scarborough, the Ontario Choral Federation, and the Women’s International Network. She holds honorary doctorates from Mount Allison University and Cape Breton University. Among her many accolades, she won the Ontario Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (2013), the Parks Canada CEO Award for Excellence (2016), and the Roy Thomson Hall Award of Recognition (2012).

2023 marked her 25th anniversary as Conductor and Artistic Director of the Elmer Iseler Singers. On June 30, 2023, she was awarded the Order of Canada for her distinguished contributions to arts and culture.