John Williams – Artistic Director
John R. Williams is a Canadian choral conductor, composer, recording artist, pianist, and organist based in Vancouver, BC. His most recent album is entitled Miracle, which consists of choral works that he composed and directed, featuring top musicians in the Vancouver area. The album has been featured on CBC Radio’s Choral Concert program internationally. It was recorded by Don Harder and Brian Chan, known as forefront sound engineers in Vancouver and with the CBC, and the mastering is by longtime esteemed engineer with the CBC, Grant Rowledge. His first album, Shades of Green, highlights his small ensemble compositions, including his piano quartets, and has also been featured by CBC Radio, as well as by additional radio networks internationally.
John has a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Washington, where he studied as a scholarship student. Prior to this, he pursued jazz studies in Montreal at Concordia University, and choral conducting with Dr. James Fankhauser at UBC. His early music training was at the Vancouver Academy of Music, in piano and theory.
Over the years, John has conducted many kinds of choirs and ensembles: chamber, concert, jazz, gospel, and mass choirs, and he has also directed orchestras and band ensembles of many kinds, including for musical theatre productions. He has taught and directed choirs at both the high school level, as Head of Music at Brentwood College School, and at the college level, at Douglas College. He has also been the music director in a number of churches over the years. Currently, he serves at Peace Mennonite Church in Richmond, and he has formerly held positions at Tenth Church in Vancouver, and Rainier Beach Presbyterian in Seattle. John is a crossover musician who loves various styles of music, from classical to jazz, and folk to gospel and contemporary choral, and draws upon them in his compositional palate. He has designed and directed many large-scale events involving choirs, orchestras, and bands. As a tenor, he has sung with Vancouver Cantata Singers, Jubilate Vocal Ensemble, Abendmusik, Choeur de chambre Tactus, and University Singers at UBC.
John resides in Vancouver with his wife Dorothy and their two daughters and son. He enjoys hiking in the local mountains, and kayaking in the Gulf Islands. He also has family in Delta and loves walking on the dikes with his golden retriever. His website is johnrwilliamsmusic.com.
Jeon Mok – Accompanist
Jeon Mok is an active collaborative pianist based in Vancouver, passionate in choral and vocal accompaniment. He began learning piano at the age of 6, and worked with choirs since the age of 10, both on the piano and organ. During the COVID era, he also picked up the violin, trumpet and saxophone, but gave up pretty soon after.
Jeon earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of British Columbia under the tutelage of pianist Amanda Chan, and a Diploma in Music Performance from Douglas College with Barrie Barrington. He holds positions in ensembles of various levels, such as church, community, elementary, secondary, college and university choirs. Currently, he works with UBC’s Choral Union and chamber choirs, Douglas College’s Chorus and Chorale, St. Patrick Regional Secondary’s choirs, Richmond Orchestra and Chorus Association, and others. He also frequently collaborates with soloists for their concerts, auditions, juries and competitions. Aside from the piano, Jeon is an organist for both Lutheran and Catholic churches.
Outside of music, Jeon works as a paramedic for BC Ambulance Service. His favourite activities are playing computer games, watching Netflix shows, and eating London fog ice cream and sushi – in that order.
Nancy Chouinard – President
Nancy Chouinard has been a member of the Delta Community Choir since 2016 and is currently Section Leader of the First Sopranos. Following retirement in 2019 from teaching at BCIT, Nancy joined the DCS Board of Directors during what has been a very challenging and interesting time for choirs everywhere.
Having studied voice and flute in university, Nancy sang with the Seattle Chamber Choir and later with the Vancouver Cantata Singers. Singing has been a lifelong joy and she is happy to be with this inspiring and engaged group of singers, which adds another dimension to years of singing traditional folk music and playing celtic harp. While the pandemic sidelined our choirs for a time, she is delighted to be back performing for our wonderful, enthusiastic Delta audiences.
DCS Board Members
President: Nancy Chouinard
Past President: Alana McKenna
Vice President: Tom Stubens
Treasurer: Terry Randall
Secretary: Ingrid Lucke
Directors at Large: Ally Simpson, Catharine Gilmour, Brittany Lemery