Renée Michèle Walrafen leads our Two Saints Ministry choir, which practices on Sunday mornings at 9:30am, and offers leadership to our 10:15am worship services.
Renée has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University (1999) and a Master of Arts from York University (2007), specializing in music composition. She is an accomplished composer, performer, director, and teacher. Renée was director of Victoria’s Male Barbershop Chorus, "The Victoria Village Squires," from 2009 to 2012, and the Community Choir "Spirit Rising" from 2012-2016. Previously residing in Toronto, Renée was the Music Director at Neighbourhood Unitarian Congregation, where she created the music program and directed the Neighbourhood Spirit Choir.
As a composer, Renée’s interest lies at the intersection of Popular and Contemporary Music. She has studied with Rodney Sharman, Barry Truax, David Mott, and David Lidov. Her most recent major work, Tonhenge, is a non-narrative contemporary opera that received its premiere at the Dancemakers Centre for Creation in 2007. As a performer, Renée counts renowned jazz pianist George Essihos and improviser Casey Sokol among her piano instructors, and has studied flute with Hans Boellaard and Jos Zwaanenberg. Renée has also served as a founding member of various ensembles, including contemporary group Isospin, and is passionate about the collaborative process. Most recently, at an artist residency with Robert Dick, Renée collaborated on an interdisciplinary piece The Nerve Opera. She has also been involved in director Dylan Robinson's interdisciplinary theatre works, Ligeti, and The Pentland Project.
Renée is passionate about fitness and works extensively as an instructor and personal trainer. She also feels very blessed to be a mother!
