Quality music education combined with innovative artistry.

Scott Leithead Artistic Director and Founder Conductor, Kokopelli Conductor, Òran

Mr. Leithead is the founder and artistic director of Edmonton’s Kokopelli Choir Association and the T.I.M.E. Vocal Jazz Association. His choirs have traveled to Africa, Asia and Europe and have participated in such renowned choral events as Podium, the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors Conference; the International Society of Music Educators Conference; the International Association of Jazz Education Conference; the American Choral Directors Association Conference; Festival 500; and the Stratford Music Festival.

He has been invited to direct honour concert and jazz choirs in 6 provinces  and 1 state as well as the National Youth Choir of St. Lucia. In addition, he was a guest presenter at the 2005 Festival 500 International Choral Festival in St. John’s Newfoundland and he was resident guest conductor of the 2006 Juvenata! Festival of Choirs in Nova Scotia.  Scott is the Chairman of Choral Music for the Canadian Rocky Mountain Music Festival.

Scott is the recipient of the Syncrude Award for Innovative Artistic Direction at the Edmonton Mayor’s Awards for Business and the Arts. He is also the recipient of the Con Spirito Award presented by the Alberta Choral Federation.

Currently, Scott is on sabbatical leave and traveling through southern Africa. He will return in March 2009.

email: Scott Leithead
During Scott's sabbatical, please direct inquiries about the choir to Kathleen Skinner.

Kathleen Skinner Conductor, Òran

Kathleen Skinner, B.Mus. (University of British Columbia, 2003), M.Mus. Choral Conducting (University of Alberta, 2005), is a young emerging conductor and composer on the Alberta choral scene.  She has had a composition published by Cypress Choral Music, and is continuing to compose and arrange pieces for choir.  Her compositions have been widely performed by honour choirs in both Canada and the United States, and her work Da mi basia mille was premiered at Festival 500 in Newfoundland in July of 2005.  Kathleen is currently in her fifth season as co-conductor of Òran and her third as a vocal coach with Kokopelli. As part of her post-secondary education, Kathleen spent two years as the assistant conductor of the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers under the direction of Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff.  Kathleen is also the music director at Edmonton’s Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, where she leads two adult choirs and a children’s choir.  Kathleen has been engaged as a clinician and vocal coach for high school and youth groups around B.C. and Alberta. In March of 2007, she was the guest artistic director of the Canadian Chamber Choir on their first Alberta tour. Starting in March 2008, Kathleen will be the Kokopelli Choir Association's acting artistic director during Scott's sabbatical in southern Africa.

email: Kathleen Skinner
ph: 780.964.1212

Kim Denis Conductor, Shumayela

Kimberley Denis is known for her energy and enthusiasm both on stage and off, and is sought after as both a soprano soloist and as a vocal clinician for high school, community, church, and children’s choirs.  She began her studies at Red Deer College in the music diploma program and was accepted as the first Canadian to work as an intern with the National Association of Music Merchants in Carlsbad, California.  Upon completion of the internship, she returned to her studies, this time at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick where she completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in ethics and a Bachelor of Music degree with a major in vocal performance and a minor in accompaniment.  After completing her studies at Mount Allison, she returned home to begin studies at the University of Alberta where she has recently completed a double masters degree in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance.  She has won many accolades for her work as a soprano soloist and conductor, and has received a research grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for her thesis work on regionalism and nationalism in Canada as portrayed through choral arrangements of Eastern Canadian folk songs.  She recently had her recording debut as the soloist for Antonín Dvořák’s Te Deum with the University of Alberta Symphony and her solo debut with the Edmonton Symphony for their Video Games Live production.  She is currently working as a sessional faculty member in the music department at Red Deer College where she teaches voice and directs the choir in addition to her work with Shumayela.  She is also the music animator at Trinity United Church in Edmonton.

email: Kim Denis
cell: 780.995.6053

Bruce Cable Guest Artistic Director and Conductor, Kokopelli

Immediately after graduating from the University of Alberta with a Music Education Degree, Bruce began teaching music and drama for the Elk Island Public School Board in Sherwood Park. Shortly after, he began working as the Music Director for St. Albert Children's Theatre, a position he maintained for eight years. He returned to teaching, this time at Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts, where he has taught jazz choir, choral music, drama, musical theatre, and been the musical director of numerous productions. Most recently, Bruce has been active as a singer in Pro Coro Canada, and music director at the Citadel Theatre. Having completed his Masters in Choral Conducting from the University of Miami in the Spring of 2006, Bruce is happy to be back in Edmonton and thrilled to be working with Scott, Katy and Kim and the talented young people of Kokopelli.

During Scott's year-long sabbatical in southern Africa, Bruce is honoured to be Kokopelli's guest conductor.

email: Bruce Cable
cell: 780.975.5787

Jennifer Kinghorn
Accompanist, Òran & Kokopelli

Jennifer is an active member of the Edmonton musical community. Aside from being a member of Canada’s premier Nose Flute Ensemble, Jen is an accomplished piano accompanist, soloist and vocalist. She started accompanying choirs at the age of 10 and has since played for many ensembles, including Òran, Brail Tones, Kokopelli, Schola Cantorum, Wagner High School, the St. Agnes Youth Group and adult choir. Aside from her piano playing she puts her vocal talents to use in Kokopelli and ‘Nuf Sed Vocal Jazz. Jen is also a sought-after composer and arranger, with particular interest in vocal jazz arranging.

Tova Olson
Accompanist, Òran

Tova Olson has been singing with and accompanying with the Kokopelli Choir Association since 2004. Tova studied hand drumming under Darren Salyn while doing her undergrad
at Augustana Univ. College. She has continued to hone her skills while traveling around the world. When she is not causing a ruckus, Tova can be found at Messiah Lutheran Church in Camrose where they have kept her occupied as Music and Worship Coordinator.