JOANNA ESTELLE
Joanna Estelle (Storoschuk) is a Canadian composer, lyricist, and arranger, born of Ukrainian parentage. Her music has won critical acclaim from Parliament Hill, Ottawa (Canada) to London (United Kingdom), Barcelona (Spain), Carnegie Hall (New York City), and elsewhere around the world. Estelle studied classical piano and theory with the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) as a young person, but her parents deterred her from pursuing music as a career. Instead, she graduated in Psychology and English (Brock, 1972), then went on to study management accounting. However, her enthusiasm for music never waned. While building a successful career in Canada’s federal public service, Estelle channeled her creative energies into composing songs, studying modern piano, advanced theory, and arranging in her free time. She completed an undergraduate degree in music after eight years as a part-time special student at University of Ottawa, graduating summa cum laude on the Dean’s List, winning the Faculty of Arts Silver medal (2009). She then completed her Master of Music degree at York University (Toronto, 2011) on a full scholarship and completed two years of doctoral studies in composition at the University of Sheffield (UK). She has released two successful albums on Navona Records label, EMERGENCE (2018) and TRANSMUTATION (2023), which won Best of Show as well as two gold medals for composition and contemporary classical music in the Global Music Award competition.: www.joannaestelle.com
Canada Forever Free
by Joanna Estelle
SATB with piano – CP 2473 – duration 4:05
Canada, your people came here to be free.
Our precious Canada, you mean so very much to me.
Your endless majesty shines for the world to see.
May you have peace when storm clouds rise.
Canada, a place where young and old are free
To keep their dreams alive – no matter what that dream may be.
You hold each trembling heart within your shelt’ring arms:
Your sacred trust that all are free.
La chanson de ton coeur
by Joanna Estelle
SATB a cappella – CP 1696 – duration 3:00
Originally premiered at Canada’s National Arts Centre (Ottawa) on Canada Day 2009 by the UNISONG Festival Massed Choir, this piece was inspired by the old merry-go-round in the Montmartre district of Paris.
Child of the Manger
by Joanna Estelle, arr. John Gordon Armstrong
SATB a cappella – CP 1293 – duration 4:00 
The Ottawa Citizen newspaper had this to say about Joanna’s piece; “ This contemplative and exquisitely beautiful piece should be a regular part of the Christmas choral repertoire.”
I Am My Home
by Joanna Estelle
SATB a cappella – CP 2072 – duration 5:20
My late grandfather Michael Sharik was a Ukrainian poet, author, and political activist who fought the Bolsheviks 100 years ago, then fled to Canada as a refugee in the 1920s. He spent his entire life working for a Ukraine free of Russian domination. In 2002, I wrote this piece for choir and dedicated it to his memory. I borrowed the first verse from “Our Great Home”, a poem that he wrote in 1952 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. The rest of the text describes my personal spiritual journey looking for my own life as a child of refugees. Given the current situation in Ukraine, I am rededicating my piece to all those who have been displaced by war there and around the world.
Water Canticle
by Joanna Estelle, arr. John Gordon Armstrong
SATB with piano – CP 1619 – duration 4:15
Cantata Singers of Ottawa commissioned Water Canticle for a 2000 fundraising concert on behalf of WaterCan, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping poor communities in developing countries build sustainable water supply and sanitation services. Margaret Trudeau, mother of Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister, is the long serving honorary president of WaterCan. This piece was dedicated to her because the text was based on comments she made during an interview regarding the healing nature of water in her own life.
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jason@cypresschoral.com
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Gordon Lightfoot
Songs for the Sanctuary
Vancouver Youth Choir Series
Canadian Chamber Choir Series
Elektra Women"s Choir Series
La Série Enchantée (French))
The Zimfira Collection (Children)
Profondo - (Lower Voices)
Universal Gospel Choir
Jean-Sébastien Vallée Series
Diane Loomer Choral Series (Folk Song)