The Holland College Choir will welcome a new director this fall, when Steve Giddings is taking over the baton from founding director Pamela Campbell.

Giddings is a versatile musician who has performed in a diverse range of genres, from classical to rock, and a wide variety of ensembles, including choirs, trombone quartets, jazz ensembles and even some theatre. He is an active performer with PEI's only Ska-alternative rock group, The Sidewalks, which has produced two albums and performed in venues all across the country.

Gaylene Carragher, director of Holland College’s School of Performing Arts and the Florence Simmons Performance Hall, said the choir is thriving, and the members are looking forward to meeting their new director.

“We have a base of about 25 members right now, and encourage anyone who would like to share their musical talents and socialize with like-minded singers to join this year,” she said. “Pamela Campbell worked diligently to build the choir, and we are looking forward to Steve’s initiatives that will build on the foundation she laid.”

Giddings holds a master’s degree in music education from Acadia University, where he studied with such notable music education scholars as Dr. June Countryman and Dr. Dale Lonis (a student of Benjamin Bloom). He teaches music at Montague Consolidated School, where he leads choirs, two rock bands, a guitar club, and acts as musical director for various musical productions at the school. He is founder of the annual Rock-a-palooza: PEI Schools of Rock Showcase event, and has published articles in the Canadian Music Educator Journal. His first book, Rock Coach: A Practical Guide for Teaching Rock Bands in Schools, is set to be released later this year. He frequently presents music education workshops, and is the owner and operator of stevesmusicroom.com, a website and blog catered to the professional development of music educators in Canada and around the world.

The Holland College Choir is open to everyone. The group meets on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall on the Prince of Wales Campus. Please enter through the main entrance to the Charlottetown Centre, located on Kent Street. For more information, please contact Steve Giddings by phone at 902-218-4333 or by emailing steve@stevesmusicroom.com.