About

The Choir

The Durham Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1993, with about forty choristers, under the direction of Robert Phillips. The DPC is an auditioned choir which has grown to consist of 70 choristers who come from across Durham Region. Choristers bring experiences from church, school, community and university choirs. The choir strives for excellence through a wide variety of musical styles. Their first CD recording ‘Here’s to Song’ was released in 1998, followed by their Christmas CD ‘Glad Tidings’ in the fall of 2001 and then, most recently, ‘Wings of the Morning’. The Choir has achieved recognition throughout the province as a fine community choir, having won awards at both the local and provincial levels of music competitions.

The Durham Philharmonic Choir is a proud member of the Oshawa and District Council for the Arts, the Pineridge Arts Council and Choirs Ontario.

We are an auditioned choir. Call the Director at 905-665-9062 or email Bob Phillips to arrange for an audition.

Robert Phillips, conductor

The founding conductor of the Durham Philharmonic Choir, Robert Phillips enjoys a varied career as an organist, music director, accompanist and teacher. A native of Cape Breton, NS, he graduated from Mt. Allison University (B. Mus., performance 1978), and the University of Toronto (M. Mus. Performance and Literature 1987). He has been involved with several church and community choirs, and is currently Organist/Music Director at Simcoe Street United Church, Oshawa. As musical director of the DPC, he has conducted many of the standard choral works with orchestra.

Along with operating a landscape business, he enjoys several sports, including hockey, golf and skiing, in addition to spending warm summer weekends at Burleigh Falls.

Henry Remiz, Accompanist

Henry Remiz was born in Toronto, and started taking piano lessons when he was five years old. He attended St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto, where he continued taking piano lessons, and obtained ARCT diplomas in both piano and organ. He has served as organist and choir director for a number of churches in the Toronto area, and was appointed organist and choir director at St. Mark’s United Church in 2009. Henry enjoys collaborating with a variety of vocal and instrumental soloists.

Henry’s family moved to Whitby in 1993. He has four not-so-young children. Some of them like to sing. All of them have complained about taking piano lessons. Outside of work, Henry enjoys long-distance running.

Henry is very pleased to serve as Accompanist for the Durham Philharmonic Choir.