Artistic Staff

Bryan has been conducting choirs since 2000 when he was appointed Artistic Director of the Dalhousie Health Professions Chorale. This followed a successful pastime gig as a baritone saxophonist in Halifax playing with a number of bands including Track and the John Alphonse Big Band. Bryan has also had the privilege of performing on stage with The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Ice Capades, The Moscow Circus, Red Buttons and Rosemary Clooney. Bryan is currently also co-artistic director of Nova Voce, the NS Provincial Men’s Choir, and artistic director of the Dalhousie Health Professions Chorale as well as singing baritone with the Halifax Camerata Singers under Jeff Joudrey. Bryan has pursued many opportunities for choral conducting education including 3 summer workshops at the BC Choral Federation and an intensive conducting symposium at the University of Toronto. Bryan continues to play saxophone with the Sackville Concert Band and is past president of the Nova Scotia Choral Federation. In his spare time, Bryan is a full-time IMIT/Laboratory manager with the Nova Scotia Health Authority. 

Ryan Henwood is a Halifax-based composer, conductor, arts administrator, educator, and choral singer. Ryan is currently the Artistic Director of Choirs for Change, Principal Conductor of Polaris, Assistant Conductor of the Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus and works full time as a music educator with the Halifax Regional School Board.  Ryan graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Music in Composition and completed his Bachelor of Music Education at MUN. As a composer, Ryan’s main focus is on the creation of new vocal works in both solo and choral settings. He competed in the 8th International Antonín Dvořák Composition Competition and received the special prize for Best Religious Vocal Piece. 

Cynthia Kennedy Davies loves to play the piano! Recognized as one of Nova Scotia’s most versatile accompanists, she has been involved in many aspects of music since her stage début at age four. Cynthia has performed and recorded as pianist and vocalist with CBC Radio and Television, the Charlottetown Festival and Symphony Nova Scotia and has worked with many of Canada’s finest choral conductors. A graduate of Acadia University, she was a music education specialist and accompanist with the Halifax Regional Centre for Education for 36 years. Although retired from her classroom duties, Cynthia is delighted to continue to work with young musicians as the accompanist for the Belle Voci Girls’ Honour Choir, Lake Voices Honour Choir and Shore Vocalz. She is especially looking forward to working with the Halifax Gay Men’s Choir.