{"id":1789,"date":"2025-01-10T11:28:03","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T17:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/?p=1789"},"modified":"2025-01-10T11:28:05","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T17:28:05","slug":"shirley-penner-mentor-of-young-canadian-singers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1789-shirley-penner-mentor-of-young-canadian-singers","title":{"rendered":"Shirley Penner \u2013 Mentor of Young Canadian Singers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Shirley Penner is a prominent figure in Canada\u2019s musical landscape. As the CEO of Youth Singers of Calgary, she has made significant contributions to Alberta\u2019s music scene and Canada as a whole. Learn more on <a href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/\">edmonton-trend<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a499c976bdc4\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a499c976bdc4\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1789-shirley-penner-mentor-of-young-canadian-singers\/#A_Childhood_Steeped_in_Music\" >A Childhood Steeped in Music<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1789-shirley-penner-mentor-of-young-canadian-singers\/#A_Flourishing_Musical_Career_and_the_Birth_of_Her_Corporation\" >A Flourishing Musical Career and the Birth of Her Corporation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1789-shirley-penner-mentor-of-young-canadian-singers\/#Transformational_Programs_and_Lasting_Impact\" >Transformational Programs and Lasting Impact<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1789-shirley-penner-mentor-of-young-canadian-singers\/#Recognitions_and_Legacy\" >Recognitions and Legacy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Childhood_Steeped_in_Music\"><\/span>A Childhood Steeped in Music<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-15.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-15.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-15-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-15-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-15-696x522.jpg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-15-265x198.jpg 265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Born in Saskatoon and raised in Saskatchewan, Shirley was the daughter of a church minister and professor father, and a musician and piano teacher mother. Inspired by her mother, Shirley began engaging with the performing arts at a young age, singing on the radio at just seven years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shirley\u2019s mother taught her to sing and play the piano, laying the foundation for her lifelong musical journey. After graduating high school, Shirley moved to Chicago to further her musical education. She earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Chicago and later graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where she earned an Associate Diploma specializing in performance and teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Flourishing_Musical_Career_and_the_Birth_of_Her_Corporation\"><\/span>A Flourishing Musical Career and the Birth of Her Corporation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1020\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-7.png 1020w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-7-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-7-768x434.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-7-696x393.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1963, Shirley founded a women\u2019s choir, Treble Teens, in Steinbach, Manitoba, serving as both its artistic director and business manager. The choir flourished under her leadership, giving numerous successful performances and touring extensively. During this time, Shirley opened her own music studio, teaching voice, piano, and choral singing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1980, she became a cultural development specialist for Manitoba&#8217;s Department of Culture while also working as a producer for CBC Television.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1984, Shirley joined the Mount Royal College faculty of performing arts in Calgary, where she began teaching music. A year later, she established a choir at Mount Royal, developing a unique singing program for beginners. As the choir grew in popularity and performance opportunities expanded, Shirley made a pivotal decision to leave her position at the college and establish her own organization, the Youth Singers of Calgary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the Youth Singers of Calgary provides musical education to over 500 students annually, offering a curriculum Shirley designed that emphasizes music and rhythm while balancing theoretical knowledge and vocal training. Performances range from classical choral concerts to musical theater. With an artistic team of more than 50 educators, directors, composers, and playwrights, the organization has produced many accomplished singers who go on to build successful careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Youth Singers of Calgary also tour internationally each year, showcasing their talent on global stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transformational_Programs_and_Lasting_Impact\"><\/span>Transformational Programs and Lasting Impact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of Shirley\u2019s most cherished programs is STAR, which allows children with cognitive delays to experience the joys and benefits of musical education in a safe and encouraging environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the start of her career, Shirley understood the importance of organizational support for nurturing artistic talent. Her dedication to this cause has resulted in a flourishing organization that opens doors for young musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recognitions_and_Legacy\"><\/span>Recognitions and Legacy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout her career, Shirley Penner has received numerous awards, including the Paul Harris Fellowship, the Alberta Centennial Medal, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She remains actively involved in festivals, competitions, and talent development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Shirley, the greatest reward is the impact of her work. Her organization has transformed countless lives, helping young individuals with personal challenges and low self-esteem gain confidence through performance. She takes immense pride in watching her students grow and thrive under her mentorship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shirley Penner is a prominent figure in Canada\u2019s musical landscape. As the CEO of Youth Singers of Calgary, she has made significant contributions to Alberta\u2019s music scene and Canada as a whole. Learn more on edmonton-trend. A Childhood Steeped in Music Born in Saskatoon and raised in Saskatchewan, Shirley was the daughter of a church [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":413,"featured_media":1796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[1081,1071,1080,1077,1078,1074,1085,1082,1073,1072,1084,1079,1083,1076,1075],"moimportance":[32,35],"motype":[160],"moformat":[20],"class_list":{"0":"post-1789","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-muzika","8":"tag-alberta-music-education","9":"tag-alberta-music-leadership","10":"tag-calgary-choirs","11":"tag-calgary-music-scene","12":"tag-canadian-choir-programs","13":"tag-canadian-music-mentors","14":"tag-choral-education-alberta","15":"tag-mount-royal-college-music","16":"tag-shirley-penner","17":"tag-shirley-penner-awards","18":"tag-shirley-penner-biography","19":"tag-star-program","20":"tag-treble-teens-3","21":"tag-young-canadian-singers","22":"tag-youth-singers-of-calgary","23":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","24":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","25":"motype-eternal","26":"moformat-vlasna"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/413"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1789"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1789\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1799,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1789\/revisions\/1799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1789"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=1789"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=1789"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=1789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}