About

Nancy Ruth Durance is a Canadian soprano, educator, composer, and hymn writer from the Saskatchewan prairies. For 13 years she was a high school choral director and music teacher in Canada, Vietnam, and the United States. Highlights included being selected to direct choirs at Hanoi Opera House, the Vietnam National Academy of Music, and Manzi Art Space.  Since 2022, Nancy has held the position of Music Director of Atlanta Schola Cantorum, an auditioned 18-24 voice ensemble specializing in acapella music from the Renaissance; she is also Choral Director at Holy Cross Cathedral (Anglican) in Loganville.

 

As a composer having lived in different countries, Nancy's music stems from a wide range of influences. She writes sacred and secular concert music for youth choir, adult choir, and piano, as well as choral anthems, music for liturgy, and contemporary worship. Her music has been performed by choirs of all ages in England, Germany, Slovenia, Singapore, the Philippines, and across North America. Recent commissions and projects have included The Marquesmen at Charleston Southern University (South Carolina, USA), Sherborne Girls Choir (United Kingdom), South Loudon Youth Choir's Elevate ensemble (Virginia, USA) and Black Forest Academy (Germany).  Some of her choral titles are published with Beckenhorst Press, ICC Publishing House, and through MusicSpoke's Conduct(her) choral series. 

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Nancy belongs to the American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) and the Viola da Gamba Society of America (VdGSA).  She holds degrees in Music Education, Vocal Performance, and Choral Conducting from the University of Regina (Canada), University of Bath (UK), and University of Surrey (UK). Her PhD from Biola University's Talbot School of Theology (USA) explored the impact of contemporary culture on choral directing in North America.

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When not directing choral ensembles or composing, Nancy can be found learning to play the viola da gamba, writing poetry, or hiking in the mountains with her husband and 4 sons.