Noel Edison on Choral Sound, Canadian Voices, and Recording ‘Immortality’

A defining figure in Canada’s choral landscape for over four decades, Noel Edison has built a career that bridges tradition and experimentation with uncommon authority. As founder and artistic director of The Edison Singers, he has cultivated a sound praised for its clarity, warmth and inner vitality, while remaining deeply committed to living composers and new work. His longstanding relationship with Naxos has resulted in an extensive discography, much of it devoted to contemporary repertoire. On Immortality, a recent Naxos release dedicated to the choral works of Timothy Corlis, Edison brings together spiritual inquiry, social reflection and finely honed musicianship. In this interview, he speaks about Corlis’s music, the philosophy behind the recording, and the evolving artistic vision of The Edison Singers.

Nikhil Sardana: Timothy Corlis’s Immortality brings together works that are both spiritual and socially conscious. What first drew you to Corlis’s music, and what do you find most compelling about conducting his choral writing?

Noel Edison: Tim has a natural talent for composing for voices. His harmonic and rhythmic magic sits so well in a singer’s voice and in a listener’s ear. There is a spiritual dimension in everything he writes, and that is the most compelling part for me.

NS: Missa Pax, one of the major works on the album, is rooted in Corlis’s personal reconciliation between faith and activism. How did you approach interpreting such an emotionally and philosophically layered composition with The Edison Singers?

NE: The Mass is chock full of a wide range of mystical and evocative writing. I am not sure there is any ‘reconciliation’ going on in the writing of this Mass, but there is a strong musical belief and a deep-rooted faith and conviction in his musical structure and harmonic persona.

NS: You have had a long association with the music of living Canadian composers. How important is it for you as a conductor to champion contemporary choral voices like Corlis alongside traditional repertoire?

NE: Championing new works is a must for any artist, in any field, in any region. What I find most interesting about performing new works from different parts of the world is how each composer captures their country’s and people’s personality so clearly in their writing. Scandinavia has a dark warmth and a romantic yearning, whereas Canada does not have that at all. It is northern and very spread out, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. As a result, Canadian composers write in varied and mixed cultural musical forms.

NS: The Edison Singers have developed a distinct sound that is rich, warm and transparent. How did you shape this ensemble’s musical identity, and how does this recording reflect that signature sound?

NE: I grew up in a kind of choir-school environment. The choral sound was always pure and vibrato-free. As a conductor and a singer, I have always embraced purity of tone, but with warmth and a keen inner rhythmic underpinning. This has been my go-to choral identity for over four decades.

NS: This album was recorded with an outstanding group of collaborators, including James Campbell, Ben Bolt-Martin and Michael Bloss. What was it like bringing together these leading Canadian musicians for this project?

NE: For most of my life I have worked with hundreds of other artists. I think it’s always exciting for any ensemble to enhance its programming by including other great musicians. All three of the players I invited to take part in this project are musicians I have worked with frequently over the years. They are superb.

NS: You have recorded more than two dozen albums over your career, many with Naxos. How does Immortality fit within your larger recording journey, and what does it represent for you personally?

NE: I have produced over twenty-five CDs for Naxos, as well as numerous others independently. I love championing new works, and if those works really speak to me, and I feel I can do something meaningful with them, then I want to get them out into the wider world for others to enjoy.

NS: The Edison Singers are also known for their educational and outreach initiatives. How do you see recordings like Immortality contributing to your mission of nurturing a deeper appreciation for choral music in Canada and beyond?

NE: Performing in various regions across the province, starting a conductors’ workshop for aspiring young conductors, commissioning new Canadian works, and touring both regionally and nationally are all part of The Edison Singers’ contribution to the choral scene in Canada. And certainly, by recording Canadian choral compositions—especially through Naxos—our outreach extends far beyond our borders.

NS: After this collaboration with Timothy Corlis, what artistic directions or projects lie ahead for The Edison Singers?

NE: I am always looking for new ideas that foster collaboration, or for a new twist that could inspire a unique programme. This approach is the foundation of our annual musical planning. Collaborations with narrators, singers and instrumentalists, combined with the latest multimedia technology, will be integral to future concert seasons, tours and recordings.