Meet Our Music Director

Jim McConachie

Like many of us, Jim got his introduction to vocal music through the primary and secondary school systems. Singing in school choirs led to participation in Broadway style and Gilbert and Sullivan productions and then to a college level jazz choir. After school, a move to Burlington to start a career as a paramedic brought Jim into touch with barbershop harmony.

‘Roadshow’ – the Burlington barbershop harmony chorus – was a natural move. Jim sang with the chorus and with several quartets in that chapter. After several years with the chorus, Jim took on the role of performance coach for the group and helped the music team to take the chorus to several Ontario District Championships.

A job move in 2001 took Jim to Grey County Paramedic Services, where he became the music director of ‘Encore!’ – the Owen Sound barbershop harmony chorus. Under Jim’s leadership, ‘Encore!’ grew from a small group of ten or so into a thriving chorus of thirty men. They quickly became one of the more popular vocal ensembles in the Grey/Bruce region.

Retirement and a recent return to the Burlington area seemed a perfect time to join A Cappella Niagara as music director. He is looking forward to working with our chorus to develop an entertaining musical performance package.

Jim has studied choral direction and vocal performance over several years at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s summer college program at Missouri Western State College. His quartet accomplishments include several chapter level quartets, top five finishes in District and International Preliminary contests with ‘Q. E. Connection’ and most recently top ten finishes in International Preliminary contests with ‘Three’.

Jim and his partner Jennifer enjoy snowboarding in winter, sea kayaking and camping in summer and have taken up the sport of wine hunting in the between seasons.