Congratulations to our 2025 David G.H. Waters Hymn Sing Memorial Award Recipient!

MCA is pleased to announce that Sarah Schellenberg is the recipient of the 2025 David G.H. Waters Hymn Sing Memorial Award.

The award pays tribute to David Waters, producer and director of the long-time-running CBC show Hymn Sing. The CBC Hymn Sing Chorus was a professional choir which provided singing experience and financial means for over 400 different choristers in its 30 years, many young singers in Manitoba.

The intent of this award is to recognize the significant role that participation in school, community and church choirs play in the development of a singer’s love of music and the decision to further their studies in music with the goal of a professional career.

This year, one deserving recipient was chosen to receive the award.

Sarah Schellenberg

Sarah Schellenberg is currently a fourth year music education student at the Desautels faculty of music. She is an active part of her music community, especially in choirs. She recently had the opportunity to sing with Dead of Winter in the Winter Sing concert and has had the pleasure of being a part of the St Andrews River Heights United Church Choir. Sarah has been a member of the University Singers choir at the University of Manitoba. This past year, she was elected as Vice President of the University Singers Council and was recently elected to be the President of the council for the 2025/26 academic year.

As well as participating in choirs, Sarah also has had the opportunity to perform as a soloist, including singing as La Musica from Orfeo in the University of Manitoba’s opera theatre scenes and singing as a finalist in the Zita Bernstein Lieder competition for the last two years. She also had the chance to be a part of the Desautels faculty of music Die Zauberfloute last November as chorus and Spirit Two (cover).

In the future Sarah is looking forward to finishing her music degree and continue working to become a music educator while continuing to sing in high level choirs and solo settings.

Congratulations Sarah!