Marni Strome
Early Childhood Instructor
From 1988 until June of 2021, Marni Strome worked with the Calgary Children’s Choir as a conductor, and Artistic Director. The program of five choirs ages four-adult, continues to flourish under the directorship of an alum of the program. Marni also directed the St. Giles Presbyterian Church Choir (SATB) for over twenty years.
Under Marni’s leadership, the Calgary Children’s and Calgary Youth Choirs completed fourteen tours to various parts of Europe, North America, and Japan. Her choirs performed in local, provincial, and international festivals, and worked with internationally recognized conductors including Henry Leck, David Flood, Will Kesling, and David Ferguson.
For thirty-five years, until 2024, Marni worked as a school music teacher in a variety of settings from K- 12th grade. Her most recent role was music teacher in a private Catholic school, grades TK-8, and assistant choir director to Dr. Christophe Tietze, in San Francisco, CA.
Marni has worked as a summer sessional instructor at University of Calgary, University of Alberta, and Silverwinds Hutterite colony in in Manitoba, teaching Musicianship, Conducting, and Choir to music teachers in Kodaly Levels programs. She completed her Masters in Music with Kodaly Emphasis at Holy Names University in Oakland, CA.
Marni also enjoyed volunteer teaching in South Africa for many summers- returning to a small, impoverished school to teach music, and to learn the music and culture of the region.
In 2022, Marni was the recipient of the Patricia Cook Memorial Award from Choir Alberta, in Canada. The award is presented to a person, choir, institution, program, or corporation who/which demonstrates an exemplary commitment to music education in schools or the wider community.
Marni is grateful to her many mentors – including Rosemarie Sherban, David Ferguson, Maree Hennessy, Janos Horvath, and her mom, Marian Smith.