Dear Friends,
It is with deep sadness that the Elmer Iseler Singers acknowledge the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Edward Wiens.
Beginning his professional singing career in the 1960s with CBC’s Hymn Sing out of Winnipeg, Ed was one of the earliest professional singers in Canada and was one of the longest serving professional choral artists in Canadian history, singing for many years with Elmer Iseler in the Festival Singers of Canada and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and with Elmer and Lydia Adams as a valued member of the Elmer Iseler Singers.
As well as singing in the EIS tenor section, Ed acted as the genial and amazing librarian for the choir, and he sang with the Singers on many recordings and was a part of many concert tours throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia.
There were many incredible moments of great music making with Elmer Iseler and with other major conductors, including Peter Oundjian, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir David Willcocks, Seiji Ozawa and Bramwell Tovey, among many. However, Ed also connected musically with people on a deeply personal level. On one tour, the choir members were asked if they wished to sing at a Senior’s residence, and Ed volunteered immediately. One of the residents had not responded to stimulus for many months, but once Ed started singing O Danny Boy ‘a cappella’, the resident woke up and started to sing with Ed and then had a full and aware conversation with him, to the amazement of the care workers.
Colleague Michael Sawarna said that Ed was a mentor to us all not just in singing but in his gentleness, laughter and profound kindness.
He was truly a Prince among humanity, a gentle, loving, exceptional person of boundless energy as well as an outstanding musician, and he honoured the EIS by accepting an Honorary Life Membership with the choir on his retirement in 2016.
Ed will be dearly missed by the EIS community, as well as by his family and many, many friends across the country.
The Elmer Iseler Singers – all the many singers who have worked and performed with Ed throughout his long career, Artistic Director Lydia Adams, General Manager Jessie Iseler and the EIS Board of Directors, James T. Chestnutt, Chair, send our deepest condolences to Ed’s wife, Donna, to their beloved daughter, Emily and to his family and friends across Canada. He will be dearly missed.
Rest in peace, dear friend.
Lydia Adams, C.M.
Artistic Director
Elmer Iseler Singers
Edward Wiens obituary can be found at https://www.basicfunerals.ca/obituaries/edward-wiens
