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About Us

In 1967 the Hamilton Theatre Inc. created a support group they called the Harlequin Singers. Eight years later, the Harlequins went out on their own.

As a community choir with over 30 members, the Harlequins are women and men who live in Hamilton and surrounding areas. Members are of all ages and backgrounds, and work in many different fields.

The Harlequins offer volunteer singers an opportunity to produce exciting musical performances. Each year we prepare cabaret style concerts for Christmas and the Spring. We also perform at conventions, service club functions, retirement and nursing homes, churches, and fund-raisers.

We are the one of the few community choirs specializing in popular music and perform all our concerts from memory. Our vast repertoire is drawn from Broadway musicals, award winning films, the big band era, jazz, folk and pop charts.

John "Jack" Packer -- Music Director

A music graduate from McMaster University, Jack spent 33 years teaching for the Hamilton-Wentworth School Board. He retired in 1999 after 25 years as head of the music department at Barton Secondary School.

In addition to his secondary school duties, Jack was also a part-time instructor at McMaster's School of Art, Music and Drama where he taught vocal methods for ten years.

As a former tenor with the Harlequins, Jack brings to the group a special understanding and passion to his role as director.

Laura Pin -- Accompanist

Laura credits her love of music to her musical parents and her piano teachers: Sr. Loretta Manzara and Arthur Rowe. Laura has studied music at the Banff Centre for Fine Arts and the University of Western Ontario from which she received a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Music and was awarded the Alumni Gold Medal.

An experienced choral accompanist, Laura has also played for the The Burlington Civic Chorale, Amabile Youth Singers, The UWO Faculty Singers of London, The Ambassadors Male Christian Choir, Vox Nouveau Singers in Hamilton, Pro Musica of Burlington and The Brenda Uchimaru Singers of Cambridge. She has performed with artists including Maureen Forrester, Peter Karrie (a "Phantom") and flautist Kimberly Shippey.  Her work as an accompanist has taken her on tours throughout North America and Europe.

Laura especially enjoys collaborating with her husband, clarinettist Michael Pin.