His passion for music comes from many years of piano lessons with his long time mentor and teacher, Peter Lam, and the inspiration drawn upon from ten years spent at St. Michael’s Choir School, where he specialized in organ and sacred choral music. His love for conducting blossomed at 12 years of age when he had the honour to be the guest conductor of the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra.

After receiving the Associate of the Royal Conservatory (ARCT) diploma with First Class Honours at age 13, Joshua continued to polish his craft at the piano by competing in various competitions at the national level and pursued music at the University of Toronto majoring in piano performance.

Joshua has performed with many diverse groups and artists including: Toronto Concert Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vocal Horizons Chamber Choir, Windmill Music Company, Opera York, Michael Ciufo (Canadian-renowned Tenor), Martha Joy (Canadian Idol Finalist), and conductors, Jordan de Souza and the late Kerry Stratton among others. He continues to share his love for music as his full time profession.

As an accomplished concert soloist, and with a repertoire that ranges from early music to contemporary, she performs regularly with ensembles throughout Ontario and across Canada including the Bach Elgar Choir, the Grand Philharmonic Choir, the Da Capo Chamber Choir, and the Spiritus Ensemble. She is a member of the Hamilton based ensemble Capella Intima, which specializes in performing exciting concerts of lesser known 17th century vocal and operatic music. In addition to performing with large and small ensembles, Jennifer also delights in the art of the solo recital and collaborates frequently with lutenist Magdalena Tomsinska.

Recent and upcoming engagements include, J. S. Bach’s Cantata 190 “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” with Spiritus Ensemble, excerpts from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Handel’s Messiah with Choral Works, Handel’s Messiah with Spiritus Ensemble and Kammerchor London, Mozart’s Requiem with the Menno Singers and Choral Connection, and Jenkins’ The Armed Man with the Menno Singers. When she is not performing, Jennifer teaches full time as an elementary school music educator.

Ms. Hörst has appeared in numerous productions with opera companies across Canada, France and the Netherlands. Her roles include multiple Baroque operas, many Classical works and 20th century repertoire. Equally comfortable in concert, Ms. Hörst has sung oratorio works with orchestras and major choirs across Canada and the USA.

Ms. Hörst has won several international competitions including the Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Solo Competition at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Hörst was twice honoured as a District Winner and Regional Finalist at the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions. She has received the Encouragement Award at the Met Regional Finals and also at the Palm Beach International Opera Competition.

Recently, Hegedus returned to Pacific Opera Victoria for Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, and Opera Atelier for Charpentier’s David and Jonathan. On the concert stage, he saw reengagements with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and Les Violons du Roy, for the works of Handel, Mozart, and Bach.

Hegedus’ 2023/24 season included engagements with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (Bruckner’s Te Deum), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Haydn’s Creation), and Handel’s Messiah with the Victoria Symphony, Grand Philharmonic Choir and Guelph Chamber Choir. He returned to both Opéra de Montréal and joined the Canadian Opera Company on cover assignments in the world premiere of Bilodeau’s La reine-garçon and Cherubini’s Medea, respectively.

Additional recent engagements include Handel’s Messiah with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Bach’s B Minor Mass with the Vancouver Bach Choir, and appearances with Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières for both Puccini’s La bohème and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Especially appreciated for his performance in Messiah, he has been heard in Handel’s masterpiece with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, the Vancouver Chamber Choir, Naples Philharmonic, Victoria Symphony, and Orchestre Métropolitain under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin.