https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/book-us daily 0.75 2021-01-11 https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/home daily 1.0 2025-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/d8d1ae3a-d068-44de-9063-ffb378425af3/IMG_2866.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/1607052472950-7C74MU2K0U436KL7000J/Susan.png Home - About the director. Susan Michaels obtained her music degree from The University of Toronto and became a high school music teacher for the North York and Scarborough Boards of Education. There she conducted the region’s elite high school band, The Scarborough Wind Ensemble. At the same time, Susan became a first soprano with The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC) where she performed the world’s greatest choral works. Susan eventually left the TMC to found and become Director of a Jewish youth choir called The Renanim Youth Singers. Now as Director of Shir Harmony, Susan takes her passion and expertise to lead our musically gifted ensemble. https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/performances daily 0.75 2025-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/41b607c2-5ba3-41fa-abaf-54b97749223b/2025-07-15_0-23-38.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/556949d3-6c09-48d2-a86e-971fcba0f782/ef-spring-2024-concert-cover.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/4affb45e-66f7-4354-9517-768778f369ba/Ench+Flutes+COncert+FLyer+Aprl+27+2025+.jpg https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/our-story daily 0.75 2023-04-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/1607041454846-J524XNKZGVPMOA4DXB3G/leo-wieling-bG8U3kaZltE-unsplash.jpg Our Story - Inspiration for starting Shir Harmony I have often been asked what my inspiration was for starting Shir Harmony. A few years earlier, I had been ready to retire after a lifetime of love and “commitment to perfection” to teaching, performing, and conducting. The decision was made after my 15th year as Artistic Director of a Jewish youth choir called The Renanim Youth Singers. We had a final concert with alumni included, performing our top hits, singing with joy and laughter amidst the tearful farewells. All my friends and family were there… everyone except my son. He was conspicuously missing. Where was he?!?! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/1610329861490-SV0K2TG2PT773DS1YMD0/alvin-mahmudov-NSVJAAXOYHs-unsplash.jpg Our Story - As it turns out, he too, was busy that day, asking the love of his life, his b’shert, to marry him. What blissful timing this was - a wonderful new adventure for me of love and of planning a wedding that would fill the aching void in my heart. My job was to focus on the ceremony by arranging two songs chorally that would accompany the bride and groom down the aisle. I then intertwined these two pieces as the bride encircled the groom under the chuppah, musically uniting their love and our families together. This labour of love also reignited my Neshamah, my Jewish musical soul. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/cbcb48ab-6d7a-45a5-8dba-341c585831e1/IMG_2866.JPG Our Story https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/testamonials daily 0.75 2021-01-15 https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2021-01-08 https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/director daily 0.75 2021-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fc93411454de30094fc53ec/1609129444002-AXATOUKIKQ6H1GHN6KDE/Susan.png Director - Susan Michaels With her music degree from the University of Toronto in 1976, as well as her A.R.C.T. on the euphonium and trombone, Susan Michaels started her career as a high school music teacher (1977-1987) in what was formerly known as the Scarborough and North York Boards of Education. As an award-winning educator and conductor, Mrs. Michaels became Director of the Scarborough Wind Ensemble, an all-city, elite high school band which toured throughout Canada and the U.S. Susan is also a vocalist and was a first soprano of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir from 1980-1997 and performed with the Toronto Symphony countless times at Roy Thompson Hall, Massey Hall, and Carnegie Hall. https://www.shirharmonychoir.com/lost daily 0.75 2021-01-11