Our aim is to bring a diverse and distinctive music repertoire that will enrich and educate both the members of the ensemble and the community in which we perform.

North 44° Ensemble was founded in the year 2000 by Artistic Director Geoffrey Butler. An affiliate of the Toronto Choral Society, the ensemble consists of 20 auditioned members who are dedicated to excellence and eclecticism in choral music. North 44° has quickly gained a reputation for its wide variety of vocal styles and genres and is in high demand for concerts and recordings.

North 44° was featured on the CD entitled, "The Children of Lir" by Loretto Reid.

Geoffrey Butler
Artistic Director

Geoffrey Butler has earned a well-deserved reputation as a musician of unique versatility.

Mr. Butler founded North 44° Ensemble in the year 2000. He is currently in his tenth year as Artistic Director of the Toronto Choral Society to which North 44° is affiliated. Under his direction, the Toronto Choral Society has grown to become an umbrella organization consisting of three separate choirs – the Toronto Community Choir, North 44° Ensemble and the Street Haven Women’s Choir. The Street Haven Women’s Choir was founded in 1999 by Mr. Butler, with a grant from the United Way. The Women’s Choir is drawn from the women who use the services of the downtown shelter - Street Haven at the Crossroads.

Mr. Butler has served as Organist and Choir Director at All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Etobicoke, since 1983. He has built a choral program that now boasts two children’s choirs; a youth chamber choir as well as an adult choir, all of which serve to fulfill the needs of this 4000 family congregation.

As a guest conductor he has performed with the Niagara Symphony, the Hart House Orchestra of the University of Toronto, the Oakville Symphony in both their main season and at the Oakville Waterfront Festival and the Canadian Opera Orchestra. He was Music Director for the premiere of the David Warrack musical Piper and won critical acclaim for his conducting of Puccini’s Suor Angelica at Queen’s University, Kingston.

Mr. Butler maintains a busy career as a solo tenor and is well known throughout his native Canada and the United States. A proponent of New Music, he has been involved in many North American and World premieres, and continues to enjoy an active involvement in both concert and opera.

Jenny Crober Assistant Conductor/Accompanist

Jenny Crober is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, where she studied piano with Gwen Beamish, and choral conducting with Deral Johnson.

Ms. Crober has been accompanying vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers and actors since 1980. She has composed for and performed in several modern dance performances, as well as with the a cappella vocal jazz sextet, “Union Station”, heard on CBC Radio. Ensembles she has performed with include The Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Opera Mississauga, and The Orpheus Choir of Toronto. She has also played for vocal auditions in Germany. Jenny accompanied soprano Patricia O’Callaghan on the highly-acclaimed classical/cabaret CD “Youkali“, which received a “Critic’s Choice” review in Billboard Magazine, extensive airplay on CBC Radio, and resulted in the production of several videos for Bravo TV.

At the 2002 National Choral Conference, “Podium”, she worked extensively with the renowned British composer, Bob Chilcott. Last summer she was on the faculty of CAMMAC, as coach, accompanist and assistant conductor. This summer she will be returning as coach, accompanist, and conductor of the Children’s Choir. Last, but not least, she and her husband, Stephen, are the proud parents of Liam Francis, born in 1997.