Born in 1967 in Edmonton, Alberta, Amy Stephen grew up in Vancouver, BC and now resides in Coquitlam. The founder and former director of both the Vancouver's Aurora Celebration Choir and the Coquitlam Celebration Choir and currently the conductor of 3 other choirs in the Vancouver Area, Amy obtained a B.Mus. and a B.Ed. from UBC, studying conducting with James Fankhauser, and sang with the University Singers and the University Chamber Singers. Since then, she has sung with various groups around Vancouver, including the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Vancouver Cantata Singers and Musica Intima.
Amy takes an arranging influence from her Scottish heritage, growing up in and around Celtic music all her life. She now plays Celtic harp, piano, accordion, & penny whistle along with being an arranger.
Selected Works
Words of Chief Seattle - SATB div. or SSA, with piano. This somber and emotional piece takes it's beautiful introspective text from a speech by Chief Seattle (1786 - 1866), a Suquamish Tribe and Dwamish chief. The music written by Stephens paints this text in a minor key, filling out the arrangement with piano accompaniment.
When the Tide Goes Out - SA with piano. An arrangement that was co-written with Diane Loomer, this bouncy calypso-feeling tune has a humorous lyrics, easy two part harmony, and chord symbols with plenty of space for extra instrumental accompaniment to add even more to this folk tune for those on the coast.
Amy Stephen is a member and co-founder of Canada's celtic funk band MUD PUDDING, country-folk duo Shoplifters of Life with her brother, and as well is a popular Celtic performer herself, playing accordion, fiddle, harp, whistle, piano, and guitar. She also teaches private lessons in these instruments as well. Even further, she currently directs three choirs around the Vancouver area including the Phrase-ology choir, St. Paul's Anglican Church Choir, and the Clay Tree Community Choir.