Upcoming Events and Appearances
Dr. Darren Hamilton will appear as a Paper Presenter
Paper: "Perceptions and Benefits of Curricular Gospel Choir Participation Amongst Postsecondary Students: A Canadian Perspective"
International Society of Music Education (ISME) Conference
Tuesday, July 28th, 2026
Venue - Montréal Convention Centre - Palais des congrès Montréal, 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montreal, Quebec
More information and registration:
Past Events and Appearances
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Presenter
Session: "Singing and Performing Authentically in the Black Gospel Style"
PODIUM Conference, Choral Canada
Saturday, May 16th, 2026
Venue - University of Victoria, Victoria British Columbia
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as Conductor and Curator
"A Celebration of Black History through Music"
Featuring the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir
Saturday, February 7th , 2026
Venue - Lyric Theatre, Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Presenter and Research Presenter
Workshop Session: "So You Want To Teach Your Choir Gospel Music?"
Research Paper: "Perceptions and Benefits of Curricular Gospel Choir Participation Amongst Postsecondary Students: A Preliminary Exploration from a Canadian Perspective"
Ontario Music Educators' Association Conference
Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport & Conference Centre, 655 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Presenter and Research Presenter
Workshop Session: "So You Want To Teach Your Choir Gospel Music?"
Workshop Session: "#BlackMusicMatters: Hip Hop and Social Justice in Canada"
Research Presentation: "Perceptions and Benefits of Curricular Gospel Choir Participation Amongst Postsecondary Students: A Preliminary Exploration from a Canadian Perspective"
British Columbia Music Educators' Association Conference
Richmond Conference Centre, Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, 7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond, British Columbia
Friday, October 24, 2025
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Presenter
Workshop Session: "So You Want To Teach Your Choir Gospel Music?"
Workshop Session: "#BlackMusicMatters: Hip Hop and Social Justice in Canada"
Arts Unleashed Conference, Alberta Teacher’s Association Fine Arts Council
The Fringe Theatre Arts Barns, 10330 84 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta
Friday, October 17, 2025
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as Workshop Presenter
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir "Exchange: A Day of Choral Community Workshops" Event
Saturday, February 22nd , 2025
Venue - Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, 1585 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario
ADMISSION: $30.00
More information and tickets:
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as Conductor and Curator
"A Musical Celebration of Black History"
Featuring the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir
Saturday, February 8th , 2025
Venue - Lyric Theatre, Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario
ADMISSION: $11.30 (livestream) - $27.10 (in person) plus applicable fees
More information and tickets:
https://www.tolive.com/Event-Details-Page/reference/Celebration-of-Black-History-Through-Music-2025
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Presenter
Session: "So You Want To Teach Your Choir Gospel Music?"
Ontario Music Educators' Association Conference
RBC Place/DoubleTree by Hilton
London, Ontario
Friday, November 8, 2024
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Conductor
Ensembles:
University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir
&
G.I.V.E. Workshop Mass Choir
Gospel Inter-Varsity Explosion (G.I.V.E.)
Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre
Accolade East Building
York University - Keele Campus
Toronto, Ontario
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Tickets:
https://secure1.tixhub.com/yorku/online/b_otix.asp?cboPerformances=2154&cboEvent=995
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Presenter
Individual Paper: "Making Space For Gospel Piano Studies In Postsecondary Institutions: A Path For Aural Musicianship And Improvisational Skill Development"
ISME 36th World Conference
Sunday, July 28th - Friday, August 2nd , 2024
Venue - Helsinki Music Centre, Helsinki, Finland
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as Conductor and Co-Curator
"Gospel at the Grove"
Featuring the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir, York University Gospel Choir, NIFTY and JUNO award-winning Toronto Mass Choir
Sunday, June 30th, 2024
Venue - TD Main Stage, 93 Charles Street, Toronto, Ontario
ADMISSION: FREE
More Info:
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Presenter
Interest Session: "Integrating Gospel Music into Your Choral Repertoire"
2024 PODIUM Choral Conference & Festival
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Venue - Delta Hotels by Marriot Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician/Ensemble Director
Workshop/Ensemble: "PowerUp Chorale"
2024 PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
Wednesday, February 21st - Sunday, February 25th , 2024
Workshop Venue - York University, Toronto, Ontario
Finale Concert Venue - Kingdom House Christian Centre - Brampton, Ontario
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as Conductor
"A Musical Celebration of Black History"
Featuring the University of Toronto Faculty of Music Gospel Choir
Saturday, February 10th , 2024
Venue - Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto, Ontario
ADMISSION: FREE
Register at: http://uoft.me/feb10gospelchoir
Dr. Darren Hamilton is partnering with Steve Giddings, author and owner of Steve's Room Music Publishing, to co-edit a new music education book project, tentatively titled, The Why and How of Popular Music Education: A Canadian Perspective.
Music education practitioners and researchers with experience teaching popular music in school or higher learning settings are invited to submit a proposal for a book chapter.
The submission deadline is:
Friday, December 22, 2023.
For more information or to submit a proposal, visit:
Dr. Darren Hamilton appeared as Guest Speaker
Session: "Exploring and Experimenting with Gospel Vocal Improvisation"
A Thinking Spaces event hosted by the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
Friday, November 24, 2023
https://
Darren Hamilton appeared as Arranger and Guest Conductor
Forward Together: A Celebration of Black History and Culture in Oakville
Sunday, April 30th , 2023
St. John's United Church, 262 Randall Street, Oakville, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician/Ensemble Director
Workshop/Ensemble: "PowerUp Chorale"
2023 PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
Thursday, February 23rd - Sunday, February 26th , 2023
York University/Kingdom House Christian Centre - Toronto, Ontario/Brampton, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Panelist
Session: "Choral Directors and Church Music Leaders Webinar"
2022 PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
Saturday, February 19, 2022
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Speaker
Session: "Music and Culture Speaker Series"
Department of Art, Culture and Media - University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop Title: "Integrating Gospel Music into the Classroom"
Con Fuoco 2021 - Ontario Music Educator's Association (OMEA) Annual Conference
Friday, November 5, 2021
Online Virtual Conference
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Panelist
Discussion: "After the Silence - Teaching Secondary Music in the Post-Covid Classroom"
Thursday, October 21, 2022
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop: Gospel Music Workshop with the Conrad Grebel Chapel Choir
Monday, March 22, 2021
University of Waterloo - Waterloo, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop: "Keep Your Choir Alive: How To Conduct Virtual Choir Rehearsals"
2021 PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
Thursday, February 11th - Saturday, February 13th, 2021
&
Wednesday, Februaru 17 - Saturday, February 20, 2021
Virtual Conference - Zoom/Whova App
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop Title: "Integrating Gospel Music into the Classroom"
Amplify 2020 - Ontario Music Educator's Association (OMEA) Annual Conference
Saturday, November 21st, 2020 - Live Workshop Q&A Session
Viritual Workshop will be available in September to OMEA members.
Amplify Online Conference
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician/Ensemble Director
Workshop/Ensemble: "PowerUp Chorale"
2020 PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
Thursday, February 20th - Sunday, February 23rd, 2020
York University - Toronto, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop: Gospel Music Workshop with the Conrad Grebel Chapel Choir and the Worship Apprentices of the University of Waterloo
Monday, January 27, 2020
University of Waterloo - Waterloo, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop Title: "Integrating Gospel Music into the Classroom"
Opus 100 - Ontario Music Educator's Association (OMEA) Annual Conference
Saturday, November 9th, 2019
Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre - Toronto, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician/Ensemble Director
Workshop/Ensemble: "PowerUp Chorale"
2019 PowerUp Gospel Music Workshop
Thursday, February 21st - Sunday, February 24th , 2019
York University/Bayview Glen Church - Toronto, Ontario/Thornhill, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop Title: "Integrating Gospel Music into the Classroom"
Counterpoint 2018 - Ontario Music Educator's Association (OMEA) Annual Conference
Friday, November 2nd, 2018
Hamilton Convention Centre/Sheraton Hamilton - Hamilton, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician/Ensemble Director
Workshop Title: "Theory 101: Back to the Basics"
Ensemble: "PowerUP Chorale"
2018 PowerUP Gospel Music Workshop
Friday, February 23rd - Sunday, February 25th , 2018
York University/Bayview Glen Church - Toronto, Ontario/Thornhill, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician
Workshop Title: "Integrating Gospel Music into the Classroom"
Interlude 2017 - Ontario Music Educator's Association (OMEA) Annual Conference
Saturday, November 3rd, 2017
Deerhurst Resort - Huntsville, Ontario
Darren Hamilton appeared as a Workshop Clinician/Ensemble Director
Workshop/Ensemble: "PowerUP Chorale"
2017 PowerUP Gospel Music Workshop
Friday, February 24th - Sunday, February 26th , 2017
York University/Global Kingdom Ministries - Toronto, Ontario