As an active baritone singer, chorister, conductor, arts administrator and professional fundraiser; Mr. W. Ian Walker has been apart of some amazing ensembles during his over forty years of choral music making. These ensembles have included: Hamilton Mennonite Children’s Choir Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir, Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) Young Artist Vocal Program, The University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Music Singers, London Pro Musica Chamber Ensemble and The Orpheus Choir of Toronto, since 2003 under the direction of Robert Cooper, C.M. (Order of Canada) Artistic Director.

Mr. Walker also worked as Arts Administrator and Fundraiser for 30 years, primarily with Choral and Orchestral organizations in the areas of Public Relations, Arts Marketing, Special Events and Fundraising duties in the Southern and Southwestern areas of Ontario. These arts or “non profit” organizations include: Orchestra London Canada, University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Music; London Pro Musica Chamber Choir; London International Children’s Festival; Subway World Gymnastics Challenge (Copp’s Coliseum); Hamilton’s Festival of Friends Folk Festival; The Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir; the Elmer Iseler Singers, The Orpheus Choir of Toronto and The Youth Choir for the Nations Canada.

Mr. Walker has formed two companies in Arts Marketing and Fundraising entitled Emlian Music Group (2000) & Emlian Communications Group Inc. (2007). The two companies have attracted many non-profit clients to the services offered in all aspects of Development to Arts Marketing services. Mr. Walker has his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Film from McMaster University combined with a Post Graduate Certificate from Humber College’s Fundraising and Volunteer Management Program.

Since 2005, Mr. Walker is Founder, Artistic Director and CEO of the Youth Choir for the Nations Canada (YCFN Canada) The Youth Choir sings in English, French, Spanish and Urdu. During 2006-2008, the choir has been invited to perform in several venues in Southern Ontario. Mr. Walker and the Board of Directors will be exploring other touring opportunities in 2010.

W. Ian Walker has written his autobiography Stirring My Soul to Sing, Overcoming Obstacles of ADHD that will soon be published. Ian has had this ADHD disorder since birth and was not officially diagnosed until 1997 when he first attended McMaster University, in Hamilton, ON.

In his book, Ian openly writes about “my amazing careers in both Classical, Choral and Gospel Music to a Broadcasting career researching and interviewing and developing friendships with some of Gospel Music’s (Christian Contemporary Music- CCM) legends” who are also Grammy and Dove Award winners themselves such as Sandi Patty, Steven Curtis Chapman, Randy Stonehill, Nancy Honeytree Miller, Mark Lowry, Phil Driscoll and the Dean of CCM, Composer and Arranger, Ralph Carmichael .

Mr. Walker shares about his amazing career and opportunities to work with some incredible Classical Music and Gospel artists combined with the joys and sorrows that he has experienced adapting to his disability issues in his book. Ian also shares in the book about having a fruitful relationship with “his blessed Elaine” and they been happily married for over ten years.