"Changing lives through music and song,
Carolyn built a community-based chorale ensemble in Prince George, known for its inclusive and safe environment.
Tapestry Singers, a top-ranking youth chorus, creates space for its members and thrives under Carolyn’s passion and leadership."
Quote from B.C. Community Achievement Award
Carolyn Duerksen is a Music Education Specialist in Prince George, B.C. She earned a Bachelor of Education (Concentration in Music), at the University of Victoria (1988), and a Master of Music, at the University of Toronto (2002). In June 2010, Carolyn completed Level Three of the “Creating Artistry” Conducting Workshop program at Butler University in Indianna, with Henry Leck.
Carolyn taught general music education at Quinson Elementary School for 25 years. Her school choir, the Quinson Senior Choristers, received local, provincial, and national praise for their technical skill, as well as their ability to passionately communicate meaning and emotion to their audience. In September 2019, Carolyn began teaching general music education at Southridge Elementary School.
In 2007, Carolyn founded DISTRICT 57 Tapestry Singers, a non-auditioned choir that included singers from the public-school district. In September 2019, the choir began a new chapter in their history, working independently of the school district, as PRINCE GEORGE Tapestry Singers Society.
Since the beginning of her career in Prince George, Carolyn has distinguished herself as an inspiring choral director with voices of all ages, from children to adults, and continues to find ways in which to better the choral music experience.
In 2007, BC Choral Federation honored Carolyn with The Amy Ferguson Award, an award for her choral work in Prince George.
In 2020, the British Columbia Achievement Foundation honored Carolyn with a B.C. Community Achievement Award.