Susan Blyth-Schofield ORMTA
Susan has spent her life in music and the arts and continues to have a mosaic career there. She was bitten by the lyric theatre bug at a very young age. Her first real performances were on a children’s TV variety show at the age of 5. She sang and performed all through childhood and high school and a few years later Susan graduated from The University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music in Performance. This was followed by a Master’s in Performance Studies from City University and the Guild Hall (London, England). She is also an Associate of The Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, an emeritus member of The National Association of Teachers of Singing, and a member of both Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and The Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists. A member of ORMTA since 2005, Susan has served on the Ottawa Region Branch’s Executive and Council in many capacities, including President, and she is currently serving on Provincial Council managing the Competitions portfolio. Although Susan taught voice from her mid-twenties, the focus of her early career was on performance. A former regional winner in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, Susan performed in opera, operetta, and musical theatre across Canada and in Europe with such companies as The Canadian Opera Company, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Comus Music Theatre, Toronto Operetta Theatre, and Festival Estival Musical. Chamber opera has always had a special appeal for Susan, and she created three roles in that genre: Baby (Baby), The Judge (Space Opera), and Sally (Killing Time). Her concert work includes numerous recitals in Toronto, Vancouver, Washington, D.C., London, Brussels, and other Canadian and European cities. Closer to home she has performed at The National Arts Centre, as a soloist with the Musica Viva Singers, in Opera Gelato, in the Opera in Piazza concerts during Italian Week, with the Ceremonial Band of The Governor General’s Foot Guards, at Rideau Hall, and in recital at the residence of the British High Commissioner. Her performances have been heard on CBC Radio and on Belgian and Canadian television. Susan is passionate about teaching and has maintained a private vocal studio for almost forty years teaching in Ottawa, Toronto, Brussels, Geneva, and London (England). Her students include professional classical and musical theatre singers, actors, and dancers, university music performance students, aspiring high school students, and amateur performers. She has taught singing in conjunction with Canterbury High School in Ottawa since 1988. Susan joined Carleton Music as a performance instructor in 2002, shortly after her return from Europe, and has also lectured there in both the History of Opera and of Musical Theatre. Since 2013 she has been the director of the University’s Lyric Theatre Ensemble. On the academic front, Susan wrote some sixty signed articles on singers for German music encyclopaedia Die Musik in Geschickte und Gegenwart. She remains a sought-after vocal adjudicator and gives workshops and masterclasses on vocal pedagogy, interpretation, stress awareness and relaxation, and performance anxiety.
Photo - ORMTA President Tania Granata presenting the CFMTA Hugheen Ferguson award to Susan Blyth-Schofield on Thursday August 7th, 2025 at the In Sync event in Niagara Falls, Ontario
Virginia Heinrichs MRMTA
Mrs. Virginia Heinrichs has been an avid supporter of MRMTA and CFMTA programs throughout her career. Virginia was born in Saskatchewan growing up on a farm just outside of Saskatoon. After graduating from high school, she pursued her love of music and moved to Winnipeg to attend the Mennonite Bible College where she studied piano performance. It was at MBC that Virginia met her husband Don Heinrichs whom she married in 1963. Following graduation, the Heinrichs moved back to Don’s hometown of Gretna MB where Virginia began teaching privately, piano, theory and music history. Virginia quickly built a reputation as the teacher that students wanted to study with.
Virginia has been an active teacher and festival adjudicator throughout her career. She was dedicated to her students and formed connections and friendships which remain to this day. She continued to teach until July of 2024 at the age of 84.
Virginia was an early supporter of CFMTA, becoming a member of the Manitoba association in 1972 and furthered her support by helping create the Southern Manitoba Branch in 1975. The Southern Branch continues to promote the ideals and programs offered by CFMTA. In 1976 Virginia and her husband moved to the Transcona area of Winnipeg where she established her long-time music studio, teaching piano, theory, harmony, counterpoint, analysis and history. Over the years, Virginia took on several rolls with MRMTA and CFMTA. As noted in her activities listed above, she served as MRMTA Provincial President, CFMTA National President, over-saw the MRMTA Pre-Diploma Group and then continued to act as an advisor. Virginia was also Convenor of the Young Artist Competition in Manitoba up until and including the 2024 competition. She was a great support to her students, fellow teachers and other members of MRMTA.
As an active community member, Mrs. Heinrichs worked at her local church, Grey Street United for 32 years as the organist and choir accompanist as well as substituting at several other churches in the area. Both Virginia and Don have been avid concert goers and supporters of music and the arts in the city of Winnipeg. Her continuing dedication to music education throughout the province of Manitoba has been recognized with an Honorary Life Membership in MRMTA, presented October 4, 2009, as well as Honorary Life Membership in the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg presented June 16, 2016. Mrs. Heinrichs was recognized for an amazing 50 years of membership in MRMTA in June of 2022.
Due to mobility challenges, Virginia recently moved from her home to Park Manor Care Home in Transcona, Winnipeg.
For her dedication, commitment to and support of MRMTA, CFMTA and music education across the country, Virginia Heinrichs is a most worthy candidate to receive the Hugheen Ferguson Distinguished Teacher Award.
Photo - L-R: President Laura Liu, CFMTA Hugheen Ferguson Distinguished Teacher Award recipient Virginia Heinrichs, and Past President Maureen Baird