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History of Masterworks of Oakville
Chorus and Orchestra

Joyce Sitarski is the Founder of Masterworks of Oakville. As leaders of St. Andrew’s Concert Series, Brian Isherwood and Robert Harason also gave substantially of their time, expertise and resources.

In the spring of 2000, Joyce Sitarski invited Charles Demuynck and the Oakville Chamber Orchestra to be part of the Messiah Concert at St Andrews Catholic Church (as part of the St. Andrews Concert Series). Under the leadership of Joyce Sitarski, choirs from across Oakville were contacted to bring choristers together for this performance. This can be regarded as the seminal project which eventually developed into Masterworks.

There was a gap of 5 years until the next concert, while Charles was teaching at Universities in Indiana and Louisiana. Upon his return in April 2005, St. Andrew’s Concert Series again produced Messiah, with the leadership of Joyce Sitarski. Brian Isherwood was the main administrator of the first concerts given with the name Masterworks of Oakville Chorus and Orchestra (a title coined by Charles Demuynck). This was Mozart Requiem & Vivaldi Gloria in February 2006. Since then Masterworks’ activities have accelerated greatly. Robert Harason was the treasurer for all concerts produced at St. Andrew’s up to and including the St. Matthew Passion in Spring 2011.

Joyce Sitarski served as President of Masterworks for those important first five years during which Masterworks developed its administrative structure, received several grants, produced numerous concerts and videos. It also became a registered charity. In 2008 Masterworks was incorporated.

Masterworks concerts have been well received, and we quickly built a large audience due the high quality of music performance.

Our Founder, Joyce Sitarski