grace wandering

Karla, Liz, and Sarah met in London, Ontario, where they each completed Honours Bachelor of Music degrees at The University of Western Ontario, sang together in the women’s choir Project Sing!, feasted at many a potluck, and drank many a latte. One day in the summer of 2008, as they sifted and sang through piles of well-loved choral scores while munching farm-fresh produce from Karla’s family market, a trio was born. The name grace wandering, evoking an image of woman on a journey, combines the concept of grace (safety, security, home, love) with the notion of wandering (searching, uncertainty, questioning).

Each vocalist brings a unique musical background to the group, including one heck of a lot of classical training. Aiming to explore the boundaries of their voices while singing high quality, meaningful, and beautiful music in tight harmony, their unconventional palette of repertoire features many of Sarah’s original compositions and unique covers, including vocal covers of non-vocal music. Important musical influences include The Wailin’ Jennys, Chic Gamine and Rajaton.

Sarah Quartel, born and raised in London, ON, first started composing as a child when the hum of her mother’s clothes dryer inspired her to sing along. She has since expanded her repertoire and her compositions have been in demand with folk and pop artists, choral and instrumental ensembles and soloists throughout Canada and in Europe.
Her music is supported by the Ontario Arts Council, recorded on numerous CDs, performed by such groups as Rajaton and Nathaniel Dett Chorale and published with Lighthouse Music Publications. Sarah is a proud and committed music educator at Sparta Public School, Ontario.

Karla Dickieson grew up on a farm just outside of Guelph, ON. She began singing in choirs at the age of 10, and has sung with the Guelph Youth Singers, Ontario Youth Choir, Woodstock Fanshawe Singers and Project Sing! After completing her music performance degree, she pursued a one-year Performance Diploma, where she focused on art song and opera repertoire. She has a special interest in contemporary works, and the use of the voice in experimental ways. In addition to opera, Karla brings a passion for country music to the group; she especially loves to sing with the live band at the Maryhill Commercial Tavern on open jam night.

Liz Mitchell, who grew up in Ottawa, ON, began piano lessons at the age of 6, and singing in choirs soon after that. Her early childhood love for music was such that her mother needed to strategize ways to get her to STOP practicing. After her music education studies at Western, she moved to Waterloo to pursue her masters degree in music therapy at Wilfrid Laurier University. Still living in Waterloo, Liz works as a music therapist at Lutherwood with youth with mental health issues, as a part-time faculty member at Wilfrid Laurier University, and has a private piano and voice studio. She also holds an ARCT in piano performance, and is passionate about choral singing.