Elise has a strong interest in exploring how musical expression can enable people to bypass habitual left-brain linear ways of looking at problems in order to engage their creative, affective selves. She works with Judy, Valerie and Suzanne to find safe ways of helping groups express the emotional content that can either impede or inspire positive change.

She has a B.Mus. (Contemporary Composition & Arranging, Berklee College of Music), and an M.Ed. (Creative Arts & Learning, Lesley College). Elise has extensive experience in composing, arranging, workshop presentation, directing, teaching and performing.

Elise sings and plays the piano, flute, bass flute, and melodica. In addition to directing and writing for Capital Vox, Canada's premier jazz choir which she founded in 2007, she is a member of the music faculty at Carleton University, teaching theory classes and jazz/pop voice. She heads the voice department at Alcorn Music Studios, where she enjoys a diverse voice and piano instruction practice. Until recently, she directed the Big Soul Project, a community gospel and groove choir. Elise has taught song-writing workshops, voice workshops, and piano classes at the college and university level.

She has an active performance schedule, and can be heard at venues throughout Ottawa. She is the music director at Cafe Paradiso, one of Ottawa's finest jazz and dinner venues, where she performs on a weekly basis. Her recordings include a CD of jazz standards and poetry called Pas de Deux with pianist Harry Pickens, and a CD of original songs called I Will Sing for You, both on the Peace Café Records label. Additional writing includes co-authoring The Stage Fright Handbook with Tim Bedner, published articles about song-writing and singing, as well as a poetry book called To Flirt With Words.

http://www.eliseletourneau.com