About

Composer/Organist/Conductor/Music Educator Carmine Lappano was born in Toronto, in 1977. He received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Toronto in 2000, and his Bachelor of Education in 2004. During his time at U of T, he had the privilege of working with renowned Canadian composers Larysa Kuzmenko and Gary Kulesha. It was at this time that he began his work as a church musician, singing as a tenor lead in churches all over Toronto. He has worked with prominent composer/conductors such as Eleanor Daley, Matthew Larkin, Lydia Adams and Jerzy Chichocki. In 2017, Carmine obtained the Professional Diploma in Choral Conducting from the Royal Canadian College of Organists (CH. RCCO).

As a vocalist, Carmine sang with many important Canadian choirs, including The Elmer Iseler Singers. At that time, Carmine was fortunate to participate in many premiers of new works by Canadian composers, which inspired Carmine to begin to compose some of his own works. In 2006, Carmine began his first post as a Music Director at Guildwood Presbyterian Church in Scarborough. It was at this church that Carmine began to use his original music for the music ministry of the church, composing short anthems, introits, congregational prayers and blessings. After directorships at St. Nicholas Anglican in Scarborough and Trinity United Church in Bowmanville, Carmine is currently the Director of Music and Organist at St George’s Memorial Anglican Church in Oshawa, a post he has held since 2018.

Carmine has several pieces published with Cypress Choral Music, Hal Leonard, Beckenhorst Press, Pavanne Publishing and Renforth Music. Carmine is an award winning composer, having won competitions in 2021 (RCCO Organ Festival Hymn Competition), Chronos Vocal Ensemble Composition Competition in 2023, (with the piece “Arise, Arise”), and the Isaac Watts Composition Choral Competition in the UK (2024).