2025-26

Darby Drew Howard

by September 23, 2026 in 2023-24, 2025-26, Artistic Team, Conducting Fellows Comments are Disabled

CONDUCTING FELLOW – Soprano Darby Drew Howard is thrilled to return to Ensemble Laude as a Conducting Fellow. Darby is an educator, conductor, and vocalist based in Victoria that has had the joy of working with Ensemble Laude in the 2022-2023 season. Following her graduation from the University of Victoria with her BMus in 2023 and BEd in 2025, Darby has worked as an elementary music educator and has been offered the opportunity to work with multiple choirs as a Choral Scholar, Conducting Fellow, and Section Lead. Some of the choirs that she has worked with include Ensemble Laude, the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Choir, and the Newcombe Singers. She has also had the opportunity to work with Kathryn Whitney and Howard Dyck as a Section Lead during the 2026 Sing the North Festival. As a choral leader, Darby works with singers and choirs from a perspective of growth, and that everyone has the right to sing.

When they are not in choir or singing, you can find them teaching in the School District of Victoria, or doing fibre arts and watching reality tv with her fiance Noah.

Darby is an Ensemble Laude Conducting Fellow in our 2026-27 season. They were an Emerging Artist in our 2023-24 season.

Eva Kate Smith

by September 23, 2026 in 2025-26, Conducting Fellows Comments are Disabled

EVA SMITH is the Conducting Fellow with Ensemble Laude, having taken up the position following two years as an Emerging Artist with the choir. Eva is a recent graduate of the music education program at UVic. She also holds a diploma in Music Production from Nimbus school of Recording and Media. Her passion for music and singing began at a young age, and she has been involved in music lessons, choirs, and bands for most of her life. Voice and piano are her primary instruments, but she also enjoys picking up and learning new instruments such as guitar, bassoon, baritone horn, and clarinet. She aims to pursue a diverse musical career that involves conducting, performance, songwriting, music production, and music education. Eva is very excited for a season of singing and learning new skills with Ensemble Laude!

Eva was Conducting Fellow in our 2025-26 season, and was an Ensemble Laude Emerging Artist in 2024-25 and 2023-25 seasons.