Congratulations to Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff, MEI Class of 1966 (Jr. Matriculation) and 1967 (Senior Matriculation) for being recognized as one of Canadian Mennonite University‘s Distinguished Alumni for 2018.
Source: CMU Distinguished Alumni Awards 2018
Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff (MBBC ’70) of Edmonton, AB has been on the faculty of the Department of Music at the University of Alberta since 1981, teaching in the area of choral music. Ratzlaff co-founded and directs the most established graduate training program for choral conductors in Canada. He directs the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers, one of Canada’s leading university choirs, which has gained both national and international competition awards for their performances and recordings. As a professional baritone soloist and ensemble singer, he has sung in numerous projects in North America and Europe.
His honours include induction into the City of Edmonton Hall of Fame, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for distinguished service to Canadian choral music, induction into the Alberta Order of Excellence, induction as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and being named to the Order of Canada.
Dr. Ratzlaff counts his singing experiences at MEI under the direction of teachers CD Toews, Henry Wiebe and Rudy Baerg as major influences on his decision to pursue a career in conducting; his studies in English literature with Jake Toews were also very inspiring, and awakened a love for expressive language that is so important in the creation of choral music.
